So help me God, you will use AI

There are many companies these days where staff are forced to use AI.

Even though the outcome is sub-standard, the mandate from management is that 'everyone must prove their use of AI'; or face the dire consequences of their hesitance.

And so as countless organisations burn through piles of tokens, all in an aggressive effort to humbly bow to a future, force-fed to us all by corporations on the other side of the world, the wrong strategic lever is repeated pulled on...just like an addict hopelessly tugging on a one-armed-bandit at Grand West casino late on a Saturday night.

Woe betide the poor sod that dares to challenge this mindless prostration to the AI gods. The mere utterance of dissent is often met with immediate career stagnation...or worse.

Suggesting that strategy should start with an understanding of long-term opportunity and an aspirational outcome, rather than technology, is viewed as a preposterous suggestion only made by people who 'simply don't understand this new paradigm' (where have we heard that phrase before?).

But the reality is that even giant organisations can be led by complete idiots and most likely the narrow worldview being demonstrated by these mandates will end up as a fun round of 'who gets the 189s' in time to come.

All-in-on-AI is not the only future available and frankly it can hardly be considered one that's preferable. Unless you want to be a hamster in a cage?

Use the tool if it contributes to your strategic intent, but being forced to use something just for the sake of support for it, is dumb.