If you’re only talking about AI tools, you might be missing the bigger picture.
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a little over the hype. Yes, the tools are impressive. Yes, the time savings are real. But the conversations feel stuck and far too narrow.
From the conversations I’m hearing, the articles I’m reading, and the presentations I’m attending, the focus is squarely on the tech and its promises of efficiency. But here’s what’s missing: What are we actually doing with the capacity AI creates?
Because the tools aren’t the real opportunity in this transformation.
The real opportunity lies in how we redesign work, rethink roles, and reimagine what humans are really here to do.
And if we get that right, I believe AI could be the best thing to happen to engagement, fulfilment and burnout in decades!
But, and it’s a big but, only if we do this well.
And right now, those bigger conversations aren’t happening enough. Not in boardrooms. Not at leadership offsites. Not around most strategy tables. The focus is still on adopting tools, and so the bigger questions are being missed.
We are Behind Australia
Australia is one of the most sceptical countries globally when it comes to AI.
A major global study by the University of Melbourne and KPMG with over 48,000 people across 48 countries found that Australians are the least optimistic, the most worried, and have the lowest belief that AI’s benefits outweigh the risks. Only 30% of Australians believe the upside is worth it – the lowest confidence rate in the world!
Compare that to India, where over 90% are actively using AI. So it’s clear that the tools aren’t the problem, our thinking is.
Most teams in Australia still seem to be sitting in the “Foe” or “Familiar” zones of the AI Confidence Curve (see below) – stuck between resistance and surface-level dabbling. And standing still while the tech keeps moving is a risk we can’t afford.
It might feel cautious or to some, even wise. But it’s already costing us.
We’re seeing it in:
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Losing market position to faster-moving competitors
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Losing top talent to more future-ready organisation
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Losing engagement and momentum from teams who feel directionless
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Losing clients who expect responsive, data-informed, high-touch service.
This isn’t about rushing but recognising that hesitation now could mean irrelevance later…
Experimentation without Elevation
AI is already delivering value.
Meetings are being summarised in seconds. Reports drafted in half the time. Admin done on the fly. Research pulled together at warp speed. But ask most leaders how much time their teams are saving and what they’re doing with that time – and the answers are vague.
There’s a sense that things are “a bit quicker” or “more efficient,” but few can pinpoint where that time is going or how it’s being used to create real value.
Similarly, teams don’t always know what they’re meant to do with the extra capacity. Without clear guidance or intent, it often gets absorbed back into low-value work -inboxes, meetings, or reactive tasks.
So the default becomes… more. More noise. More admin. More busywork.
And that’s a huge risk – doing more, not better work!
But here’s the opportunity hiding in plain sight: What if we used that AI-freed capacity for the things we say we never have time for?
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Learning and development
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Business development and client connection
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Wellbeing initiatives and team interaction
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Strategic thinking, creativity and innovation.
These are the activities that actually lift performance! They build stronger cultures, better leaders, and deeper connections.
So the ROI isn’t just efficiency – it’s exponential value. This is where we have a real chance to drive engagement, boost fulfilment, and meaningfully reduce burnout.
AI doesn’t automatically make work better. If all we do with the capacity it creates is cram in more work, we won’t just miss the gains, we may actually make things worse.
This is a defining leadership moment – a once in a generation opportunity to redesign work and workplaces for the better. So if you’re planning a strategy day, leadership offsite, or even an AI conference and you’re not having this conversation, you’re missing a really important piece of your future.
So, will you use AI to do more tasks or to create more meaningful, human work?
