Sam Altman’s recent piece on superintelligence is worth the read. When the CEO of OpenAI lays out a timeline that puts us just a few years away from AI systems more capable than any human, it’s not speculative—it’s directional. But here’s the real point: it doesn’t change who’s accountable for the decisions.
AI can do the work. It can sort, analyze, predict, and even create. But it doesn’t care why. It doesn’t know the difference between a good outcome and a bad one. That’s still on us.
What we build—and more importantly, what we choose not to build—still hinges on human intent. Superintelligence won’t choose the mission. It won’t define what matters. Values, priorities, and judgment remain human territory.
This is where a lot of leaders get distracted. They’re focused on what AI can do, instead of staying focused on what they’re trying to achieve. Tools don’t set direction. People do.
If your team is experimenting with AI, fine. But don’t confuse capability with clarity. The question isn’t whether AI will transform your industry. It will. The question is: what do you stand for, and how are you using these tools to amplify that?
Judgment, empathy, creativity—these aren’t soft traits. They’re directional levers. They give structure and purpose to all the firepower AI brings to the table. Without them, you just get faster execution of bad ideas.
Leaders don’t need to be AI experts. But they do need to own the direction. That means stepping up, not stepping back. AI won’t make the hard calls. That’s still our job.
