The conventional wisdom about AI is that it will be the great equalizer, giving average employees the tools to perform like superstars.
But what if the opposite is true?
Some new commentary in The Wall Street Journal suggests AI is already widening the chasm between top performers and everyone else, a trend that could lead to rising workplace tensions and resentment.
And it raises the question: Who really benefits from AI?
To get an answer, I talked it through with SmarterX and Marketing AI Institute founder and CEO Paul Roetzer on Episode 174 of The Artificial Intelligence Show.
In The Wall Street Journal article, researcher Matthew Call shares why AI is widening the gap between superstars and everyone else.
His core thesis is that superstars already outperforming at work are the most likely to be pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with AI. That, in turn, dramatically accelerates their performance in comparison with colleagues just dabbling in the technology.
He offers the following example:
“Imagine a star consultant working on bringing a new product or service to market. Instead of asking AI to ‘analyze this market’ and receiving generic insights, the star uses years of experience to ask more nuances and targeted questions about competitive dynamics, regulations and barriers. Stars’ deep expertise will lead them to better refine the commands or questions they give AI, rather than accepting the first output. This results in more useful and accurate results.”
As a result, he predicts:
“Workplace tensions and resentment will rise” if top performers benefit more than everyone else from AI tools.
Some research from 2023 out of Harvard Business School actually suggested the opposite was going to play out. In it, researchers found that AI could, in fact, level the field, significantly increasing the capabilities of average performers while only moderately boosting top performers in the consulting industry.
But Roetzer isn't convinced that's how it will play out long term. He believes the greater likely outcome is that top performers will pull away from lower performers thanks to the compounding advantages gained by pushing AI to its limits.
“I think the greater likely outcome is that average employees are going to remain average,” he says. “They're not going to work harder than they need to work. They'll definitely use the tools, but probably as shortcuts and a crutch, not as a thinking partner to become better.”
This widening performance gap isn't just a hypothetical problem, either. Roetzer warns it will create very real conflicts.
As A-players become hyper-efficient, they'll grow frustrated with colleagues who can't keep up, and may simply start doing their jobs for them.
“It's going to create so much friction between the A-players and the non A-players,” he says.
The result is a two-tier system where top performers become more valuable than ever but also get "very frustrated with the people who aren't taking advantage of the tools."
This trend is already forcing leaders, including Roetzer, to rethink hiring from the ground up.
As a CEO, he says he's questioning the traditional model of hiring specialists for each department.
Instead, he’s leaning toward a new playbook: hiring experienced generalists who are curious, innovative critical thinkers, giving them the best AI tools, and letting them solve problems across the entire business.
“We don’t have to necessarily hire a bunch of specialists in each department,” he says. “Let’s just go get some generalists, give them the tools, and build a smarter company from the ground up. I think that might be the play.”