Recently, I sat in a meeting where the CFO blindsided the head of marketing by crapping on a proposed ad campaign, offering a new creative and media approach.
He used AI for both the crapping and the idea generation. He was a surprise genius.
The original campaign wasnt great; it was generic and uninspiring, and AI was able to point that out. And because the CFO fed ChatGPT the companys brand strategy, its pattern-matching literalness was able to drop a bunker-busting bomb on the idea. AI provided both an internal and external critique that was devastating.
The CMO wasnt happy. The CFO took some intellectual delight in being able to back up his instinct with some best practices. He didnt take credit for the insights. On the contrary, he used the LLM to validate his position. The CEO was taken aback, but it was clear that the CFO opened his eyes, and in the future, he will be less likely to take the CMOs recommendation at face value.
The Man Behind the Wheel of Driverless Trucks For Don Burnette, the autonomous vehicle debate was always about cars, but what about trucks? That thinking helped his startup, Kodiak Robotics, to become No. 20 on our list of the 5000 fastest growing companies in America. AI Is Changing How Businesses Run. Heres What You Need to Know He might even start using AI himself, as an assumption killer.
This behavior is more than a one-off anecdote; it speaks to a sudden democratization of expertise that has the potential to fundamentally change the way companies operatefor good and otherwise.
Weve all sat in meetings where the most vocal voices are those who, in theory, hold the functional expertise. Supply chain folks present their logistical plans with condescending explanations to those lacking awareness of the nuances of their discipline.
While the operational side of the business may chime in and raise issues, typically, it functions like legal and HR and sits on the sidelines, unless there are very specific areas of overlap.
But with AI at the ready, the head of HR, if so inclinedmotivated by some combination of curiosity, ambition, and inherent skepticismcould challenge a 20-year supply chain expert.
And bring them down in seconds.
The commentary could relate to something already considered, or it could be an important re-framing of insights overlooked by a supply chain leader caught in the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Here are some benefitsIll put the good news firstand the risks from the new era of sudden genius.
Often, the freight train of collective momentum can be quickly derailed with one perfectly phrased question, now backed up by AI that draws upon the wisdom of the entirety of the internet (in other words, the known universe).
Fingertip access to AI enables challenges to be brought to the table in real time, where they can be immediately addressed. Post-meeting follow-ups take time, lose urgency, and are often ignored.
With AI, employees can better grasp the constraints and goals of other functionsso finance better understands branding; engineering better understands saleswhich fosters empathy and smarter collaboration.
AI can make anyone sound like an expert, even when they lack the one-level-below understanding that defines authentic expertise. This can trigger decisions based on surface-level insight or even hallucinated data, especially when not vetted by domain professionals.
Real experts understand the qualitative and quantitative dimensions of their fields, and this precision and well-earned balance can be diminished when AI-generated ideas appear equivalent. Trust craters when leadership treats all inputs as equal, without regard for experience or nuance.
Without guard rails, aggressive use of AI that cuts violently across roles and responsibilities can flood teams with one-off, off-base suggestions or second-guessing from people who arent accountable for outcomes. When everyone brings expert opinions to the table, it can lead to gridlock, internal competition, or misaligned prioritiesespecially in cultures that lack strong decision-making frameworks.
Its marvelous that AI can democratize expertiseexpanding curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. But without structure and humility, it risks creating confident amateurs who can override careful professionals.
The challenge for todays leaders is to harness this future of intellectual empowerment without letting it overwhelm the value of deep, domain-specific wisdom.
In the ancient worldlike 18 months agomost of us deferred to specialists. We knew our swim lanes and, for the most part, respected them. But now? AI tells us the water is just fine everywhere.
Leadership needs to create permission protocols, shared norms for when AI-derived insight is welcome across domainsand when its better to defer to lived experience. A marketer doesnt need to solve supply chain issues. But they can ask sharp and smart questions.
Its also essential to reward cross-pollination. Encourage teams and individuals to create new comfort zones outside the expertise on their LinkedIn profiles, but pair them with the right domain owners. Think of it like a hackathon: Bold inputs meet expert filters.
When individuals are inspired to challenge internal expertise in areas not their own, its culturally inspiring. Think of it as AI populism.
Theres nothing wrong with experts continually having to prove they deserve that designation. Indeed, theres everything right about it.
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
The final deadline for the 2025 Inc. Power Partner Awards is Friday, July 25, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.
