“The real breakthrough is when you discover the simplicity that exists when you go beyond complexity.” Are we at the beginning or the end of simplicity? Distance, speed, the collapse of values. To be honest: we’re feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment.
We’re still living our usual lives: we seek out a cool place to sleep during record-breaking heatwaves and cool off in the water. We support our loved ones through illness and death. We delight in watching our children grow into adults. We’re overjoyed by our grandchildren and young people. It’s incredible how much happiness and zest for life small children can radiate at every moment. We celebrate birthdays. We learn in groups. We enjoy spending time with friends. We travel near and far – by bike from Leipzig to China. Yes, some of us are getting on in years and realise that we’re still young. Just different, but lovely.
Yet things are changing: since 2022/2023, the momentum of AI has become an unstoppable, global mass phenomenon. The way we perceive and act in our world is changing according to the ‘Atomic Habits’ model: micro-steps, almost automatic. If you change by around 1 % every day, the cumulative effect leads to remarkable results in the long term. AI models follow algorithms and the values of those who created them. Algorithms that stray from the values of our society are highly dangerous. Specifically, this concerns the attention economy as a business model: the race for attention and effectiveness is accelerating ever faster. AI acts as a turbo-accelerator. Neurodiverse people suddenly become ‘unstoppable’ – and many of us are left with a feeling of whiplash. Where does that leave humanity? AI is becoming a force to be reckoned with; the balance of influence is shifting. Imagine this nightmare: at a party, the AI is a more engaging conversation partner for you than the people around you.
AI demands that we take a stand. We can no longer ignore or turn a blind eye to it. Yes, we must find our feet in this new world. We need to maintain a vigilant and critical distance: What role do we still play? Where do I stand? What are my relationships like? What does this mean for our staff and workforces, for our companies, for our families and communities? Will we still be able to afford our current values in the future – and what does it mean if our values ‘go bust’?
In what situations do I experience how AI is changing my perceptions, my decisions, my relationships and my professional conduct – as a person, a citizen, an entrepreneur, a CEO or a consultant? And how do I deal with it?