Leading through the AI transition: Insights from Jacob Morgan

Welcome to Vivowire, our new podcast about the life of work. 

Hosted by Barbara Booras, our Head of Customer Community and CX Events, Vivowire explores the ideas, leadership habits, and cultural shifts shaping the modern world of work.

Artificial intelligence has become impossible to ignore. Every day brings another headline about productivity gains, workforce transformation, or jobs at risk. But beneath all the noise sits a much more difficult question: how should leaders actually respond?

That is the focus of this episode of Vivowire, where Barbara sits down with futurist, bestselling author, and leadership expert Jacob Morgan to explore what the AI era really means for organizations, employees, and the future of leadership.

Jacob is one of the world's leading voices on the future of work. He is the author of six bestselling books, including The Future Leader, Leading with Vulnerability, and his latest, The Eight Laws of Employee Experience. Throughout the conversation, he argues that while AI will undoubtedly reshape work, the organizations that thrive won't simply be the ones that adopt the newest technology. They'll be the ones that continue investing in people.

Watch or listen

You can watch this episode of Vivowire here, or alternatively catch it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Here are the key takeaways

1. The biggest challenge isn't AI – it's getting from here to there

Much of the conversation centres on what Jacob calls "the transition."

While public debate often frames AI as either an existential threat or an unprecedented opportunity, Jacob believes both perspectives can be true at the same time.

Long term, he is optimistic. He expects new industries, new careers, and entirely new ways of working to emerge. The real difficulty lies in the years between today's workplace and tomorrow's.

"The transition is the crisis."

That simple idea explains much of the uncertainty organizations are experiencing today. Leaders are trying to make decisions without clear evidence. Some companies are reducing headcount in the name of AI. Others are doubling down on hiring and reskilling. Conflicting headlines make it increasingly difficult to know which path to follow.

Rather than pretending to have all the answers, Jacob encourages leaders to acknowledge the uncertainty and prepare their organizations to navigate it thoughtfully.

2. The companies that win won't just invest in AI – they'll invest in people

One of Jacob's strongest messages is that organizations risk becoming obsessed with technology while neglecting the people expected to use it.

He points to companies investing heavily in reskilling, internal mobility, and career development as examples of organizations thinking beyond short-term productivity gains.

His concern is that some businesses may optimise for efficiency today while quietly creating a much bigger problem tomorrow.

"If you eliminate your entry-level hiring, you've also eliminated your future leadership pipeline."

It's a reminder that workforce planning cannot be separated from AI strategy. Leaders need to think several years ahead, not simply the next quarter.

3. Not every trend deserves to be followed

Every week seems to bring another company making bold announcements about AI adoption.

Jacob believes that's exactly why leaders need better judgement.

He introduces the STEEPLE framework as a practical way of evaluating the macro trends shaping business - from technology and economics to politics, ethics, and society - before deciding whether they actually matter to your organisation.

His advice is refreshingly simple.

Every trend deserves one of three responses:

Adapt. Pause. Or push back.

Just because another organisation has embraced a particular strategy doesn't mean it's the right one for yours.

In a world overflowing with headlines and hype, thoughtful decision-making may become one of leadership's greatest competitive advantages.

4. AI shouldn't replace human judgment

One of the most thought-provoking moments comes when Barbara asks about executive AI adoption.

Jacob references research showing that while many organizations expect employees to use AI every day, senior executives often aren't using it themselves.

That creates an uncomfortable contradiction.

How can leaders make multimillion-dollar AI decisions without experiencing the technology firsthand?

He also warns against another emerging risk: performative AI.

When organizations measure AI usage instead of outcomes, employees may begin running everything through AI simply to demonstrate adoption.

The danger isn't efficiency.

It's outsourcing critical thinking.

Jacob argues that future leaders will need a different skill altogether: learning how to pull the human thinking back out of AI by asking better questions, encouraging judgment, and challenging assumptions rather than simply accepting AI-generated answers.

5. The future of work is still about people

Despite spending much of the conversation discussing AI, Jacob ends on an unexpectedly human note.

Asked what gives him hope about the future of work, his answer isn't another technological breakthrough.

It's curiosity.

He sees organizations continuing to invest in learning. He sees people experimenting with new tools while asking thoughtful questions. And he believes the future belongs to organizations that combine technology with stronger human leadership - not those that see one replacing the other.

His advice for leaders is surprisingly practical.

Have more conversations.

Ask employees how they're using AI.

Talk about what worked, what didn't, and what human insight they added beyond the machine.

Because ultimately, the future of work won't be built by AI alone.

It will be built by people who know how to use it wisely.

Final thoughts

AI may dominate today's headlines, but this episode of Vivowire is really about leadership.

Jacob Morgan challenges many of the assumptions surrounding AI, employee experience, and workplace culture, arguing that successful organizations won't simply adopt more technology - they'll make better decisions about when, where, and why to use it.

Whether he's discussing the importance of protecting talent pipelines, resisting trend chasing, or preserving human judgement in an AI-powered workplace, one message remains constant: the future belongs to leaders who invest in people as deliberately as they invest in technology.

For anyone trying to navigate the next chapter of work, this conversation offers a balanced, practical perspective that cuts through the noise.