I’ve been pondering this recently based on the work I do making customers successful with their use of AI. Product knowledge has always been a key part of this type of work, i.e learning and keeping up to date with changing technology. Not so much anymore when AI keeps up better.

With technology changing so fast and AI speeding up that change (considering AI is now partly coding new features), it’s hardly surprising that keeping pace is hard. And why bother when AI can also track what has been changed.

I’m not saying there is no role for humans. Good verification and documentation of changes is probably still valid. What AI is being grounded on in other words, to ensure it provides good answers. But the need to know every little feature and function as it rolls out is not going to set us apart.

There is ample evidence that consumers are increasingly using AI to research purchases before making them and then to help resolve challenges and issues with how to use them, whether in B2C or B2B.

What matters instead?

Mindful outcomes win

Knowing how to use AI and technology in general and doing so in mindful and critical ways that make a meaningful impact on humanity and business is what will make the difference.

When there is so much information, it’s not about the information anymore. It’s also about the story.

“Knowing everything is too much like knowing nothing; without a story, it’s all just information.”

Jennifer Egan, The Candy House

We are exiting the phase of knowledge work and the era that it wrought.

We are entering an era that I don’t have a name for yet, but it will be recognised by attention to mindful outcomes.