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Speaking to large groups of executives in industries historically slow to adopt new technology feels like pulling teeth that haven’t even begun to wiggle.
The AI renaissance is here.
Sure, generative AI can’t reason or think in the way humans do, but it can still upheave entire societies and economic systems. The question isn’t whether artificial intelligence will transform business, it’s whether leaders will adapt quickly enough to maintain competitive advantage, while preserving human value in the workplace.
The great democratization
Knowledge has been democratized in ways unprecedented in human history. When McKinsey & Company reports that generative AI could contribute $2.6 to $4.4 trillion annually to the global economy, we’re not talking about incremental change. We’re witnessing a fundamental shift in how value is created and captured.
How do you create value when everyone has access to the same information? How do you stand out when the playing field has been leveled? These aren’t rhetorical questions — they’re the defining strategic challenges of our time.
Yesterday was the best time to take advantage of this shift, and the next best time is now.
No matter what industry you’re in, AI has changed the game. Out are the old gatekeepers, and in are a new generation of competitors who understand that competitive advantage now lies not in hoarding information, but in how quickly and effectively you can synthesize, apply, and act on it.
Remember the dotcom boom? Many winners, but far more losers.
The pattern was predictable: people afraid to adapt, step into uncertainty, and change their approach were left behind. While many dotcom companies failed spectacularly, those that survived often emerged as the dominant players of the next era precisely because they had invested in digital capabilities during the chaos.
Hindsight is always 20/20, but the parallels are striking. We’re seeing the same division between organizations that embrace transformation and those that resist it.
Why this time might be different
We’ve been taken by big tech before — I get it. Tech saviours promising the world, and often failing to deliver on the dream they sold with so much hype. Crypto. Web3. The metaverse. Each promised to revolutionize everything; most delivered far less than advertised. Here’s why it might be different this time, and why business leaders can’t afford to dismiss AI as another bubble.
First, the adoption curve is unlike anything we’ve seen. ChatGPT reached 100 million users faster than any consumer application in history. More importantly, unlike previous tech revolutions that required new infrastructure or consumer behavior changes, AI integrates into existing workflows and tools.
Second, the economic incentives are already aligned. PwC estimates that AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. When Deloitte reports that 79% of executives expect AI to transform their companies within three years, this represents a clear shift from experimental curiosity to businesscritical planning.
Third, never underestimate the power of coordination. Big tech won’t let this fail. There’s too much money, influence, and control to attain. Google has invested billions in AI research. Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI represents one of the largest technology bets in corporate history. Amazon, Meta, and Apple are similarly committed.
The labour question we can’t ignore
There’s no question the capabilities of the technology are overhyped in some areas. It’s not magic. It can’t replace human labour entirely … yet. But here’s what business leaders must confront: you’re being asked to hedge your bets on whether significant job displacement will happen, or not.
If you hedge against it, and you’re right, great. No revolutionary shift, and this will all die down in a few years. You can tell us all “I told you so.” But if you hedge against it, and you’re wrong, your organization may find itself competing against companies that have fundamentally restructured their operations around AIhuman collaboration.
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report suggests that while AI may displace 92 million jobs by 2030, it could also create 170 million new ones. The net positive is encouraging, but it masks the human cost of transition. Jobs won’t simply disappear and reappear — they’ll be transformed, requiring new skills, new roles, and new ways of working.
This is where humancentred AI becomes not just an ethical imperative, but a necessity.
The humancentred imperative
Amid all the focus on AI’s technical capabilities, the most critical factor for business success remains decidedly human: leadership’s ability to implement AI in ways that enhance rather than diminish human value.
Consider how forwardthinking companies are already implementing humancentred AI:
- Augmented decisionmaking: Rather than automating decisions, AI provides analysis and recommendations while humans retain final authority and accountability.
- Enhanced creativity: Tools that help designers, writers, and strategists explore more possibilities faster, while human judgment determines which ideas have merit.
- Personalized learning: AI systems that adapt to individual learning styles and pace, with human instructors focusing on mentorship and complex problemsolving.
The organizations thriving in this transition aren’t those replacing humans with AI (remember Klarna’s painful mistake), they’re those discovering how AI can make their people more effective, creative, and valuable.
The season of destabilization
Either way, we’re in a time of destabilization, globally. It’s the crescendo before a new era begins.
Geopolitical tensions around AI compute infrastructure, regulatory uncertainty, and the race for AI supremacy between nations add layers of complexity that business leaders must navigate. The EU’s AI Act, proposed regulations in the United States, and China’s approach to AI governance will shape the competitive landscape for decades.
Even if we don’t agree on what will happen next, we know that the shift has already begun. We’re past the point of questioning whether to engage with AI. It’s now about how to do so in ways that create sustainable competitive advantage while preserving human dignity and opportunity.
The futurist imperative
Suddenly, we’ve all become futurists. But unlike science fiction futurism, business futurism requires making decisions today based on imperfect information about tomorrow’s possibilities.
The leaders who will thrive in the AI renaissance are those who can hold two truths simultaneously: AI will transform everything, and humans will remain essential. They’re investing in AI capabilities while investing equally in human development. They’re automating routine tasks while creating new roles that leverage uniquely human skills like empathy, creativity, and ethical judgment.
The wakeup call isn’t about AI’s technical capabilities — it’s about leadership’s readiness to navigate transformation while keeping human value at the centre of the equation.
The renaissance has begun. The question is whether you’ll help write its next chapter or be written out of the story entirely.
