Ultimately, the agentic shift is not a story about technology; it’s a story about humanity. By automating the “how,” AI liberates our most valuable and uniquely human talents to focus on the “why.” It amplifies the value of our judgment, our business acumen, and our purpose-driven work. AI can handle the “usual” work of processing data and executing tasks. This allows for the application of what one of our firm’s business principles calls the “unusual effort”—the above-and-beyond thinking in areas that truly differentiate us: building client relationships, exercising ethical judgment, and charting strategic direction. These are the domains where great leaders thrive. They are driven by a purpose greater than themselves. They listen, they tell inconvenient truths, they possess great instincts, and they are humble. These are traits AI can support with data, but never replicate.
This is why I remain an optimist. The future of work is not a dystopian one of replacement, but a collaborative one of amplification. It is a future where our success will be determined not by the raw power of our technology, but by the strength and wisdom of our humanity—our judgment, our purpose, and our unwavering commitment to building a future that serves our clients and our society. The playbook is in our hands.