The AI Illusion: Why Even the Smartest People Are Underestimating What's Coming

Lately, I’ve been having some fascinating conversations with friends who work at big companies—people in high-level positions, running teams, making strategic decisions. These are the types of folks you’d expect to be at the forefront of AI adoption. And yet, the more we talk, the more I realize that even the smartest, most experienced professionals I know are vastly underestimating what’s coming.

AI Adoption? Still Stuck in First Gear

One friend, a senior leader at a Fortune 500 company, told me, “Yeah, we’re using AI. People are writing emails with it now. Some of our customer service teams use it to generate responses.” Another, a VP at a major tech company, said, “It’s good for summarizing meetings. We have a few teams experimenting with automating reports.”

That’s it. That’s the extent of AI adoption in many large organizations—email writing, meeting notes, and chatbots.

I push back:

“But what about automating workflows? What about AI-driven decision-making? What about using it to enhance, not just assist?”

And I usually get some version of:

“Well, we’ll get there eventually.”

Eventually.

But here’s the thing—eventually isn’t some distant future. It’s happening right now. The companies that get this are moving fast. The ones that don’t? They’ll wake up one day and realize they’re two years behind, and there won’t be an easy way to catch up.

The Comfortable Misconception About AI and Jobs

There’s another theme that keeps coming up:

AI will eliminate entry-level jobs, but strategic and executive roles will remain untouched.

That’s the confident prediction from many of my friends in leadership. The assumption is that AI can replace junior employees but that thinking, creativity, and leadership will always be human domains.

And sure, today, AI can replace a marketing coordinator writing social media posts, but not the CMO. It can analyze customer feedback, but not set corporate strategy.

But that’s today.

What about five years from now? What happens when AI systems do start making better strategic decisions than we do?

If we believe AI can replace entry-level work, why wouldn’t it eventually replace decision-making too? Why assume that executives are immune?

AI Isn’t Just an Assistant—It’s Becoming the Decision Maker

Let’s be honest—most strategic decisions are made based on data, pattern recognition, and risk assessment. AI is already better than humans at all three. It’s only a matter of time before AI starts not just assisting in strategy but leading it.

For example:

• Product managers use AI to analyze customer data, but soon, AI will be designing product roadmaps.
• Executives review financial models, but AI will start making recommendations that outperform human judgment.
• CEOs rely on gut instincts, but AI will provide probabilistic outcomes that are simply more accurate.

AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a force that will redefine decision-making itself.

Why I’m Doubling Down on AI and Automation

This is why I’m investing so heavily in helping my clients onboard AI, automation, and no-code tools. Because most people—even really smart, successful professionals—still think AI is something that will gradually change their work.

They don’t see that the change is already here.

When I talk to executives, I can tell they’re surprised by what AI can already do. But surprise isn’t a strategy. The companies that win in the next five years won’t be the ones who “eventually” adopt AI—they’ll be the ones who master it now.

That’s where I’m spending my time and energy: helping companies move beyond writing emails with AI and start using it to fundamentally change how they operate. Because the future of work isn’t just about automating tasks—it’s about rethinking who (or what) makes the decisions.

And if you think you know exactly what’s coming?

You’re probably wrong.