3 game-changing lessons from 2024: AI, transformation fatigue, and the future of agile
2024 has been a year of transformation and reflection, marked by the rapid rise of AI, evolving debates around Agile, and the growing challenge of transformation fatigue. For businesses and leaders, these topics have raised a critical question: How do we bridge the gap between ambition and execution?
At Emergn, we’ve been exploring these questions with our clients and teams. To close the year, we’ve invited three of our senior leaders to share their perspectives on the trends and lessons shaping the future of work and technology.
What is, ultimately, the true benefit of AI?
Collaboration between AI and individuals is the key to tackling complex problems.
The excitement around artificial intelligence (AI) is widening the gap between expected and actual business outcomes. AI has evolved from experimental solutions into key drivers of productivity and efficiency in the business world.
Looking back on AI developments over the year, some milestones stand out. In January, Microsoft launched Copilot for Security, enhancing its Defender platform and broadening the role of AI in cybersecurity. However, analysts have cautioned that Copilot might pose a risk of replacing developers in their function as code generators.
In March, Google launched a public preview of its AI model, Gemini 1.5, which features a 2 million-token context window and multimodal capabilities. Just this month, Gemini 2.0 was introduced to the market. By September, analysts began calling Copilot “Assisted Coding tools” instead of code generators. In October, at the Riga Comm Conference, a Latvia-based AI company announced it had fired all junior developers who depended solely on Copilot for coding. Everything took place while we discussed the potential benefits of AI, but the truth is that it can benefit different groups on different levels.
The first group consists of developers, who gain from AI copilot tools even if these tools do not fully deliver on their promises. The second group includes major tech companies, which can profit by selling cloud services and AI models. Finally, there is the broader population – the rest of us – who stand to benefit from increased productivity at both individual and organizational levels. At an individual level, it enhances productivity by allowing us to generate texts, images, and even music faster and more accurately than ever before. At work, it supports organizational productivity.
Simply providing people with AI tools is not sufficient to truly make a difference in any group. At Emergn, we believe that the future depends on the collaboration between AI and individuals to tackle complex challenges, and this collaboration will continue to be relevant in all areas of management.
A year to overcome transformation fatigue
People must feel excited and invested in the journey for change to succeed.
In today’s fast-paced technological environment, organizations are under constant pressure to adapt and utilize the latest technologies to remain competitive. However, this drive for innovation can lead to ambitious projects and substantial investments that produce minimal results if not executed effectively and backed by the business. This situation often gives rise to a phenomenon known as transformation fatigue.
In August, when Emergn launched a survey on that topic, we found that over half of employees considered leaving their jobs because of the frequency and ineffectiveness of transformation initiatives.
It is important to recognize that transformation means different things to each organization. To genuinely achieve transformation, key business stakeholders must be engaged and involved in the process. This requires a shift in the organizational mindset and adopting new ways of working. While change can be intimidating, fostering a growth mindset within the organization can make this change empowering and essential for the future success of the business.
Upon further reflection, it is important to help people embrace transformation and take ownership of their transformation. The human element is crucial; individuals must be involved in the journey and feel excited and invested in the change for it to succeed. By effectively addressing transformation fatigue, we can turn this challenge into a significant competitive advantage now and in the years to come.
The future of work: is agile dead?
Technology solutions must balance speed with ethical, responsible practices to truly deliver value.
This year has been both eventful and dynamic in the technology space. It has featured engaging debates and discussions on the important topics of data and ethics. The introduction of the EU AI Act has added a focus on data integrity, privacy, and protection.
Although some regulations may hamper innovation and investments, the ongoing discussions have proven valuable. They have underscored the importance of ethics and highlighted that human involvement is essential in many processes, which in turn impacts how we manage and deliver technology solutions.
As the year comes to a close, we participate in a stimulating debate about whether “Agile” is still relevant or not. In short, the emphasis on lightweight frameworks and collaboration that was front and center in the Agile world has long been replaced with large-scale processes and tools. And that rarely leads to expected flexibility, speed, and efficiencies. Far from all, consultants and coaches have been effective in helping clients deliver digital products with great results.
Hopefully, placing less emphasis on methods will allow for greater attention to customers and outcomes. The main challenge in improving products and services is the collaborative effort of working together to unlock team potential.
And that is essential for us as we strive to deliver valuable products and services to our customers in a responsible, ethical, and sustainable manner.
Additional insights
Are you set up for success? The cultural dimension to AI productivity
When product management theory meets cold reality
Make overcoming transformation fatigue your unfair competitive advantage
