The future of AI in the workplace is a hot topic. Every week there’s a new think piece, a new product launch, a new existential question. But amidst the hype, there’s a quieter, more useful question we should be asking:
What kind of change is AI going to bring?
Will it be a total revolution, disrupting entire industries and reshaping how we live and work?
Or will it become a quiet companion: ubiquitous, personal and simply woven into everyday life?
To explore that, let’s go back in time, because we’ve been here before.
Option A, the loom: radical industrial transformation
In the early 1800s, the Jacquard loom emerged in France. A mechanical loom that could be programmed using punched cards, it automated the process of weaving complex patterns into textiles.
To us, it sounds simple. But to 19th-century weavers, it was mind-blowing.
- Skilled artisans lost work almost overnight.
- Entire towns had to adapt to new forms of labour.
- Production was transformed from bespoke craftsmanship to mechanised output at scale.
It was one of the earliest examples of automation and it laid the groundwork for the Industrial Revolution. It didn’t just change how cloth was made. It changed who made it, where they lived and how value was created.
The loom wasn’t just a tool. It redefined industry.
If AI follows the same path, we’re not just talking about better PowerPoint slides and smarter inboxes. We’re talking about:
- Entire roles disappearing and reappearing elsewhere in the value chain
- Industries realigning around new models of production
- Regional economies rising or falling based on adoption
- A redefinition of what “knowledge work” even means
In short: a new era. One that’s unsettling, yes, but also full of opportunity.
Option B, the iPhone: a personal, everyday companion
Contrast that with the iPhone.
When it launched in 2007, it was a big deal, but few could have predicted how much it would become the tool of modern life.
But here’s the thing: the iPhone didn’t wipe out entire professions. It didn’t spark mass protest. It didn’t require us to change jobs. We could even choose not to let it impact us at all!
For those who embraced it, it embedded itself in everything on a personal level.
- It replaced your calculator, diary, map, wallet and camera.
- It became your satnav, your inbox, your newsreader, your gym buddy.
- And yes, it made work easier, faster, more mobile.
The iPhone didn’t change what we did. It changed how we do it.
If AI takes the iPhone route, we’re looking at something more ambient and personal:
- Every worker, from analyst to executive, having AI tools they use daily
- Gradual gains in productivity, communication and decision-making
- A boost to quality of life, but without existential job upheaval
In this model, AI doesn’t replace us. It comes along for the ride and brings the playlist. It’s the assistant, not the architect.
So, loom or iPhone? Or something else entirely?
We don’t know yet.
For some parts of the working world, it may feel like the loom. Industries that are heavily process-driven or repetitive will see major restructuring.
For others it may feel more like the iPhone. AI as a constant, helpful companion that makes everything smoother, faster, better.
So, here’s what we can do:
- Stay curious. Watch how your industry is adopting AI and try to look beyond the hype. Whichever it ends up being, don’t let yourself be caught off guard.
- Stay critical. Don’t accept AI as magic. Ask where it’s truly adding value.
- Stay human. AI will handle tasks. People will still be the ones creating meaning, making judgement calls and building trust.
Perhaps the future of AI isn’t about replacement. Maybe it’s about redistribution: of tasks, of value, of attention.