Leo Strine, Of Counsel at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and previously Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court and Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery, joined the Boardroom Governance Summit 2026 in Healdsburg, California, for a fireside chat keynote on August 26, 2026. He discusses AI, Delaware corporate law, public benefit corporations, private markets, corporate responsibility, and why directors should use human intelligence before relying on artificial intelligence.
(00:00) Introduction and about the inaugural Boardroom Governance Summit
(1:50) AI and the enduring role of the board: why new technology does not change directors’ fundamental responsibilities, and why human judgment remains essential
(3:32) Demystifying AI: understanding how the technology is actually used inside the business, asking clear questions, and testing AI through real-world applications
(5:40) AI, Investment, and Talent: evaluating AI spending, automation, hiring decisions, and whether technology is actually improving the business
(6:50) Delaware and the Competition for Corporate Domicile: why DE has historically balanced the interests of investors and management
(9:33) Long-Term Leadership: why directors should consider more than the immediate political or market environment when making governance decisions. Impact of climate change.
(12:57) AI, Energy, and Corporate Responsibility: data centers, energy and water consumption, environmental impact, and the broader costs of AI. "I think it's a very scary time."
(23:25) Public Benefit Corporations: how the Delaware PBC structure works and why companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are experimenting with new governance models
(24:20) Purpose vs. Branding: why benefit corporations can create useful governance flexibility, but only if companies are willing to stand behind measurable commitments
(27:19) What Good Corporate Citizenship Looks Like: responsibilities to customers, employees, communities, the environment, and the broader workforce
(29:19) Boards, Workers, and Economic Opportunity: why boards should understand the workforce beyond executive compensation and how business can help reduce economic anxiety
(31:02) The Growth of Private Markets: venture capital, private equity, accredited-investor exemptions, and the accountability gap between public and private companies
(34:25) Disclosure and Market Trust: why SEC reporting, fiduciary enforcement, and access to reliable information remain strengths of U.S. capital markets. About quarterly reporting.
(36:52) AI Inside the Boardroom: the risks of AI-generated minutes, recording board meetings, transcription, discovery, and two-party consent laws
(37:33) Before Artificial Intelligence, Use Human Intelligence: AI agents, privilege, confidential information, hallucinations, and the importance of verifying AI-generated information
Leo E. Strine, Jr. is Of Counsel at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and previously served as Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court and Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Recorded at the inaugural Boardroom Governance Summit in Healdsburg, California, on August 27, 2026.
Join us for the next Boardroom Governance Summit, August 25–27, 2027, in Healdsburg, California. Register here.