In an age where artificial intelligence dominates discussions about the future of society, one thing is often left out of the conversation: its role in leadership. It may be tempting to think of AI transformation as simply a technological challenge, but it's also a leadership challenge that offers leaders an opportunity to evolve, ask tough questions, and rethink the future of their organizations.
For companies that have undergone large-scale transformation, this next phase of change is far more challenging, according to Stefano Volpetti, chief global growth officer at Philip Morris International.
"The next wave of transformation is going to be less about having the right answers and more about asking the right questions. Instead of making sure you always get it right, make sure you fail fast so you can learn fast," says Volpetti.
He also adds that the onus is on leaders to adopt a strong culture of learning every single day: "It's everyone's responsibility, from leaders to every level of the organization, to cultivate curiosity and a habit of continuous learning. In an evolving technological landscape, that mindset matters as much as any single tool or decision."
Recognizing the value of human connection
Even as their companies embrace AI, good leaders will still have to recognize the value that humans bring. Though machines can process, predict, and automate, the uniquely human capacity to think, adapt, and create meaning could become the "superskill" of the future. Human cognition — encompassing the ability to reason critically, imagine boldly, and synthesize complex and abstract ideas — will almost certainly drive progress that technology alone can't achieve. And it's something that should be at the forefront of how leaders think about their employees and their organizations as a whole.
"As we move forward in an increasingly AI-driven world, we recognize that our ability to learn, adapt, and lead will depend on how well we equip our people and our organization to meet rising cognitive demands," notes Volpetti. "The shifts this new era will bring are not optional — and harnessing them in positive ways will be a business imperative for any company that aspires to remain relevant."
In fact, research from Workday shows that 83% of employees believe that AI will make human capabilities, especially creativity and leadership, more critical than ever. It also showed that human decision-making, imagination, and moral judgment ranked high among the skills that will be important in a future driven by AI. Qualities such as empathy, intuition, and social awareness are not just "nice to haves"; they are critical in leadership, negotiation, and collaboration.
Insider Studios/Adobe Stock
Nurturing the cognitive edge
Even as human cognition has the potential to become a superskill, employers will need to learn how to nurture and protect it. Though the rise of generative tools can make tasks like research and first drafts easier, it also risks promoting cognitive atrophy.
One specific concern is attention span, particularly in an era where we're bombarded by constant notifications and endless feeds of information. In fact, average screen focus is just 47 seconds, with "resumption lags" of up to 25 minutes before concentration is fully restored.
Even as human cognition has the potential to become a superskill, employers will need to learn how to nurture and protect it.
Insider Studios/Adobe Stock
This signals that, for leaders, attention isn't merely a personal discipline but rather an organizational design challenge. To help preserve and nurture attention span, companies may have to rethink workflows so that clarity becomes more important than volume. For example, instituting quiet hours that offer employees time to reflect and recharge can help their brains do what ultimately only they can.
Striking the right balance
Throughout history, every major transformation — from the Industrial Revolution to the rise of the Internet — has reshaped how we work and live. As AI becomes embedded in the workplace, leaders now face a new challenge: designing human-AI collaboration that truly maximizes human potential.
<es-blockquote data-quote="This era will not be defined by technology alone, but by how we choose to cultivate, value, and safeguard the power of the human mind." data-styles="pullquote-breakout" data-source="Stefano Volpetti, chief global growth officer at Philip Morris International.">
This era will not be defined by technology alone, but by how we choose to cultivate, value, and safeguard the power of the human mind.Stefano Volpetti, chief global growth officer at Philip Morris International.
</es-blockquote>
It is up to these leaders to determine how best to combine human cognition with AI so that they complement each other. And this can be accomplished in several ways:
- They can encourage and reward originality and creative thinking.
- They must ensure that human judgment remains at the core, even when algorithms can also make confident recommendations.
- They should foster a culture of continuous learning, where teams are trained not just to use AI tools, but to question, interpret, and improve upon their outputs.
Preserving human judgment means treating AI results as starting points, not final outcomes. "The journey before us demands humility, curiosity, and a willingness to learn together," says Volpetti. "This era will not be defined by technology alone, but by how we choose to cultivate, value, and safeguard the power of the human mind."
Explore how PMI is encouraging a global dialogue on human cognition.
This post was created by Insider Studios with PMI.
The post Leadership in the AI era: The case for the human edge appeared first on Business Insider
