08-10-2026IMPACT COUNCIL

Reimagined work will create AI transformation

Organizations should approach AI less as a technology deployment and more as an opportunity to rethink how work gets done.

[Photo: Getty Images]

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of top leaders and experts who pay dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership, and more.

As organizations race to adopt AI, many leaders are asking the wrong question. Too many are using AI to optimize yesterday’s workflows instead of asking a harder question: should this process still exist? Using AI in small, incremental ways—like summarizing emails or automating tasks—may create some efficiency, but it rarely creates meaningful impact.

True value doesn’t come from layering AI onto existing processes. And that distinction matters as 60% of companies report little value from their AI initiatives, despite significant investment.

Organizations should approach AI less as a technology deployment and more as an opportunity to rethink how work gets done from the ground up. Instead of asking how AI can improve a process, leaders should ask: If we were building this workflow today, with AI available from the start, would we design it the same way?

In many cases, the answer is no.

Don’t just add AI to an existing workflow

Many AI initiatives start with efficiency, and those improvements may ultimately save time,........

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