When Everyone Has AI, What Still Sets You Apart?

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on how AI has changed the way we work, not just the tools, but how we think.

AI is no longer a secret weapon.

Almost every team now has access to the same tools, same training, and same capabilities. Everyone’s building faster, automating more, and racing to keep up.

So the real question is: What are you doing with the space AI creates? That’s where the difference shows.

Why Clear Thinking Matters Even More Now

Thinking clearly has always been important. But in today’s AI-driven world, it’s easier than ever to confuse activity with impact.

When tools are doing more of the doing, the real edge comes from how we choose what to do. That means:

• Asking better questions

• Focusing on what actually matters

• Connecting creativity with real outcomes

• And moving with purpose, not just speed

Clear thinking is no longer optional. It’s what makes the tech meaningful.

What AI in the Video Game Industry Has Taught Me

In the games industry, we’ve been working with AI in real ways for years. It’s not just something we talk about it’s something we build with, test with, design around, and imagine through.

Here’s what I’ve learned from being part of that journey:

• Working across roles creates better AI - The best results come when engineers, artists, designers, QA\QC and producers work together. AI only brings value when it fits across disciplines, not inside just one.

• Responsible AI shows up in the small decisions - Trust isn’t built through big ethics decks. It shows up in how we handle player data, how transparently we explain AI decisions, and how seriously we take bias. Responsibility isn’t a policy - it’s a practice.

• AI has a cost and awareness matters - Training AI models uses energy and resources. When teams understand this impact, they make smarter choices. At Ubisoft, we’ve even compared energy use to hours of gameplay, so it’s easier to understand and care about.

Using AI for More Than Just Speed

AI helps us save time and work faster. But the bigger opportunity is how we use the space that speed gives us.

Some teams use it to ship more. Others use it to think differently, to explore bold ideas, revisit long-term goals, or take on problems they never had time for before.

That’s the real shift: AI gives us room to focus on purpose, not just productivity. And that’s where innovation happens.

What Still Sets Us Apart

When everyone has the same tools and training, the teams that stand out are the ones that:

• Have a clear sense of what matters

• Make strong, thoughtful decisions

• Work with creativity and courage

• Align quickly and build intentionally

• Care about how they build, not just what they deliver

These are human choices. And they still matter more than any tool.

AI will keep moving forward — faster, smarter, and more deeply embedded in how we work.

But progress in tools means nothing without progress in how we think.

The real transformation isn’t in automation.

It’s in how we lead through uncertainty, how we design with empathy, and how we imagine what’s possible not just efficient.

Let’s not race to keep up.

Let’s pause, ask better questions, and choose to build with clarity and courage.

Because in the end, it’s not the AI that will set us apart.

It’s the human behind it.

#AILeadership #GameIndustry #FutureOfWork #ClearThinking #HumanCenteredAI #Innovation #CreativeLeadership