The Focused AI Captain - Episode 1: The Ghost Ship Phenomenon

Episode 1 – The Ghost Ship Phenomenon

In the opening episode of The Focused AI Captain series,
René Esteban explores why the vast majority of AI initiatives
never make it beyond the pilot stage. And what distinguishes the
few organizations that successfully scale AI from those that
silently fail.


Drawing on decades of transformation experience and current
research from MIT, McKinsey, and Harvard, René introduces the
Ghost Ship Phenomenon: organizations investing
heavily in AI technology without equipping their people,
processes, and structures to actually use it.


This episode reframes AI transformation as a human and
organizational challenge, not a technical one.


 
Key Topics & Insights

Why 95% of enterprise AI pilots deliver zero ROI


The Ghost Ship Phenomenon: advanced technology
without direction or adoption


The widening enthusiasm gap between AI interest
and real-world integration


Why treating AI like a software rollout guarantees failure


The Capsize Ratio: how unbalanced investment
sinks AI initiatives


Why successful organizations invest 70% in people and
processes


What frontline resistance to AI really signals


How to assess your organization’s AI maturity and capsize
risk


 
Key Framework Introduced

The Capsize Ratio


Failing organizations:


80% technology


20% people & processes


Successful organizations:


10% algorithms


20% infrastructure


70% people, leadership, and organizational design


 
Resources Mentioned

#Free AI Maturity Self-Check:


https://ai.focusfirst.com


Book: The Focused AI Captain – available
on Amazon


 
What’s Next

In Episode 2, René explains why no AI journey can succeed without
absolute clarity on the starting point—and how most organizations
get this wrong from day one.


More information: www.focusfirst.com