Originally published at https://ceoworld.biz/2026/01/11/before-the-machines-awaken-we-must/
Some of us have experienced a promotion at work, but all of us—whether we work or not—are now being placed before one. Not a promotion in title or role, but in how we think, decide, and act in a world shaped by AI.
The same dynamics are at play here as in any promotion. Clinging to the capabilities that made one successful in a previous role rarely works in the next. Success there depends on developing the new capabilities the role demands. Likewise, success in an AI-shaped world—however one defines it—depends on new ways of thinking and acting. What’s more, the consequences of not adapting reach far beyond work, shaping how we experience life itself.
This “promotion offer” isn’t only for the individual; it also extends to the enterprises we work for and the societies we live in. What it will take for us to grow into this new role becomes clearer over time. The guiding principles, however, are neither new nor obscure:
– Believing in our potential—individually and collectively—to continually shape and guide our digital creations.
– Embracing a vision of flourishing with AI, rather than allowing it to narrow the breadth or diminish the depth of our individual and collective experience.
– Committing to a roadmap for progress across three frontiers: the individual, the enterprise, and society.
So what might that progress look like?
The Human Frontier: Toward a Fuller Human Experience
Life often keeps us directed outward—to what’s happening around us or what seems to lie ahead. When the outside becomes murky and uncertain, we’re drawn to look inward for orientation. This is exactly where we begin to build belief in our greater potential and conceive a vision for realizing it.
This potential lies in the resources available to us all—the untapped capacities within the physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of our being. Millennia of medical inquiry into the human body haven’t yet unraveled its mysteries. The human mind continues to expand—seeking to explore the universe, to make sense of life at every scale, and to understand where we come from. Our emotions allow us to connect deeply with one another, to care, to belong, and at times to move entire communities into action. And our spirituality—perhaps the least understood dimension—may be the one holding the greatest untapped potential.
Can you imagine being able to tap into new abilities in each of these dimensions? This means we continually become wiser, more connected, more resilient, and more impactful in whatever we choose to do—at home, at work, or in our communities.
In Soulgery, I describe the roadmap toward this fuller human experience as four interconnected pathways: finding meaning in life, striving to make ever more profound impact, pursuing excellence in performance, and leveraging adversity for personal growth. Along these pathways, we discover our greater potential by becoming more human, and we learn to lead in our relationship with AI—rather than ceding direction to it.
When our growth unfolds within enterprises that are on a similar journey, the effects compound, creating momentum that benefits individuals, organizations, and the ecosystems they serve.
Read the rest at https://ceoworld.biz/2026/01/11/before-the-machines-awaken-we-must/