In the past 12 months, AI has gone from boardroom buzzword to boardroom elephant. And while most leaders recognise that AI will change how we work, few are fully prepared for what that means in practice.
The debate has been loud and polarising:
- Some say, “AI will take your job in 18 months.”
- Others claim, “AI is just another tool, like Excel.”
The truth? Well that’s somewhere in the middle.
We’re entering an era of Blended Work — where humans and AI collaborate, not compete.
While the concept of “blended work” isn’t brand new, it’s gaining significant traction. Thought leaders from Salesforce to researchers on ArXiv have begun exploring how humans and AI work side-by-side, not just location-independently as in traditional hybrid models.
As noted in the paper The Future of Work is Blended, Not Hybrid, the conversation is shifting from where work happens to how it happens — and who (or what) is doing it.
This shift from hybrid to blended requires more than policy tweaks. It demands a bold rethink of how we design jobs, lead teams, and build careers.
From Hybrid to Blended
For years, hybrid work meant balancing remote and in-office days. Now, it means sharing tasks, decisions and even creativity with digital co-workers.
A recent Deloitte report emphasizes: “As workers become increasingly intertwined with AI, managers will need to take on a new role of redesigning work and roles, helping their people better collaborate with smart machines”
Blended workforces require leaders who can:
- Orchestrate human and AI capabilities
- Build trust in AI tools
- Centre humanity in decision-making
The Human Skills That Matter More Than Ever
As AI takes over repetitive tasks, uniquely human skills skyrocket in value:
- Ethical judgment (we need more of this in current society full stop)
- Empathy and emotional intelligence (although AI is rapidly gaining ground in this area as well)
- Critical thinking (my #1 recommendation)
- Creativity and storytelling (game changer for humans)
These aren’t just “soft skills” anymore. They’re power skills — and they’re essential to leading in a blended future.
Designing Work for Blended Teams
If you’re a leader, ask yourself:
- Which parts of my team’s work can be amplified by AI?
- Where do we still need a distinctly human touch?
- Are we designing roles that evolve with technology, or are we clinging to outdated job descriptions?
EY provides an excellent real-world example: they’ve integrated Microsoft Copilot and their EY.ai platform across their consulting and assurance practices. In Australia, they found that 5,300 EY professionals saved, on average, 30 minutes per week – time redirected from administrative tasks to higher-value client engagement.
This is blended work in action: AI drafts, summarizes, and researches while humans focus on client relationships and deeper thinking.
Empowering Human Agency
Perhaps the most important shift is this: employees want agency. They want a say in how AI is implemented. They want tools that make their work more meaningful, not more monitored.
According to McKinsey, leaders are lagging behind employees in AI readiness. It’s time to close that gap.
Here are 3 steps to get started:
- Co-create AI adoption plans with your team.
- Invest in continuous learning to build tech fluency and human skills.
- Measure impact beyond productivity — consider wellbeing, innovation, and engagement.
Final Thought
AI is not the enemy. Nor is it the saviour. It’s a partner.
And just like any partnership, success comes from shared goals, clear communication, and mutual respect.
Let’s lead the way into the blended future – where humans and machines work together to build something better.
