The skills deficit will be huge and the skills transfer will struggle to keep up. I think one thing that is likely to be true is that the digitally native youngsters should have a material advantage than prior generations - theoretically. Let's see in practice 🤔
What I'm taking away from this: AI won't replace you, but a person with AI will. The 13% that win are the ones investing in human skills (judgment, empathy, creativity) alongside the tech.
Brilliantly laid out. It's easy to fixate on AI tools and miss the uncomfortable truth: without the right human capability infrastructure, most of it sits unused.
One line that really struck me: "Hope is harder to teach than maths." That flips decades of hiring logic on its head.
Fascinating. The Three Pillars is something to take note of: AI competency, EPOCH, and business acumen. Develop in these areas, build proof, and employees won't have to worry about the skills crisis, I think. On the employer side, hire or partner with those with strong people skills, AI competency is completely trainable after all.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment, James. Agreed about competency being within reach. But building effective training systems is always a sincere challenge.
The paradox is stark. The World Economic Forum projects that AI will displace 92 million jobs globally by 2030 while simultaneously creating 170 million new positions, a net gain of 78 million jobs. Yet most workers will fail to bridge this gap, because the jobs being created demand fundamentally different capabilities than those disappearing.
The EPOCH framework is really intresting because it flips the traditional view of skills value. What used to be considerd soft skills are now the hardest to replicate and most valuable. The fact that only 13% of companies are seeing ROI despite 97% viewing AI as transformational shows its not about the technology at all. Its about pairing deployment with actual training and workflow redesign.
The point about the lack of on the job training and the declining AI related employment numbers for the youngest workers sticks out a lot, particularly for us having employed plenty of people in that demo. Some have gone on to amazing careers and we'd like to think our needs (not necessarily our expertise😅) has contributed to that. This will be an issue as we continue to automate the repeatable tasks.
Great insight, thanks! I’ve seen so much of what I spent the better part of twenty years building skill wise evaporate, especially when it comes to specific software acumen. Thanks!
Another absolute zinger here John, thank you. Which capability gaps do you think organisations underestimate most wrt AI skills, and where should a thoughtful leader invest first to close them?
The EPOCH framework is brillant for reframing what actually matters in an AI augmented workplace. The invrsion you mention, that hard skills are now easier to teach than soft skills, captures somthing most organizations haven't grasped yet. The entry level apocalypse concern is particularly troubling because it breaks the entire talent pipeline model that's existed for decades. How do you develop senior judgment without the apprenticeship phase?
The skills deficit will be huge and the skills transfer will struggle to keep up. I think one thing that is likely to be true is that the digitally native youngsters should have a material advantage than prior generations - theoretically. Let's see in practice 🤔
The gap between skill and speed is widening faster than most expect.
What I'm taking away from this: AI won't replace you, but a person with AI will. The 13% that win are the ones investing in human skills (judgment, empathy, creativity) alongside the tech.
Brilliantly laid out. It's easy to fixate on AI tools and miss the uncomfortable truth: without the right human capability infrastructure, most of it sits unused.
One line that really struck me: "Hope is harder to teach than maths." That flips decades of hiring logic on its head.
Thanks, Melanie! So glad this one stood out for you.
Fascinating. The Three Pillars is something to take note of: AI competency, EPOCH, and business acumen. Develop in these areas, build proof, and employees won't have to worry about the skills crisis, I think. On the employer side, hire or partner with those with strong people skills, AI competency is completely trainable after all.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment, James. Agreed about competency being within reach. But building effective training systems is always a sincere challenge.
For sure. That’s the next problem to be solved within organizations.
Indeed it is.
The paradox is stark. The World Economic Forum projects that AI will displace 92 million jobs globally by 2030 while simultaneously creating 170 million new positions, a net gain of 78 million jobs. Yet most workers will fail to bridge this gap, because the jobs being created demand fundamentally different capabilities than those disappearing.
Really good piece couldn’t agree more!
The EPOCH framework is really intresting because it flips the traditional view of skills value. What used to be considerd soft skills are now the hardest to replicate and most valuable. The fact that only 13% of companies are seeing ROI despite 97% viewing AI as transformational shows its not about the technology at all. Its about pairing deployment with actual training and workflow redesign.
Couldn’t agree more. Great insight. Glad this one helped.
AI fluency has become so much more important. Corporates got to really drive adoption quickly!
https://thelastchord.substack.com/p/what-is-the-emotional-and-physical
Super interesting! Great article, Trish.
Thank you!
The point about the lack of on the job training and the declining AI related employment numbers for the youngest workers sticks out a lot, particularly for us having employed plenty of people in that demo. Some have gone on to amazing careers and we'd like to think our needs (not necessarily our expertise😅) has contributed to that. This will be an issue as we continue to automate the repeatable tasks.
Great insight, thanks! I’ve seen so much of what I spent the better part of twenty years building skill wise evaporate, especially when it comes to specific software acumen. Thanks!
you're welcome, scary to have that experience but it's good that you recognize and have taken the steps to stay up to date.
Thanks for sharing this one. I’ve been wondering about this. I hadn’t heard of the EPOCH framework!
Excellent article John. The ability to embrace AI and develop the skills necessary to advance your career or business will determine who wins.
Thanks so much, Michael! Sincerely appreciate the support and am so glad this one resonated for you.
Looking forward to diving into this one
Always appreciate your curiosity around the deeper work.
This is a line I’m going to go away and reflect on ‘But unlike previous workforce transformations, this one rewards preparation over pedigree’.
Another absolute zinger here John, thank you. Which capability gaps do you think organisations underestimate most wrt AI skills, and where should a thoughtful leader invest first to close them?
The EPOCH framework is brillant for reframing what actually matters in an AI augmented workplace. The invrsion you mention, that hard skills are now easier to teach than soft skills, captures somthing most organizations haven't grasped yet. The entry level apocalypse concern is particularly troubling because it breaks the entire talent pipeline model that's existed for decades. How do you develop senior judgment without the apprenticeship phase?