422 How AI Is Reshaping the Knowledge Economy, And What Leaders Need to Do Now with Sangeet Paul Choudary
In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Sangeet Paul Choudary, one of the world’s leading thinkers on digital strategy, platforms, and the future of value creation. Sangeet is the author of the acclaimed new book Reshuffle: Who Wins When AI Transforms the Knowledge Economy, a work that reframes how leaders must think about artificial intelligence—not as a tool for faster workflows, but as a force that will rewrite the foundations of competition.
Across the conversation, Sangeet challenges the familiar narrative of automation and productivity gains. Drawing on decades of research into platforms, market structure, and shifting sources of advantage, he explains why AI’s real impact will not be felt at the task level but at the level of organizational identity, industry architecture, and the assumptions leaders use to define their business. For CEOs and senior executives, his message is clear: the companies that thrive in the years ahead will be those that reexamine what game they play before investing in how fast they play it.
Sangeet introduces the idea of building a “map”—a strategic view of how value is moving across your industry—before deploying AI to accelerate existing processes. He argues that leaders who rush to optimize current workflows risk becoming highly efficient at activities that no longer matter. Instead, organizations must continually reassess their model of the market, the basis of differentiation, and the capabilities that will matter one year out—a timeframe that now represents the new strategic horizon.
The discussion spans far beyond theory. Through examples ranging from mining and materials to chemicals, healthcare, and creative industries, Sangeet shows how knowledge work underpins value creation in nearly every sector—and how AI will reshape that work. He also explores the growing importance of sensemaking, the role of agency inside organizations, why incumbents struggle to adapt to new architectures, and what leaders must do to prepare their people for the jobs and capabilities of tomorrow.
For senior executives navigating unprecedented uncertainty, this episode offers a compelling lens on the future—not through hype, but through practical strategy. Sangeet’s insights help leaders see what they may have sensed but couldn’t yet articulate, and highlight the conversations they need to prioritize with their teams right now.
Actionable Takeaways
- You’ll learn why “running faster” with AI may push your organization in the wrong direction—and how to build the right strategic map before accelerating.
- Hear how Sangeet reframes AI’s impact—not as workflow automation, but as a force that reshapes differentiation, identity, and industry structure.
- You’ll explore why knowledge work underpins value creation in far more sectors than most leaders assume—and what that means for your competitive position.
- Hear how to distinguish first-order effects of AI (automation) from second- and third-order effects that redefine entire markets.
- You’ll learn why sensemaking is no longer the job of a strategy team alone—and what leaders must do to distribute this capability across the organization.
- Discover how coordination, not autonomy, will become the real advantage inside AI-enabled organizations.
- Hear why incumbents often fail—not because they’re slow, but because they can’t shift to new architectures—and what leaders can do differently.
- You’ll learn why reskilling efforts fall short
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