How Aspiring Managers Can Ride the AI Wave Without Getting Washed Away (And Maybe Look a Little Crazy Doing It)

Artificial Intelligence — or AI — is the word everyone’s throwing around like it’s the secret sauce for eternal youth. But here’s a fun fact: AI isn’t some overnight sensation. The term was actually coined back in 1956. Yep, while your grandparents were figuring out their first television remote, brilliant minds were dreaming up AI. And Hollywood has been busy too — my personal favorite is I, Robot, adapted from a 1950 book (take that, sci-fi buffs!). Fast forward to today, and suddenly AI has the hype of a rockstar.

I hear “AI” tossed around daily—in meetings, one-on-ones, even at the water cooler (or virtual water cooler). It’s disrupting jobs, management styles, and heck, probably your coffee break routine too. So why did this AI tidal wave sneak up on everyone? While the world wrestled with COVID-19, I found myself oddly drawn to AI—thanks to a brilliant little AI academy in my workplace. What started as casual curiosity turned into full-blown fascination. Before I knew it, I was practically yelling from the rooftops that AI was here, and not just here to stay—it’s coming at us faster than the second COVID wave!

I shared my excitement everywhere—team meetings, one-on-ones, even at lunch. Everyone called me crazy. “AI? That’s for sci-fi movies, not real life!” they said. But guess who’s laughing now? The ones who didn’t get on board with AI are still trying to figure out how to send a GIF in Slack without breaking a sweat.

So, as an aspiring manager shouting into the void, what did I learn? What nuggets can I pass on so other budding leaders don’t end up living under a rock while the AI tsunami rolls in?

Adapt. Simple, right? For me, that means waking up each morning and diving into what’s buzzing in tech—whether that’s a news site, or just asking ChatGPT/Cleverbot/Gemini (the AI buddies, not the zodiac) what’s new. Even if you don’t understand everything, just getting the gist makes you sound a lot smarter at your next meeting.

Now, how do you really get ahead in this AI game? Yes, even if you’re the kind of person who might get called “that AI crazy one” at first. The next disruptor isn’t just chatbots and flashy tools; it’s this thing called Agentic AI. Fancy name, right? It basically means AI that builds complex, multi-layered solutions by itself using those huge language models (LLMs). It’s super adaptable and scalable—kind of like the Swiss Army knife of AI. Your company might still be stuck in AI 101, but you—yes you!—can use this secret weapon to take a leap ahead.

Upskill. When I get hooked on something, I dive in—even if I barely scratch the surface. It gives me fuel for conversations, blogs, and yes, some smug satisfaction. Aspiring leaders should always peek beyond their little office cubicle and see what the world’s excited about next. Because in the long game, those who learn (and keep learning) don’t just survive—they thrive.

Lastly, don’t keep all this golden knowledge bottled up! If you’re not sharing it—on LinkedIn, Twitter, at that next virtual happy hour—what’s the point? Show off a little. Your future boss or next recruiter will thank you for it. Visibility is the new currency.

To wrap it up: being a manager in today’s world isn’t just about people and profits anymore. It’s about growth, trends, and riding waves that might just feel like tsunamis. You can be part of the wave or washed away on the shore. So dive in!

That’s my two cents (or should I say two gigabytes?). What do you think? Crazy talk or survival guide? Either way, I’m all ears—drop your thoughts below!