Four major companies just placed a $2.5 billion bet on their people.

Walmart. JPMorgan Chase. Amazon. AT&T. Together, they’re training more than two million workers to thrive alongside AI — not get replaced by it.

This isn’t a press release. It’s a proof of concept. These aren’t experiments or pilot programs. These are billion-dollar commitments backed by retention data, career mobility outcomes, and a simple belief: the people who know your business are worth more trained than replaced.

And here’s what matters most — it’s working.

The Numbers Tell a Story

Walmart is training all 1.6 million U.S. and Canadian workers — frontline and corporate — through a partnership with Google’s AI Professional Certification program. Eight hours of fundamentals for everyone. Advanced modules for those who want to go deeper.

Donna Morris, Walmart’s Chief People Officer, put it plainly: “It’s unfortunate when companies use AI to replace workers instead of training them for what’s ahead.”

CEO John Furner predicts the company will have roughly the same headcount in three to five years — but with workers earning more, staying longer, and moving into leadership roles that didn’t exist before. Top regional managers already earn $420K-$620K. That’s the career arc they’re building toward.

JPMorgan Chase is investing $300 million a year to train 300,000 employees. Not one-size-fits-all training — segmented, role-specific programs. “AI Made Easy” for beginners. Prompt engineering for analysts. Agentic AI for software engineers. Strategic transformation for leaders.

Derek Waldron, their Chief Analytics Officer, describes their approach: “Training needs are varied, just like AI applications. The best way to approach this is segment by segment.”

They’re not just teaching tools. They’re building culture. Town halls. Manager communications. Peer-to-peer learning networks. “Prompt of the week” emails. Social channels where power users share what’s working.

Amazon committed $1.2 billion to upskill 100,000 U.S. workers for higher-skilled roles — both inside and outside Amazon. Their apprenticeship and on-the-job training programs show 94% retention rates. People stay when you invest in their future.

AT&T spent $1 billion over five years to reskill 180,000 employees when they realized half their workforce lacked the hard skills for the company’s digital future. Instead of expensive outside recruitment, they invested in the people who already understood the business.

The case study is now taught at Harvard Business School.

Why This Works

This isn’t charity. It’s strategy.

Training workers costs less than replacing them. A lot less. Retention saves recruitment expenses. Career mobility reduces turnover. Workers who see a future at your company don’t spend their lunch breaks updating their LinkedIn.

But there’s a deeper truth here: the people who know your customers, your operations, and your edge cases are irreplaceable. You can hire an AI specialist. You can’t hire someone who’s spent five years learning the thousand unwritten rules that make your business actually work.

When you train existing workers, you get AI fluency plus institutional knowledge. That combination — domain expertise meets new capability — is what creates real value.

This isn’t just good for workers. It’s smart business.

The Four Pathways Forward

Not everyone needs to become an AI engineer.

That’s the point.

There are at least four distinct pathways for people working alongside AI, and organizations that understand this are building the future faster.

Builders are the software engineers and AI/ML specialists creating the systems. High demand, specialized skills, narrow percentage of the workforce. These roles matter — but they’re not where most people will land.

Integrators are the business analysts, operations managers, and product leads embedding AI into workflows. They have domain expertise. They understand the business. Now they’re learning to apply AI to the problems they already know how to solve. This is where scale happens.

Governors are the compliance officers, ethics specialists, and risk managers ensuring AI is used responsibly. As regulation increases (hello, EU AI Act), this pathway grows. Someone needs to make sure the AI doesn’t create legal, ethical, or reputational disasters.

Translators are the L&D professionals, change management specialists, and trainers teaching everyone else. They don’t build the AI. They don’t regulate it. They make sure the other three pathways exist and are accessible.

Most workers will be Integrators. Some will be Translators. A smaller group will be Builders or Governors. The point isn’t that everyone takes the same path — it’s that multiple paths exist.

Companies that map these pathways clearly, build learning programs for each, and create internal mobility between them? Those are the ones that win.

What Managers Can Do Today

You don’t need a billion-dollar budget to start. You need intention, a plan, and follow-through.

Here’s what you can do this week, this month, this quarter:

This week: Have one conversation with each direct report. Ask: Which of these four pathways sounds like you? Where do they want to go? What excites them? What scares them? Don’t assume. Ask.

This month: Identify one AI tool your team should pilot. Not the fanciest one. Not the one everyone’s talking about. The one that solves a real problem your team has today. Set up a learning session. Let people experiment. Create space for failure.

This quarter: Build a prompt library for your team’s most common tasks. Not a top-down mandate — a shared resource. When someone figures out a better way to draft a client email or summarize a dataset, they add it to the library. Make learning visible and shareable.

Map skills to lanes. Look at your team. Who’s a natural Integrator — already thinking about how tools fit into workflows? Who’s a potential Governor — the person who always asks “but should we?” Who’s your Translator — the one who explains complex ideas simply?

Build peer learning. Pair your AI power users with people just getting started. Not formal mentorship programs with paperwork. Just: “Hey, Sarah figured out how to do X in half the time. She’s doing a lunch-and-learn Thursday. You should come.”

Budget for training. Even $500 per person gets you Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, or role-specific certifications. If you’re managing a team, you likely have discretionary budget. Use it.

Celebrate adoption. Recognize people who share what they learn. The person who figured out a better workflow and taught the team? That’s leadership. Make it visible. Make it valued.

The point isn’t perfection. It’s momentum. Start somewhere. Start small. Start tomorrow morning.

If Your Leadership Isn’t Moving Fast Enough (You Can Still Prepare)

Maybe your company hasn’t announced a billion-dollar training program. Maybe your manager hasn’t asked which pathway excites you. Maybe you’re looking around and thinking, No one’s investing in me — what now?

Here’s the truth: You don’t need permission to prepare.

You don’t need a corporate training budget to build capability. You don’t need your manager’s approval to learn something new. You just need curiosity, consistency, and a willingness to experiment.

Self-directed learning works. OpenAI has free tutorials. Google offers AI fundamentals courses. YouTube is full of practical how-to content. You don’t need expensive bootcamps. You need focus and follow-through.

Experiment in your current role. Pick one task you do every week. Try AI on it. Summarizing meeting notes. Drafting first versions of reports. Researching competitive landscape. See what works. See what doesn’t. Learn by doing.

Document what you learn. Keep a “wins log.” What did you try? What worked? What didn’t? What would you do differently next time? Future you (and future employers) will thank you for the clarity.

Build your portfolio. Create examples of AI-assisted work. Show the before and after. Quantify the time saved or quality improved. When you interview for your next role, you’ll have proof — not just claims.

Find your lane. Which of the four pathways fits your strengths? Are you someone who loves learning new tools? (Integrator.) Do you naturally ask ethical questions? (Governor.) Do you explain things well? (Translator.) Knowing where you’re headed makes the learning focused.

Join communities. LinkedIn groups. Local meetups. Online forums where people share AI workflows. Learning alone is hard. Learning with others who are figuring it out too? That’s momentum.

Become the resource. When you figure something out, share it. Write it up. Show a colleague. Become the person others ask for help. That’s how you build visibility and value — even in companies that aren’t formally investing.

Position for mobility. Even if your current employer is slow, you’re building skills that transfer. The next company might be smarter. The next manager might get it. When that opportunity comes, you’ll be ready.

Start small. Build momentum. Document progress. You’re not waiting for someone else to invest in you. You’re investing in yourself.

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What Comes Next

The companies investing billions show what’s possible at scale. But you don’t need to be Walmart to make this work.

Managers can start with one conversation, one tool, one learning session.

Individual contributors can start with one free course, one experiment, one task improved.

The future isn’t something that happens to you. It’s something you build — one skill at a time, one pathway at a time, one conversation at a time.

Whether you’re leading a team or building your own capability, the opportunity is real. The pathways exist. The tools are available (many for free). What’s left is action.

Some companies will invest billions. Some will invest hundreds. Some will invest nothing and hope for the best. But you? You get to decide where you land. You get to decide whether you’re prepared. You get to decide whether you’re building the future or waiting for it to happen.

The $2.5 billion bet shows what’s possible when companies choose to invest in people. But the real bet — the one that matters most — is the one you place on yourself.

Limitless Talent is mapping the Talent Intelligence Revolution happening before our eyes.

I’m Robert Merrill, technical recruiter & former developer turned founder & entrepreneur—fascinated with leveraging emerging technologies to boost human talent potential.

I’m curious how companies can build talent strategies that prepare people for AI transformation — not replace them with it. If you’re designing learning pathways, rethinking career architecture, or trying to figure out how your workforce thrives alongside AI, I want to know what you’re doing.

Please share.

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Five things that actually changed this week — and one question that matters more than all of them: What happens when autonomous work gets cheaper than minimum wage?

The $0.30 Business Operator

Anthropic buried the real announcement in a demo.

A small business owner types "make delivery free for orders over $25 this holiday weekend" and Claude just... does it. Finds the store. Reads the pricing logic. Updates it. Confirms. No code. No developer. No instructions beyond what you'd text a coworker.

The math is what makes this alarming:

• Sonnet runs at ~$3 per million tokens

• A full agentic task (navigate, read, decide, execute): 50K-100K tokens

• Cost per autonomous business operation: under $0.30

36 million small businesses in the US alone. All of them have tasks exactly like this one.

The question for every small business owner stops being "can I afford AI" and starts being "why am I still doing this manually."

The person updating Shopify pricing every weekend? That's who this replaces (and nobody in San Francisco noticed). Not the senior developer. The part-timer making $15/hour who handles the tedious stuff that keeps a business running.

We spent years debating whether AI would take developer jobs. Turns out the first wave isn't coming for code — it's coming for the retail admin, the weekend scheduler, the person who manually processes refunds.

Source: Anthropic demo, cost analysis via @aakashgupta

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Digg Just Showed Us What AI Displacement Looks Like

So about those jobs AI is taking right now — this isn't theory:

Digg is laying off staff after an AI bot surge made their platform unworkable. CEO Justin Mezzell cited "brutal reality" in the digital environment — meaning their content aggregation model got overwhelmed by bots generating and submitting content faster than humans could moderate it.

Different story, same ending. Not "maybe AI will replace moderators someday." More like "AI bots drowned us in noise, we cut staff yesterday."

And here's what changes: platforms built on human curation just can't outrun bot volume. So either you automate moderation (cut staff) or you drown.

Digg tried to come back. The bots won.

Source: Reuters

Figma Became the AI Output Layer Without Building AI

Figma shipped the ability to bring UI work done in Claude Code straight into Figma as editable design frames.

This sounds like a feature. It's actually a strategic moat.

The old workflow: design → handoff → code. 2-3 weeks if you're lucky.

The new workflow: Claude Code generates UI → pushes to Figma → designer tweaks → Figma MCP sends back to Claude Code. Entire loop runs in a single afternoon.

What's clever: Figma didn't compete with AI coding tools. They became the canonical source of truth for anything AI generates. Every AI tool that produces UI now feeds Figma.

"I need to wait for design" stops being a valid dependency. That's what changes.

Source: Figma MCP announcement, Aakash Gupta analysis

Claude Got a Hidden Upgrade (And Nobody Noticed)

Claude shipped a major architectural change with zero fanfare: the model now writes code that handles conditional logic BEFORE returning to the LLM.

Old architecture:

User → Claude → tool call → Claude → tool call → Claude

New architecture:

User → Claude writes code → code executes tools with conditional logic → returns final result to Claude

This compresses agent loops. Instead of asking the LLM for decisions at every step, Claude pre-bakes decision paths in code it writes upfront.

Early analysis suggests this could deliver 2x-100x efficiency improvements on agent loop scores, though production data is still emerging.

Why it matters: Makes production AI agents economically viable. Fewer API calls = lower costs = workflows that actually scale.

This is the infrastructure change that unlocks the $0.30 operator economy.

Source: @NickADobos thread, technical breakdown

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Apple Shipped the M5 MacBook Air (It's Still About AI)

Apple announced the new MacBook Air with M5 chip, featuring a Neural Accelerator in each GPU core and starting storage doubled to 512GB.

The headline numbers: up to 6.9x faster AI video enhancement vs M1, 1.9x faster than M4.

What actually matters: Apple keeps optimizing for on-device AI inference. They're not chasing cloud-first workflows — they're betting you'll want to run local models without sending data to servers.

If they're right, the entire "AI needs cloud compute" narrative flips. If they're wrong, they've just built very expensive laptops that run ChatGPT really well in a browser.

They come in aky blue, midnight, starlight and silver. Starting at $1,099 for 13-inch, $1,299 for 15-inch.

Source: Apple Newsroom

The Pattern

Five stories. One thread: AI is moving from "might affect jobs" to "is affecting jobs right now."

• $0.30 operators replace weekend part-timers

• Bot surges force platforms to cut moderation staff

• Design handoff cycles collapse from weeks to hours

• Agent economics suddenly work at production scale

• On-device AI chips keep getting faster

The question isn't "will AI take jobs?" anymore.

It's "which jobs are going first, and who's ready to retrain?"

(Spoiler: The answer to the second part is "not nearly enough people.")

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🔥 Top Story: The “Jobless Expansion” Is Here

Oxford Economics projects U.S. job gains will average less than 40,000 per month in 2026 — even as GDP keeps growing. Axios laid out the three-step story: companies over-hired in 2021-22, streamlined in 2023-24, and are now betting AI lets them push those savings further. Meanwhile, a Fortune analyst warns the economy is learning to grow without creating jobs.

Rob’s take: Growth without jobs isn’t growth — it’s extraction. If you’re not investing in your people right now, you’re building on sand.

🤖 AI Tools & Releases

• Alibaba drops Qwen 3.5 (open-weight, 397B params) — Enhanced agentic capabilities, compatible with open-source frameworks. The moat around proprietary AI keeps shrinking. CNBC

• Kimi Code debuts — Open-source agentic coding tool with IDE integration for VS Code, Cursor, and Zed. One to watch. LogRocket

• Seedance 2.0 launches — AI video generation aimed at freelancers and small business owners who don’t have a production team. Yahoo Finance

• Notion adds AI agents + new models — GPT-5.2, Claude Opus 4.5, and Gemini 3 under the hood, plus auto model selection. Your second brain just got smarter. Releasebot

💼 Work & Hiring

• IBM is tripling Gen Z entry-level hires — After hitting the limits of pure AI adoption, they’re redesigning roles around what AI can’t do. This is what smart adaptation looks like. Fortune

• AI threatens the staffing industry — Bloomberg reports companies are bringing recruitment in-house with AI tools, cutting out staffing firms entirely. The middlemen are getting squeezed. Bloomberg / LA Times

• Shopify + Duolingo go “AI-first, humans second” — Company-wide mandates now official. PwC scrapped plans to hire 100K people. Ireland’s government says early-career jobs are already feeling the impact. Gizmodo

• Microsoft’s AI chief: white-collar tasks automated in 18 months — Mustafa Suleyman told the FT that “most, if not all” professional tasks will be fully automated within 12-18 months. Here’s the thing Suleyman keeps getting wrong: tasks aren’t jobs. Automating a task is a tool. Eliminating a job is a decision. IBM just tripled their entry-level hires because they redesigned roles around what AI can’t do. The companies that win this aren’t deleting people — they’re redesigning work. Business Insider

💰 Macro & Money

• BRICS announces cross-bank payment system — Designed to reduce dollar dominance using a BRICS digital currency. De-dollarization just went from theory to infrastructure. BlockNow

• BRICS + XRP rumors debunked — No, BRICS is not partnering with Ripple. No official statement from either side. Don’t believe everything crypto Twitter tells you. Coinpedia

🛠️ One Thing to Try

Notion AI Agents. If you’re already in Notion, turn on the new agent features this week. Set one up to summarize your meeting notes or triage your task inbox. It takes five minutes, and you’ll immediately feel the difference between using AI and having AI work for you.

What caught your eye this week? Hit reply — I read every one.

— Rob

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But there’s another kind of debt building inside teams right now — and it’s much harder to detect.

Cognitive debt.

It shows up when a team builds faster with AI… but understands less of what they’re building.

I was reading about research from Margaret-Anne Storey where a student team used AI coding tools and absolutely flew at the beginning. Velocity was incredible. They were shipping features that would have taken weeks in days. The demos looked fantastic. Everyone felt like they’d unlocked a superpower.

Seven weeks later?

They

were

stuck.

The code ran. The tests passed. But when one team member left and the others tried to modify the system, they hit a wall. No one could explain how it worked. No one could trace the dependencies. No one could confidently change anything without breaking something else (and they couldn’t predict what would break).

That’s not a classroom problem.

That’s a boardroom problem.

It’s happening quietly inside companies right now.

Steve Yegge calls it “The AI Vampire.” You feel 10x productive. The company captures the upside. You’re drained by mid-afternoon. The output is real — but so is the exhaustion, and it’s not just physical. It’s cognitive.

You’re managing code you didn’t fully author and don’t fully understand.

And in the age of Claude CoWork and other agentic tools, this is expanding outside of technical teams faster than ChatGPT can obsessively praise you for the way you worded that email to your boss.

Here’s what I keep coming back to—and more and more leaders need to keep this top-of-mind:

AI doesn’t eliminate jobs. It eliminates the easy parts.

And when the easy parts go away, what’s left?

Judgment. Architecture. Trade-offs. Explanation. Ownership.

Speed is rented. Understanding is owned.

The developer who can walk into a room and say, “Here’s how this system works, here’s why we made these decisions, and here’s what will break first” — that’s the most valuable person in the building. Not the fastest shipper. The clearest thinker.

And for hiring managers: if you optimize purely for speed, you’re stacking cognitive debt your team won’t be able to refinance later.

The teams that will win aren’t the ones using AI to produce more. They’re the ones using AI to understand more.

So what do you actually do about this?

• Enforce the explain-back test. Before merging AI-assisted code, have the author walk someone through it without looking at the screen. If they can’t, it’s not ready.

• Create modification pressure. Rotate people through refactoring tickets on code they didn’t write. Cognitive debt surfaces fast when someone else has to touch it.

• Measure understanding, not just output. In 1-on-1s, ask: “What did you learn this week?” not just “What did you ship?”

If you’re leading right now, ask yourself something uncomfortable: If the AI tools stopped working tomorrow, could your team explain what they built?

If the answer is “not really,” that debt is compounding. And debt has a way of showing up at the worst possible time.

AI should increase intelligence. Not outsource it.

Curious what you’re seeing on your teams. Are people getting sharper with AI — or just faster? (Hit reply. I actually read these.)

⚙️ What Are “AI Skills”?

“AI Skills” are reusable, modular instructions that let large language models (LLMs) like Claude or ChatGPT run repeatable, defined workflows. Instead of reinventing the prompt wheel every time, you codify a task once and reuse it forever.

Examples of AI Skills:

• “Summarize meeting notes in bullet form”

• “Screen resumes against a job description”

• “Rewrite blog post for LinkedIn”

It’s like creating your own custom assistant that understands your style, process, and expectations.

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🧪 Claude Leads the Way

Anthropic’s Claude has taken the lead by making these Skills first-class citizens of their platform. Claude Skills allow you to:

• Name a task

• Describe its goal

• Add detailed instructions

• Then run it on demand, consistently

It’s an elegant implementation of a powerful concept — AI that learns your process and remembers how you like things done.

🤖 Why AI Skills Matter

The shift here is huge:

• Before Skills: You write prompts from scratch, repeated instructions each time, and lost consistency between outputs

• Your AI becomes a personalized automation engine, not just a chatbot

🧑‍💼 Real AI Skill Examples (People Are Already Doing This)

1. Busy Executive Assistant
Skill: “Email Digest Summarizer”
Summarizes unread emails into bullets and drafts replies.

2. Content Marketer
Skill: “Blog-to-LinkedIn Repurposer”
Turns long-form posts into carousel threads using your brand voice.

3. Recruiter or Hiring Manager
Skill: “Resume Screener”
Screens resumes against job postings with recommendations and notes.

4. Founder or Consultant
Skill: “Customer Call Debrief Generator”
Pulls insights, quotes, and next steps from transcript data.

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🛠 Sample Claude Skill: Candidate Resume Screener

You can create this Skill today using Claude or adapt it to ChatGPT or your favorite tool.

Skill Name: Candidate Resume Screener

Purpose:
Compare a candidate’s resume with a job description and provide:

• Strengths

• Gaps

• Hiring recommendation

• Suggested follow-up

Instructions (for Claude):

You are a hiring assistant.
You will receive a job description and a resume.
Your task is to:
1. Compare the resume to the role
2. Highlight 2–3 strengths
3. Note any red flags or gaps
4. Give a recommendation: Strong Yes, Yes, Maybe, or No
Respond in this format:

### Resume Review Summary

**Recommendation:**  
**Strengths:**  
- …  
- …  

**Concerns:**  
- …  

**Comments:**  
(Optional tips for what to ask in an interview)

Sample Output:

### Resume Review Summary

**Recommendation:** Maybe  
**Strengths:**  
- 3+ years with React and Node  
- AWS Certified  

**Concerns:**  
- No mention of AI/NLP  
- Gaps in recent experience  

**Comments:**  
Worth a call — shows potential but will need onboarding time.

📈 Even OpenAI Is Catching On…

Simon Willison recently pointed out that OpenAI is quietly rolling out Skills-like functionality in ChatGPT’s CLI and file-based tools.

They’re not branding it as “Skills,” but it’s the same idea:

• Named, reusable workflows

• Modular agent-like execution

• Moving away from one-off prompting

💡 Want to Build Your First AI Skill?

Here’s how to get started in < 10 minutes:

1. Pick a task you repeat daily (e.g. summarize a meeting, write a sales email)

2. Write down your ideal output (format, tone, key points)

3. Add a few bullet-point instructions for how the AI should behave

4. Save it as a Skill in Claude, or reuse the same structure in ChatGPT or another LLM

Do this once. Use it forever.

🎁 Bonus Idea: Build a “Skill Stack”

Over time, you’ll end up with your own AI toolkit — a stack of automations that work like a second brain.

Some ideas:

• “Rewrite for clarity”

• “Prepare agenda from notes”

• “Draft LinkedIn comment from blog”

• “Weekly update writer”

• “Code documentation explainer”

These aren’t prompts — they’re automated playbooks. And you’re in control.

🧠 Final Thought

AI Skills aren’t just a feature — they’re a mindset shift.

Teach your AI once, then scale yourself.

This is what real leverage looks like.

Welcome to the post-prompt world?

Amateur leaders hire based on "gut feeling" alone, which is one of the worst mistakes you can make.

I've done it, too, when building my own team.

It felt right in the moment.

But it cost me.

I once hired someone because I “just had a good feeling.” They seemed sharp. We clicked in the interview. We knew similar people and they were fun and interesting to talk to. I ignored the little things that didn’t add up on their resume. I skipped a reference check. I thought my instincts were enough.

Spoiler Alert: It didn’t work out.

They struggled in the role. The team felt the impact. I had to let them go. They took it personally. I even took it personally. It was hard for everyone.

That’s when I learned the hard way: gut feelings are not a hiring strategy.

Here’s why I never trust my gut on a hire anymore:

• Our brains are wired for bias. We like people who remind us of ourselves. We get swayed by charm or confidence. We miss red flags if we want someone to work out.

• Research shows structured interviews predict job success better than “going with your gut.” Gut instinct is just a shortcut for our brains. It skips the hard work of real evaluation.

• Bad hires are expensive. They cost time, money, and team morale. One wrong hire can set a team back months.

Now, I use a clear process every time (steal this!)

• I write down what the job really needs. Not just skills, but values and work style. I divide these things into three categories: Skill (know how & smarts), Will (desire) and Fit (alignment with the job and the team).

• I use the same questions for every candidate. I score their answers on a 1-5 scale.

• I check references, every time. I ask "What coaching will this person need to be successful in this role?" that's how you find out where the challenges are.

• I ask the team to follow the same process and give unbiased feedback without asking others what they think first. I look for patterns, not just one person’s opinion.

(this last one is the under-rated super power most people reading this will skip over)

This feels like it will take more time, but it saves so much pain later.

When doing this work, I remind myself of the mantra: "Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast"

My gut still whispers. But I don’t listen.

I trust the process, not my feelings.

If you’re hiring, don’t leave it to chance.

Build a system. Stick to it.

Your team (and your sleep schedule) will thank you.

Bonus: Want me to post some simple ways you can supercharge the hiring decision-making process using AI?

—

Unlock Your Career Superpowers Today! Follow Limitless Talent for simple ways to leverage your unique skills and thrive in the new world of AI-enabled work

#recruiters #leadership #humanfirst #recruiting #hiring #jobs #work #ai #hiringmadehuman #limitlesstalent

[Originally posted on linkedin. please feel free to share, comment and like!]

In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a tech industry buzzword—it’s a practical, powerful tool that’s reshaping how we work, think, and grow. For many professionals, the idea of embracing AI can feel daunting or even threatening. But what if, instead of fearing change, we saw AI as an opportunity to unlock new levels of creativity, productivity, and fulfillment in our careers?

Let’s take a closer look at why AI is more than just a trend, and how you can harness its potential to become your next career superpower.

The Numbers Don’t Lie: AI Is Already Making a Difference

We often hear about the “future of work,” but the reality is, AI is already here—and it’s making a measurable impact. Recent studies reveal that over 70% of professionals believe AI will improve their work. That’s not just optimism; it’s a reflection of real, tangible benefits that workers are experiencing across industries.

Even more compelling, companies that have adopted AI tools report a 30% increase in productivity. This isn’t about working harder or longer; it’s about working smarter. AI is helping teams streamline processes, reduce errors, and focus on what truly matters. These numbers aren’t just statistics—they’re proof that AI is a catalyst for positive change.

Beyond the Hype: How AI Enhances, Not Replaces

There’s a common misconception that AI is here to take jobs away. In reality, AI is best understood as a partner—one that can take on repetitive, time-consuming tasks and free us up to do what humans do best: create, innovate, and connect.

Think about your own workday. How much time do you spend on routine tasks like scheduling, data entry, or generating reports? Now imagine if those hours were given back to you. With AI, that’s possible. Tools powered by AI can automate the mundane, allowing you to shift your focus to strategic thinking, problem-solving, and creative projects that drive real value.

AI isn’t about replacing people; it’s about amplifying what you already do well. It’s a chance to elevate your role and make your work more meaningful.

Practical Steps: Bringing AI Into Your Workflow

You don’t need to be a tech guru to start benefiting from AI. The most important step is simply to begin. Here’s how you can start integrating AI into your professional life—no coding required:

• Identify Repetitive Tasks: Start by listing out the routine activities that eat up your time. Could scheduling meetings, sorting emails, or compiling data be handled by an AI tool?

• Explore Available Tools: From smart email assistants to automated data analysis platforms, there are AI solutions for nearly every profession. Try out a few—many offer free trials or basic versions.

• Experiment and Learn: Don’t be afraid to test new tools and see what works for you. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s progress. As you become more comfortable, you’ll discover ways AI can make your work not just easier, but more impactful.

Remember, the journey with AI is personal. Start small, stay curious, and let your needs guide your exploration.

Mindset Matters: Embracing Change for Growth

Perhaps the biggest shift required isn’t technological—it’s psychological. The professionals who thrive in an AI-powered world are those who see change as an opportunity, not a threat. By adopting a growth mindset, you position yourself to adapt, learn, and lead.

Ask yourself: How can AI help me do my best work? What new skills could I develop if I had more time and mental energy? When you view AI as a collaborator, you open the door to new possibilities for growth, advancement, and satisfaction in your career.

As Robert Merrill of LimitlessTalent.xyz puts it, “Unlock your career superpowers by leveraging the right tools and a growth mindset. AI isn’t here to replace you—it’s here to help you thrive.”

Your Next Step: Turn Uncertainty Into Opportunity

The future of work is already unfolding, and AI is a central part of that story. The good news? You don’t have to be left behind.

• Start with one small change. Try automating a single task this week.

• Share your experiences. Encourage your team to explore AI together.

• Stay open and curious. The more you experiment, the more you’ll discover.

Remember, embracing AI isn’t about losing control—it’s about gaining new tools to shape your own future. Don’t fear AI. Welcome it as a trusted partner on your professional journey.

Unlock your career superpowers today. Follow Robert Merrill (Substack | LinkedIn) for more insights on thriving in the age of AI-enabled work.

#AI #Careers #GrowthMindset #LimitlessTalent #FutureOfWork

In recruiting, the pressure to process large volumes of applications quickly can sometimes turn hiring into a checklist-driven task. But maintaining the human touch in hiring—especially when a candidate isn’t moving forward—is crucial for a positive employer brand and authentic candidate relationships. With a few intentional actions, recruiters and hiring managers can ensure that every candidate, selected or not, feels valued. Here are six practical tips to keep your process human-centric and ensure candidates feel acknowledged throughout the journey.

1. The No-Reply Email Is a No-No

Few things scream "faceless corporation" like a “no-reply” email address. When candidates receive automated emails from "no-reply@company.com," it gives the impression that you're broadcasting rather than communicating. It’s akin to telling someone, “I’ll speak, but don’t talk back.” Instead, set your applicant tracking system (ATS) to send from a real person’s email address—preferably the recruiter’s.

Pro Tip: If your system doesn’t allow a direct reply to the recruiter, at least set up a team inbox (e.g., recruiting@company.com) where responses are actually read and managed. This small shift can leave candidates with the feeling that real people are behind the process, and it opens up an avenue for dialogue if needed.

2. Use a Clear Rubric to Streamline Resume Reviews

Many hiring processes are slowed by subjective, inconsistent evaluations that can introduce bias or require second-guessing. A simple, well-thought-out rubric can make the review process both fair and transparent. The time invested upfront to establish clear criteria with the hiring manager will more than pay off in a smoother, more consistent process.

Here’s a suggested approach:

• Non-negotiable basics: Define the absolute necessities, like the candidate’s location, work eligibility, and availability for required relocation.

• Salary alignment: Ensure the candidate’s compensation expectations fit within the job’s budgeted range.

• Relevant experience: Identify a few top skills or experiences that should be obvious on the resume.

Pro Tips:

• Involve your hiring manager: If you leave an intake meeting without enough detail for a rubric, go back. This might feel awkward but saves time in the long run and ensures candidates are assessed consistently.

• Document rejections in your ATS: Recording even

  a one-word reason based on the rubric (“location,” “salary,” etc.) gives future recruiters insight and shields you from potential claims of unfairness.

• Add transparency to job descriptions: Use stars or highlights in job listings to clarify essential criteria. A footnote could say, “Starred items are required qualifications.” This way, candidates will have a better understanding of requirements before applying.

3. Offer a Genuine Reason in Rejection Emails

There’s nothing more frustrating than being turned down without understanding why. To keep things human, add a short, clear reason in rejection emails. A single line—“We’re looking for a candidate within a $60,000–$70,000 range, and your salary requirements were higher”—is straightforward and honest. Most candidates appreciate transparency; they’re more likely to feel respected and consider reapplying in the future.

4. Ask Candidates if You Missed Anything

Human error is inevitable, and sometimes we overlook the perfect candidate because of a simple oversight. In your rejection email, include a line like: “If I missed something in your profile that you think qualifies you, please reply to this email.” This small invitation for feedback not only shows humility but can sometimes reveal crucial information that would have otherwise been missed.

Example: If the candidate’s location disqualifies them, and they’ve since relocated or plan to, inviting them to clarify could bring qualified talent back into the pipeline.

5. Encourage LinkedIn Connections

Extend an invitation for candidates to connect on LinkedIn. This gesture says, “Even if this role wasn’t the right fit, I’m open to connecting.” When done authentically, this is a win-win, growing your network and giving candidates a real point of contact in your organization.

Pro Tip: Make time to check and accept LinkedIn connection requests from candidates periodically. This simple practice signals openness and creates a genuine touchpoint for future opportunities.

6. Promote Company Social Media and Job Alerts

Finally, encourage candidates to follow your company’s social media or subscribe to job alerts for future openings. This gentle nudge is both hopeful and practical. If the candidate is a good fit but timing isn’t right, staying connected to your updates may lead to an opportunity down the road. 

Remember: Seek Out and Remove Humanity-Blocking Elements. Recruiting technology and processes can sometimes turn candidates into data points. Approach your hiring process like a detective sniffing out every potential humanity blocker—from no-reply emails to vague rubrics—and replace them with simple, thoughtful touches that make a world of difference. By making your hiring more human, you’ll be able to create a candidate experience that resonates and a company brand that attracts top talent for years to come.

If you’re just starting out, mid-career, or nearing retirement, there are practical steps you can take to secure your future in the workforce.

See below for key insights for:

• Young Professionals

• Mid-Career Workers

• Experienced Professionals

Also, we explore overall industries to watch, and industries on the decline.

Before we dive in, if you like what you see here, subscribe for future reference and feel free to share this article with friends or colleagues.

Young Professionals: Start Strong in Tech and Healthcare

If you're under 30 and just beginning your career, you’re in a prime position to tap into the 12.9% growth in AI and STEM fields. These sectors are expanding rapidly and offer a wealth of opportunities for young professionals ready to acquire future-proof skills.

• Get into AI and STEM: Enroll in online courses in AI, machine learning, or data science through platforms like Coursera or edX.

• Explore healthcare: Careers like nurse practitioners or healthcare support roles are expected to see consistent demand, driven by an aging population.

• Consider renewable energy: The green energy sector is growing fast, with roles like wind turbine technician set to increase significantly.

Action Step: Find free or low-cost courses on AI and tech through community colleges or platforms like Coursera, and start building skills that will keep you competitive.

Mid-Career Shifts: Future-Proof Your Skills Now

For professionals aged 30-50, adaptability is the key to navigating the shifting job market. The rise of AI and automation is reshaping industries, and upskilling is essential to stay relevant.

• Upskill in AI and data security: These are among the fields seeing the most growth. IBM, for example, is adding 800 new AI jobs in Ireland, defying industry downsizing trends.

• Transition to resilient industries: Healthcare and tech remain recession-resistant. Consider certifications in healthcare, AI, or cybersecurity to stay ahead.

• Don’t wait: If your industry faces automation risks, now is the time to retrain or pivot to growth sectors.

Action Step: Research job retraining programs today and explore certification programs in AI, data science, or healthcare to future-proof your skills.

Experienced Professionals: Leverage Leadership for Longevity

If you’re over 50 and nearing retirement, the thought of navigating a tech-driven workforce might feel daunting. However, your experience can be your greatest asset in this changing landscape.

• Embrace leadership or mentorship roles: Your expertise is invaluable. As industries evolve, experienced professionals are needed to guide and mentor younger generations.

• Focus on soft skills: Management, counseling, and healthcare roles are less prone to automation. Use your interpersonal skills to stay relevant in these sectors.

• Stay adaptable: Even late in your career, learning new technologies like AI can make you indispensable in roles that blend leadership with tech.

Action Step: Take a leadership or mentoring role at your company or explore part-time consulting opportunities that allow you to use your skills in evolving industries.

Growth Industries to Watch

Even with slower job growth overall, certain sectors are expected to thrive. Here’s where the opportunities are:

• Healthcare: Driven by the aging population, healthcare roles like nurse practitioners will see an 8.6% rise in demand.

• Technology & AI: As seen with IBM’s creation of 800 AI-related jobs in Ireland, the demand for AI, cybersecurity, and data analysis will continue to grow.

• Renewable Energy: Wind turbine technicians and solar installers are among the fastest-growing roles in the energy sector.

Industries Facing Decline

Not every industry will see growth. It’s important to recognize sectors that may shrink due to automation and shifting consumer behaviors:

• Retail: With e-commerce on the rise, retail jobs are expected to shrink by 0.2% annually.

• Administrative support: Clerical and customer service roles could face up to 30% automation by 2030.

Summary: Take Action Now: Secure Your Future Career

The next decade presents significant challenges, but it’s also filled with opportunities for those ready to adapt. Follow these steps to stay ahead of the curve:

1. Upskill in Tech and Healthcare: Invest in learning AI, data security, or healthcare-related skills now.

2. Stay Adaptable: Be prepared to pivot careers or take on new roles as industries change.

3. Act Early: Start preparing today by exploring growth fields and acquiring new skills before your current role becomes obsolete.

Ready to Future-Proof Your Career?

Don’t wait for the job market to catch you off guard—subscribe to Limitless Talent for weekly updates on the latest job trends, career advice, and tips for thriving in the AI-driven future of work.

Did a 100-year-old jelly company find a better return-to-work policy than big tech companies like Meta, Amazon, Apple, Google, and Zoom?

Yes, they did.

In stark-contrast to the angst and strife over Return to Office (TRO) policies present at the world’s largest tech companies, Smucker's Jelly Company came up with the idea of "22 core weeks." During these weeks, all employees must be at the office. They plan these core weeks in advance so everyone knows when to be there.

Since January 2022, [Smuckers] has been trying to bring workers back to its headquarters in Orrville, Ohio, during its 22 "core" weeks a year, according to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal. Core weeks usually take place every other week, except for the months of July and December when the company holds just one core week a month, according to the Journal. #Business Insider

In this regard, it seems the world's biggest tech companies, which pioneered the concept of remote work have been outsmarted by Smuckers, the 100 yr old Ohio-based food company started by a Mennonite farmer.

In a great piece by Chip Cutter at the Wall Street Journal, you can learn about the Smuckers’ Core Weeks Plan and how they implemented it. If you don’t have a WSJ Subscription, this apple news link may work for you.

This plan lets people work from home but also makes sure they spend time at the office together. It helps teams work well and get along because they know when everyone will be there.

Employees can live anywhere but need to pay for their own travel to/from the office and living expenses during core weeks.

People who are remote may fly in, stay at a hotel or an Airbnb, or at a friend's house, but they are free to live somewhere else the rest of the time, if that's what they choose.

Of course, if they want to live close to the office, they can do that, too. It’s their choice.

"The goal of the model is to offer our employees flexibility, foster in-person connection and drive business results," a spokesperson for the company told Insider by email. "We are committed to consistently evaluating the model to ensure it continues to meet the needs of our employees and the business; however, we are pleased with the results to date." #Business Insider

In summer, core weeks are spread out so workers can have vacations.

Other times of the year, employees “generally show up” for these mandatory onsite weeks, often often working a bit late to catch up with colleagues, grab a meal, or invite clients or vendors out to the Orville, Ohio facility.

According to Mark Smucker, CEO of J.M. Smucker corporation,

Our corporate hybrid workplace model was developed thoughtfully and intentionally to ensure it would meet the needs of the business and our employees… It was important that our approach was based on offering an expectation and guidance, not rules. The successful execution of the mode to date is thanks in large part to empowering employees to adopt it in a way that works best for themselves and their teams. #Mark Smucker on LinkedIn

So, is this the future?

According to Fortune, the future of work is hybrid work, weather some companies want to believe it or not.

But no matter how much tech executives rail against hybrid work, the data is increasingly indisputable:

The data on hybrid work—anchored by employee freedom and choice—is difficult to compete with. Hybrid workers are happier, they save more money, and they have more time (the most coveted perk) to spend as they please, whether that be by picking up a side hustle, sleeping in, or spending more time with family and loved ones. At every turn over the past few years, many workers have been consistently opposed to giving up their teleworking options.  #Fortune (apple link)

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Takeaways?

So, what are the takeaways from the Smuckers’ Core Weeks plan? The Wall Street Journal article lays out a few good ones, outlined by Cali Williams Yost on Linkedin:

Key takeaways that SHOULD inform how other organizations approach defining their model:

—Their "strategy" was set after months of internal debate (that should include employees).

—They ruled out mandatory specific days-Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday-as too prescriptive.

—People seem to be prioritizing activities that benefit from in person interaction.

—They seem to have decided that even if workspaces aren't used during non-core weeks the overhead is worth carrying to enable in person interactions during core weeks. This is a new workspace ROI more employers will need to reckon with.

--They will continue to reassess the approach if business results suffer. An organization's flexible work model will need to be reviewed and recalibrated as realities change.

It seems Smucker's found a good balance between remote work and being in the office that other big companies haven't figured out yet!

As the saying goes, “with a name like Smuckers, it's got to be good”, and it seems like it goes for return to office policies as well.

That is less than the cost of most blockbuster space films. Gravity cost $100 million, The Martian cost $108 million – and it was less than half the cost of Interstellar, which was filmed on a budget of $165 million.

To you and me, if you’re in a dollar-driven world economy, that’s not a confusing paragraph at all. The fact that it was written in the Independent, a British publication is strange, except that the dollar is el jefe in the world currency club… for now.

Just announced this last week, the BRICS nations (Brasil, Russia, India, China & South Africa1) had their summit, and both welcomed several new countries to their country club for international trade, but also officially declared a formal proposal for abandoning the US Dollar for trade between their countriesToday’s mode of dollar dominance in oil pricing and trade goes back to 1974, to the tumultuous aftermath of the Arab Oil Embargo, the 1973 oil crisis, and the 1971 abandonment of dollar linkage to gold and of fixed exchange rates to the dollar for many currencies., a move that has been unprecedented for the last 70-80 years since the Bretton Woods Agreement was struck, pegging the US Dollar to Gold, and pegging all other major world currencies against the US Dollar.

If you read that and thought, “who cares who Russia, China Brasil and South Africa do to trade between themselves” beside a few of the world’s largest economies there, you might think twice when you realize that, as of 2024, “Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Argentina, the UAE and Ethiopia” will also join BRICS #… and if you know anything about at least a few of these countries and their exports, you may be thinking what I am thinking:

OIL.

And that is a big deal.

Today’s mode of dollar dominance in oil pricing and trade goes back to 1974, to the tumultuous aftermath of the Arab Oil Embargo, the 1973 oil crisis, and the 1971 abandonment of dollar linkage to gold and of fixed exchange rates to the dollar for many currencies. #

The summary of all that is, if crude oil barrels are suddenly being traded in currency other than US Dollars, what does that mean for the dominance of the US Dollar as the world’s leading currency?

But the BRICS countries are not all.

tweeted a few months ago about the meeting of ASEAN and ACU of Central Asia discussing decoupling their countries from the dollar.

So… what does this all mean?

While I am not an economist, the basic question needs to be asked, what happens if the US Dollar stops being the world reserve currency? Isn’t that bad for Americans?

I think the answer may be yes, and no. But either way, it will likely have some challenges in the short run.

Issue 1: Drop in Dollar Demand

The main one I see is that, if countries can suddenly purchase oil in various other currencies (and, technically, you already can if you buy from China or Russia and perhaps others), then the need for foreign countries to hold as many US Dollars as they have suddenly starts to drop.

And you know what happens when the demand for something starts to drop — the price of that thing goes down — which means the amount of stuff you can buy with that thing goes down — which is experienced by you and me like a word we all know a lot about this last year: Inflation.

Issue 2: Discounting by Countries Trying to Gain vs the Dollar

I can see this accelerating as many countries like Brasil, India, China or Russia may choose to “buy” US Dollars from other countries at an effective discount in order to hurry up the process of de-dollarization, and trying to fill the gap in demand for a world reserve currency.

Heck, if I could by Rupees or Yuan for a 30% discount, then immediately turn around and buy oil with it, that’s a deal you don’t have to be Warren Buffet to see from a mile away.

Either way, in the short run, the swap in dollars being used for major international transactions seems to have the capability to potentially shock the US Monetary system and we may experience inflation, perhaps even hyperinflation, over the next few years in ways only seen internationally in most of our lifetimes.

In the long run, there may be some upsides in the dollar getting a bit less popular in the monetary dating game:

Benefit 1: Drop in Dollar Demand: Money Printer Go Brr?

Most people in America likely dont think about this much, but for the United States Dollar to be the world reserve currency, other countries literally have to hold US Dollars “in reserve” in their banks.

And, wanna guess who in the world has the biggest foreign currency reserves?

You guessed it — China.

As of July 2023, China has by far the most reported foreign currency reserves of any country, with more than $3 trillion. Japan, in second place, has around $1.1 trillion. India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, and Taiwan also have large reserve holdings. The United States currently holds roughly $244 billion worth of assets in its pool of reserves, including $36 billion worth of foreign currencies. #

However, if everything in the world starts to not care as much about Dollars, and so dollars start getting swapped out for other currencies, these countries might start selling their dollar assets back to the US (or to others)

One major positive outcome of this is, if the dollar gets suddenly VERY available, with countries trying to give it away in order to get other currencies, we will have many more dollars flooding in back home.

Which gives the Fed less reason to print more money, since they will be trying to stamp down rapid inflation of the US Dollar

Benefit 2: US Exports May Become More Valuable.

With the dollar no longer as the world reserve currency, you could argue that a post-dollar world could actually re-enthrone American Ingenuity as the chief export of our nation, rather than the dollar.

The reasoning goes that, since the dollar would no longer be as valuable for countries to buy just our money to hold on to (a purchase which benefits nobody except the Federal Reserve), then purchasing actual products made by Americans would become the most-favored use of dollars, a purchase which benefits actual Americans in terms of real realized economic progress being made.

Since each dollar would actually give American craftspeople and businesses economic incentive to build world-class products again, the de-dollarization of the world may eventually end up being an economic benefit, though in the short-run may create a lot of pain for people.

So, what will happen?

As ever, the future is unclear, but the world in which we live where most things on the planet are settled in dollars may be coming to an end in this decade or at least in our lifetimes.

Like this video from Cointelegraph explains, there may not be a clear winner in the replacement for the dollar in the short run, although Gold and Bitcoin are both viable alternatives if not as simply transacted as dollars today.

Personally, I think in the next few years, I would not give financial advice, but seeking to hedge my dollars with other assets that could hold value even in a world of advancing dollar inflation, the GBP, gold and bitcoin or other strong crypto assets might be safe havens.2

What do you think about the de-dollarization of the world?

It’s been said that “When the WHY is big enough, the HOW becomes easy.”

It's also been said that if you find work you love, you'll never work a day in your life. 

I don't know about that, because hard work definitely still feels like work. But the pleasure of being able to do something you're passionate about definitely changes your work into something that you enjoy. 

In building ConnectedWell, one of the critical elements of founding our company was the reason why we were doing it. And strangely, we were three years in before I even asked why we were doing it.

It was my daughter who helped me be able to sit down and contemplate the real reason why we decided to build a company. I didn’t know that this transformational exercise would catapult the company’s growth into doubling revenue each year after that. 

Reflecting on WHY we were in business was frankly not easy at all. I like doing things, and I felt a little like time spent away from actually doing things in the business would not be good in the long run. 

But, I pressed on. 

I knew the value of a strong purpose. I just hadn’t dialed it in yet.

To help, my daughter encouraged me to listen to Simon Sinek's Start With Why TED Talk (youtube link). It's fairly popular and famous. I reviewed this and some of the other information he discussed regarding the Golden Circle. 

These insights definitely provided challenges for me, caused me to spend time in deep reflection. 

The most profound insight for me was to really ponder the idea that “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”

Sit with that for a second.

I'll admit that it was not easy to develop the reason why we were building ConnectedWell until I got some mental space and really worked through the problem.

I knew somewhere down inside what it was, but I was not able to find words to put it together — and, the last thing I wanted was to have some pithy mission statement destined to be emblazoned on a plaque somewhere, but that no one would actually remember or care about. Bleh.

Over the days and weeks, I realized that the purpose of building ConnectedWell is actually very aligned with my personal purpose.

Earlier in my career as a recruiter, I realized the joy of helping another individual find meaningful work and being able to get paid well for it. That opportunity drove a lot of excitement for me, and while the money, personally, was excellent, I realized that I have a deep passion of helping others find meaningful work and live better lives.

A Mission-Driven Career in Recruiting

Early in my recruiting career, I realized the importance of connecting daily tasks to a greater purpose. While financial gains were nice, they didn't motivate me as much as feeling deeply connected to my work's purpose. For me, this was helping people find meaningful and high-paying jobs so they could live their best lives. This became the mission statement for ConnectedWell and reflected my personal life goal.

Having a strong reason behind our work helped our team collaborate effectively, overcome obstacles, discover hidden opportunities, simplify complex issues and prioritize human relationships above everything else. By linking our work goals with those we impacted allowed us to ensure that our communication was humane and compassionate.

Sometimes delivering unfavorable news is necessary but when you're driven by your mission - enabling others to secure gratifying high-income roles for an improved life quality - your messages become more personal and empathetic; making you open to feedback as well. In essence, understanding why we do what we do spurred innovative developments within our business that I do not know would have come otherwise.

Passion for Talent Enablement

After closing my business, you may wonder what's next for me. Some might expect another company or a different job role. However, whatever I do, I find joy in helping others get high-paying and meaningful jobs so they can live their best lives. 

I see this taking many forms from here, including operations, systems engineering, talent ops, recruiting and TA leadership and more as long as I have an opportunity to connect people to better work and better meaning.

Whatever step I take next will focus on developing people and connecting them with great work opportunities. The ultimate goal? To support my family by helping others do the same for theirs.

What About You?

What is your “why”?

In our episode today, we’re discussing some simple strategies to constantly define and redefine keeping the humanity in your hiring processes.

Humanity will be the most-valuable characteristic of an Ai-everything work-world in our lifetimes, so companies who create an honest, authentic human touch will win, win, win no matter what.

If you are a talent leader, recruiter, or a people leader in any respect, being carefully aware of what exactly your candidates are going through is critical to developing not only a strong candidate experience, but also creating a flywheel effect of a talent attraction brand that can bring you top talent in any market.

Currently (and unfortunately) many companies who are fortunate enough to be hiring in this market are glutting themselves on easy-pickings of top talent they could not have dreamed of touching 6 months ago (even though they still thought they should be able to).

Some of the challenges in the hiring market right now are a self-fulfilling prophecy of companies' increasing proclivity to slashing internal recruiting teams at the slightest market blip faster than a discount clothing store trying to get rid of winter boots in the summer.

Understanding that, like Connor Libutti reminds us, “TA teams are lean [so, they have] less time to dig into applications, interviews, messages, etc.” and that “workloads have increased without any added support.”

Yet, in the current downshift of the market, when candidate applicants outweigh successful hires sometimes 1000:1, many companies are not doing anything at all to inspect the actual hiring process they put their candidates through.

The greatest way to measure the effectiveness of your talent brand is to find out not the experience of hired candidates, but to find out the experience of rejected ones.

• Would they still tell their friends about yoru company?

• Would they apply for another role if it came up?

• If, after they are well-employed again, your recruiters came knocking/begging them to join up, would they give it a second thought?

Companies & recruiters who are not carefully curating their rejected candidate experience right now will find that, when the pendulum swings back (as pendulums tend to do) their company’s talent brand will not only be relegated back to the dust-bin of candidate interest, but they will have hundreds 👏🏽 of 👏🏽 thousands 👏🏽 of new employment brand-haters that will not easily forget how you snubbed them when the market was in your favor, and now you’re begging since the tides have turned.

Below, we have curated 6 simple ways for you to keep the humanity in your candidate rejection process. If you find these helpful, please share them with others and comment on ways that you have found these or other ideas helpful.

Your support means so much. Thanks!

6 Simple Tips to Reject Candidates Humanely

In the fast-paced world of recruitment, it's easy for the human touch to get lost amidst the automated processes and default settings. However, to create a truly welcoming and candidate-centric experience, it's crucial to remove any barriers that may hinder human connection.

In this article, we will explore six simple tips to help recruiters and hiring managers retain the human touch in the hiring process, especially for candidates who may not proceed to the next stage.

By embracing these strategies, you can enhance the candidate experience, build stronger relationships, and foster a more inclusive and compassionate hiring culture.

Revamping Communication Channels

Tip 1: The No-Reply Email is a No-No:

First, eliminate using the impersonal "no-reply" email address. This is the quickest way recruiters can immediately enhance the candidate experience.

Recruiting leaders should change default settings to ensure that emails come directly from the recruiter's email address or, in the very worst case, a team recruiting inbox.

This simple adjustment demonstrates a commitment to open dialogue and signals that candidates' voices are heard and valued.

Streamlining the Resume Review Process

Tip 2: Implementing a Fair and Straightforward Rubric:

A guaranteed way to simplify recruiting process as well as increase inclusive and diverse hiring practices is by creating a pre-defined rubric for resume evaluation.

Yet, in my experience, recruiters usually approach the batch task of raw applicant resume review with less of the precision of a sharpshooter and more of a 1940’s gunslinger cowboy-movie flair.

The reason? While everyone has heard the adage “measure twice and cut once”, most people think they can eyeball it well enough.

I know this takes an extra 5 minutes of time to setup, but leveraging insights from your intake with your hiring manager and/or partnering with your operations team, write down a set of key criteria that you will use to clearly and simply move an inbound applicant forward for further screening or reject them out.

Here are a few suggestions to build a rubric:

• Start with non-negotiable items such as the candidate’s location and their ability to be hired by your company both because of where they live and if they have the right to work for you where they live.

• This brings up nuanced issues around remote or hybrid work, relocation and work-status sponsorship, which may be on a company-by-company and even job-by-job basis which should be clear and straightforward.

• Other items you may include in the rubric are things like:

  • Salary expectation is within the budgeted range

  • Experience level seems to match within reasonable range of the role’s expectations

  • Top three-to-four critical skills of the role are obvious in the resume.

A resume review rubric could be as simple as 4-5 things that each resume needs to have. Avoid getting into grey area, but have a place or a tag or a method in your applicant system to put resumes that were reviewed but need another look when someone’s profile falls in the grey area.

Pro-Tips for Resume Review with a Rubric:

• If you walk out of your intake call with a hiring manager and do not have enough information to develop a simple rubric like this, you need to go back to your hiring manager and find out. Don’t fake it! This will burn you sooner or later.

• Developing a rubric both reduces bias and reduces your emotional energy requirement in reviewing your job applicants. Give yourself this gift of mental freedom while also being a better human for your applicants.

• A rubric makes it easy to ask for help from another recruiter, a recruiting operations team member, or a contractor in screening out the bulk of inbound resume applicants. This gets the knowledge out of your head and helps you scale your work across other team members.

• Smart companies will update their job posting with generics about how the applicants will be reviewed. This way, when you reject candidates based on one of these items, you can simply refer to the job description and note that this item is clearly defined.
  One hack to this may be to star items (asterisk) them in the job description if they are “required” and then make a simple note at the bottom in footnote format (starting with an asterisk) that says something like:
  *Along with other items listed above, these starred items are particularly required for the role and will be carefully reviewed in your application.

• Make a note in your internal applicant system about why the person is being rejected. It can be a simple one-word answer if it fits the rubric you wrote. Something as simple as “location” or “no visa” can be valuable to future recruiters looking at the profile.

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Offering Constructive Rejection

Tip 3: Providing Concrete Reasons for Non-Selection:

Rejection is an inevitable part of the hiring process, but it doesn't have to be disheartening. There is significant value in offering at least one concrete reason why a candidate is not moving forward.

Clear and simple language is key to ensuring candidates understand the decision.

Drawing from the rubric established above, recruiters can provide specific feedback related to criteria such as salary expectations or skill requirements.

Tip 4: Encouraging Feedback and Second Chances:

In your rejection email template, invite candidates to provide feedback if they feel something was missed during the evaluation process. By demonstrating openness to feedback and acknowledging that mistakes can happen, recruiters create an environment that encourages candidates to speak up.

Look, we all make mistakes. But trust is built in being open—being human—about requesting feedback if something was genuinely missed.

Who knows, you may actually find a diamond in the rough whose skills in the role far outshine their skills in resume creation! And they will appreciate you for life because you asked them one additional question and took their response seriously.

This proactive approach can help rectify oversights and potentially uncover hidden qualifications or circumstances that may change the outcome.

Cultivating Lasting Connections

Tip 5: Genuine Invitations to Connect on LinkedIn:

I strongly encourage recruiters and hiring team members to extend a genuine invitation to connect with candidates on LinkedIn, emphasizing that they are open to future interactions and potential collaborations.

These connections can nurture relationships beyond the current job application, and provide critical positive experiences for candidates allowing them to feel open to reaching out—or replying to—future conversations about working with you or your team.

By maintaining an active LinkedIn network, recruiters expand their pool of potential candidates and foster a community-driven hiring approach.

Pro-Tip: Regularly cull out your linkedin connection invites. Yes, nobody likes spam, but connecting to a genuine individual who may not have been right for this role, but could be right for many others, is a valuable add to your professional network. Don’t leave them hanging if they request a connection!

Tip 6: Leveraging Social Media and Job Alerts:

Recruiters should invite candidates to follow their company on social media platforms or subscribe to job alerts. Leverage a strong social media presence to engage with candidates and keep them informed about future opportunities. By establishing a connection beyond the immediate hiring process, recruiters and companies can nurture long-term relationships and build a talent pipeline.

Conclusion:

As recruiters and hiring managers, it is our responsibility to ensure that the hiring process remains human-centric and compassionate.

By incorporating these six simple tips into your recruitment strategies, you can create a more inclusive and supportive experience for candidates, even those who may not proceed to the next stage.

The idea of "Hiring Made Human" emphasizes the importance of consistently seeking and removing humanity-blocking elements to foster genuine connections and elevate the candidate experience.

My hope is that companies can take this challenging time to build a hiring culture that celebrates both the individuals we hire and the individuals we don't, acknowledging their worth and the potential they bring to the table.

Until next time,

Rob

Limitless Talent celebrates the humanity in all of us and the unlimited potential of tech-enabled economies of scale. And while we make this content freely available, it is not free to create and curate.

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In today's competitive job market, job seekers face numerous challenges in effectively presenting their skills and experiences to potential employers. Resumes often fall short in reflecting the true capabilities and aspirations of candidates, leaving them at a disadvantage. Recognizing this need, the development of AI tools specifically designed for job seekers has become increasingly vital.

Recently, I came up with a theory of discovering three key items for a person about their career, using their LinkedIn profile as the input. These aim to provide job seekers with valuable insights and assistance in their career pursuits.

I asked for Beta Testers in a linkedin post and got a pretty solid response. I am still working my way through all the replies 😬. This is a log about that process.

Why: Crafting Resumes That Truly Represent Job Seekers

One of the biggest hurdles in the job search process is the inability to predict how others will perceive your resume. Each person viewing your profile brings their own unique perspectives, shaped by backgrounds and biases. To overcome this challenge, job seekers require resumes that genuinely mirror their skills and values. However, often the attributes they emphasize go unnoticed by recruiters or hiring managers. This calls for innovative solutions to level the playing field for individuals who lack access to professional recruiters.

Three Key Features

I believe three key features extracted from LinkedIn profiles can enhance the job-seeking experience.

1. First, identify the top five skills of a candidate, enabling them to highlight their core competencies effectively.

2. Second, assist in crafting a concise and impactful summary or elevator pitch that effectively communicates the candidate's skill set and background.

3. Last, provided a list of potential job titles that may interest the job seeker, both within and outside their current career path, offering new possibilities and expanding horizons.

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Navigating Challenges and Building in the Open:

Developing AI tools for job seekers comes with its own set of challenges. For someone like me, who is not a professional programmer, I have run into several problems, not the least of which has been what format to manually select and summarize a LinkedIn profile in so that the AI can analyze it.

Overcoming these obstacles required creating a spreadsheet where I could copy -and-paste the text of a LinkedIn profile or resume. From there, I used several tools to extract and summarize the relevant data while ensuring accuracy and avoiding cross-pollution with unrelated information.

One ongoing challenge in building this tool is managing the volume of content. I originally expected to simply paste the information I learn back into the comments on the LinkedIn post I made seeking beta testers.

However, LinkedIn comments have limitations that restrict the amount of text I can reply back. From here, I think I need to find a way for users to privately access full details of this review and provide options for editing and perhaps even refreshing the information as needed.

The Promise of AI Tools for Job Seekers:

This and similar AI tools hold great potential in empowering job seekers to better understand their skills, effectively present their experiences, and explore new career avenues. By leveraging AI technology, job seekers can gain a competitive edge in the job market, bridging the gap between their aspirations and recruiters' expectations. Building these tools in an open and collaborative manner allows for continuous improvement and ensures the needs of job seekers remain at the forefront.

What Happens Next?

As I continue to build out my product set for job seekers, I have some exciting ideas to enhance the user experience and provide even more value. Here are some additional features and functionalities that I am considering incorporating:

1. Skill Development Resources: I want to offer job seekers a comprehensive set of resources and learning materials to help them develop and enhance their skills. By providing access to online courses, webinars, and curated content tailored to their specific career interests, I can empower job seekers to stay competitive and continually grow in their chosen fields.

2. Interview Preparation: I understand the importance of excelling in interviews, so I plan to develop tools and resources that will assist job seekers in their interview preparation. From sample interview questions to tips on effective communication and showcasing skills and experiences, I want to equip job seekers with the knowledge and confidence they need to impress potential employers.

3. Networking Assistance: Networking plays a crucial role in the job search process, and I aim to make it easier for job seekers to connect with industry professionals and expand their network. By offering networking tips and strategies, uncovering network connections they may not have known about, and facilitating introductions, I can provide valuable assistance in building meaningful professional connections.

4. Personalized Job Recommendations: Using the power of AI algorithms, I want to provide job seekers with personalized job recommendations based on their unique skills, interests, and career goals. This feature will help them discover new opportunities that align perfectly with their aspirations, saving them time and effort in their job search.

5. Resume Optimization: I believe that a well-crafted resume can significantly impact a job seeker's chances of getting noticed by employers. To support job seekers in this aspect, I might try to incorporate AI-powered optimization tools into my platform, or partner with other companies creating these already. These tools will analyze resumes and provide valuable suggestions for content improvement, structure refinement, and keyword optimization.

6. Job Market Insights: I want to empower job seekers with valuable insights and trends about the job market. By providing information on in-demand skills, emerging industries, and salary trends, I can help job seekers make informed decisions and target the most promising job opportunities available.

7. Mentorship and Coaching: Recognizing the value of guidance and support, I am exploring the idea of offering mentorship programs and connecting job seekers with experienced career coaches. This mentorship and coaching feature will provide personalized advice, guidance, and encouragement throughout their job search journey.

8. Integration with Professional Networking Platforms: To enhance the user experience and provide seamless access to job seekers' professional networks, I am interested in integrating my platform with popular professional networking platforms like LinkedIn. This integration will allow users to leverage their existing connections and expand their reach within their industry.

9. Collaboration and Community Building: Building a sense of community among job seekers is important to me. I plan to create forums, discussion boards, and virtual communities where job seekers can connect, share experiences, and support one another. This collaborative environment will foster a sense of belonging and provide a platform for valuable interactions.

10. Ongoing Support and Updates: I am committed to continuously improving my product based on user feedback and evolving market needs. By gathering feedback and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and advancements, I will provide ongoing support and updates to ensure that job seekers have access to the most effective and cutting-edge tools available.

Conclusion:

In the era of advanced technology, job seekers need not be left behind in the race for career opportunities. AI tools like mine offer small bits of assistance, equipping individuals with the tools and insights necessary to navigate the job search process effectively. By leveraging the power of AI, job seekers can present themselves in the best possible light, aligning their skills and aspirations with the needs of potential employers.

I hope that building these tools in an open and transparent manner fosters a sense of collaboration, enabling continuous refinement and improvement.

With AI tools as their allies, job seekers can embark on their career journeys with confidence and optimism, ready to seize new opportunities and achieve their professional goals.

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The changing landscape of hiring is moving quickly, with AI barnstorming the recruiting infrastructure landscape.

While machine-learning and artificial intelligence has been quietly working its way into recruiting processes and tools for a long time, accessible tech such as Chat-GPT and other tools seem to have exploded the opportunities for companies and candidates alike to use them to support — or even replace — certain steps in the hiring process.

Companies are starting to consider incorporating them into their hiring processes, and the results of a recent survey conducted of over 1,000 companies sheds light on this interesting phenomenon.

Key Results at a Glance:

• 43% of companies already have or plan to adopt AI interviews by 2024

• Two-thirds of this group believe AI interviews will increase hiring efficiency

• 15% say that AI will be used to make decisions on candidates without any human input

• More than half believe AI will eventually replace human hiring managers

AI Interviews:

According to the survey, an impressive 43% of companies either have or plan to adopt AI interviews by 2024. This signals a growing interest in leveraging AI technology to streamline the hiring process. Of the respondents, 10% reported currently using AI interviews, while 17% have plans to start using them this year, and another 17% aim to implement them within the next three years.

The allure of AI interviews lies in their potential to increase hiring efficiency. Two-thirds of the professionals surveyed believed that AI interviews would enhance the efficiency of their hiring processes. Imagine being able to quickly sift through candidates and identify the best fits for the job. It's a compelling prospect that many companies find appealing.

Who Makes the Hiring Decisions?

However, not everyone is convinced that AI should have the final say in candidate selection. While 85% of respondents stressed the importance of human input in making the ultimate decisions, 15% believed that AI could autonomously make decisions without any human involvement. This raises valid concerns about the reliability and fairness of relying solely on AI algorithms.

So, where do AI interviews fit into the hiring process? The majority of respondents (65%) viewed AI interviews as an early screening tool. It's an efficient way to narrow down the candidate pool and identify top contenders quickly. Some companies (14%) even use AI interviews as the final step in the process, while a small percentage (17%) rely solely on AI interviews for candidate evaluation.

When it comes to evaluation criteria, 83% of respondents said that AI interviews primarily focus on assessing candidates' job qualifications. However, cultural fit is also important for 40% of those surveyed. After all, finding candidates who align with a company's values and work environment is essential for long-term success.

While AI interviews offer potential benefits, concerns were also evident in the survey results. On one hand, 65% of respondents believed that AI interviews increased hiring efficiency. On the other hand, 79% expressed concerns that AI may unintentionally exclude qualified candidates more frequently than human interviewers. Achieving the right balance between efficiency and thorough evaluation remains a challenge.

Perhaps one of the most thought-provoking findings was that 62% of respondents believed it was likely that AI would eventually replace human hiring managers at their companies. This raises questions about the role of human judgment and personal interaction in the hiring process. Can AI truly replace the nuanced decision-making skills and empathy that humans bring to the table?

In conclusion, AI interviews are on the rise, with many companies planning to adopt this technology in the coming years. While they offer efficiency gains, concerns about fairness and potential biases remain. Striking the right balance between technology and human judgment is crucial for effective and inclusive hiring practices. Ongoing research, evaluation, and ethical considerations are necessary to ensure AI interviews contribute to a fair and unbiased hiring process.

[Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash]

In the essay The super-empowered individual, writes about how the dire warnings of some about globalization of the late 90s and early oughts were largely “hand waved away” (his phrase) because the people profiting were, largely, themselves (or their donors) and the people being hurt were largely forgotten and not “politically powerful”.

 The “giant sucking sound” Ross Perot warned of during the debates of NAFTA were seen as a last gasp of populism. In 1993, then-vice president Al Gore vanquished Perot during a live CNN debate that drew 16 million viewers – imagine such a thing today – and the political, financial and business power structures moved in lockstep to liberalize markets and embrace tech-driven automation and open markets. 

Wiping out factory jobs was just an inevitable advance, hand waved away by both parties with vague talk of retraining programs to ease a factory worker into a service economy job. We didn’t spend much time on the lives upended in unfashionable areas of the country. Trump stepped into this void.

Now, with AI poised to remake large swathes of what tend to call the knowledge economy, the worm has turned. Instead of blue-collar jobs at stake, it is what Marc Andreessen calls the laptop class at risk. You can be sure the debate will be different about the downsides than during the globalization era, when opposition was mostly confined to a few academics and anarchists who smashed up Starbucks at the WTO meeting in 1999. The return of the kabuki theater of debt-ceiling fights seems silly when a bigger discussion should be happening about this next era of change.

(emphasis added)

This is an excellent note — suddenly it’s the gods of the internet and “digital marketers” who may be cut by the logical descendants of the razor blade of innovation they helped forge.

And, while the current debate surrounding the impact of AI on jobs is expected to differ from past discussions on globalization. The laptop class, being directly affected, may drive a more nuanced and widespread conversation. It is crucial for policymakers, businesses, and society at large to proactively address the implications of AI on employment, reskilling, and income inequality.

Since tasks involving data analysis, pattern recognition, and information processing can be automated, it stands to reason there will be a reduction in certain roles within sectors like finance, law, and consulting. However, it is essential to note that AI also has the potential to augment human capabilities and create new job opportunities, adding estimated trillions annually to the global economy.

And for that, perhaps maybe, someone will sit up and pay attention to the effect of the PEOPLE on the other end of all this innovation before too long.

Not that we need to not innovate, but we need to pay attention to the downstream effects of our actions, especially in areas such as:

• Widespread job automation without adequate reskilling/educational opportunities in place

• Unintended consequences of human-scale biases being suddenly mass produced by AI-driven technologies

• The delicate balance of legislation and regulation of the AI-industry to allow for innovation, but preserve human-first rights and powers.

• Significant income and educational inequalities driven by AI-enabled individuals or corporations who scale up their outsized power compared to non-AI-enabled individuals.

In the end, an important way forward is for us to pay attention to the downstream effects of our actions or inaction.

One way to care enough about those downstream is to imagine that it is ourselves who are being benefitted or hurt.

Because, in the end, it is us who are being affected.

Like the popular clean water public service announcements like to remind us:

“We all live downstream”

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been revolutionizing industries worldwide, and one specific branch called "generative AI" is poised to have a profound impact on the global economy. McKenzie believes generative AI brings enormous value to businesses and retains great potential to reshape the way we work.

Their report lists the following ways Generative AI is set to change the world economy

1. Unleashing Trillions of Dollars in Value:

Generative AI has the potential to unlock enormous economic value. Recent research estimates suggest that it could add an astounding $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion annually across various use cases. To put this into perspective, this would be equivalent to a 15 to 40 percent increase in the impact of all artificial intelligence combined. This remarkable value highlights the immense potential of generative AI to drive economic growth.

2. Key Areas of Impact:

Generative AI's value proposition spans multiple business functions, delivering substantial benefits in customer operations, marketing and sales, software engineering, and R&D. By leveraging generative AI, businesses can improve customer interactions, generate creative marketing content, automate code writing, and tackle numerous other tasks. The technology's versatility makes it an invaluable tool across industries and sectors.

3. Industry-wide Transformation:

Generative AI is not limited to specific industries; its impact extends across all sectors. Banking, high tech, and life sciences are among the industries projected to experience significant revenue gains from generative AI implementation. For instance, the banking industry could witness an additional value of $200 billion to $340 billion annually, while retail and consumer packaged goods stand to gain $400 billion to $660 billion a year. These figures underscore the transformative potential of generative AI across diverse sectors.Across 63 use cases, generative AI has the potential to generate $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion in value across industries.

4. Redefining Work and Enhancing Productivity:

Generative AI has the power to change the way we work. By automating certain tasks, it can augment the capabilities of individual workers, leading to increased productivity. Current estimates suggest that generative AI and other technologies can automate around 60 to 70 percent of employees' time, significantly reducing mundane work. This allows workers to focus on higher-value activities, enabling them to deliver more meaningful contributions to their organizations.

5. Accelerating Workforce Transformation:

With the rapid advancements in generative AI, the pace of workforce transformation is set to accelerate. Previous estimates predicted that half of all work activities could be automated by 2055, but now, experts anticipate this milestone to be reached as early as 2045. This accelerated timeline underscores the potential for generative AI to reshape the future of work.

6. Fostering Economic Growth and Inclusion:

Generative AI, in conjunction with other technologies, can substantially enhance labor productivity, leading to economic growth. It is projected that generative AI alone could contribute an annual labor productivity growth of 0.1 to 0.6 percent through 2040. Furthermore, by combining generative AI with other automation technologies, overall productivity growth could reach 0.2 to 3.3 percentage points per year. To maximize the benefits, it is essential to support workers in acquiring new skills and facilitating smooth job transitions.

Conclusion:

The era of generative AI is dawning upon us, holding immense promise for the global economy. Its potential to add trillions of dollars in value, reshape industries, redefine work, and fuel productivity growth is undeniable. However, while we embark on this transformative journey, it is crucial for business leaders and society to navigate challenges such as risk management, upskilling the workforce, and rethinking core business processes. By addressing these challenges, we can harness the full potential of generative AI and create a more prosperous and inclusive world for all.

Poll: Will You Buy a Vision Pro?

5 Things Apple Got Right with Vision Pro

Haters gonna hate, but the Vision Pro Augmented Reality Spatial Computing device from Apple got several things right that will put a surprising number of these on the faces of tech workers everywhere in the next few years.

So much so, in fact, that I estimate by 2040*, I believe 25-30% of iPhone users will have Vision Pro, with Vision Pro replacing the iPad for second-device dominance from Apple that the iPad currently has. That means hundreds of millions of Vision Pro devices being sold every year by 2040.

And here are 5 things Apple got right that are reasons Vision Pro will silently dominate the AR/VR market:

1. Everything just works with the entire Apple ecosystem out of the box.
   Not me, remembering the hour I spent with another Oculus user trying to simply join a Meta Workrooms conference room together, but the fact that your email, messaging, web, bookmarks, apps and more will just work with Vision Pro on day one is a killer app by itself.

2. You can see your surroundings as much (or as little) as you like while wearing the device. Importantly, if you are on a plane or in a room less (ahem) sleek than the broad living spaces in the Apple videos, you can dial back the transparency, enabling full immersion into your space.

3. People can see your eyes and expression while you’re wearing the device, and, importantly, they can see when you’re unable to see them because of the “curtain” effect closing off your eyes to them when you’re fully immersed.

4. Your AR-self can appear in video calls (not a stupid cartoon avatar), thereby finally solving rule-number-one of person-to-person communication — always make eye contact. There’s nothing dumber in a business call than looking at another person’s cartoon avatar. And, the AI-enabled tech here is only going to get better and more realistic over time.

5. They’re focused on getting the experience right, then will fix the hardware later. This is brilliant because it enables Apple to do what Apple does best—prove the concept, create delightful experiences, and then make the hardware increasingly gorgeous over time to drive additional adoption.

My $0.02: I personally own two Oculus devices and, while I like them and, for the price, they are pretty killer tech, if I was Zuck, I would be shaking in my avatarified boots after seeing Apple completely dominate the space he has been struggling to get adoption for.

Why I Don’t Mind the Hardware

The only thing I personally have to gripe about is the form factor. It’s currently clunky and people will complain about the battery life being limited out of the box, but how in the world are you supposed to release a product every year that is “our best one yet” if you have nothing to improve on?

And Apple is inventing a full category of computing here.

If they can do anything at all it is prove the use case, and then refine, refine, refine the hardware again and again, building custom parts and pieces and dominating the supply chain to drive cost down and create a product that I believe, by 2028, will be so stylish, it will start to become the default second-screen device people opt for after the iPhone. More and more, people will get an iPhone (and wearables) and then a Vision Pro device whereas people currently get an iPhone and an iPad for times when they want to lean back and watch something a little bigger without putting it on the TV.

Given Apple’s proven ability to pivot the software and make hardware so compelling you feel an innate need to own, by 2030, Vision Pro will replace many people’s need for a laptop computer at all, allowing the pure creators like programmers, writers and whatever the Ai-enabled future of knowledge workers are called.

The next wave of this?

When Siri is able to take on Chat GPT-like abilities and completely change the input of computing (finally) from something we unnaturally do with our hands to something we do with a combination of our voice, our eyes and natural human hand-gestures like pointing and swiping the same way someone would draw on a chalkboard (or table) or point at text in a book.

That next leap in AI-human enables tech will make Vision Pro so effortless, I won’t be surprised if new worlds of computing are created just through Siri+AI enablement alone.

Imagine all the value-adds we get in Auto-GPT today—in task lists that do themselves—and multiply that by an AI that knows you as intimately as Siri will, and you truly can live inside your computer from that point forward.

Don’t Forget Services

Keep in mind that Apple’s second-largest revenue generating division last year was Services, raking in 19% of their revenue in 2022.

From that standpoint, does it matter what device you choose to consume Season 8 of Ted Lasso on when you’re still tied into the Apple ecosystem one way or another, be it iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro, Apple TV or even that Vizio TV in the spare bedroom running the Apple TV app on it?

No. The answer is, no, it does not.

Thanks to services, almost reguardless of Vision Pro’s mass adoption, the fact they will have even niche means to access Apple’s vast services ecosystem means Apple still wins.

It’s The Experience, Stupid.

Since what Apple has always been doing is creating seamless computing experiences, not just devices, the most-important job for Apple in the next three years is to find a killer app that encourages even 2% of iPhone users to buy one of these and use it publicly enough that others see them use it (and get FOMO in the process).

So, what do you think?

The haters will complain about this and that, but my chips are on the realities that Apple just made a device that was already so seamlessly tied into our computing ecosystem and now will be so seamlessly tied in to our vision that we won’t even see the change coming before it’s suddenly here

*2023 to 2040 is roughly the same amount of years we are now from the launch of the iPhone in 2008

LOL

And while it’s use has, in the decades since, been heartily overused (and others saying it should stop being used), the mind-blowing concept of “the future” was no longer something out there as though it were the veil of a rainstorm you can watch coming across the prairie floor toward you.

In my mind, this idea spawned the glimpse in me that the future, so-called, is really something happening simultaneously all around us, yet individually, we are all experiencing a slightly different future at every given moment. We are always touching things or hearing things that might be the next big thing, but who knows what will take off and spark the next zeitgeist of technical or cultural revolution and what will comparatively die on the vine.

If you look at the right things, can you see the future?

I began to sense the desire, the need, to seek and discover these worlds within worlds, and hope if I could to peer somewhat around the corner — just a touch — and perhaps come in contact with signals that, if I was attuned, might present me just a bit of foresight into what the future might hold someday.

(Or maybe I am just a sci-fi nerd looking for an outlet)

We shall see.

Five Pillars of the Future

As far as I can sense, the things of the future that I particularly have become attuned to can be generally grouped into a few areas of interest where I have some experience:

• Money: How we will exchange value for things or time

• Work: How will humans spend their time, their energies and talents. How will they be rewarded monetarily or socially for that exchange?

• Tech: Especially the superhumanization of everything

• Love: How will humans care about other humans when the definition of humanness itself is changing.

• Home: Where and how we live both physically, financially, emotionally and digitally.

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I will share regular updates here about the things I am seeing and encourage you to join our community so you can interact and comment with the things we’re discussing. Signal is always rare to find in the comparative noise, so please speak up when you find things that are worth highlighting, and share things that you feel are worth sharing.

I’m excited to see what tomorrow brings!

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