Above the Line: Redesigning Work in the Age of AI

As automation and AI rapidly evolve, we need to reconsider what makes human work valuable. I often refer to "the line" — the threshold between work that can be easily automated using current technology, and work that truly benefits from human insight, judgement, and experience. Above that line is where people generate value — and below it, machines are increasingly capable of getting the job done.

This idea matters because it helps us rethink roles and reframe organisational design. Instead of keeping people busy with tasks that could be automated, the goal becomes elevating human contribution — focusing our time and energy on decisions, problem-solving, and strategic improvement.I would argue that routine" work has already shifted below the line, and the complexity of what AI can do will only increase. Businesses must prepare for that now.

Rethinking Work Through the Line

Understanding what’s above and below the line gives us a way to redesign work. We can streamline processes and use automation for the predictable, repeatable parts — freeing people to work on the parts of the business that require judgement, creativity, and experience.

This shift enables something powerful: a different kind of workforce model. With less time tied up in busywork, organisations can tap into more flexible expertise — part-time specialists, freelancers, parents returning to work, or retirees contributing on their terms. It’s a more scalable, lower-cost, and higher-value model.

More Valuable Work, Better Meetings

As we automate the transactional, we also reshape how decisions happen. Our Management Operating System (MOS) no longer just tracks work — it helps move work forward. Meetings can become action-oriented, powered by automation and context-aware AI, helping teams trigger real decisions and unblock stalled processes. Instead of repeating the same conversations, we make progress — together, in real time.

The Call to Action

For individuals: understand where your value lies — and keep building it. As more routine work gets absorbed by AI, your experience, judgement, and adaptability become your currency. For graduates and early-career professionals, this means deliberately seeking out experiences that stretch you, and surrounding yourself with mentors who can guide your development.

For businesses: the moment to act is now. Rethink your services, your business processes, and your technology plumbing. With today’s tools, you can become more agile, more scalable, and more mission-focused — often at lower cost than your current model. Waiting only accelerates obsolescence.

Above the line is where the future lives — in human insight, in thoughtful design, and in the power of combining people and machines to do more, with less, for longer. The sooner we step into that space, the more value we unlock for everyone.