Part 11/18:
CEOs see AI and automation as a way to eliminate costly human overhead. Machines don't take sick days, demand benefits, or unionize. Forward-thinking boardrooms are already transforming their IT departments into AI operation hubs, unshackling executive time from mundane tasks. This shift has ignited a frenzy of capital expenditure—over $1 trillion annually—on AI data centers alone, accounting for more than 1% of US GDP, reminiscent of historic infrastructure booms like the railroad expansion.