Understanding how to navigate the opportunities and challenges of AI adoption is a huge focus for the organisations we’re working with at Datacom. Datacom New Zealand MD Peter Nelson recently hosted a CEO breakfast and Q&A session with Gary Bolles, an internationally recognised expert on the future of work and learning. In conversation with Datacom Associate Director Tracey Cotter-Martin, Gary shared practical insights on the profound changes AI is bringing to workplaces — and what leaders can do to prepare their teams for a future defined by continual transformation.
Tracey Cotter-Martin: The World Economic Forum predicts that by 2030, 170 million new jobs will be created and 22 million displaced globally. What advice would you give leaders to build skills in this adaptive, unevenly distributed world?
Gary Bolles: It starts with mindset. People often define themselves by their job title — “I’m a lawyer” or “I’m a teacher.” We need to shift identity to focus on skills applied to problems. That means helping workers develop a vision for their future selves and anchoring change in real value for them. Organisations should co-create this process, pairing change enthusiasts with those less comfortable with change, and emphasising continuous learning.
Tracey Cotter-Martin: Many organisations struggle to bring their whole workforce along when change is so rapid. What strategies have you seen work?
Gary Bolles: Smaller organisations can be more nimble, but larger or government organisations face structural challenges. One approach we used with the Canada School of Public Service was creating “floater” roles — positions not tied to rigid classifications, allowing change agents to work on different problems. Over time, this flexibility can help overcome structural friction.
Tracey Cotter-Martin: There’s a growing trend of people using AI tools for emotional connection. Are we becoming more disconnected emotionally in this hyper-connected world?
Gary Bolles: Technology giveth and technology taketh away. Tools like AI can be a tremendous resource — for example, if someone is experiencing anxiety at midnight and can’t reach a therapist. But there’s a risk when people start to confuse these tools for human relationships or rely on them more than real social connections. This is especially concerning for young people at critical developmental stages. We need to be intelligent consumers and ensure that parents and teachers are actively involved in guiding appropriate use.
Audience question: Health is seen as a major beneficiary of AI. What are you seeing globally, and what should we look out for?
Gary Bolles: Healthcare offers enormous opportunities, from using AI to enable new roles like nurse practitioners for diagnosis and referrals, to leveraging wearable tech for personalised insights. But it’s early days, and the stakes are high. Countries should bring stakeholders together to envision future capabilities and adopt a wellness mindset. Bottom-up approaches, like community-led health initiatives, can be powerful.
Audience question: AI is removing entry-level tasks that helped juniors learn. How do we support early-career development?
Gary Bolles: That’s a real risk. If organisations don’t create new onboarding pathways, they’ll struggle to develop future leaders. One inspiring example is São Paulo Technical University, which bridges education and work through internships starting in year two. Structural changes like this are essential to replace the traditional career ladder.
Audience question: AI diffusion is happening bottom-up, with powerful tools in individuals’ hands. How does this change organisational dynamics?
Gary Bolles: It accelerates change and reduces friction. Leaders need to create strong incentives for experimentation — in teams, not silos — and foster a culture of sharing successes and failures. IT and HR must collaborate to manage tools ethically and effectively. If organisations encourage transparency and continuous learning, they can turn this rapid change into an engine for innovation.
One of the overarching messages that the audience was left with from this session was that: “Change management is dead — all that’s left is continual transformation.”
As organisations look to implement and scale AI across their organisation, Gary Bolles says leadership teams need to realise the change is not only about the adoption of AI tools and solutions, but the adaption of all the existing processes and ways of working.
For leaders, that means they must learn new mindsets, skill sets and tool sets – and support their teams to do the same – if they are to successfully navigate the fastest-moving era of technological change we’ve ever seen.
Datacom’s approach to AI echoes the insights shared at the CEO breakfast with Gary Bolles – AI is reshaping work and success relies on flexibility, continuous learning and new skills pathways. With deep local expertise and global capability, Datacom delivers human-first AI solutions that enhance rather than disrupt the workforce. Across Australia and New Zealand, we help organisations build strong AI foundations, from robust governance and proof-of-concepts to practical tools that improve efficiency and support safe, effective adoption.
