Reimagine Your Business: What CEOs Can Learn from VIZ.AI, One of The Most Innovative Companies

Picture this: A patient suffers a stroke in a remote rural area. Minutes matter, yet the nearest specialist is hours away. In the past, this story might have ended in tragedy. Today, thanks to VIZ.AI, a brain scan is instantly analyzed by an AI model, detecting the stroke and alerting specialists miles away. Care is coordinated in real time, and the patient gets the treatment they need. Lives are saved, gaps in healthcare are bridged, and a new standard of care is born.

This ability to deliver life-changing innovation is why VIZ.AI was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2024. It’s a recognition of not just their technological achievements, but their commitment to reshaping healthcare for the better.

But VIZ.AI’s story isn’t just about healthcare. It’s a wake-up call for CEOs across industries. AI isn’t just a tool for better operations; it’s the lever that can redefine entire business models, create new standards of equity, and deliver transformative value. The key is to think beyond your current reality and reimagine how AI can reshape what’s possible.

To make this leap, CEOs must focus on five critical areas—rethinking operations, leading with speed, embracing partnerships, championing equity, and building trust. Each of these pillars, inspired by VIZ.AI’s journey, offers actionable strategies for bringing AI to the forefront of your organization.

1. Redesign Operations: From Reactive to Proactive

For decades, industries have operated reactively, waiting for problems to arise before solving them. VIZ.AI flips this paradigm. Its FDA-cleared algorithms analyze medical imaging data in real time, flagging issues before clinicians even realize they exist. Chris Mansi, CEO of VIZ.AI, describes it succinctly: “Our AI-powered care coordination solutions are designed to bridge the gaps between patients, clinicians, and life-saving treatments, ultimately improving patient outcomes”.

The Story CEOs Should Hear: Imagine a logistics company using AI to predict delivery bottlenecks before they happen. Or a manufacturing firm identifying equipment failures days before a breakdown. This is what AI makes possible.

What to Do:

• Map your operations to find critical delays or inefficiencies.

• Use AI to predict outcomes and recommend next steps in real time.

• Build a culture of proactive decision-making, driven by AI insights.

2. Lead with Speed: When Every Second Counts

In stroke care, time is brain. For every minute a stroke goes untreated, 1.9 million neurons are lost. VIZ.AI’s Neuro Suite processes brain scans almost instantaneously, alerting specialists and coordinating treatment. David Golan, CTO of VIZ.AI, emphasizes, “The rapid detection and communication capabilities of our AI solutions streamline diagnosis and treatment processes, significantly reducing delays that can impact patient outcomes”.

The Story CEOs Should Hear: Speed isn’t just for emergencies. Think about Amazon, where AI ensures same-day delivery. Or Netflix, where algorithms instantly adapt recommendations as you watch. AI enables businesses to move faster than ever before.

What to Do:

• Identify the moments where speed matters most to your customers.

• Automate decisions and workflows to eliminate delays.

• Invest in tools that enable teams to act with precision, not hesitation.

3. Collaborate to Scale: Building AI Ecosystems

No company can build the future alone. VIZ.AI’s collaboration with Microsoft is a case in point. Together, they integrated over 48 AI models into clinical workflows, scaling diagnostic capabilities across multiple specialties. Dr. Gregory Sorensen, Chairman of VIZ.AI, puts it best: “Our collaboration with Microsoft to integrate over 48 AI models into clinical workflows is a testament to our dedication to improving diagnostic accuracy and care coordination”.

The Story CEOs Should Hear: Consider Tesla’s partnership with Panasonic for battery technology or Starbucks teaming up with Square to revolutionize payments. Partnerships amplify AI’s impact by combining expertise and resources.

What to Do:

• Identify partners whose strengths complement your weaknesses.

• Focus on shared outcomes, ensuring mutual benefit.

• Build ecosystems where AI tools integrate seamlessly into broader systems.

4. Champion Equity: AI as a Force for Inclusion

VIZ.AI’s AI tools don’t just serve urban hospitals—they bring life-saving diagnostics to underserved areas. In one case, a stroke patient in a rural clinic received the same high-quality care as someone in a top-tier city hospital. Dr. Jayme Strauss, Chief Clinical Officer, highlights, “The real-world impact of our Neuro Suite demonstrates how AI-driven technology can enhance the speed and accuracy of stroke diagnosis, ensuring equitable treatment for patients”.

The Story CEOs Should Hear: What if AI could ensure that the best teachers reach every child, not just those in elite schools? Or that financial advice tailored by AI could serve communities traditionally ignored by banks? AI can break down barriers if used thoughtfully.

What to Do:

• Use data to identify inequities in your business or market.

• Design AI tools to reach underserved audiences.

• Measure your progress not just in profits, but in impact.

5. Build Trust: Make Ethics Your Differentiator

As AI takes center stage, trust is everything. VIZ.AI’s commitment to responsible AI, ensuring transparency, fairness, and security, has made it a trusted leader. Its focus on ethics isn’t just good practice; it’s good business.

The Story CEOs Should Hear: Think of Apple, which has built a reputation for prioritizing privacy. Or Patagonia, whose commitment to sustainability inspires loyalty. Trust is the foundation of brand equity, and ethical AI can set you apart.

What to Do:

• Audit your AI systems for bias and fairness.

• Communicate openly about how AI decisions are made.

• Embed ethics into your company culture, making it non-negotiable.

The CEO Playbook for 2025: Reimagine Your Future with Your Team

VIZ.AI’s recognition as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2024 isn’t just about its technical prowess—it’s about vision. It’s a testament to how AI can save lives, bridge inequities, and redefine entire industries. For CEOs, the lesson is clear: Innovation isn’t a department, it’s a mindset. And AI is the enabler that can turn bold ideas into transformative realities.

But no transformation succeeds without people. Your team is your greatest asset in this journey. To truly reimagine your business, you need to invest in their understanding, reignite their curiosity, and inspire them to experiment with new possibilities.

Think Bigger, Together

AI isn’t just for optimization; it’s for reinvention. It’s not just about reimagining your business model—it’s about empowering your team to reimagine how they work, create, and solve problems. The more your employees understand AI’s potential, the more likely they are to innovate in unexpected ways.

What to Do:

• Invest in Baseline AI Literacy: Create workshops and training sessions to build foundational AI knowledge across all levels of the organization. Help teams understand what AI is, what it’s not, and how it can enhance their work.

• Inspire with Examples: Share real-world case studies from companies like VIZ.AI to demonstrate the transformative power of AI.

• Foster Creative Ideation: Hold innovation sprints where teams can explore how AI could solve their toughest challenges.

Act Now, Bring the Outside In

Start small, but move fast. AI thrives on experimentation, and so should your team. One of the most powerful ways to inspire innovation is by bringing the outside in—introducing employees to cutting-edge trends, technologies, and ideas they might not encounter in their day-to-day roles.

What to Do:

• Host AI Innovation Days: Invite thought leaders, startup founders, and AI experts to showcase what’s possible. Use these sessions to spark curiosity and open minds.

• Send Teams Outward: Encourage employees to attend AI conferences, hackathons, or industry events to see firsthand how others are leveraging AI.

• Experiment and Share Wins: Pilot AI-driven projects in small teams and share quick wins across the organization to build excitement and momentum.

Lead Boldly, Reignite Curiosity

As CEO, your role is to create an environment where experimentation isn’t just encouraged, it’s celebrated. Many teams lose their sense of curiosity over time, bogged down by routine and risk aversion. AI offers an opportunity to reignite that spark, challenging teams to think differently and take calculated risks.

What to Do:

• Create a Safe Space for Experimentation: Build a culture where teams feel comfortable trying and failing, knowing they’ll be supported in their efforts to learn and grow.

• Reward Curiosity and Initiative: Recognize employees who explore AI’s potential, even if their ideas aren’t fully formed or immediately successful.

• Make AI Accessible: Use tools and platforms that democratize AI experimentation, allowing employees from any department to tinker with data, build prototypes, or run simulations.

Your Moment to Reimagine

In 2025, the leaders who thrive won’t just be the ones who use AI. They’ll be the ones who inspire their teams to see AI not as a disruptor, but as a collaborator. They’ll be the ones who reignite a culture of curiosity and experimentation, creating a workforce that’s not just ready for the future, but eager to build it.

This transformation starts with you. Invest in your people, expose them to what’s possible, and empower them to explore, fail, and innovate. The future of your business depends on their courage, creativity, and conviction. Will you lead the way?

About the Author

Jason Hauer is CEO of HauerX Holdings and an Inc. 500 honoree. He partners with commercial AI tech and solutions companies to turn ambition into market leadership.