Last week, ChatGPT launched Operator Mode, an experimental feature that lets the AI take on tasks autonomously, using all the tools available on your computer. Imagine assigning it a complex task, like conducting competitive research, reviewing websites, and compiling key insights into a detailed spreadsheet. Operator Mode aims to do it all—handling the work while you supervise.
But let’s be honest: right now, it’s clunky, slow, and far from capable of completing anything beyond basic tasks. It’s an early-stage innovation, akin to Claude’s “Computer Use” feature from last year. Yet, while these tools are still more gimmick than game-changer, they signal something far more transformative on the horizon.
The true excitement lies in the direction these tools are heading. One day, your AI assistant won’t just execute simple prompts—it will be able to take on intricate, multi-step tasks independently, both for personal and professional needs. It’ll assess what needs to be done, determine the best way to accomplish it, and carry out the task using the same tools you would, all while requiring minimal input from you.
This future will profoundly impact how work gets done. Study after study has predicted between 50-60% of white-collar job tasks will be automated by AI, and AI agents will be how that occurs: you’ll simply ask AI to complete a task, and then monitor and approve what it does. That means AI will shift from simply assisting workers to becoming a collaborative partner, taking on increasingly complex responsibilities. However, autonomy doesn’t mean relinquishing control. Businesses will need to embrace a mindset of "Trust but Verify" to maximize AI’s potential while mitigating its risks.
This evolution underscores a critical reality for organizations: everyone—from executives to entry-level employees—will need to develop the skills to work alongside AI effectively. And no, this isn’t just about ‘prompt engineering’.
Employees will need to:
Just as you wouldn’t let an unsupervised intern handle sensitive tasks, employees will need to validate and refine AI outputs, particularly in the early stages of adoption. “My AI did it” won’t cut it as an excuse—just like “my dog ate my homework” doesn’t fly.
The principle of Trust but Verify becomes essential here. While AI may grow increasingly autonomous, oversight will remain critical to ensure accuracy, alignment with goals, and accountability for outcomes.
See below for more on how to integrate AI into your company, the focus of this week and the 4th step of the AI SPRINT framework: “INTEGRATE AI into Your Sales and Marketing Processes.”
I hope this newsletter gives leaders actionable and useful advice for incorporating AI into their businesses. We’re 4 weeks in, and I’d love to know what you think!
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Earlier this month, I introduced the AI SPRINT Adoption Framework—a six-step guide any company can follow to effectively implement AI while overcoming high consulting costs and complexity. You can follow each step on your own or contact me to learn about workshops and resources to accelerate your transformation.
When beginning your AI journey, sales and marketing are the ideal starting points to achieve high-return, low-risk benefits. These areas offer opportunities for immediate gains in efficiency, productivity, and customer engagement. For example, one marketing team I know found up to a 400% improvement in productivity through AI tools that accelerate the creation of content, images, and campaigns—transforming what used to take weeks into mere hours.
However, it’s critical to avoid using these new tools to just spam potential customers. Instead, AI provides the power to personalize and serve customers more effectively, improving the quality of your outreach and engagement.
As an example, a salesperson who attended one of my workshops was able to meet his sales quota working 50% less through using AI! It wasn’t done with mass emailing prospects, however. He accomplished it through deeply personalizing his sales strategy: he used AI to research public information about the company, then created sales scripts and proposals that focused on the exact customer pains and how his company could best meet them. Now he’s working 20 hours a week and still meeting his sales quota!
That shows the potential of using AI to better personalize outreach. In addition, AI can help with:
Once sales and marketing are optimized with AI, businesses can expand their integration into other areas like customer service, where AI-powered chatbots and virtual agents enhance response times and customer satisfaction, or into innovation, where AI can support product development and trend analysis. Starting with sales and marketing allows businesses to build confidence and expertise in using AI before applying it to more complex areas.
By leveraging AI to increase personalization and value, businesses can create a better customer experience, drive higher ROI, and set the stage for broader AI adoption across the organization. That’s the goal of this step of the AI SPRINT Framework.
January is almost over! If you haven’t made your goals for the year, consider the Objective and Key Results (OKR) Framework, and partnering with AI to create them.
Here’s a prompt:
Walk me step by step through creating 3-5 goals for 2025 for my <business/team> using the OKR framework. Stop after each step to ask for feedback or adjustment.
ChatGPT’s new Operator Mode showcases AI’s future as an autonomous workhorse, though still in its early stages. By starting with sales and marketing, businesses can achieve quick, low-risk wins, boosting productivity and personalization while adopting a "Trust but Verify" mindset to ensure effective oversight.
Action Step: Want to explore how AI can transform your business? Let’s chat. Reply to this email or schedule a leadership workshop today.
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