Executive search professionals do not need more generic AI training. They need a clearer way to think about how AI fits into the value they bring to the clients they serve and the candidates they place. In this session, José Ruiz, Chief Executive Officer at Alder Koten, will share a framework for evaluating AI through the judgment chain of executive search—examining where AI can strengthen the search process, where human judgment remains essential, and how firms can define accountability for AI-supported outputs.

Especially relevant for boutique firms, this workshop will offer a more strategic lens on AI adoption that goes beyond generic tool adoption, prompting techniques, and workflow automation. Participants will explore how to make deliberate choices about where AI belongs in their work while preserving the expertise, context, trust, and judgment that differentiate executive search—and ultimately drive client and candidate value.