The AI Longread AI is fast. Automation is slow. Can they meet? By Matt Beane
Aug 12, 2025
The podcast dives into the rapid rise of generative AI and its potential to revolutionize organizational practices. It contrasts this with the slow adoption of automation, revealing the complexities facing companies. A case study highlights complacency in healthcare, where older systems persist despite new technologies. Historical insights uncover how past innovations were sluggish compared to today's fast-paced advancements. Ultimately, it discusses how organizations must adapt to navigate the evolving landscape of AI and automation effectively.
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AI Progress Outruns Organizational Pace
- Generative AI capabilities have exploded across modalities and tasks in months rather than years.
- This rapid technical progress contrasts sharply with organizations' slow adoption rhythms.
Kenyan Entrepreneurs Study
- A field experiment with Kenyan entrepreneurs gave some access to a ChatGPT-style mentor and compared outcomes.
- High performers improved ~20% while lower performers actually declined ~10% after using the AI mentor.
Skill Limits Make AI Risky
- Lower performers harmed themselves by asking AI for help on harder, riskier tasks beyond their skill.
- Skill mismatches and overreliance on AI can produce negative outcomes, not just slower automation.
