Over the years, I’ve written about OODA loops; it was a concept that was ingrained in my leadership approach as a young Air Force Officer and reinforced by the most influential leaders in my life.

The concept was initially developed by Colonel John Boyd, a legendary fighter pilot and strategist who revolutionized military and business strategy with the “OODA Loop.”  OODA stands for  Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. Developed from his experience in aerial combat, Boyd’s framework describes how decision cycles dictate success in dynamic environments. The key insight?  Whoever can process their OODA loop faster gains a decisive advantage. As a side note, I highly recommend the book “Boyd, The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War” by Robert Coram.

The basis of OODA is all about tempo. A faster tempo keeps you ahead of your adversary and disorients their ability to adapt, causing confusion and disorder, causing them to overreact or underreact.

This principle extends beyond military strategy into business, where organizations strive to outmaneuver competitors through faster decision-making and execution. Given the pace of AI innovation, we see a lot of organizations confused and overreacting, underrating, or frozen, unable to move in any direction.

The rise of AI has fundamentally shattered traditional decision cycles across industries. Organizations that once relied on structured, linear decision-making processes are now facing an environment where:

AI is no longer a competitive edge; it’s a survival imperative. Today’s thriving organizations are not just using AI but redesigning their OODA loops to integrate AI-driven insights at every level.

So, how can organizations accelerate their OODA loop and AI adoption simultaneously? The answer lies in data—how it’s managed, structured, and leveraged. Specifically, organizations need to:

A fragmented data ecosystem slows down decision cycles. A unified, scalable, and secure data infrastructure built with new approaches like data fabrics and knowledge graphs enables real-time decision-making.

Treat data as a product, not a byproduct. Well-governed, self-service data products empower teams with AI-ready insights and reduce decision-making bottlenecks.

AI isn’t just about automation; it’s about enhancing human decision-making at scale. Organizations must embed AI into their workflows and allow AI to optimize those workflows for faster, data-driven decisions.

AI-powered agents aren’t just tools; they are decision-augmentation partners. From smart assistance to autonomous agents optimizing operations, these AI companions amplify human capabilities, reduce cognitive load, and accelerate strategic execution. Organizations that integrate these intelligent agents operate at machine speed while maintaining human oversight.

The question isn’t if AI will disrupt your industry—it’s how fast your organization can integrate AI into its OODA loop to stay ahead. Let’s not forget that security, trust, and accountability are non-negotiables.

If the above hits home for you, reach out. I’d love to talk to you about your challenges and how #LifeGraph can help you OODA faster.