Artificial intelligence (AI) – the excitement & Performative Participation
View(s):Artificial intelligence, probably yet another ‘illusory excitement’ to the society, which is ‘burning’ with its own success and achievements and look forward ‘instant gratification’ for all of their interactions with the world.
Today, our societies overflow with impatience, anxiety, and craving for the next experience, the next click, which secretes the next surge of dopamine. The digital age has created a civilisation that burns fast and bright — consuming attention, emotion, and meaning at the speed of light. In this world, the illusion of instant gratification reigns supreme and it dominates and drive some, if not, all paradoxes of the current AI boom.
Mihindu Rajaratne
Many corporate CEOs and executives are caught up in the current excitement around AI — some genuinely intrigued, others simply eager to appear enthusiastic to impress the public.
If we carefully observe, much of the enthusiasm around AI, especially in corporate circles, seems to mix genuine excitement with a bit of performative participation. Executives often want to be seen as “AI—forward,” both for optics and to signal innovation to shareholders, employees, and the market. But the deeper implications of widespread AI adoption — especially on organisational structure, value creation, and compensation — are often underappreciated.
The irony is that many of them view AI primarily as a way to ‘offload as many tasks as possible and make their own lives easier’, all while expecting to maintain the same salaries and perks. What they often overlook is that AI’s real impact will be far deeper: it will drive a restructuring of organisations from the boardroom down, fundamentally reshaping roles, responsibilities, and the very logic of corporate hierarchies.
To add to the context, many, once believed that implementing an accounting system or ERP would automatically ensure accuracy and data quality. They overlooked the persistent risk of input errors — mistakes that no system configuration can detect, but only a sharp human mind can.
The same will apply to AI: “it will simply reflect and reproduce what it learns from us”.
A few key dynamics are at play here:
1. The Illusion of Delegation
Many executives view AI as a force multiplier — a tool to automate tedious tasks and “free up” humans for higher—value work. But in practice, as AI takes over more cognitive and strategic functions, it doesn’t just shift tasks, but it reshapes roles. The notion that one can offload 40–50% of one’s work to AI and still command the same compensation is economically unsustainable. Presentations, forums, Expert opinions, which falsely orchestrate the benefits of AI, aggravate the illusory perception of AI and often misinterpreted.
The society has been given the notion of convenience via automation and digitalization, however, invariably, the benefit of convenience has made them ‘lazy’ and hindered countless ‘cognitive skills’.
2. AI as a Restructuring Catalyst
Once AI systems prove they can handle decision—making, forecasting, and operational optimisation more efficiently than humans, it becomes logical for organizations to flatten hierarchies. Middle management — traditionally a buffer of reporting and coordination — becomes less necessary. Even board—level strategic roles will face pressure as AI—driven analytics influence governance decisions.
This does not mean that organizations can transfer all tasks of coordinating and reporting overlooking the human aspect which embodies the ‘relationships’, ‘considerate and/or intuitive decision making’, specialized skills and ‘personal attention’ that are necessary for ‘critical and sensitive’ roles. Systems emanate Instant gratification (psychologically), which erodes depth — of thought, emotion, and relationship in human mind.
3. From “Comfort” to “Competition”
The irony, is that the same people celebrating AI as a tool to make their lives easier may find themselves competing against it for relevance. AI does not just automate tasks; it redistributes value across organisations. The winners will be those who use AI to amplify distinctly human capabilities — creativity, ethics, empathy, vision — rather than merely to reduce workload. Many of the followers of AI suffer from the myopia of the ‘workload reduction’. It is a dangerous illusion.
The correct interpretation and deeper understanding of the capabilities AI can add value to all. It redefines the roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of stakeholders and people at large. Remember, it learns from humans.
4. The Cultural Lag
Corporate culture often lags behind technological change. Many executives still think in 20th —century terms: technology as a support function. But AI is strategic infrastructure — it doesn’t just help the business; it is part of the business model. Those who don’t grasp that will likely face the very restructuring they think they’re orchestrating.
In conclusion, AI won’t just assist executives — it will challenge the premise of executive authority itself. The leaders those who see AI not as a delegation tool, but as a catalyst demanding a redefinition of leadership, governance, and accountability, will thrive in future world.
Mihindu Rajaratne
MBA | CISA | RIMS – CRMP (Certified Risk Management Professional) | Chartered Marketer
The writer could be reached at
rajaratnem@gmail.com .
Artificial intelligence, probably yet another ‘illusory excitement’ to the society, which is ‘burning’ with its own success and achievements and look forward ‘instant gratification’ for all of their interactions with the world.
Today, our societies overflow with impatience, anxiety, and craving for the next experience, the next click, which secretes the next surge of dopamine. The digital age has created a civilisation that burns fast and bright — consuming attention, emotion, and meaning at the speed of light. In this world, the illusion of instant gratification reigns supreme and it dominates and drive some, if not, all paradoxes of the current AI boom.
Many corporate CEOs and executives are caught up in the current excitement around AI — some genuinely intrigued, others simply eager to appear enthusiastic to impress the public.
If we carefully observe, much of the enthusiasm around AI, especially in corporate circles, seems to mix genuine excitement with a bit of performative participation. Executives often want to be seen as “AI—forward,” both for optics and to signal innovation to shareholders, employees, and the market. But the deeper implications of widespread AI adoption — especially on organisational structure, value creation, and compensation — are often underappreciated.
The irony is that many of them view AI primarily as a way to ‘offload as many tasks as possible and make their own lives easier’, all while expecting to maintain the same salaries and perks. What they often overlook is that AI’s real impact will be far deeper: it will drive a restructuring of organisations from the boardroom down, fundamentally reshaping roles, responsibilities, and the very logic of corporate hierarchies.
To add to the context, many, once believed that implementing an accounting system or ERP would automatically ensure accuracy and data quality. They overlooked the persistent risk of input errors — mistakes that no system configuration can detect, but only a sharp human mind can.
The same will apply to AI: “it will simply reflect and reproduce what it learns from us”.
A few key dynamics are at play here:
1. The Illusion of Delegation
Many executives view AI as a force multiplier — a tool to automate tedious tasks and “free up” humans for higher—value work. But in practice, as AI takes over more cognitive and strategic functions, it doesn’t just shift tasks, but it reshapes roles. The notion that one can offload 40–50% of one’s work to AI and still command the same compensation is economically unsustainable. Presentations, forums, Expert opinions, which falsely orchestrate the benefits of AI, aggravate the illusory perception of AI and often misinterpreted.
The society has been given the notion of convenience via automation and digitalization, however, invariably, the benefit of convenience has made them ‘lazy’ and hindered countless ‘cognitive skills’.
2. AI as a Restructuring Catalyst
Once AI systems prove they can handle decision—making, forecasting, and operational optimisation more efficiently than humans, it becomes logical for organizations to flatten hierarchies. Middle management — traditionally a buffer of reporting and coordination — becomes less necessary. Even board—level strategic roles will face pressure as AI—driven analytics influence governance decisions.
This does not mean that organizations can transfer all tasks of coordinating and reporting overlooking the human aspect which embodies the ‘relationships’, ‘considerate and/or intuitive decision making’, specialized skills and ‘personal attention’ that are necessary for ‘critical and sensitive’ roles. Systems emanate Instant gratification (psychologically), which erodes depth — of thought, emotion, and relationship in human mind.
3. From “Comfort” to “Competition”
The irony, is that the same people celebrating AI as a tool to make their lives easier may find themselves competing against it for relevance. AI does not just automate tasks; it redistributes value across organisations. The winners will be those who use AI to amplify distinctly human capabilities — creativity, ethics, empathy, vision — rather than merely to reduce workload. Many of the followers of AI suffer from the myopia of the ‘workload reduction’. It is a dangerous illusion.
The correct interpretation and deeper understanding of the capabilities AI can add value to all. It redefines the roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of stakeholders and people at large. Remember, it learns from humans.
4. The Cultural Lag
Corporate culture often lags behind technological change. Many executives still think in 20th —century terms: technology as a support function. But AI is strategic infrastructure — it doesn’t just help the business; it is part of the business model. Those who don’t grasp that will likely face the very restructuring they think they’re orchestrating.
In conclusion, AI won’t just assist executives — it will challenge the premise of executive authority itself. The leaders those who see AI not as a delegation tool, but as a catalyst demanding a redefinition of leadership, governance, and accountability, will thrive in future world.
Mihindu Rajaratne
MBA | CISA | RIMS – CRMP (Certified Risk Management Professional) | Chartered Marketer
The writer could be reached at
rajaratnem@gmail.com .
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