In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, few leaders possess the hands-on experience and strategic foresight of Jessica Ferrell. As the Senior Director of AI Innovation at the creative technology agency Code and Theory, Jessica is at the forefront of the generative AI revolution. She currently leads AI product innovation for Adobe Firefly, working alongside engineers and product managers to build custom AI solutions that are reshaping the world’s most iconic creative tools.
Jessica Ferrell
Beyond her agency work, Jessica operates an executive AI coaching consultancy, where she provides one-on-one mentorship to leaders navigating the complexities of digital transformation. Her dual perspective, building the tools at a global scale while coaching executives on how to use them, makes her a vital voice for Portland State University’s Strategic Leadership in the Age of AI program.
Demystifying the Technology
For many leaders, the speed of AI development can feel overwhelming, but Jessica’s mission is to replace that anxiety with agency. She believes it is crucial for leaders to realize that "AI is still so new that they aren't behind," and that by approaching the shift with "curiosity, some vulnerability and some just good old-fashioned skills training," any executive can wrap their arms around what initially feels like a difficult technology.
Jessica emphasizes that leadership in this era isn’t about becoming a technical specialist; rather, "they don't need to be experts, they need to know how to hire experts." In her view, one of the smartest moves an executive can make today is simply learning to "understand the language and the potential of AI" to better guide their teams.
Harnessing Internal Ambition
While many organizations focus on top-down implementation, Jessica encourages leaders to look at the organic innovation already happening within their own walls. She notes that many employees are already self-teaching and automating workflows in their personal time, leading her to challenge organizations: "If we already have employees who are learning to code using a coding companion in their free time... how do we leverage that same ambition for our organizations?" By anticipating the skills of the future now, leaders can support workforce upskilling that aligns with the tools employees are already eager to use.
A Call to Action for Modern Leaders
Jessica views the current AI era as a "once-in-a-generation" shift, comparable only to the advent of the internet. She urges leaders to "lean in," noting that we haven't seen a technology "so accessible, and so pervasive that it is changing our organizations and our workforces overnight." Because the barrier to entry is so low and many current experts are self-taught, Jessica believes the greatest opportunity lies in "trying and experimenting today" to build the strategies of tomorrow.
The AI era is here. Are you leading it, or following it?
Master the strategy, speak the language, and anticipate the skills of the future. Join Jessica Ferrell at Portland State University for our upcoming session: Strategic Leadership in the Age of AI. Enroll Now