662 - How to Build an AI Strategy That Actually Works with Christine Duque
Why you should listen
- Christine Duque, former Big Four consultant and CEO of Alonsera, shares why only 10% of global companies are seeing real impact from AI, and what separates the successful ones from the rest.
- Learn Christine's "Three A's" framework for making AI consumable: Automated, Anticipatory, and Augmented intelligence, plus how to progress toward autonomous operations.
- Get practical guidance on structuring AI transformation committees and coaching executive sponsors to drive cross-organizational buy-in.
Feeling pressure to "do something with AI" but unsure where to start without wasting budget or burning out your team? In this episode, I talk with Christine Duque, CEO of Alonsera and former Big Four consultant who now helps mid-market companies in highly regulated industries navigate AI implementation. We dig into why most AI initiatives fail before they even launch, and it's not the technology. Christine explains why treating AI like a silver bullet creates more chaos than progress, and what the 10% of companies getting real results are doing differently. If you're tired of the hype and want a grounded perspective on what AI adoption actually requires, this conversation cuts through the noise.
Key Highlights
- The Formula One Problem: AI is the fastest-adopted technology in human history (3-4 years to 90% adoption vs. 47 years for the refrigerator), but most organizations lack the foundational readiness to drive it effectively.
- Data as the Bottleneck: Most companies fail at AI not because of implementation errors, but because their data foundation is a "dumpster fire" that gets replicated by the technology.
- Change Management First: The real barrier to AI success is organizational change, not technical capability. Companies that skip this step are setting up expensive failures.
- Ethics and Customer Trust: In front-office AI applications, data sovereignty and ethical use directly impact customer trust, especially in highly regulated industries.
- Education Before Execution: Christine spends most of her time on AI education and enablement with leadership teams, which is the healthiest starting point for where most companies actually are in their AI maturity.
About Christine Duque
Christine Duque is CEO of Alonsera, a global AI consultancy helping organizations deploy AI solutions that actually scale. With executive experience at Accenture, Deloitte, and IBM, she's overseen $2B+ in AI and digital transformation projects for Fortune 50/100/500 companies—delivering results like 70% faster data ingestion and 30-50% customer engagement efficiency gains.
A sought-after speaker on ethical AI and digital transformation, Christine is actively shaping international AI standards through partnerships with Oxford University and UC Irvine. She authored the Amazon best-seller Walking in My Shoes: Shattering Glass Ceilings in Corporate America and co-founded the Women's Empowerment AI Network. An accomplished operatic soprano, she debuted at Carnegie Hall.
Resources and Links
- Duquesacd.com
- Alonsera.com
- Christine's LinkedIn profile
- Christine on Instagram: @christineduque
- Christine on Facebook: Christine Duque
- Christine on TikTok: @duquesacd
- Youtube Channel: Christine Duque
- Christine’s book: Walking In My Shoes: Shattering Glass Ceilings in Corporate America
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