📨 Weekly digest: 36 2025 | Beyond the output
Part 2/3: a series on leadership in the AI era | The enduring value of technical intuition
👋🏻 Hello, legends, and welcome to the weekly digest for week 36 of 2025.
In the first post, we explored the shift in leadership's focus from execution to intention in the age of readily available AI-powered answers.
However, the assertion that technical mastery becomes entirely obsolete warrants further discussion.
While the depth of technical skill required for every leader may evolve, a fundamental level of technical intuition remains crucial for effective guidance and decision-making.
Think of it like navigating a new city with a sophisticated GPS. The GPS can provide turn-by-turn directions, but a driver with a basic understanding of road layouts, traffic patterns, and potential hazards is far better equipped to handle unexpected situations, critically interpret the GPS's instructions, and ultimately reach their destination safely and efficiently.
Similarly, in the realm of AI, while the "how" is increasingly automated, understanding the underlying "what it's doing" and "what it's capable of (and not capable of)" is vital for leaders.
Read the intro of this special series:
What happens to leadership when answers are instant?
Read the previous post:
Beyond the algorithm
Consider a scenario where an AI generates a marketing strategy. A leader without a solid understanding of marketing fundamentals might blindly accept recommendations.
However, a leader with a basic understanding of market segmentation, customer acquisition cost, and conversion funnels can critically evaluate the AI's output, identify potential flaws or overlooked opportunities, and ask more insightful follow-up questions.
They possess a technical intuition – a gut feeling rooted in foundational knowledge – that allows them to navigate the AI's suggestions effectively.
Furthermore, understanding the limitations and potential biases of AI is crucial. AI models are trained on data, and if that data reflects existing societal biases, the AI's output can perpetuate or even amplify those biases.
A leader with technical intuition is more likely to recognize these potential pitfalls and ensure that AI is used responsibly and ethically. They understand that "instant answers" aren't always objective truths.
This doesn't mean every leader needs to be a coding expert or a data scientist. However, cultivating a foundational understanding of AI's capabilities, limitations, and underlying principles is essential. This includes:
Understanding the basics of how different AI models work: Knowing the difference between a large language model and a predictive analytics model can inform the types of questions you ask and the level of trust you place in the output.
Familiarity with data quality and bias: Recognizing that the quality and representativeness of training data directly impact the AI's results is crucial for the responsible adoption of AI.
Appreciating the iterative nature of AI development: Understanding that AI models often require fine-tuning and human feedback to achieve optimal performance fosters a more collaborative and realistic approach to implementation.
In conclusion, while the day-to-day execution of many tasks will increasingly be handled by AI, leaders cannot afford to be completely detached from the technical underpinnings of their work.
A strong technical intuition empowers them to guide AI effectively, critically evaluate its output, and ensure that it aligns with broader strategic goals and ethical considerations.
It's about being an informed navigator, not just a passive passenger, in the age of intelligent automation.
Yael.