AI. Why Should You Care?
In my last newsletter, I discussed that AI represents just another change. The main difference between previous changes and AI lies in the speed, prominence, and associated high risk. It feels different due to its extensive and simultaneous impact, as well as the rapid pace of change, which renders the endgame unclear.
We busted some myths, including AI replacing humans and your job. It will not replace humans, but humans with AI will replace humans without AI. We examined its capabilities and limitations.
If individuals and organisations are to thrive, let alone survive, adaptation and adoption of AI must take place at every level of the organisation. It starts with you.
In my last newsletter, I explained that I am using the ADKAR® model to drive the adoption of AI and hopefully raised your Awareness. In this newsletter, we answer the question, “Why should you care?” We are addressing the Desire stage of the model.
Why should you want to support and participate in the change?
Maxed out?
Are you feeling maxed out? If so, AI is your friend.
The Microsoft 2025 Work Trend Index Annual Report reveals a capacity gap: 53% of leaders say productivity must increase, but 80% of the global workforce - both employees and leaders - say they’re lacking enough time or energy to do their work.
Nearly half of employees (48%) - and more than half of leaders (52%) - say their work feels chaotic and fragmented.
With AI agents that can reason, plan, and act as digital labour, companies can scale capacity as needed.
Already, 82% of leaders say they’re confident that they’ll use digital labour to expand workforce capacity in the next 12–18 months. This new digital labour offers a new lever for growth. It can close the gap between business demand and what humans can sustainably deliver.
Your AI agent can remove the drudgery that weighs you down. It can approve customer returns, process invoices, close IT support tickets, reconcile financial statements, or act as a virtual project manager. It can answer customer queries, resolve issues and provide support.
It can automate, analyse, make decisions, execute plans, share information and coordinate tasks with other agents. It can break down complex tasks into subtasks and assign them to other agents. It can reason, act, observe, collaborate and self-refine
Therefore, your first question should not be “What can it do?” but “What do I need it to do?” It is your partner, your personal assistant, your teammate.
Do you want to focus on the high-value and meaningful work and let AI do the rest?
The journey
In the report “2025: The Year of the Frontier Firm”, Microsoft introduce us to a new organisational concept. The Frontier Firm looks remarkably different to organisations we know today.
“Structured around on-demand intelligence and powered by “hybrid” teams of humans and agents, these companies scale rapidly, operate with agility, and generate value faster.
Frontier Firms are already taking shape, and within the next 2–5 years we expect that every organization will be on their journey to becoming one. 82% of leaders say this is a pivotal year to rethink key aspects of strategy and operations, and 81% say they expect agents to be moderately or extensively integrated into their company’s AI strategy in the next 12–18 months. Adoption is accelerating: 24% of leaders say their companies have already deployed AI organization-wide, while just 12% remain in pilot mode.”
It introduces us to some new terms for a new world of work.
Agent: An AI-powered system that can reason, plan, and act to complete tasks or entire workflows autonomously, with human oversight at key moments.
Agent boss: A human manager of one or more agents.
It describes the journey to becoming a Frontier Firm as unfolding in three phases.
Phase 1. Human with an assistant
First, AI acts as an assistant, removing the drudgery of work and helping people complete tasks more efficiently and effectively.
Phase 2. Human-agent teams
Agents join teams as “digital colleagues,” taking on specific tasks at human direction - for instance, a researcher agent creating a go-to-market plan. These agents equip employees with new skills that help scale their impact, freeing them to do new and more valuable work.
Phase 3. Human-led, agent-operated
Humans set direction for agents that run entire business processes and workflows, checking in as needed.
Just as we’ve seen the role of AI in software development evolve over the past three years from coding assistance to chat to – now - agents, the same pattern will apply to knowledge work.
Consider how a supply chain role may change: agents handle end-to-end logistics, while humans guide the agent system, resolve exceptions, and manage supplier relationships.
Agent boss
“As agents increasingly join the workforce, we’ll see the rise of the agent boss: someone who builds, delegates to, and manages agents to amplify their impact - working smarter, scaling faster, and taking control of their career in the age of AI.
From the boardroom to the frontline, every worker will need to think like the CEO of an agent-powered startup, directing teams of agents with specialised skills, such as research and data analysis.
For those ready to expand their scope, this will be a career accelerator.”
Do you want to accelerate your career and be a part of this incredible journey laid out before you?
The numbers
Microsoft research identifies the Frontier Firms as:
1. Organisational-wide AI deployment
2. Advanced AI maturity
3. Current agent use
4. Projected agent use
5. Belief that agents are key to realising return-on-investment from AI
In their 31,000-person sample, 844 employees worked at companies that met these five criteria. They are early adopters, but the numbers show where they are headed.
71% of them say their company is thriving compared to just 37% globally.
55% say they can take on more work compared to 20% globally.
90% report having more opportunities to do meaningful work compared to 73% globally.
93% say they are more optimistic about future work opportunities compared to 77% globally.
21% are less likely to fear that AI will take their jobs compared to 38% globally.
Don’t you want to work for a company like that?
The blank page
Ever struggle just to get started? Do you stare at a blank page wishing there was someone to give you a nudge? I know I certainly have, and when that happens, I use ChatGPT as a prompt. It helps me generate ideas and outlines. I stay in control and write my content – it just gets me started quicker.
If you want an image generated to use in a newsletter or a PowerPoint pack, you don’t have to scour the internet to find one, you just ask ChatGPT of your AI agent to generate one. The more specific, clear and concise you can be whilst providing AI with context, the more likely you are to get what you need. Unsure what is an effective prompt, ask ChatGPT, “What makes a prompt effective?” It will guide you step by step whilst providing examples. It might also provide a formula like the one I received.
QUICK PROMPT FORMULA
[Task] + [Context] + [Format] + [Tone/Role]
Example:
“Draft a LinkedIn post (task) for HR professionals (context) in bullet points (format) using a conversational tone (tone). Topic: AI for onboarding.”
AI can be your sounding board. You don’t have to take its advice, but it can stir your cognitive juices.
If you want AI to compare similar technology or similar products, it will do that for you. That can save you hours. I recently asked ChatGPT to compare two electric fireplaces for me, and it did a side-by-side comparison, making my decision relatively easy. It compared the viewing options, flame technology, heating output, controls, additional features, price and warranty. All in seconds!!
Act now!
Now is the time to act. This is an opportunity, not a threat. The future belongs to those who are willing to play, explore, and evolve. Ginni Rometty, Former CEO of IBM, said: “AI will not replace humans, but those who use AI will replace those who don't.”
Be that person. Play, explore and evolve. There are many free AI tools available for you to try out.
Grab one and ask it to help you brainstorm ideas for your next presentation. Use it to summarise a large document or email thread.
Think of one task, personal or professional, that AI could do for you and save you time. Embed it into your daily routine. Then do the next one.
Up next
In my next newsletter, we will explore the KNOWLEDGE phase of the ADKAR model and how you can build your AI know-how.
We'll explore practical ways to utilise AI in various roles, examine the available tools, and learn how to build confidence safely and gradually.
Because the future doesn’t belong to the most technical—it belongs to the most adaptable.