The older I get, the more I find myself drawn to our country’s history. Some of it’s just a natural part of aging, but it also comes from a deeper appreciation for everything this country has been through, and the people who gave so much to shape it.

One of the things I enjoy most is reading, especially about the quiet, behind-the-scenes leaders. The ones who didn’t chase the spotlight but still made a big impact. Their stories are great reminders of what real leadership and serving others look like.

Flag Day is coming up this Saturday, June 14. It’s one of those holidays that doesn’t get a lot of attention and can easily slip by. I’ve been thinking about what our flag stands for and all the people who made it possible. The Stars and Stripes were officially adopted back in 1777. We see the flag all the time, but it’s easy to forget what it represents. To me, it stands for a country that’s not perfect, but one that keeps moving forward. One that’s resilient, diverse, and holds a set of shared values worth working for.

It also happens to be the U.S. Army’s birthday. June 14, 1775. The Army has been around even longer than our flag and from the very beginning, the men and women who’ve served have led with courage and selflessness. I’ve had the chance to work alongside veterans over the years and they carry that same spirit with them long after their service ends. They don’t talk about it much, but the way they show up for their teams, their communities, their families says it all. Their kind of leadership, grounded in humility and purpose, is something we can all learn from.

There’s no place that brings that feeling to life quite like the National Mall in D.C. When you see the flag flying above the monuments to presidents, pioneers, and service members, it just hits you. Every time I’m there, I’m reminded that leadership isn’t about titles or power but about stepping up, putting others first, and being part of something bigger than yourself.

So with Flag Day and the Army’s birthday coming up, maybe take a minute to reflect. Think about where we’ve been as a country, what we stand for today, and the kind of leadership we each have the chance to bring into the world. That quiet kind of leadership, rooted in purpose and service, is what has always moved us forward.

In my last post, I reflected on how far healthcare has come, from my dad’s era when everything was paper-based and reactive, to today’s world of wearables, digital records, virtual visits, and advanced medical science. It’s been an incredible journey. But as I said then, we’re not done. We’re just entering one of the most exciting chapters yet, with AI taking center stage.

AI is quickly becoming one of the most powerful tools we have to improve care, ease the load on clinicians, and make the whole experience better for patients. Of course this moment didn’t just happen. It’s built on earlier milestones, like digitizing health records and making data interoperable. Those changes gave us access to information at scale. Now, AI is helping us make sense of all this information and put it to work in smarter, more personalized ways. That said, we’re still in the early innings with AI. Just like with the internet, mobile phones, and other earlier technologies, we’re seeing AI move through phases of development and adoption.

A book I recently read, Agentic Artificial Intelligence, offered a helpful way to think about AI’s evolution. It breaks things down into five levels, from basic rule-based automation (Level 1) all the way to fully autonomous systems (Level 5). In between, you see AI gaining cognitive abilities, learning to reason with human input, and eventually functioning autonomously within defined conditions.

This framework helped me reset some of my expectations, but it also got me more excited about where things are headed, especially in areas where there’s a lot of high-quality data, decisions need to happen fast, and there’s a big reputational or clinical impact.

To make this real, I think about how I personally manage aspects of my health using my Garmin watch. It tracks everything from heart rate and movement to oxygen saturation and sleep patterns. Beyond its tracking capabilities, it also interprets the data and provides personalized insights. It can tell me how stressed I am, how well I slept, how ready I am to exercise, and even estimate my “health age.” In mapping Garmin’s capabilities to the AI framework, it has moved beyond Level 1 (automating) and is analyzing and offering relevant guidance (Level 2). I share this as a simple example and glimpse of how AI is becoming helpful in daily life.

In clinical settings, one of the biggest challenges is the administrative burden on clinicians with considerable documentation, fragmented records, and systems that don’t talk to each other. AI is starting to make a difference here too.

Take the company, Navina, for example. Its platform pulls together data from multiple sources and gives clinicians intelligent, timely recommendations right inside their existing workflows. That’s huge. It means better and faster decisions, and the ability to improve outcomes and quality scores by tapping into both clinical and non-clinical data. If we apply the AI levels to what Navina is doing, it starts at Level 1 by automating the retrieval of structured data, like lab results and medication lists. It then moves into Level 2 territory by analyzing unstructured data (physician notes, patient histories, clinical trends) and transforming this info into clear, actionable summaries. At Level 3, Navina begins to demonstrate reasoning capabilities, surfacing the most relevant clinical insights to help clinicians focus their time and make faster, more informed decisions, all while keeping human oversight in place, which remains essential in any healthcare setting. At Level 4, the platform takes another leap forward by auto-generating complete, compliant documentation, reducing administrative burden even further.

What makes Navina stand out is how well it fits into how clinicians already work. They don’t have to change their process. Instead, they get an AI assistant that flags suspected patient conditions, cuts the busywork, improves documentation, and frees up more time to care for patients. With nearly 98% adoption among users, the impact speaks for itself.

On the patient side, AI is already more present than many people realize. If you’ve asked a chatbot a health question or gotten a message in MyChart that explains your lab results in plain language, that’s AI at work. Those are examples of Level 2 (and even some Level 3) capabilities, helping people understand their health in ways that feel less intimidating and more empowering (something we could all use).

One of AI’s greatest strengths is its ability to pick up on things we might otherwise miss. Like spotting a subtle change in a scan, picking up a pattern in lab results, or tracking health data over time, AI can help catch issues earlier and lead to quicker, more accurate diagnoses.

It’s also changing how we approach research. By combing through massive data sets, AI can help identify which treatments are working, match the right patients to the right therapies, and predict how someone might respond to a specific drug. That’s a big step toward personalized medicine that is actually personalized.

I recently got a glimpse of what Level 4 might look like in the real world. It was a prototype hospital room where a robot delivered medical supplies autonomously to a nurse. It’s a controlled use case, but it’s a signal of what’s to come. Exciting stuff.

________

Ultimately, the real promise of AI isn’t just in the technology but in what it enables for people. It gives clinicians more time with patients. It gives patients clearer answers and greater confidence. It helps care teams work more collaboratively. And it moves the system closer to what we all want, which is care that’s simpler, more affordable, and centered around the individual.

Of course, we need to move forward thoughtfully and responsibly. But if we get this right, AI could turn decades of health data into something much more powerful … wisdom that actually improves lives. We’ve come a long way from the days of paper charts. Digitizing records was a huge leap. Now, with AI, we’re moving from collecting data to understanding and using it.

As someone who’s spent years in this field, I’ve never been more hopeful. The technology is real. The momentum is real. And most importantly the benefits are starting to reach the people who need them.

Thanks for reading. I’ll keep sharing stories and perspectives as we navigate this exciting new chapter in healthcare innovation.

If you only read the headlines, you might think our healthcare system here in the U.S. is all problems … too expensive, too confusing, too broken to fix. While there’s truth in those challenges, that’s far from the whole story. What often gets overlooked is just how much it has transformed over the years, and how many lives have been improved because of it.

From major medical breakthroughs to everyday tools that make care easier and more personal, the progress we’ve made is actually pretty incredible. I’ve seen it firsthand in my work and in my personal life. When I step back think about it, I’m reminded of something we don’t appreciate enough: our healthcare system isn’t perfect, but it’s one of the most innovative in the world.

You don’t have to look too far to see just how much has changed. When my dad was my age, healthcare looked a lot different. For most of his adult life, you usually only went to the doctor when something felt wrong, not for prevention. Everything was done on paper, so there wasn’t an easy way to track your full health history or share it between doctors. Medical advancements were much more limited too, with fewer screening tools, fewer specialists, and hardly any access to your own health information.

Today, the experience is completely different. I can hop on a virtual appointment from home, check my heart rate on my watch, pull up lab results on my phone, and even get alerts if something looks off. I track how I sleep, how much I move, and I can look up anything I’m curious about. And beyond just having access, I’m expected (and empowered) to play an active role in managing my health.

Tools like MyChart and other patient portals allow people to view their test results, message their doctors, schedule appointments, and manage prescriptions all in one place. Wearable devices and at-home monitors give real-time feedback about everything from heart rhythms to glucose levels. And mobile apps let us set medication reminders, track symptoms, and even connect with support groups.

Today, we have access to drugs and surgeries that are more targeted, with the ability to repair damaged body parts using synthetic materials and perform surgeries and diagnostics in some of the most delicate, hard-to-reach areas of the body. It’s a testament to the incredible research and innovation driven by our physicians and scientists, pushing the boundaries of what medicine can achieve.

One of the biggest changes we’ve seen in modern healthcare is the rise of the consumer. Healthcare isn’t just something that happens to you anymore, it’s something you’re actively part of. We’re making more decisions about our health, staying informed, and taking a bigger role in how we manage it. I like to think of it as “knowledgeable aging,” staying curious and engaged as we move through life.

None of these changes happened overnight. They’re the result of decades of steady progress, much of it unfolding quietly before making a visible impact on our daily lives.

For example, in the early 1900s the focus was on public health. Vaccines, antibiotics, and improved sanitation helped combat deadly diseases like polio and tuberculosis. At the time, access to care was mostly limited to those who could afford it or had private insurance. Then in 1965, Medicare and Medicaid came along and changed everything. Suddenly, millions of Americans who couldn’t afford care before finally had a way in.

By the ’70s and ’80s, medical imaging had changed how we diagnosed disease. CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds gave us a clearer view inside the body. Life-saving medications, organ transplants, and less invasive surgeries followed.

The Human Genome Project, completed in 2003, revolutionized sequencing, bioinformatics, and molecular biology, creating the foundation that proved critical years later. When SARS-CoV-2 emerged in early 2020, scientists were able to decode its full genome within days, something unthinkable just a decade earlier. That rapid decoding made it possible to design mRNA vaccines in record time, turning genetic insights into lifesaving shots. An incredible demonstration of progress.

At the same time, we’ve seen big leaps in how care is delivered. Telehealth had been around since the 2010s, but COVID accelerated its adoption almost overnight. Today, it’s not just an alternative but an expected and often preferred option for office visits.

Around the late 2000s, doctors’ offices and hospitals started moving from paper charts to digital records thanks to government incentives. It wasn’t perfect but it made it easier for providers to share information and helped patients get more involved in their own care. That digitization laid the groundwork for interoperability, the sharing of data across healthcare and consumer platforms that’s now setting the stage for the biggest shift yet: AI.

Thanks to better data sharing, doctors can now get a fuller picture of their patients’ health and catch issues earlier. It’s an exciting time in healthcare because innovation is moving fast and it’s changing how care will be delivered for years to come. AI is already helping out in big ways by spotting problems sooner, supporting better decisions, and cutting down on paperwork so doctors can spend more time with their patients. Tools like ChatGPT are part of this shift too, giving people a way to dig into their health questions, understand what’s happening, and walk into appointments more prepared. Clinicians are also using these tools to stay up-to-date on research, spot patterns, and deliver better care.

AI has a lot of promise when it comes to moving healthcare forward. To me, it feels like the next step in finally putting all the digital health data we’ve been collecting to good use. There’s so much happening in this space right now. In my next post, I’ll get into more of it like how AI can help make sense of the mountains of data in our systems, personalize care, and take some of the load off doctors by making their daily work simpler.

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It’s easy to get caught up in what’s broken. But if that’s all we focus on, we miss the progress that’s been made. We’re living longer, staying healthier, and have more tools and information at our fingertips than any generation before us. And more than ever, healthcare is becoming more personalized, more connected, and more responsive to what each of us needs.

When I think about how different my life is from my dad’s at this same age, I feel thankful. I can take a more active role in my health, get care when and where I need it, and benefit from innovations that are improving lives every day. It’s allowed me to expand my healthspan, the quality of my life, not just my lifespan, the number of years I live. I’m grateful to be in this chapter of history.

Sure, our healthcare system can be confusing and frustrating at times. But it’s also pretty incredible and one of the most powerful innovation stories in America. The best part … the story is still unfolding. I hope you’re as optimistic as I am about what’s ahead.

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal, titled “Meet the Man Behind the Viral 4 a.m. Morning Routine—Including a Banana Facial”, caught my attention. It profiled Ashton Hall and his now-viral daily ritual featuring mouth taping, ice baths, etc. While the practices are a bit unconventional, the bigger message I took away was this: how we live our daily lives matters more than we often realize.

I’ve been an early riser for most of my adult life. Even after stepping away from my role as a public company CEO, my alarm still goes off at 4:30 a.m. It’s a habit I’ve kept not out of obligation but because of the structure and clarity it brings to my day. Those early, quiet hours are when I’m most focused, whether I’m reading, reflecting, working out, or mapping out the day ahead. It’s also when I feel strongest, both mentally and physically.

And by the end of the day, it’s not the length of my to-do list that matters, it’s the sense that I used my time well and stayed aligned with what I care about most. That’s what the WSJ article reminded me of. We all have different routines, both at home and at work, but the real impact comes from how we spend our time … and whether we’re spending it with purpose. Big moments may get the headlines, but it’s the small, consistent choices that shape our character, our relationships, and the outcomes of our lives.

Looking back, I didn’t reach any meaningful milestone in my life or career through a single big move. It was the result of small and simple decisions made day after day, like waking up early, following through, staying curious, asking questions, making time for people, and learning to adjust when things weren’t working. Progress was slow, but steady. Much of it came from sticking with habits I committed to and learning from the inevitable challenges that happened along the way.

Early in my career, I had a lot to learn. At the time, my focus was almost entirely on outcomes, chasing performance and progress often at the expense of my health and relationships. It took a few hard personal experiences to force me to step back and recognize how I was living. Losing my mom unexpectedly was one of those moments. A failed business venture was another. In my early 30s, I started a company that didn’t succeed. It was humbling but also necessary because the failure ended up preparing me for much larger roles down the line. It taught me resilience and, just as importantly, the value of slowing down and being intentional about what matters most.

That shift in perspective led me to create a simple framework that I still rely on today. I call it the “tomato plant” process. The idea is simple: your time is like water, and your priorities are tomato plants. Try to water too many, and none will grow. But if you focus on just a few—family, health, relationships, meaningful work—you’ll see them thrive. I’ve used this to guide how I plan my weeks, my years, and even major life transitions. It’s helped keep me grounded and centered through all seasons of life.

And this principle doesn’t just apply to personal life, it’s also relevant in business. One of the most valuable leadership lessons I’ve learned, especially while leading large teams, is that consistency builds trust. Culture doesn’t form during speeches or company-wide announcements. It forms in the everyday moments: how leaders show up, how decisions are made, how priorities are reinforced, and how people are treated. Great companies and great leadership aren’t built overnight. They’re built by showing up with intention, again and again.

And this doesn’t mean being rigid because we all know life evolves and priorities shift. But when you’re clear on what matters, it becomes much easier to build your habits around those things. The result is a kind of internal steadiness, even when other parts of life feel uncertain.

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So, whether you’re someone who wakes up before the sun, someone who finds your stride late at night, or somewhere in between, the point isn’t when you start your day, it’s how you live it. Being aware of how you spend your time is one of the most impactful things you can do.

In the end, our lives are shaped by what we do with our days.

Make them count.

We often associate being healthy with not being sick. If our numbers look good—blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar—it’s easy to believe we’re on track. But good health is much more than that. It’s not just about what’s happening inside our bodies but also depends on what is happening around us, and how we choose to respond.

In today’s world where so much feels unpredictable, it’s easy to feel unsteady. Whether it’s the lingering effects of the pandemic, the fluctuations in the economy, or the constant stream of everyday stressors, uncertainty has become a certainty. And with this uncertainty comes a natural instinct to react quickly, believing we need to do something, anything, to regain control.

But I’ve learned over the years that one of the most important things to do in times like these is to pause and learn.

A challenge we all face is learning how to separate noise from signal. Our instinctive fight-or-flight response to bad news often pushes us to act fast, even when times call for patience and perspective. Today, those instincts aren’t triggered by physical threats but by a steady stream of headlines, speculation, and real-time reactions. Whether we’re leaders, parents, or community members, our ability to stay calm and provide steady perspective becomes extraordinarily valuable.

That’s why pausing matters. Pausing gives us a better chance to understand what’s going on. It helps us quiet the noise, create space for reflection, and gain clarity. In that space, learning becomes the stabilizer—often the difference between making knee-jerk reactions and choosing lasting, meaningful paths forward.

One thing I’ve found really helpful in times like these is the Cynefin Framework, developed by David Snowden. It’s a tool that helps leaders make sense of the situation they’re in—whether it’s simple, complicated, complex, or chaotic—and adjust their approach accordingly. In today’s fast-moving world, we’re often in that “complex” zone, where there’s no clear answer and patterns only show up over time. In those moments, Snowden’s advice is to probe, sense, and respond—basically, take in different perspectives, test ideas, and avoid jumping to quick conclusions.

This approach was really helpful to me during the early months of the pandemic, when it seemed every day brought more change and uncertainty. I adopted the idea of “probing” by reaching out to a wide range of leaders from different industries. Hearing their different perspectives, experiences, and instincts helped me start to piece together what was really going on. That experience reminded me that clarity rarely shows up all at once. It tends to build slowly through curiosity, honest conversations, and a willingness to listen beyond our own point of view.

I saw this same principle in action during my time leading Humana. Like any large organization, we faced our share of challenges … some we could see coming, others we didn’t. One way I tried to navigate this was by creating space for people to speak up and share their perspectives. One example was the CEO Advisory Council we set up. It wasn’t a governance group or a decision-making body but was simply a space for learning. We brought together frontline leaders from across the company, with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and roles.

We kept the meetings small and informal to encourage real conversation, free from hierarchy. Those sessions didn’t just shape how I saw the business; they helped shape how the company evolved. We uncovered barriers that weren’t obvious on paper, and we gained valuable insights into what motivated our teams, what our customers were experiencing, and how we could shift our culture and operations to better support people’s health. It was a powerful reminder that the best decisions don’t come from having all the answers but come from listening, learning, and staying humble along the way.

That same mindset of slowing down and choosing to learn was just as important during the pandemic. Like so many others, we were trying to navigate something we’d never been through before. The instinct early on was to move fast and push through. But we found that doing the opposite—pausing, asking questions, and listening—ended up making a much bigger impact.

We took the time to listen to our teammates and our customers. What did they need to feel safe and supported? What were they most worried about? What was getting in their way? Again and again, the answers pointed to the basics: a desire for safety, a need for connection, and the comfort of knowing they weren’t alone. The most effective things we did didn’t come from complicated strategies but from understanding human needs and responding with empathy and clarity.

It’s a good lesson to carry forward: when we don’t know what to do, we can always choose to learn.

In both work and life, we benefit from carving out space to learn. It doesn’t have to be formal. It can be as simple as asking better questions, stepping back to reflect, or surrounding ourselves with people who challenge our thinking. Learning builds resilience and keeps us adaptable. And it helps us respond with calm instead of chaos.

This applies to personal well-being, too. Some of the healthiest people I know do more than eat well and exercise. They’re also constantly learning—about themselves, about others, and about the world around them. They stay open and curious and build emotional and mental strength in the same way they build physical strength … by showing up and being willing to grow.

I try to build small things into my day that help keep me grounded and learning. Coffee with a friend. A consistent morning routine. Sunday planning sessions. Time with family. These may seem like habits, but they’ve become meaningful moments for reflection and insight. I’ve found they’re exactly what I need to stay present, reconnect with what matters, and notice when I’ve started to drift off course. Especially in uncertain times, these small anchors along with a learning mindset help keep me steady.

Because in the end, good health isn’t just physical. It’s emotional, social, and spiritual. And it’s shaped by how we engage with the world. Learning is the thread that ties it all together.

So yes, go to the doctor. Eat your vegetables. Move your body. But also, keep learning. Learn about yourself. Learn from others. Learn from the moments that stretch you, and the ones that slow you down. When the world feels noisy or unstable, learning gives us the pause we need to find clarity. It builds perspective, reveals what really matters, and helps us move forward—not in fear, but with purpose and wisdom.

My love for the outdoors—along with a deep pride in our country and appreciation for the places that help tell its story—inspired today’s post. Over the past several years, I’ve had the great honor of chairing and working with the Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring and preserving one of America’s most treasured public spaces.

The National Mall is more than just a collection of monuments and museums … it’s the very heart of our nation’s story. It’s where people have come together for generations to celebrate big moments, speak out for change, or simply take in the history that surrounds them. From presidential inaugurations to powerful civil rights marches, it’s a place that reminds us of where we’ve been and what we stand for.

If you’ve ever walked around the Mall in early spring, you know there’s something magical in the air. One of the best parts of the season is happening right now—the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Every year, over 3,000 trees light up the Tidal Basin and the Mall with their beautiful pink and white flowers. These trees were first gifted to the U.S. by Japan back in 1912 as a gesture of friendship, and since then they’ve come to symbolize peace, renewal, and connection. Keeping that spirit alive, Japan recently donated 250 more cherry trees to help celebrate America’s 250th birthday next year.

Peak bloom is happening now, and while I’m disappointed I won’t be able to see it in person this year, I’ll be following Bloomcam.org to take it all in from afar. If you get the chance, I hope you’ll check it out too.

No matter what’s going on in the world, there’s something about spring on the National Mall that brings a sense of hope. It’s a good reminder to slow down, take in the beauty around us, and appreciate all that we’re blessed to have … our freedoms, our history, and the people who’ve helped shape this country. Even if you’re just watching from a distance, the cherry blossoms are a powerful symbol of where we’ve been, how far we’ve come, and the importance of staying connected to each other and to what really matters.

The world watched last week as a group of astronauts, who had been stuck in space for nine months, finally made it back home. Many headlines called their extended mission an “ordeal,” but I’d bet that in the months ahead, we’ll hear a different story … one of resilience, unexpected lessons, and maybe even gratitude.

Their experience is a powerful reminder that while we can’t always control what happens to us, we do control how we react. And that choice, the way we frame our situation, can shape everything.

How We Choose to Respond Matters
Life throws curveballs. Sometimes they’re small inconveniences; other times, they shake our world. I’ve learned that when we face uncertainty, we have two choices: we can resist, letting frustration and fear take over, or we can step back, adjust our perspective, and look for growth, meaning, or even just the next step forward.

As a young adult, this lesson came to me the hard way. Losing my mom suddenly felt like the world had come apart. At first, the unfairness of it all was overwhelming. But over time, a choice became clear—stay stuck in grief or find a way forward. Reflecting on what could be learned didn’t erase the pain, but it did provide a path. Helping others became a way for me to find purpose, helping turn loss into something that mattered.

The astronauts didn’t get to choose their extended stay in space, but they did have control over how they handled it. I imagine they had days of frustration and exhaustion, but also moments of wonder and discovery. They’ll likely come back with a perspective many of us might not have considered … that their “ordeal” was also an opportunity.

The Power of Reframing

One of the most valuable skills we can develop in life is the ability to reframe situations. Instead of seeing failure, we can see learning. Instead of loss, we can see gratitude. Instead of frustration, we can see growth.

There’s a small card in my desk with four words: Persistence. Passion. Patience. Pepto-Bismol. It’s a simple reminder that setbacks and stress are just part of life, but how they’re handled makes all the difference. Hardships aren’t something to ignore but are often the first step toward something better.

The most successful leaders, innovators, and explorers have this same mindset. They don’t let their circumstances define them. They choose to see obstacles as a chance to learn and grow.

Mindfulness and Staying Present

It’s easy to get caught up in reacting to life’s stressors. I’ve been there. But one of the most valuable habits I’ve picked up is simply asking myself, What is within my control right now? Often, the answer is my perspective.

During my time at Humana, I worked with Larry Senn, who introduced me to a concept called the Mood Elevator. It’s a simple tool that helps people recognize their emotional state and shift toward gratitude, curiosity, and optimism rather than staying stuck in frustration. That framework has helped me navigate countless challenges by reinforcing that while I can’t always control external events, I can always control my response.

Growth Comes from Discomfort
If we listened to society, we’d believe life is about avoiding discomfort at all costs. But the reality is, growth doesn’t happen when things are easy, it happens when we’re challenged.

The astronauts likely faced some incredibly tough moments—mentally, physically, and emotionally. But I’d guess that when they reflect on their experience, they’ll talk about more than just the struggles. They’ll share what they learned in isolation, the unexpected moments of joy, and the deep appreciation they feel now that they’re back home.

Gratitude: The Ultimate Perspective Shift
If there’s one lesson I keep coming back to, it’s that gratitude changes everything.

Gratitude changes the way we see things. It shifts our focus from what’s missing to what’s already there, from what’s lost to what’s been gained. It’s more than just a “feel-good” exercise and has the power to shape our perspective in a way that leads to better decisions, stronger relationships, and a more fulfilling life.

________

The return of these astronauts is a reminder that even when things are out of our control, we always have a choice. We can see challenges as burdens or as opportunities. We can focus on what’s lost or on what’s gained. And we can either let circumstances define us, or we can define ourselves by how we respond.

I imagine that as these astronauts share their reflections in the coming months, we’ll hear stories about resilience, adaptability, and gratitude. And maybe their experience will remind all of us that when faced with the unknown, our greatest power is the perspective we choose.

I recently read a Wall Street Journal article about research conducted by David Autor at MIT, along with four other economists, on what they call the “China Shock.” Their study examined how the decades ago shift of U.S. manufacturing to China deeply impacted workers and communities.

The findings were eye-opening and should give us pause as we consider the impact of emerging technologies today. While many affected communities eventually bounced back by expanding into sectors like retail and hospitality, the manufacturing workers who lost their jobs often struggled to regain their economic footing. Towns adapted by shifting toward service-based industries, but many displaced workers lacked the necessary skills for these new roles. Despite retraining programs, the available jobs often paid less, offered fewer benefits, and lacked job security. As a result, many former manufacturing employees found these roles unappealing. However, they did attract newer entrants to the workforce—immigrants, young workers just starting out, and older individuals looking to learn a new trade.

This got me thinking: What impact will AI have on our communities? Are we doing enough to make sure our workforce evolves with the times, so people aren’t left behind?

My concerns deepened when I recently witnessed an AI technology in action. It started by analyzing an image, converting it into structured data, and verifying its completeness. From there, it placed an automated order, seamlessly navigating a company’s website to fill in all the required details. When an error occurred, the AI took it a step further by placing a phone call and engaging in a natural, human-like conversation with a customer service agent to resolve the issue. It was impressive, if not a bit unsettling.

Large Language Models (LLMs) are moving beyond simply retrieving and summarizing information. They’re now executing complex tasks across multiple channels—voice, fax, and structured data—at any time of day. As AI takes on more advanced functions, the real question is: How do we ensure that all this progress benefits not just businesses and economies, but also the workers who risk being displaced?

The skills required in the workforce are shifting fast. No matter the industry, the ability to think critically, show emotional intelligence, and make high-level decisions will only become more valuable. Humans will need to interpret AI outputs, ensure ethical use, and drive innovation. Meanwhile, repetitive tasks like data entry, basic content creation, and low-level research will shrink as AI automates these processes. Instead of eliminating jobs, LLMs will shift work toward oversight, problem-solving, and collaboration, making adaptability and continuous learning more essential than ever.

This isn’t the first time we’ve faced a transformation of this scale. Consider the Industrial Revolution where machines automated weaving, assembly, and transportation, replacing manual labor while significantly increasing efficiency. Today, AI is bringing a similar shift by automating data processing, document drafting, coding, and customer service, reducing the need for humans to be involved in routine tasks. Just as workers once had to transition from performing manual labor to managing and improving machines (creating new demand for engineering, logistics, and system design), today’s workforce will need to adapt by building AI literacy and strengthening critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These capabilities are critical to ensuring AI-driven processes are appropriately aligned with business objectives, ethical considerations, and broader societal needs.

The lessons from the “China Shock” and the Industrial Revolution highlight why workers, leaders, businesses, and education systems must evolve to keep pace with the impact of AI. On an individual level, we all need to stay curious and be open to continuous learning. AI literacy isn’t just about understanding how AI works but also includes strengthening “soft skills”—creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence—that will help set us apart in an AI-driven job market. Perhaps even more important, staying competitive in this new world of work requires a mindset shift. I recently took an online course on AI prompting, and it was one of the best investments I’ve made. It deepened my understanding of AI’s capabilities and reinforced the importance of critical thinking and creativity, areas where human strengths will always be essential.

For businesses, AI shouldn’t be about replacing workers but about redeploying and upskilling them. For example, companies that automate customer support with AI chatbots can transition employees into higher-value roles like customer relationship management, sales consulting, or AI supervision. In finance, AI can automate data analysis, freeing analysts to focus on strategic advisory, risk assessment, or financial planning. In manufacturing, AI-driven robotics can take over repetitive tasks while displaced workers get retrained for machine oversight, AI troubleshooting, or quality assurance roles. I recently read that McDonald’s is implementing new technology across its restaurants which will give employees the opportunity to learn new skills, like using AI to predict equipment reliability and monitor restaurant operations in real time, enabling them to get ahead of potential problems and improve customer service. Business leaders have a responsibility to think beyond just the technology and proactively address the human side of automation. Workforce development should be a core part of the change management process.

Education needs to evolve too. We must move away from memorization-based learning and toward problem-solving, both individually and in teams. Critical thinking is all about asking the right questions and approaching challenges with deeper reasoning. In high school, I took a debate class that helped me develop reasoning, critical thinking, and logical organization skills but it was an elective, not a core subject. Today, some high schools are forming AI-driven problem-solving teams where students use AI to tackle real-world business challenges. What used to be reserved for college students is now within reach of high schoolers. This shift underscores the need to rethink job qualifications, focusing less on formal degrees and more on the problem-solving and collaborative abilities that truly drive success. Schools should actively integrate AI coursework, replacing outdated rote learning with a curriculum that fosters team-based solutions to complex problems.

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As we embrace AI, particularly LLMs, we must recognize that continuous learning and adaptability aren’t just nice-to-haves, they’re must-dos. Thriving in this new era will take curiosity, courage, and a willingness to grow. Leaders in education, government, and business must step up to ensure the workforce has access to AI training and upskilling opportunities. But it’s not just about learning AI tools, it’s about sharpening the human skills that AI can’t replicate: critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and high-level decision-making. AI doesn’t replace these abilities … it amplifies their importance. Our experiences and education will always be valuable in an AI-driven world. We just need to adapt how we apply them.