Top Tech Advisor: Every CEO Is Getting AI Wrong

Top Tech Advisor: Every CEO Is Getting AI Wrong

From Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson by Info-Tech Research Group

May 11, 2026 · 1h 9m

About this episode

John Hagel challenges the dominant narrative around AI, emphasizing the importance of learning over efficiency in the future of work.

What if everything we’ve been told about AI and the future of work is wrong? John Hagel says most leaders are asking the wrong questions: “How fast can we automate?” “How many jobs can we cut?” According to him, that’s a “going out of business strategy.” In this episode, we sit down with Silicon Valley veteran John Hagel, an advisor to firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Deloitte, to challenge the dominant narrative around AI, automation, and job elimination. He shares insights into how leaders are approaching AI today, often focusing on cost-cutting and workforce reduction, and what that means for the future of business and entrepreneurship. John explains that the real opportunity with AI isn’t efficiency, it’s learning. He talks about the shift from scalable efficiency to scalable learning and how organizations can use AI to augment human potential, unlock creativity and curiosity, and build cultures rooted in trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement. If you’re thinking about the future of work, this episode will challenge how you view AI, strategy, and innovation, and offer a different perspective on AI’s role in the modern economy. Like and follow for weekly episodes. In…

People in this episode

Host: Geoff Nielson

Guest: John Hagel

Topics covered

  • AI
  • automation
  • future of work
  • business strategy
  • learning
  • innovation

Keywords

  • AI
  • automation
  • job elimination
  • business strategy
  • scalable learning
  • efficiency
  • innovation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte

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