Sources & Verification
A learning plan is only trustworthy if its recommendations are real, current, and independently verifiable. This page documents every program, certification, and framework referenced in this section, with links to primary sources so a reader, sponsor, CEO, or Board can confirm them directly.
Verification Method
- Primary sources only — official provider pages (universities, Microsoft, standards bodies), not blogs or aggregators.
- Capture the "as of" date — certifications change; we record when each was verified.
- Separate fact from recommendation — program existence/scope is verifiable fact; sequence and timing are labeled judgment.
- Re-verify quarterly — executive programs and Microsoft certs are renamed or retired regularly.
Last verified: 2026-07-18
Executive AI Strategy Programs
| Program | Provider | Verified Detail | Primary Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy | MIT Sloan Executive Education | ~6-week online, non-technical, executive-focused, capstone AI roadmap | executive.mit.edu |
| AI Strategy and Decision Making | Wharton Executive Education | Self-paced; decision frameworks; leader-oriented | executiveeducation.wharton.upenn.edu |
| Leadership Program in AI and Analytics | Wharton Executive Education | Senior leaders (10+ yrs exp); enterprise AI roadmaps | executiveeducation.wharton.upenn.edu |
| AI Strategies for Business Transformation (Generative & Agentic) | Kellogg Executive Education | ~8-week online; AI Canvas 2.0, AI Radar 2.0, capability maturity; vertical industry focus | kellogg.northwestern.edu |
Certifications (Baseline, Optional)
| Certification | Provider | Verified Detail | Primary Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI-900: Azure AI Fundamentals | Microsoft | Real & current; skills measured as of May 2, 2025; non-coding | learn.microsoft.com |
AI-102 (Azure AI Engineer Associate) is real and current, but the official skills page confirms it targets software developers using Python/C#. It is the wrong altitude for a VP of Business Development and is intentionally excluded. Source: learn.microsoft.com — Azure AI Engineer
Governance & Regulatory Frameworks
| Framework | Issuer | Relevance | Primary Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0) | NIST (U.S.) | AI risk governance for enterprise decisions | nist.gov/itl/ai-risk-management-framework |
| ISO/IEC 42001 | ISO | AI management system standard | iso.org/standard/81230.html |
| EU AI Act (Regulation 2024/1689) | European Union | Regulatory exposure for European operations | artificialintelligenceact.eu |
Industry Context — AI in Mining & Capital-Intensive Industry
Used to ground use cases in this person's actual domain (mining, heavy industry, industrial B2B), not generic examples.
| Source | Type | Use | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| McKinsey — State of AI / mining coverage | Consulting research | Adoption rates, scaling barriers, profitability signals | mckinsey.com — QuantumBlack insights |
| Accenture — "From Explore to Ore" | Industry report | AI in mineral exploration cycle | accenture.com |
| GlobalData — AI in Mining: Strategic Intelligence | Market report | Use-case taxonomy and forecasts | globaldata.com |
Consulting/market figures (e.g., spend forecasts, profit numbers) shift year to year. Confirm the latest figure at the source before quoting it in a Board deck.
Free & Low-Cost Alternatives (Trusted Sources)
Verified free options for building the same executive AI literacy at zero or low cost.
| Resource | Provider | Cost | Certificate | Primary Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI for Business Specialization (incl. AI Strategy and Governance) | Wharton / University of Pennsylvania (Coursera) | Free to audit | Paid only | coursera.org |
| AI for Everyone (Andrew Ng) | DeepLearning.AI (Coursera) | Free to audit | Paid only | coursera.org |
| Google AI Essentials | Free | Free | ai.google/ai-essentials | |
| Elements of AI | University of Helsinki + Reaktor | Free | Free | elementsofai.com |
| AI learning paths & applied skills | Microsoft Learn | Free | Free (Applied Skills) | learn.microsoft.com |
| Transform your business with AI (learning path) | Microsoft Learn | Free | Free (badge) | learn.microsoft.com |
| Google Prompting Essentials | Google (Coursera) | Free to audit | Paid only | coursera.org |
| Anthropic Academy | Anthropic | Free | Varies | anthropic.com/learn |
| AI RMF Playbook & Roadmap | NIST | Free | N/A | nist.gov |
Start with the free-audit Wharton AI for Business specialization — it covers strategy, applications, and governance with the same faculty caliber as the paid programs, at no cost. Add Elements of AI and Google AI Essentials for free certificates you can list on LinkedIn.
- Pricing and start dates change frequently — confirm on the provider page at time of enrollment.
- Certification names get renamed/retired by Microsoft (community chatter about an AI-102 successor exists but is not officially confirmed as of the last verification).
- This section's sequencing and timing are recommendations (judgment), not verified facts.
- Anything not linked to a primary source above should be treated as directional guidance pending verification.