We are amid society’s most unprecedented era of technological innovation – the next industrial revolution driven by the mainstream adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).
For CEOs, founders, and organization leaders, this period surpasses the advent and rise of the internet. New business categories will emerge, while many companies that resist embracing this technology will stagnate or fail at unprecedented rates.
Why the Alarm?
I’ve spent much of my career helping entrepreneurs and companies find their unique positioning and become sought-after brands through my proprietary repositioning formula: The UNIQUE Method™. This formula helps founders transition from operators to CEOs by making strategic decisions to refine their business models based on experience, deep customer data, and validated market desires. This strategic exercise used to be the missing formula for intentional business growth, but it is no longer enough on its own.
In the next 24-36 months, every industry, business, and workflow will be disrupted due to the sheer accessibility of AI through large language models, generative AI, and AI Agents.
The formula for business is fundamentally changing with the mainstream adoption of AI, and founders, CEOs, and industry leaders need to pay attention now. Here are the new principles:
AI as a Core Business Driver
Entrepreneurs must see AI as essential to business strategy, not just a tech upgrade. Embracing AI and machine learning and identifying high-value uses like automating complex workflows, creating personalized customer experiences, and using predictive models will differentiate your brand. Most new businesses will adopt an AI-first approach, making strategic AI use a baseline for competition.
Data is the New Currency
In this AI-driven era, data has become as valuable as financial capital. Just as currency drives economic systems, data now fuels AI-powered decision-making and innovation. Companies that excel at collecting and leveraging data for AI solutions will gain a decisive competitive edge.
Collaborative Intelligence for Growth
AI’s true power lies in the synergy with human ingenuity. Leaders should foster collaborative intelligence, where AI augments human decision-making. Using AI for routine tasks allows human agency to focus on creativity, strategy, and innovation. This blend of AI and humanin sight will unlock new categories of business, unparalleled growth opportunities, and keep enterprises agile in a rapidly changing market.
The Rising Importance of Brand Equity
An AI-driven market will bring about increasingly crowded industries, so establishing brand equity based on your unique expert positioning cannot be overstated. Some believe that expertise will be lost due to the mere intelligence of the AI tools available on the market. However, I firmly believe that in an AI-saturated market, identifying your unique expert positioning, storytelling, and values that only a brand can establish with its ideal customers will be more important than ever to stand out from competitors.
The Bottom Line
We are in one of the most significant entrepreneurial moments of our lifetime. AI isn’t just changing the game – it’s creating a new one entirely. Brand equity and unique differentiation will always be critical in growth, but the formula for business has now forever changed. You must include AI with intention and treat data as a precious resource. It’s time to move beyond AI-curious and become AI-powered or risk being left behind.
