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Happy Friday!
I’ve been a bit absent—this is probably the longest break I’ve taken from writing since starting this newsletter, outside of vacations.
October has been my busiest month in ages, but also one of the most fun!
A big welcome to all the new readers from the companies I’ve had the chance to speak with this month—glad to have you here!
There have been so many highlights, but one standout was speaking at the Grades conference.
Huge thanks for having me!
I also hosted a free digital session on practical tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, with over 1,500 attendees. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’ve received lots of requests to run an English session, too.
Of course, we’ll make that happen!
So, mark your calendars for November 25th—I’ll be hosting a free, 90-minute training on how to get hands-on with tools like ChatGPT and Copilot.
It’ll be practical, interactive, and a great way to sharpen your AI skills.
And with that, let’s dive into today’s article.
Every time I get off stage, without fail, someone pulls me aside and asks, ‘Will we be replaced by AI?’ Recently, after a talk, one person caught my eye, chuckling nervously as they asked. They were looking for reassurance—and honestly, aren’t we all?
My answer?
My answer shifts with the latest insights from AI podcasts and news.
It is one of the toughest questions out there right now.
The future is full of unknowns (doh).
On one hand, ChatGPT—launched less than two years ago—is already making waves in countless workplaces, even replacing workers in some roles. Microsoft’s Agents in Copilot Studio connects organizational knowledge directly to chatbots within existing digital environments, and Claude’s new AI desktop agent hints at a world where our everyday tasks could soon be handled by virtual assistants.
Yes, these tools are still basic, but they signal a future where computers and phones may ‘work’ like we do.
On the other hand, while AI can do a lot, it’s far from flawless.
AI tools hallucinate, make mistakes, and still need oversight—and they’re facing strict regulations, at least in the EU. And for many organizations, the risks associated with AI—whether it’s security concerns, complexity, or just general unease—remain significant obstacles.
So, what do I think?
I’m going to step out onto a metaphorical slackline here and make a prediction: AI won’t replace people all at once. Instead, it’ll start by taking on individual tasks, beginning with administrative duties. These are the tasks AI will likely master first, doing them better, faster, and more cost-effectively than we ever could.
Gradually, they’ll make those tasks redundant for us.
Long-term, this means we’ll need to reinvent ourselves, focusing on what lies beyond AI’s reach—a list that, let’s be honest, keeps getting shorter and shorter.
I heard a CHRO say on a podcast this morning, “We need an AI strategy to avoid mistakes.”
To me, that’s the wrong approach.
Mistakes are inevitable with AI, and the quicker we learn and adapt, the better.
Yes, have a strategy, but if it’s solely about avoiding errors, we’ll freeze up—stuck and ineffective. Look at history: computers took decades, the internet took ten years, but tools like ChatGPT have reached mass adoption in less than two years. The pace is accelerating, and if we just strategize without action, we risk missing our chance to adapt.
Planning alone won’t save us.
It’s time to take action, learn fast, and keep reinventing ourselves—because standing still is the surest way to lose ground to AI.