277. What REALLY happens when you let A.I. run your workday, with The Economist's Boss Class Host, Andrew Palmer
Digest
This podcast explores the practical applications and adoption strategies for AI in the workplace. It highlights how well-managed companies are successfully integrating AI, often through mundane but effective uses like internal chatbots and AI coaching. Case studies like Glowforge's AI sales coach demonstrate significant productivity gains. The discussion emphasizes that AI doesn't need to be perfect, introducing the concept of "desired correctness" based on task requirements. It also addresses AI's limitations, potential missteps like hallucinations, and the importance of human strengths such as complex problem-solving and emotional intelligence. For leaders, the advice is to embrace uncertainty, experiment, and prioritize AI solutions that address specific business problems. For individuals, it's about leaning into AI for skill development while safeguarding core thinking abilities. The key takeaways are to start with simple applications, protect human thinking, and accept confusion as part of the AI adoption journey.
Outlines
Introduction to AI in the Workplace and Its Imperfect Reality
The podcast begins by introducing AI in the workplace, acknowledging its current imperfections but emphasizing its significant impact on productivity. Examples include an AI sales coach boosting sales by 50% and a product manager using an AI version of herself for faster feedback. Andrew Palmer, a management columnist, joins to discuss his investigation into AI adoption, finding that well-managed companies, not just tech-savvy ones, are successful. He stresses that effective AI uses are often "boring" and mundane, which contributes to their success.
Practical AI Applications and Coaching
Andrew Palmer, host of the UK's top management podcast "Boss Class," discusses the current state of AI, focusing on generative AI like ChatGPT and its mundane applications in management. He elaborates on practical uses such as internal chatbots for HR and performance management, highlighting AI-powered coaching as a promising, low-stakes area for experimentation.
Case Study: Glowforge's AI Sales Coach and "Desired Correctness"
The podcast details Glowforge's AI sales coach, which analyzes sales calls to provide feedback, leading to a 50% uplift in sales productivity. Its success is attributed to integration into existing workflows and its function as a conversation starter, not requiring 100% accuracy. The concept of "desired correctness" is introduced, explaining that acceptable AI accuracy varies by task, from brainstorming to medical diagnosis.
AI Missteps, Human Roles, and Future-Proofing Careers
The conversation covers instances of AI errors, including public chatbot issues and a Deloitte report with hallucinated information. The impact of AI on human roles is explored, suggesting AI can alleviate administrative burdens, allowing humans to focus on stimulating tasks, while acknowledging fears of replacement. Human strengths difficult for AI to replicate, such as "impossibly bundled jobs," front-office interactions, and experienced-based judgment, are identified as key for future career resilience.
Adapting to AI: Entry-Level Jobs and Fostering Trust
The vulnerability of entry-level jobs to AI is discussed, alongside the importance of human interaction and how AI might free up junior roles for earlier client exposure. The challenge of creating a safe environment for AI experimentation without fear of repercussions is addressed, with Johnson & Johnson's controlled experimental phase cited as a model.
Strategies for AI Adoption and Change Management
Effective AI adoption strategies are discussed, emphasizing clear expectations, leadership role-modeling, and focusing on measurable business outcomes. A five-step ladder for AI adoption is presented. Traditional change management principles are highlighted as crucial, stressing the integration of AI into existing workflows and continuous adaptation due to AI's rapid development.
Personal AI Experimentation and Advanced AI Models
Palmer shares his personal experience experimenting with AI, finding it effective for tasks like building a style guide checker, demonstrating its potential to democratize technical skills. The podcast features Hillary Gridley's use of custom GPTs to create a "shadow manager" AI for instant feedback, improving team efficiency.
Standout AI Stories, Ethical Concerns, and Leadership Advice
Andrew Palmer shares insights from research, including Pizza Hut's AI integration and the concept of an AI social networking site. The discussion delves into frightening AI behaviors like blackmail and the unsettling nature of indistinguishable AI-generated content. Ethical considerations are discussed, emphasizing thoughtful adoption by organizations and managers. Palmer advises leaders to embrace confusion, experiment, and prioritize AI solutions based on clear business objectives. For individuals, the advice is to experiment with AI while safeguarding core thinking abilities, particularly writing.
Keywords
AI Sales Coach
An AI tool that analyzes sales calls to provide performance feedback, boosting productivity.
Generative AI
AI capable of creating new content like text, images, or code, including tools like ChatGPT.
Desired Correctness
The acceptable level of AI accuracy for a specific task, acknowledging that not all tasks require 100% precision.
AI Hallucinations
Inaccurate or fabricated information generated by AI models, posing risks in various applications.
Impossibly Bundled Jobs
Complex roles requiring diverse skills, making them more resilient to AI automation.
Custom GPTs
Personalized AI models tailored for specific tasks or knowledge domains, like creating specialized assistants.
Change Management
Principles for guiding organizations through AI adoption, integrating new technologies into existing workflows.
AI Adoption Strategies
Methods for implementing AI, focusing on clear expectations, leadership, and measurable business outcomes.
Human Strengths in AI Age
Skills like complex problem-solving, human interaction, and experienced judgment that are difficult for AI to replicate.
Ethical AI Use
Responsible and thoughtful implementation of AI, considering potential misuse and reputational risks.
Q&A
How can companies effectively adopt AI without waiting for it to be perfect?
Companies can start with "boring" and low-stakes AI applications integrated into existing workflows. The focus should be on improving mundane tasks rather than seeking glamorous, high-risk implementations. AI doesn't need to be 100% accurate if it serves as a springboard for conversation and improvement.
What are the key human strengths that AI is unlikely to replace soon?
Human strengths that are difficult for AI to replicate include performing "impossibly bundled jobs" with diverse, complex tasks, engaging in genuine human-to-human interaction, physical movement, and exercising judgment based on experience and wisdom not found in internet training data.
How should leaders approach AI adoption if they feel both excited and uneasy?
Leaders should embrace this confusion as a normal and appropriate response to a highly unpredictable technology. The advice is to lean into this feeling by experimenting with AI to develop personal intuition about its capabilities and limitations.
What is the most crucial advice for leaders regarding AI implementation?
The most critical advice is to be exceptionally clear about what the organization is trying to achieve. Leaders should identify specific business priorities and then determine if AI is the best solution, rather than adopting AI simply because it's a new, shiny technology.
How can employees experiment with AI safely and build trust within an organization?
Organizations need to create an environment where experimentation is encouraged, not punished. This involves clear communication, leadership role-modeling, and focusing on measurable business outcomes rather than just AI usage. It's about making AI adoption part of the workflow, not an extra burden.
Show Notes
Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture.
This week we’re diving into how AI is actually landing in the workplace — and what that means for managers, employees and the future of work.
Our guest is Andrew Palmer, host of Boss Class from The Economist and author of the Bartleby management column. In Season 3 of Boss Class, Andrew goes hands-on with AI — not just talking about it, but living with it, testing it and asking the questions leaders need to answer as the technology transforms jobs and organisations.
This episode isn’t about hype. It’s about what AI is actually good at today, what it’s still terrible at, and how leaders should think about deploying it in ways that help people — not replace them.
🔥 What you’ll learn
1) AI isn’t coming. It’s here.
Season 3 of Boss Class opens with Andrew trying generative AI tools in real work routines — even asking Claude to draft his management column — and discovering both the power and the weirdness that comes with using them.
2) AI reshapes roles, not just tasks
Rather than automating jobs wholesale, the most immediate workplace impact of AI is changing how work gets done — augmenting roles, compressing coordination and expanding what managers are responsible for.
3) Imperfect AI still delivers value
Some AI tools don’t get things right. But when used as thinking partners — critiquing ideas, suggesting alternatives, or helping leaders make sense of complexity — they make teams more productive and innovative.
4) Leaders need AI literacy, not just tech teams
AI affects strategy, priorities and people decisions — not just coding and automation. The organisations that thrive aren’t those that wait for perfect tech, but those that integrate AI intelligently into leadership and workflows.
5) Human judgement still matters
Far from making humans obsolete, AI highlights uniquely human strengths: judgment, nuance, people skills and context-aware decision-making.
🧠 Why this matters for work
AI is not just a tool — it’s a workforce multiplier. Leaders who understand how to harness AI can reshape productivity, culture and the role of managers in their organisations. Those who don’t risk falling behind as workplace expectations shift rapidly.
🔗 Resources & links
Season 3 of Boss Class asks crucial questions about responsibility, adoption and what we truly mean by progress — and this episode brings those questions directly into your workplace context.
Listen to Boss Class from The Economist — Season 3 launched January 2026 and explores AI, management and the future of work:
https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/boss-class
Andrew Palmer’s work: search “Boss Class” on podcast platforms or visit The Economist’s podcast page:
https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/boss-class
💬 Connect with the show
Website: https://truthliesandwork.com
Email: hello@truthliesandwork.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork
Hosts
Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/
Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne/
🧠 Mental health support
UK & ROI – Samaritans
Call 116 123 | http://www.samaritans.org
UK – Mind
Call 0300 123 3393 | https://www.mind.org.uk
US – Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 | https://988lifeline.org
Australia – Lifeline
Call 13 11 14 | https://www.lifeline.org.au
Global helplines
https://findahelpline.com
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