Hello AI, welcome to the team!

Recently, we toasted our new colleague with a glass of champagne and lots of laughter. She was referring to the artificial intelligence. Not a human, of course! But still a new addition to the team who's changing a lot.

It requires no training, no lunch breaks, and no team meetings. But it will shape your daily work routine, probably more than many people today think possible.

The new colleague is here to stay

She's fast, persistent, and brings structure to processes that no one else has time for. She summarizes, suggests, combines, and finds patterns. She speaks a language that feels surprisingly natural, at least once you've learned how to give her clear instructions.

She will make things possible that no one has even imagined today. She can take on tasks that take up time without actually helping. She never gets annoyed, even if she's corrected ten times. Quite the opposite! She'll learn along the way, as long as the person shows her the way.

In my work, I see how much teams open up when they realize how quickly and smartly AI can help them in their work

She changes teams without being part of the team

The new colleague will never be impatient or contradictory. But she influences how we think, how we decide, and how we organize knowledge. Those who understand her will progress faster. Those who avoid her risk falling behind.

Working with her gives rise to clarification:

What role should it play with us?

Who uses them and how?

Which decisions may it prepare?

Where do we draw the line?

It would be wrong to see it as a neutral truth; it (still) makes too many errors, so-called hallucinations. It is true that it processes probabilities. To do this, it needs clear instructions in the form of "prompts" to deliver useful results. It is important to always remember that it is merely a machine that doesn't know what it's doing.

Leadership means enabling new collaboration

Good leadership now asks:

How do we get people on board?

How do we demonstrate that AI enriches teamwork?

How can you make an introduction that encourages rather than overwhelms?

For me, this path doesn't begin with understanding the new technology alone. Rather, it's about successful collaboration, where the new player is skillfully integrated into the team.

If teams and leaders now recognize that teamwork with AI requires new rules, there will be room for real development. We are experiencing dynamic times with AI. These must be shaped consciously and in the interests of all team members.

Reflection question for teams and managers:

What new team rules do you want to introduce for interaction with the AI?