Publications
Publications
- March–April 2025
- Harvard Business Review
Strategy in an Era of Abundant Expertise: How to Thrive When AI Makes Knowledge and Know-How Cheaper and Easier to Access
By: Bobby Yerramilli-Rao, John Corwin, Yang Li and Karim R. Lakhani
Abstract
The AI era is in its early stages, and the technology is evolving extremely quickly. Providers are rapidly introducing AI "copilots," "bots," and "assistants" into applications to augment employees' workflows. Examples include GitHub Copilot for coding, ServiceNow Assist to improve productivity and efficiency, and Salesforce's Agentforce for everyday business tasks. These tools have been trained on a wide range of data sources and possess expansive expertise in many domains. The quality of expertise embedded in them is already relatively high, but the level of expertise is still growing rapidly while the cost of accessing it is decreasing. In the relatively near future, more-advanced "AI agents," equipped with greater capability and broader expertise, will be able to take action on behalf of users with their permission. Companies that adopt AI will benefit from what the authors call the triple product: more-efficient operations, more-productive workforces, and growth with a sharper vision and focus. They must be prepared to make trust and safety among their top priorities and to cultivate a group of employees who are early adopters. The authors provide guidance for the process.
Keywords
AI; AI and Machine Learning; Performance Productivity; Experience and Expertise; Technology Adoption
Citation
Yerramilli-Rao, Bobby, John Corwin, Yang Li, and Karim R. Lakhani. "Strategy in an Era of Abundant Expertise: How to Thrive When AI Makes Knowledge and Know-How Cheaper and Easier to Access." Harvard Business Review 103, no. 2 (March–April 2025): 72–81.