In a world where technological leaps seem to happen overnight, it’s natural for many to feel uneasy about artificial intelligence (AI). From fears of job displacement to questions about AI’s reliability, skepticism abounds when machines begin doing what once required years of human training. Yet, beneath the anxiety lies a transformative opportunity: AI can free us from routine tasks and expand our creative horizons. Instead of replacing human expertise, it has the potential to enhance our capacity for insight and innovation. This essay explores how businesses can seize that opportunity to reshape their strategies, redefine competitive advantages, and remain relevant in an era where expertise is more abundant—and more accessible—than ever before.

In their Harvard Business Review article, Strategy in an Era of Abundant Expertise, Bobby Yerramilli-Rao, John Corwin, Yang Li, and Karim R. Lakhani explore a phenomenon familiar to anyone observing the rapid evolution of technology: as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, the cost and availability of once-rare expertise is changing dramatically. Tasks that were previously performed by specialized human experts—designing new products, optimizing operations, analyzing vast sets of data—are now frequently entrusted to AI systems. This shift is profoundly altering the landscape in which businesses organize and compete.

For industrial design students dreaming up the next big product, or small retail owners trying to streamline daily operations, these changes may feel both thrilling and daunting. Where once it took years of apprenticeship or hefty consultant fees to learn how to interpret consumer behavior, new AI-driven tools can predict trends with lightning-fast speed and remarkable accuracy. Generative AI platforms can turn sketches into photorealistic mockups or even propose refined product designs, lowering barriers that used to separate seasoned pros from up-and-comers.

This surge in readily accessible AI-powered expertise is reshaping competitive advantage. Businesses that once prided themselves on their proprietary know-how may find that AI has commoditized parts of their skill set. Yet rather than spelling doom for these organizations, it offers a chance to reexamine the unique value they bring. By offloading tedious tasks to AI, teams can focus on higher-level thinking, strengthening customer relationships, innovating new approaches, and polishing the creativity that no machine can replicate in quite the same way.

For the everyday salesperson, these developments bring incredible opportunity. Personalized selling—a technique once reserved for well-financed firms with teams of data analysts—has become more widely available. AI-driven tools can capture customer preferences, segment audiences, and craft personalized messages or product suggestions in mere moments. The human element, however, remains crucial. Salespeople who learn to collaborate with AI—using insight from data to elevate their empathy and negotiation skills—can create uniquely compelling experiences that stand out to clients.

Entrepreneurs and small business owners especially benefit from AI’s scalability. They can access marketing, logistics, and operational insights once limited to large corporations with deep pockets. Cloud-based AI services let them forecast inventory needs, optimize supply chains, and personalize outreach at a fraction of historical costs. These breakthroughs level the playing field, enabling small operations to move more nimbly—and sometimes more creatively—than their larger competitors.

Yet, with the abundance of AI-powered expertise comes an obligation to re-think strategy. Companies of all sizes must ask: what is our unique value proposition once AI can handle many expert-level tasks? The answer often lies in the “human touch”—intuition, original thinking, ethical judgment, and relationship-building. Even the most sophisticated AI cannot replicate the emotional connections formed between people, nor can it replace the spark of creativity that informs groundbreaking ideas. Businesses that leverage AI while nurturing these distinctly human strengths can carve out new niches and maintain a competitive edge.

In this new era, succeeding in business isn’t about clinging to old structures. It’s about embracing AI tools as partners, offloading mundane or routine responsibilities, and elevating the creative, relational, and strategic aspects of work. Industrial design students, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and frontline salespeople alike stand to benefit—if they can adapt, remain curious, and champion a vision that transcends algorithms. By reshaping their strategies around AI’s capabilities, they position themselves to thrive in a world where expertise is no longer scarce, but abundant—and where differentiation depends on how well they combine the best of human and machine.