Chasing Excellence Anchor Your Mission, Adapt Your Methods: Thriving in an AI-Driven World (w/ Zack Kass)
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Jan 15, 2026 In this engaging dialogue, Zack Kass, a 16-year AI veteran and the former head of Go-to-Market at OpenAI, shares his insights on navigating an AI-driven world. He stresses that the biggest threat of AI may be emotional rather than economic, urging listeners to anchor their identities to mission rather than methods. Kass explores the importance of adaptability, the value of learning how to learn, and highlights the need for deeply humanistic qualities in a rapidly changing landscape. He also outlines four principles for thriving amidst uncertainty.
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AI Is Already Embedded, 2025 Made It Visible
- 'AI' is a loose catch-all and much of its real impact has already been working behind the scenes for 15+ years.
- 2025 made consumer-facing AI tangible, but true societal adoption is still early.
Identity, Not Starvation, Drives Fear
- Identity displacement is a primary emotional risk from AI, more than immediate economic starvation.
- People fear losing purpose when their jobs are automated, making the transition socially painful.
Longshoremen Strike Reveals Identity Stakes
- Zack Kass recounts the 2024 longshoremen strike where workers demanded guarantees against automation.
- The longshoremen valued community and identity more than the economic arguments against automation.
