When people talk about AI, they almost always frame it around productivity. How much faster can I write a report? How many hours can I save in a week? The problem with this lens is simple: saved time doesn't stay saved. It gets filled up with more tasks, more emails, more meetings. Efficiency becomes a treadmill.
What if that's the wrong metric? What if AI isn't about doing the same things faster, but about enabling us to do different, more impactful things?
Productivity vs. Impact
- Productivity asks: “How can I do more in less time?”
- Impact asks: “Now that AI can take on some of my workload, what can I focus on that truly moves the needle?”
That's a fundamentally different question. Instead of measuring success by hours saved, we measure it by value created.
Reinvesting Energy Where It Matters
AI can draft reports, summarize research, generate code, and handle repetitive tasks. But the human advantage is in areas AI can't replicate:
- Setting vision and direction
- Building relationships and trust
- Making judgment calls in ambiguous situations
- Designing new strategies and experiences
Leaders who let AI handle the repetitive work gain time to inspire and align teams. Creators can shift from production to original storytelling. Builders can focus less on boilerplate and more on innovative design.
The win isn't productivity. The win is reinvested energy toward things that matter.
From Hours Saved to Impact Delivered
Here's a shift in framing:
- Instead of: “AI saved me three hours today.”
- Try: “AI gave me the space to design a client strategy I wouldn't have had time for otherwise.”
This repositions AI as a partner in amplifying your purpose and mission, not just as a digital assistant shaving minutes off tasks.
Asking the Bigger Question
Every professional should ask:
“Now that AI exists and I can delegate some of my work to it, what can I do to have greater impact on my purpose and my team's mission?”
That's the real opportunity. Not working faster. Not cramming more tasks into the same day. But stepping back, redefining what matters, and aiming higher.
Final Thought
AI is a force multiplier. But like any tool, its value depends on how you use it. If all we chase is productivity, we'll miss the bigger prize. If we focus on impact — aligning our freed-up time with purpose — AI becomes more than an efficiency hack. It becomes a catalyst for transformation.