My advice about AI is always the same: Don’t wait… or you will become weight. We often discuss how AI will impact the workforce, particularly for white-collar knowledge workers. But does this apply to CEOs too? The answer is a clear and resounding yes.
Consider what experts are saying. Anant Agarwal, the former director of MIT’s AI Lab, is often quoted for suggesting AI could handle up to 80% of a CEO’s responsibilities. In 2023, a CEOWORLD report found that nearly half of CEOs, 48% specifically, believe AI could take over most or all of their duties. These numbers highlight a significant shift in thinking at the very top of organizations.
Some companies are already exploring this. China-based NetDragon Websoft, a video game company, reportedly experimented with an AI CEO named Tang Yu. Polish luxury rum company Dictator also explored the idea. NetDragon’s stock performance even saw some positive impacts attributed to its AI leader. Boards are not rushing to replace human CEOs with AI just yet, but these early explorations are telling. They show a willingness to consider new models of leadership when performance is at stake.
In a recent Techstrong Gang segment, I emphasized a critical point: Boards will eventually consider an AI CEO if they believe it will improve company performance, stock value, and shareholder returns. They will do it in a heartbeat. This applies to all C-level executives. Every leader should be actively utilizing AI tools right now for data analysis, testing ideas and logic, and drafting plans and agreements. Advanced reasoning models are particularly effective for stress-testing strategies and simulating different scenarios. These capabilities will only continue to improve, becoming more capable and accurate.
The impact of AI extends far beyond the C-suite. Research from leading firms consistently shows AI’s broad reach across all job functions and industries. Goldman Sachs, for example, has estimated that generative AI could impact up to 300 million full-time jobs globally, with administrative and legal sectors at particular risk for task automation. Their analysis suggests that while some jobs might be entirely replaced, the majority will see partial exposure, meaning AI will complement rather than substitute human work. This shifts the focus from outright job elimination to a significant transformation of existing roles.
McKinsey & Company reinforces this perspective, highlighting how AI and automation are reshaping labor markets, accelerating the need for workforce adaptation. Their reports indicate that while significant percentages of work hours could be automated by 2030, many jobs will not be entirely replaced but will instead involve different tasks. This evolution demands a workforce that is not only technically skilled but also highly adaptable and committed to continuous learning. Deloitte’s research further emphasizes the importance of proactively preparing the workforce for AI, stressing the need for universal AI literacy and the cultivation of uniquely human interpersonal skills that AI will elevate and augment. These insights from McKinsey and Deloitte underscore that the critical factor is not waiting to see if your job is eliminated, but rather understanding how your job will change and what new skills you need to acquire.
AI is a contact sport. You learn AI by using it, through hands-on experience. You need to be the change you want to see, not someone who fears it or freezes up from not knowing what to do. The winners in this new era will be those best at innovating and developing game-changing ideas. This includes new business models, competitive strategies, product ideas, and go-to-market plans. It also means personal development in how we think about and apply AI.
Our Futurum Group CEO, Daniel Newman, exemplifies this mindset. He is leading a complete disruption of the traditional analyst business, driving Futurum to become an AI-native company. As Daniel outlines in a recent article, the AI company we will be in the future will look different from the AI company we are today. That is precisely the point.
Every white-collar worker must focus on three things.
- Build knowledge and skills in leveraging AI for your daily work.
- Redefine your job, both directly and indirectly, through the use of AI.
- Most importantly, become a skilled innovator at applying AI not just to current problems, but in new, novel, and truly transformative ways.
These principles apply vertically and horizontally across every part of an organization. We all must become experts at applying AI to our work, because if we do not, someone else will. For now, it is more likely that a human with demonstrably better AI skills will replace you.
AI: Don’t wait… or be weight.
Mitch Ashley is VP and Practice Lead of Software Lifecycle Engineering at The Futurum Group. The voice of “AI across the SDLC”, Mitch is a serial-CTO, speaker, advisor, entrepreneur, and product creator. He leads analyst coverage of the Software Development Cycle (SDLC), with emphasis on AI-native and agent development, cloud-native, DevOps, platform engineering, and software security.
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