Opinion: Preparing for the future of business

Thomas Douglas

Change isn’t coming; it’s already here.

You can ignore it. Pretend it won’t affect you. Wait for things to settle. But by the time you look up, the companies that embraced change and lean into it will be miles ahead.

The businesses that win aren’t the biggest or the oldest. They’re the ones that adapt the fastest.

The inevitable shift
A storm is brewing:

• Economists predict a major recession in the late 2020s or early 2030s.

• Nationwide data show workforce shortages will leave 85 million jobs unfilled in the coming years.

• Middle managers are disappearing, leaving leadership gaps.

• Artificial intelligence is one of at least 14 converging technologies that are shifting the landscape of the world.

Most companies don’t see it coming or are choosing not to face it.

They think they have time. They don’t.

The Industrial Revolution took 70 years. The AI Revolution? It will take seven.

If you’re not thinking about how AI fits into your business, you’re already behind.

AI is a business advantage, not a threat
There are two types of companies right now. One group sees AI as a risk. They fear it will replace jobs, disrupt workflows and create chaos.

The other group sees AI as an opportunity. They understand it’s not about replacing people but about making them more effective.

AI is already changing industries:

• Health care: Medical studies found AI diagnoses conditions in some situations with 95% accuracy.

• Finance: AI fraud detection is 50% more effective than human teams, according to reporting by Forbes.

• Sales & Marketing: McKinsey & Co. finds AI-driven recommendations increase sales by 20%.

• Customer Service: Some AI platforms report reduced response times by 50%.

It’s not science fiction. It’s happening now.

Businesses that adopt AI today will operate faster, smarter and more efficiently than those that don’t.

5 steps to make AI your superpower
You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight. But you do need a plan. Here’s where to start:

1. Invest in leadership. Middle managers are vanishing. Leadership training is scarce. If you don’t have strong leaders who can navigate change, your company won’t survive the shift.

Train them. Empower them. Let them lead.

2. Build cash reserves. The average business has 40 days of cash on hand. You need 270.

A recession is coming. If you don’t have a financial buffer, you won’t have the flexibility to pivot when the time comes.

3. Embrace AI now. Start small. Use ChatGPT for content. Experiment with Microsoft Copilot. Train your team on AI-powered analytics. The goal isn’t to replace people. It’s to help them work smarter.

4. Develop a whole-human culture. The companies that thrive will be the ones that support their people. That means prioritizing mental health, offering financial education and creating a workplace that adapts to employee needs.

People don’t want to work for a company that sees them as replaceable. Build a culture of want – a culture that makes them want to stay.

5. Assign an AI champion. You don’t need to be an AI expert. But you need someone in your business who is. Appoint an AI champion; someone dedicated to learning, testing and integrating AI into your company.

It doesn’t have to be a tech guru. Just someone who’s curious, adaptable and ready to drive change.

Be the change agent
You have two choices: Take control of change. Learn. Adapt. Experiment. Or, let change control you. Resist. Delay. Fall behind.

The companies that hesitate will struggle to catch up. But the ones that act now? They will define the next decade.

This is just the beginning. AI, automation and leadership shifts are reshaping business. Those who understand and prepare will win.

Thomas Douglas is the CEO of JMark. He can be reached at tom@jmark.com.