The promise of AI is already here. Leaders need to wake up and catch up or get left behind.
Like a lot of tech leaders, I watched OpenAI’s presentation at the 2025 WorId’s Fair this summer with interest and amazement.
But something struck me that goes to the heart of what’s so incredible about this new technology that seems to be revealing new powers each day. It’s this: AI is the first time you can teach yourself absolutely anything, at your own pace or way of learning, whatever your background, without ever stepping into a school.
This simple fact is absolutely game-changing. Let me walk you through what I believe it means, and what we have to do differently as business leaders, educators, and tech builders.
Leveling the playing field (really, this time)
We talk about fairness, we talk about access, we talk about inclusion. But AI offers something we’ve never had before: tools that are available to anyone — regardless of their background, location, or socioeconomic status — so long as they have internet access. You don’t need to be in a top university, you don’t need connections, you don’t need financial backing. You can learn, build, experiment. That’s real leveling.
You can learn, build, experiment. That’s real leveling.
I’ve always believed that technology has the potential to lower barriers. But this is more than potential. It’s already happening. It’s a shift that says: everyone can participate.
Higher education is getting flipped
If you’re in the world of universities, listen up: what you teach, how you teach, in fact, the very purpose of education — it all has to evolve. Because if students can pick up AI, build startups, or land jobs without tuition bills, the traditional college path becomes optional, not essential.
Degrees that don’t align with market needs will become irrelevant. A course that teaches history or theory without a practical application? That’s always been a tough sell. Now it’s becoming unworkable as AI makes practical, job-ready training available to everyone. Institutions need to ask themselves: Are we teaching students what they’ll use tomorrow? Will they be able to own their path?
Educational institutions have to pivot. Not after they’re disrupted, but right now. They have to start incorporating real-world AI, risk-taking and self-learning. If not, universities will turn into relics.
Straight out of high school to six figures
AI is already creating pathways for high school graduates to skip debt and go straight to real income. You don’t need a degree to code, to build, to launch, to consult. The tools are here. The audience is global. The contracts — often cross-border — exist.
If you as a business leader are not ready for the change that’s already here, you’ll see your talent pool vanish.
And let’s be clear: This isn’t just a challenge for educators. It’s a challenge for business leaders. It’s a challenge to our existing business models, our hiring norms, and how we value credentials in the candidates we meet.
We as business leaders need to adapt to this new reality. We need to hire on skills, not degrees. And we need to create training programs that empower bold learners.
Because those who are willing to learn will outpace those who are not. If you as a business leader are not ready for the change that’s already here, you’ll see your talent pool vanish.
The rest of world is catching up — fast
The advantage of this new technology could migrate to countries that don’t carry the baggage of old systems. Rich nations can become complacent. But emerging economies — where infrastructure investment is new, regulations are fresh, digital adoption is high — they could leapfrog.
We could see AI-born unicorns from places we never expected. A startup in a rural region might out-innovate because it isn’t burdened by legacy systems. That possibility is real. And it’s a scary truth for some incumbents who assume that power stays where it is.
Why communication matters most
The fact is that the next generation of leaders will be the ones who are the best communicators. Not necessarily the most technical. Not always the most capitalized. The ones who can tell stories, who can connect mission to people, who inspire trust, simplify complexity — that’s what leadership looks like now.
If AI is democratized, many people will build. Many will ship. What will distinguish the successes from the failures? Clarity. Who can convince? Who can adapt with humility? Who can connect?
Because a new idea without a narrative is invisible.
I don’t ignore the risks. We have to watch for misuse, bias, privacy, and limits to access (the internet still isn’t universal, after all). We need regulation that is smart, not suffocating. We need guardrails, ethics, and reputational oversight.
But I remain optimistic.
This is the first time “anyone, anywhere can teach themselves” is more than just a slogan. It’s a reality, and it’s opening doors we didn’t even know existed. And if you’re building, if you’re educating, if you’re leading — you have to catch up.
This moment will define who holds power in the next generation: those who had privilege, or those who had vision.
Let’s build for the latter.
Melissa Solis is CEO of Inbenta AI. She previously built a tech company with her brother Merlin from $300 to a $610 million exit. She now champions AI innovation for enterprises worldwide. Follow her on LinkedIn for more tech leadership insights.
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