3 Questions That Changed How I Think About AI (And My Career)

Sometimes the most powerful insights come from the simplest questions.

This month, I asked myself three questions that really made me pause and reflect. And the answers surprised even me.

• About how confused the AI landscape really is.

• About how my biggest career fear became my greatest asset.

• And about finally finding the clarity I've been searching for my entire professional life.

Here's what happened when I actually stopped to think about it.

1. What's the one lesson I learned this month?

Here's what keeps hitting me over and over: no one defines AI the same way.

I'm serious.

One company tells me they're "doing AI" because they're using machine learning models for their supply chain. That's been around for a decade.

Another organization is convinced they're at the cutting edge because they bought some automation tools.

Again, that technology has been in place for years.

Then there's the group that thinks having a few licenses for popular AI tools means they're "AI-powered."

Here's the thing: there's a massive difference between using AI and doing AI.

Most companies are just slapping an "AI-powered" sticker on existing technology that's been around forever.

2. What scared me the most throughout the career?

Throughout my career, I've jumped between more companies, sectors, and industries than anyone I know.

Management consulting prepared me for this. One month I could be working with healthcare clients, the next with financial services, then manufacturing. You get comfortable with change and new territories fast.

But here's what used to terrify me: that first six months in any new industry.

You're essentially learning a completely new language. New vocabulary, new processes, new challenges. Everyone assumes that because you don't know their industry inside and out, you can't possibly understand the work.

That assumption used to keep me up at night.

But guess what? That "weakness" turned out to be my greatest strength.

Being cross-sector and cross-industry means I can relate to different functions and business areas in ways that specialists sometimes can't.

I bring fresh perspectives because I'm not trapped in "how we've always done things."

3. What's exciting me the most?

For the first time in my career, I have a crystal-clear purpose.

I've always envied people who knew from a young age exactly what they wanted to do.

You know the type:

The artists who picked up a paintbrush at 5 and never looked back.

The future scientists building rockets in their garage at 12.

Meanwhile, I was still waiting for that kind of clarity.

But over the past few months, something shifted. My purpose finally crystallized, and it's more urgent than I ever imagined.

It sits at the intersection of everything I've experienced:

• What I love doing (working with people)

• What's personally important to me (alignment and connection

• And what I've built my career on (data and AI) all came together.

Here's what drives me every single day:

1. Preparing the workforce as AI transforms enterprise

We're not just implementing new technology, we're fundamentally reshaping how humans and machines work together. The question isn't whether AI will change your workforce. It's whether your people will be ready. So I’ve created the Human Amplification Index HAI™ to help enterprises measure of their AI deployments are strengthening their workforce or eroding it.

2. Protecting data as AI becomes democratized

As AI becomes accessible to everyone, we're trading convenience for comprehension, speed for substance. People need to understand what they're exchanging when they embrace these tools.

These aren't just business problems. They're human problems.

This is why I developed the Human Amplification Index HAI™ to show enterprises the true strength of their workforce both with and without AI.

For the first time in my career, I'm maniacally focused. And honestly? It feels incredible to finally know exactly why I'm here.

Here's what I'm curious about: What did you reflect on this month? What's helping (or hindering) you in that journey?

Let's learn from each other's experiences.

Until next time,

Sol