Julian Birkinshaw, a professor at London Business School and author on business strategies, challenges the fear of tech-driven disruptions. He posits that many established companies are not only surviving but thriving against tech insurgents by implementing adaptive strategies. Birkinshaw discusses four key approaches that companies like J.P. Morgan and Disney utilize to compete effectively. He stresses the importance of proactive adaptability and experimentation in navigating technological challenges, debunking the myth of inevitable business failure.

Looking at business news and stock market coverage over the past decade (including a few HBR articles), you'd think that just about every traditional, old-economy company has fallen prey -- or will soon -- to tech-focused competitors. But London Business School's Julian Birkinshaw says that story of disruption and destruction is overblown. His research into Fortune 500 and Global 500 organizations shows that, despite the rise of a few tech giants like Amazon and Google, many industries haven't been radically remade and that many older incumbents are still standing strong. He outlines the strategies they've used to do so, from fighting back to reinvention. Birkinshaw is the author of the HBR article “How Incumbents Survive and Thrive.”

The podcast discusses generative AI and the phenomenon of ChatGPT, highlighting their impact on efficiency. The need for regulation and skills augmentation to avoid substitution is explored. The chapter on big tech's embrace of AI raises ethical concerns and the importance of human-centric jobs. The significance of creativity, intuition, and relationship management in the context of AI is emphasized, along with upcoming AI events in healthcare.