Five strategies to maximize productivity gains from AI automation

As artificial intelligence (AI) automates mundane tasks, professionals must strategically reinvest their saved time. Five industry leaders share transformative approaches:

1. Drive Operational Transformation

Gabriela Vogel of Gartner emphasizes that merely using AI for task automation isn't enough. "The crucial parts are the operational changes or business model transformations" needed to create ROI. Professionals should focus on large-scale optimizations, new products, or business model adjustments.

2. Reinvent Roles and Departments

Adobe CIO Cindy Stoddard reveals how AI automation has eliminated up to 95% of some roles at Adobe. The solution? "Reinvent my role or department" - with affected employees transitioning to new value-added positions within the company.

3. Prioritize Strategic Work

LinkedIn's Tomer Cohen advises professionals to "go back to why you chose this job" and focus on core value-creation activities. For marketers, this means strategy and creativity; for developers, customer-centric ideation.

4. Explore New Business Frontiers

EY's Joe Depa demonstrates how tax professionals use AI agents to shift from compliance to strategic modeling, including tariff impact simulations across supply chains and workforces.

5. Invest in Self-Development

Carruthers and Jackson CEO Caroline Carruthers advocates using AI-gained time for "learning a new skill, being creative" and personal well-being, while maintaining human oversight on critical decisions.

Key Takeaway: As generative AI handles routine work, professionals must proactively redirect their efforts toward innovation, strategic thinking, and continuous learning to remain indispensable in the AI-powered workplace.