AI Shift: Shaping Enterprises for the Intelligent Era

A Friendly Tip:  No need for AI expertise—just let your creativity take the lead and think outside the box!

It was a warm Sunday afternoon, and the sun cast a golden glow over the ancient streets of St. Gall. You walked side by side with Mr. Bork, the sharp-minded CEO of a 200-employee IT firm, as he led you through the town's middle-age district. Along the way, you chatted about the rich history of the place—particularly the monastery’s library, home to manuscripts that had survived over a millennium. But despite your shared appreciation for the past, today’s conversation was about something far more pressing: the future.

Figure 1: Old town of St.Gall, where you eat lunch with Mr Bork and Mr Green.

As you stepped into a charming restaurant, nestled between cobblestone streets, an influential politician named Mr. Green joined you at the table. After a few pleasantries and light discussions, you turned to Mr. Bork, ready to challenge the audacious idea he had shared with you earlier.

"I must admit," you began, "when you first approached me with the idea that AI will destroy all jobs, I didn’t want to believe you. Look at the steam engine—when it was invented, people feared it would wipe out jobs, too. But instead, it created new ones—engineers, factory workers, train conductors—and it pushed society forward. I believe the same will be true for AI."

Mr. Bork listened carefully, a smile playing on his lips. He leaned back in his chair, then reached for a paper napkin and began drawing. "This time is different," he said.

On the napkin, Mr. Bork sketched out a simple but profound diagram—a biological neural network. “In the biological world, we have five senses, and they feed into our neural system, which triggers motor neurons to perform actions like smiling, writing, or running. It’s how we interact with the world.”

 
Figure 2: Biological neural network

Then, with a few swift changes, he transformed the diagram, replacing the biological elements with their artificial counterparts. “Now look at this,” he continued. “In the realm of artificial intelligence, sensors replace senses. Actions and responses can be performed by robots, which are stronger, faster, and more capable than humans. AI can not only mimic human abilities but exceed them. It’s only a matter of time before machines replace all human labor.”

Figure 3: Artificial neural network

You were taken aback. The implications hit you like a wave—shock, intrigue, and a deep sense of uncertainty. As Mr. Bork’s words sank in, you realized the gravity of his prediction. Could AI really take over everything?

Before you could respond, Mr. Green jumped in, his expression serious. “That would have massive implications. No jobs, no earnings, no taxes—it would be an entirely different economy. We need to start preparing policies now if that’s the future we’re heading toward.”

Mr. Bork, still drawing, raised an eyebrow. “But we might be wrong, you know. There are plenty of economists who believe that AI will simply add efficiency to the labor market, not destroy it.”

You nodded thoughtfully, then decided to push back. “I think the way we’re evaluating AI’s impact on jobs is flawed. People keep comparing current jobs to AI-augmented versions of those jobs, but that’s missing the point. The real power of technology lies in its ability to create entirely new industries. We can’t just imagine AI as adding an engine to a horse; we have to think about how it creates new possibilities, like how cars created new industries—manufacturing, road construction, gas stations. Horses didn’t disappear because we gave them engines—they disappeared because visionaries like Mr. Benz and the Dodge Brothers reinvented transportation.”

Both Mr. Bork and Mr. Green looked intrigued, but you knew you had to take it further. “AI will disrupt entire industries, no doubt. Self-driving trucks could eliminate truck drivers, AI could automate tasks done by doctors, lawyers, and accountants. If we follow Mr. Bork’s model, then yes, all jobs might vanish. But there’s another ingredient we’re missing: entrepreneurial spirit. It’s this spirit that transforms industries, and it’s the key to what happens next.”

Mr. Green leaned forward. “What are you suggesting?”

You grinned. “We should run a nightmare competition.”

Their faces were puzzled. “A nightmare competition?” Mr. Bork asked, frowning.

“Yes,” you explained. “A nightmare competition is where a new technology is so disruptive, it overturns the entire market, rendering existing industries and leaders obsolete. In this case, we’re talking about a world where AI makes the entire workforce obsolete. We humans are the horse this time. It’s time to test that hypothesis.”

Mr. Bork’s eyes lit up with understanding. “I like it. In fact, I was just listening to interviews with Sam Altman and Elon Musk, and they’re already talking about a future where a portion of the population becomes uncompetitive. This nightmare competition could be the perfect way to explore those ideas.”

Mr. Green nodded, his politician’s instincts kicking in. “If that’s the direction we’re heading, we need to be prepared—new policies, new economies, new ways of thinking.”
You smiled, knowing you’d sparked something big. As the conversation continued over lunch, the warm afternoon air seemed to hum with possibility. You hadn’t just discussed the future—you had begun shaping it.

Your assignment:

After the thought-provoking conversation with Mr. Bork and Mr. Green, you return to your office, eager to apply their insights. As you consider which job profiles might be disrupted by AI, your mind lands on airline pilots as an illustrative example—a high-skill profession where automation has already assumed many tasks. However, essential human abilities, such as communication, situational awareness, and leadership, still play crucial roles, preventing full automation from taking over completely.

Figure 4: Job profile of an airline pilot.

Reflecting on the fact that there are about 300,000 airline pilots worldwide, you see a major opportunity. These professionals earn high salaries, and if AI could fully replace them, it would unlock significant savings in the aviation industry. But there's one catch: you cannot simply disregard the "human element" that is deeply embedded in today’s job market, especially in jobs where lives rely on quick decisions and teamwork.

To move forward, you’ll need a strategy. This requires the application of strategic tools like SWOT analysis, PESTLE, and other frameworks to craft a plan that methodically dismantles the human workforce in favor of AI. Your goal is simple: if you can conclusively show that jobs can be destroyed through well-thought-out strategies, then you have succeeded in your task.

To achieve this, you'll need to push your creativity and analytical skills, building a strategy that proves AI could even surpass the most skilled professionals. If you succeed, you’ll take an important step toward understanding the powerful changes AI could bring to the workforce. Only then will you truly understand the future Mr. Bork envisions and the powerful changes AI could bring to the workforce.

Note: The main objective of this case study is to identify job profiles likely to be disrupted by AI, hence the storyline above focuses on job roles likely to be disrupted. However, there’s also an opportunity to explore job profiles that AI might enhance rather than disrupt. Coaches will provide additional insights on this during the upcoming coaching session.

Your steps:
1)    Request a kick-off session with your coach.
2)    Create Job Profile Personas and Persona Mapping: Identify and list the job profiles that are relevant to our economies, then visually map how AI will disrupt each one.
3)   Conduct a Comprehensive SWOT Analysis: Dive into the selected job profile by evaluating its inherent human strengths and weaknesses in that role. Explore the emerging opportunities that AI and automation bring to enhance/disrupt the role. Simultaneously, assess the potential threats posed by AI integration, particularly in terms of replacing key functions.
4)    Perform Use Case Analysis: Based on the selected job profile, develop new AI-driven use cases that illustrate how AI will replace the job.
5)    Develop a Business Model Canvas: Create a business model canvas for a startup focused on replacing the top job profile with AI solutions.
6)    Prepare a two-page narrative memo summarizing the key findings, including the job profile personas, SWOT analysis, new AI use cases, and business model canvas.

 AI Shift Complete Case PDF