AI Scares and the Illusion of Replacement
I remember the beginning of the machine learning craze vividly. At the time, I was working at one of the FAANG companies, managing close to 90 engineers. Then, seemingly overnight, machine learning became the next big thing. Everywhere I looked, LinkedIn was flooded with articles proclaiming the wonders of ML. It was poised to revolutionize businesses, transform technology, and reshape entire industries.
Consulting firms cropped up overnight, each claiming expertise in navigating this new technological wave. Every company, including my own, scrambled to integrate machine learning into their roadmaps, eager to demonstrate their commitment to innovation. Leadership demanded to see ML incorporated into annual and multi-year strategic plans, complete with promises of significant revenue generation.
I had to establish a dedicated machine learning platform team to provide infrastructure and services for our entire department. We allocated substantial resources to this effort, and on paper, it looked promising—ML would make our lives easier and generate hundreds of millions in revenue. But soon, cracks began to show. About a year and a half later, our division’s president started questioning the real return on investment. The survival of our platform team became a battle, as leadership sought to justify every dollar spent. Eventually, the centralized ML platform we had envisioned faded away, replaced by individual teams building their own bespoke ML solutions.
Fast-forward to today, and I see history repeating itself. Now, it’s all about artificial intelligence. Just like before, AI consulting firms are popping up everywhere, promising companies a bright, AI-driven future. Social media is ablaze with hot takes on how AI will disrupt industries, replace half the workforce, and redefine business strategies. Meanwhile, the world faces real, tangible problems—wars, economic turbulence, social isolation—but AI is positioned as the answer to (almost) everything.
Will AI Replace Me?
One of the most common questions I get from my mentees is: How do I prepare for AI? Developers worry AI will render them obsolete. Managers feel pressured to incorporate AI into their roadmaps, whether they understand it or not. Executives demand AI integration, expecting it to generate savings or revenue. Sound familiar?
There’s a popular saying that captures the reality of this situation: AI will not replace a person. A person who knows how to use AI will replace a person who doesn’t.
AI is simply a tool—an incredibly powerful one, but a tool nonetheless. Every leader has a toolkit. Some tools are technical, like machine learning. Others are leadership skills, business acumen, or the ability to inspire and guide an organization. AI is just another, albeit very powerful, tool in this evolving toolkit. It can automate routine tasks, streamline workflows, and accelerate decision-making. But can it fully replace an engineer, a strategist, or a leader? Not yet.
Yes, AI can write code. But it cannot yet integrate solutions across multiple teams, balance complex trade-offs, or navigate corporate politics. AI can generate roadmaps, but it cannot truly understand the strategic nuances of a business. AI can assist, but the moment a solution must be tailored to specific customer needs—whether those customers are in the U.S., the U.K., or Japan—AI starts to stumble. It hallucinates, struggles with edge cases, and fails to grasp context in the way humans do.
The superpower of a great leader is knowing when to use what tool. The same applies to engineers and business professionals. Understanding AI’s strengths and weaknesses is crucial. A company that blindly assumes AI will solve all its problems is setting itself up for failure. A leader who ignores AI, however, risks obsolescence. The key is to stay informed, stay curious, and continuously adapt.
AI in Personal and Professional Life
While much of this discussion focuses on AI in the corporate world, its impact on personal productivity is just as significant. I use AI daily, not only at work but also in my personal life. Automating routine tasks saves an incredible amount of time. In one of previous blog posts, I discussed keeping resumes updated. AI can handle this effortlessly, generating tailored resumes for specific roles, optimizing for ATS, and even conducting mock video interviews that analyze tone, body language, and communication style.
AI can also help you learn a foreign language, plan an itinerary for your next vacation, or manage your personal finances. These capabilities, which seemed unimaginable just a few years ago, are now reality. Even if your job doesn’t require AI today, I encourage you to explore its potential for saving time and increasing efficiency.
Final Thoughts
AI isn’t a threat to those who learn how to wield it. It’s a competitive advantage. Just as engineers had to evolve with machine learning few years back, today’s professionals must understand how AI fits into their work and lives. The question isn’t whether AI will replace jobs—it’s whether you’ll be the one who knows how to use AI effectively while others struggle to catch up.
If you’re interested in learning how to integrate AI into your workflow—whether professionally or personally—schedule a free session, and we can dive into the details. The future belongs to those who embrace change, not fear it.
“Thanks for reading! Your journey to the top starts with small steps. Keep learning.”