Following a successful nine-year stint as the CEO of PayPal, Dan Schulman was ready to retire. But after the board of Verizon repeatedly urged him to step in, he became the CEO of the telecommunications giant. His task: to turn around a company that has seen steep declines in market share, share price, and customer satisfaction. In this wide-ranging conversation with HBR’s editor at large, Schulman discusses how he’s trying to shake up Verizon’s culture. “The company had a lot to be proud of, but it was resistant to change….When the pace of change external to a company is faster than the change of pace internally, you’re falling behind.” He also reflects on both the risk and promise of AI and what it takes to be an exceptional leader.