Today I summarize my keynote from Unleash Paris this week, where I draw a line between generative AI’s birth in November of 2022 and the Railroad Era of 1873. Not only are the parallels uncannily similar, it points out that AI’s takeover of our economy has impacted employment, politics, and our teetering stock and bond market. Here is the article detailing the story. I recommend you read two books after you listen to this. The first is 1873: The First Great Recession, which describes the global financial disaster brought on by the railroad boom. The second is our new book Superpowered: How AI Unlocks The Power of People, Leadership, and Teams. These two books will teach you what is likely to happen in our confusing new AI era, and how you should proceed. I also describe why the economics of AI are about to change, how NVIDIA has become a...

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This week we launch our new book “Superpowered, how AI Unlocks The Power of People, Leadership and Teams. Based on more than 100 case studies and years of research on organizations and careers, this book sets the stage for your future as a Superworker, Supermanager, or Supercompany. Whether you’re a human resources professional, a people manager, a business leader, or a professional preparing for the future of work, Superpowered offers a way to think more clearly about AI and the opportunities it creates for human contribution. No prior AI expertise is needed to benefit from Superpowered – the book introduces its own frameworks, examples, and practical guidance for adapting to AI. For readers of Josh Bersin’s Irresistible, Superpowered acknowledges the reality of work today, and prioritizes preserving the employee experience and the human contribution to our organizations. For those starting with Superpowered, Irresistible offers a complementary blueprint for leading teams...

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There’s a big flurry of interest in Job-Task Analysis (an old discipline) to break down jobs into tasks, categorize and inventory these tasks, and then “Voila,” you can build AI agents to automate these tasks. It sounds like a great idea. So data providers like Lightcast, Draup, SAP (TechWolf), Reejig, and Workday (using Stanford data) are busy building these huge “Job-Task” data sets so you can now look at your company or department as a “basket of tasks” and apply AI to build just the right agents to streamline work. (And also make decisions like centralizing some tasks or building better learning to cross-train people for such tasks.) As you’ll hear me describe, this kind of work is extremely valuable for regulated, structured, safety-related, and operational jobs. If we know that every airline pilot has to master the task of “lowering landing gear at the right speed and time” it...

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There’s a big flurry of interest in Job-Task Analysis (an old discipline) to break down jobs into tasks, categorize and inventory these tasks, and then “Voila,” you can build AI agents to automate these tasks. It sounds like a great idea. So data providers like Lightcast, Draup, SAP (TechWolf), Reejig, and Workday (using Stanford data) are busy building these huge “Job-Task” data sets so you can now look at your company or department as a “basket of tasks” and apply AI to build just the right agents to streamline work. (And also make decisions like centralizing some tasks or building better learning to cross-train people for such tasks.) As you’ll hear me describe in the podcast, this kind of work is extremely valuable for regulated, structured, safety-related, and operational jobs. If we know that every airline pilot has to master the task of “lowering landing gear at the right speed...

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Today, after in-depth meetings with Workday, SAP, UKG, Dayforce, Hibob, Gloat, and others, I’m ready to say “the SaaSPocalypse is over.” HCM is poised for massive growth ahead. And there’s more – I describe the five new “redefining” features of Agentic HCM (Human Capital Management) platforms and why this may unlock a $10 Billion new revenue market for major HCM players. You as a buyer or consumer of these systems have to start to think about these systems differently. Rather than see them as Payroll and HR “boat anchors” which you have to buy, they’re now “growth enablement platforms.” This is all discussed in detail in our HR 2030 research and advisory services, and I’ll be talking publicly about this at Unleash and other conferences this Fall and next year. Stay tuned for more to come. Additional Information HR 2030: Dynamic Enablement for Growth Our new book “Superpowered” – how...

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Overview The past few years have been among the most economically disruptive for frontline workers. During the pandemic, nurses, cleaners, drivers, and retail, warehouse, and restaurant workers became newly visible as essential workers who kept the country running when crisis struck. Yet that recognition faded soon after the crisis passed and has not translated into broad-based, lasting wage growth. What has not faded—and in fact has only intensified—are inflation, surging housing costs, and relentlessly rising childcare costs. For over 100 million frontline workers in the United States,1 economic pressures have continued to mount alongside a growing demand for their skills. Massive investments in industrial infrastructure to support the AI boom are further straining an already tight labor supply.2 Frontline employees today face more economic pressure, have greater leverage and more employment options, and hold higher expectations than before the pandemic. The workplaces they depend on have largely failed to keep...

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