AI will impact one job role more than any other

2026-05-12 · Source: Artificial Intelligence · Field: Business & Management — Corporate Strategy & Leadership, Human Resources & Workforce Development · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, quick

Summary

Scott Galloway, following a discussion with Jack Dorsey, posits that artificial intelligence (AI) will significantly impact middle management roles. He suggests that organizations might view AI as an opportunity to flatten their structures, reducing layers between frontline employees and the CEO. Galloway argues that this approach is problematic because middle managers are crucial for interpreting and re-interpreting leadership's goals, acting as a buffer against misguided top-level directives. Without these intermediary layers, organizations risk impaired performance and impact, as middle management helps an organization respond effectively and prevents derailment. This perspective highlights the essential, often underestimated, role of middle management in organizational resilience and strategic execution.

Key takeaway

For VPs of Engineering or Data considering organizational restructuring due to AI adoption, recognize that eliminating middle management layers can severely degrade operational effectiveness. Your teams rely on these roles for critical mentorship, coaching, and the crucial translation of executive vision into actionable tasks. Overlooking this function risks increased employee turnover and a failure to deliver on strategic objectives, potentially leading to costly re-organizations down the line.

Key insights

AI's impact on organizational structure risks eliminating vital middle management roles, hindering strategic execution.

Principles

• Middle management translates leadership goals.
• Flattening organizations can impede performance.
• Organizational layers absorb top-down errors.

In practice

• Evaluate middle management's translation function.
• Assess risks of reduced organizational layers.
• Consider mentorship needs in flat structures.

Topics

• AI Impact
• Middle Management
• Organizational Structure
• Leadership
• Workforce Dynamics

Best for: VP of Engineering/Data, Director of AI/ML, Executive, HR Professional

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Artificial Intelligence.