The New Executive Skill Set: What Comes After AI Literacy?
In the boardrooms of 2025, the debate is over: a deep, strategic understanding of Artificial Intelligence is no longer a niche requirement for the CTO, but a foundational hard skill for the entire C-suite.
From finance to marketing, leaders who cannot grasp the implications and applications of AI are already at a significant disadvantage.
But as executives worldwide race to build their AI acumen, a critical new question emerges: once AI literacy is established as the price of admission, what is the other technical pillar that separates a good leader from a truly transformational one?
This “second skill” is not merely a runner-up; it is the critical enabler that underpins a successful AI transformation, governing everything from data integrity and security to market agility and scale.
To identify this essential capability, we turned to a global panel of distinguished tech experts, thought leaders, and C-suite executives who are actively shaping the future of business.
We asked them to look past the AI hype and pinpoint what comes next by sharing their response to the question:
“AI has undoubtedly emerged as the top C-suite hard skill, but which primary technical skill, in your opinion, comes a close second?”
Their responses reveal a fascinating consensus—and some surprising disagreements—on the technical skills that will define the next generation of successful executive leadership.
Read on!
Data Literacy Fuels AI Success in C-Suite
AI is definitely leading the way as the must-have skill in the C-suite, but if I had to name a close second…it would be data literacy.
Understanding how to read, question, and act on data is no longer just a nice-to-have. Whether you’re in tech, marketing, or operations, being able to connect the dots between data and decisions is a core leadership skill. You don’t need to be a data scientist, but you should know how to ask the right questions, spot patterns, and interpret insights in a meaningful way.
In my experience, leaders who are comfortable with data are able to drive better strategies, challenge assumptions, and guide AI adoption more effectively. AI may be the engine but data literacy is the fuel that makes it run in the right direction.
Ashish Bist
Technical Manager, Webuters Technologies
Data Architecture: The Foundation Behind AI Power
Why Data Engineering & Architecture Understanding Matters:
While AI grabs headlines, AI is only as strong as the data infrastructure that feeds it. C-suite leaders who grasp the fundamentals of data pipelines, integration, and governance have a massive edge. Why?
Because they can:
Make informed investments in scalable data systems
Ensure compliance with growing data privacy and localization laws
Bridge conversations between tech, ops, and business units
Evaluate risks like data silos, bias, and model performance failure at the root level
What This Skill Includes:
Understanding data lake vs. data warehouse trade-offs
Basics of ETL/ELT workflows
Familiarity with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, GCP
Data governance frameworks (e.g., GDPR, POPIA, HIPAA)
Knowledge of APIs and data integration strategies
Marc Bromhall
Founder, Dentist Hub
Data Fluency Transforms AI Alerts into Action
AI has become a must-have for today’s C-suite, no question. But right behind it, the technical skill I find most valuable is data fluency—specifically the ability to interpret data and translate it into decisions that drive outcomes. We’re not just talking dashboards here. It’s about understanding where the data came from, what questions it answers, and what blind spots it might be hiding. I remember during a major client onboarding last year, we caught a pattern in endpoint behavior that looked routine—until one of our tech leads, armed with solid data skills, flagged it as a slow-moving breach attempt. That saved the client from a long-term compromise. AI gave us the alerts, but human eyes and data sense made the call.
In my experience, great leaders don’t just use AI tools—they work alongside them. But those tools are only as good as the people asking the questions. You can’t ask the right questions if you don’t understand what your data is really telling you. That’s where technical skills like SQL, basic statistical modeling, or even just comfort with pivot tables and anomaly detection can come in handy. I make it a point to stay sharp on these myself, even if I’m not the one running the reports. The goal isn’t to be a data scientist—it’s to avoid flying blind.
My advice to fellow execs is simple: don’t let data fluency stay stuck in the analytics department. Ask your teams to explain their numbers, challenge assumptions, and make room for training that builds comfort with data interpretation. When everyone can spot the signal through the noise, the business moves faster and with more confidence. AI may be the engine, but data fluency is the steering wheel. Without it, you’re just along for the ride.
Elmo Taddeo
CEO, Parachute
API Literacy Connects Systems for Smarter Decisions
Right behind AI, I’d put API literacy as the next most valuable technical skill for the C-suite. A couple of years ago, we were evaluating new tools for our client onboarding workflow. Instead of waiting on engineers, I mapped out how the platforms would connect using their public APIs. That ability to read documentation, understand endpoints, and sketch out a flow chart helped us pick a tool that integrated smoothly with our existing stack.
The key isn’t being able to build the integration, but being able to reason through how systems talk to each other. APIs are how everything connects now. A C-level leader who can understand those connections makes faster, smarter decisions. It’s the difference between asking, “Can this work?” and knowing, “Here’s exactly how it fits.” In a world built on integrations, API fluency is the new business fluency.
Regulatory Knowledge Now Essential for C-Suite Success
Before the rise of AI, I would have said regulatory and compliance knowledge was the most essential hard skill for the C-suite. Now, it’s a very close second.
Companies no longer see compliance as something to hand off to legal teams. Executives are expected to lead with a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape, from data privacy and cybersecurity to environmental and trade regulations. The stakes are simply too high. Mistakes can lead to fines, operational shutdowns, reputational damage, or public scandals.
This shift reflects a broader trend toward hands-on leadership that has been building for years. The demand for regulatory expertise has only intensified as companies expand globally and face faster, more complex compliance challenges. Boards now seek leaders who can proactively navigate these issues, not just respond to them. In fact, I’ve seen companies pay a premium for C-suite candidates with proven regulatory experience, sometimes even valuing this over more traditional growth-oriented track records.
Ben Lamarche
General Manager, Lock Search Group
Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers
Data literacy comes second. Leaders don’t need to code, but they must question numbers, spot patterns, and link insights to action. Without that, AI outputs are just noise. The skill isn’t in knowing the answer—it’s knowing what to ask.
Data Analytics Guides Strategic C-Suite Decisions
leaders. Understanding how to interpret and leverage data enables better decision-making and helps leaders spot trends or risks early.
I’ve seen executives who grasp data analytics drive more strategic, evidence-based initiatives and communicate more effectively with technical teams. While AI powers automation and innovation, data analytics provides the foundation for measuring impact and guiding AI’s application wisely.
Leaders who combine these skills can better balance intuition with insights, making them more agile and competitive in today’s fast-changing market.
Georgi Petrov
CMO, Entrepreneur, and Content Creator, AIG MARKETER
Cloud Fluency Drives Profit and Customer Experience
I believe cloud computing sits firmly in second place after AI, though perhaps not for the reasons most executives think. During the pandemic scramble to virtual events, I watched countless CEOs personally struggle with basic platform decisions – AWS versus Azure, bandwidth costs, data residency issues – because they’d delegated these choices to IT teams who didn’t grasp the business implications.
The executives who understood cloud infrastructure could make real-time decisions about scaling their virtual events from 100 to 10,000 attendees without breaking their budgets or their platforms. I think what separates cloud-savvy leaders isn’t technical wizardry, but understanding how cloud costs directly impact profit margins and customer experience.
After producing events for the UN and GitLab, I’ve seen how cloud fluency translates into better vendor negotiations, smarter resource allocation, and honestly, the ability to sleep at night when your platform is handling global traffic spikes.
Michelle Garrison
Event Tech and AI Strategist, We & Goliath
Human Connection Remains C-Suite's Competitive Edge
Strong interpersonal skills are are essential for C-suite leaders as artificial intelligence streamlines operations and accelerates decision-making. Technology can automate tasks, but it cannot build trust, inspire teams, or navigate complex human dynamics. This is where modern executives must excel.
So, when I’m hiring for the C-suite, I’m asking the following: Can this person convey messages that resonate with employees, clients, stakeholders, and the broader market? Can they lead decisively while still earning the respect and loyalty of those around them?
Strong social acuity is harder to find today, at least in my experience, perhaps in part because technical expertise and AI fluency are drawing so much focus. That’s an imbalance worth looking into, because the candidate whose technical and interpersonal skills work in tandem will be increasingly in demand.
Jim Hickey
President, Perpetual Talent Solutions
On behalf of the Techronicler community of readers, we thank these leaders and experts for taking the time to share valuable insights that stem from years of experience and in-depth expertise in their respective niches.
If you wish to showcase your experience and expertise, participate in industry-leading discussions, and add visibility and impact to your personal brand and business, get in touch with the Techronicler team to feature in our fast-growing publication.
