How AI Is Reshaping Your Work Week—And Your Life

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Hi there,

Welcome to issue #50 of the Network Wrangler.

Just this week, I saw a comfort-rattling forecast for the near-term future.

“50% of white-collar work disappears in the next 18 months.”

This hook persuaded me to attend a live event this past week by Vishen, the founder of Mindvalley.

Thanks to advances in AI, especially in the realm of AI-empowered agents, Vishen says we’ll see half of the work currently done by white-collar employees (programmers, lawyers, etc) off-loaded onto these agents.

He emphasized that the white-collar work will disappear by mid-2026, not the jobs.

The use of AI agents means the employees that used to do those tasks without the lift of AI will now accomplish the same outcomes in less time (their productivity stays the same, and they achieve it faster).

Employers will have (at least) two options: reduce employee hours via 4- or 3-day work weeks or reduce employee headcounts.

While the number of employers moving toward 4-day work weeks is already increasing, and we can hope more will take this approach, Vishen says 50% of white-collar jobs will disappear within 5 years thanks to these same AI-powered forces in the workplace.

So, what can we do about this, and what does it have to do with networking?

If we have fewer work days per week, it means we’ll have more time on our hands to embrace the opportunity to connect with other human beings.

It sounds like a no-brainer, but the trends are showing folks pack their non-work hours with solo digital entertainment (games, doom scrolling, etc) instead of engaging authentically with other humans in person. All innovation seems to focus on enabling individuals to get addicted to doing things by themselves and disengaging from others.

We know this individualization of existence is not good for us.

We know that humans are pro-social animals, and humanity thrives when we interact with each other.

So, naturally, the importance of connecting with other people will only increase. The art of growing and managing your network will be the critical skill that allows you to keep thriving 18 months and even five years from now.

As we round out the year, I encourage you to lean into any opportunity that comes your way to connect with others in person. ‘Tis the season.

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You, Too, Can Play the 2025 Networking Game

Speaking of the season, we’re creeping up on the annual news cycle that includes retrospectives of the past year and recommendations for what to do in the coming year.

I invite you to join me in playing a game this year as you review the many articles with recommendations for making 2025 resolutions.

See how many of these recommendation articles include some form of "be a better networker” in them. Score a point for each one that does.

Give yourself a bonus point if you notice that networking makes it into the top 3 in any of these lists.

First one to 50 wins a free copy of my book.

Wise Words from Formula One

I fell in love with Formula One racing during thanks in no small part to the Netflix series Formula One: Drive to Survive.

Mind you, I’d always been a casual fan of the racing, but it was only after bingeing on several seasons of the series that the personalities on the track really came to life for me and captured my attention.

One of the class acts of the sport is Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time champion who holds the records for most wins, most pole positions, and most podium finishes. He’s seen most of his success driving for the Mercedes team (since joining them in 2013), under team boss Toto Wolff.

This past weekend marked his last race for Mercedes, as he’s moving over to drive for Ferrari, a bitter rival of Mercedes, starting in the 2025 season.

I’ve been watching this move closely, as it’s got all the ingredients for drama and feelings of betrayal and such.

But Wolff and Hamilton have been, outwardly, the consummate professionals during this transition. I’m not entirely sure what’s going on behind closed doors where the microphones are off and the cameras can’t spy, but I think what we’re seeing in public is close to what’s happening across the board.

There’s nothing but respect for what Hamilton and Wolff and the entire Mercedes team accomplished together. After all, while there’s but one person behind the wheel of the car, any success is due to myriad roles being filled by just the right people working together to make the impossible possible.

Any success you find is really all about the people you surround yourself with and who support you and make you better than you could be going it alone.

Sounds like an extension of the Inner Circle Effect, doesn’t it?

I’ll leave you with these parting words shared by Toto Wolff to Lewis Hamilton:

“Now you’re opening up a new chapter with Ferrari, but it’s most important to remember one thing: find your people.

“Not just the ones who work with you or sign your contract – obviously we know that’s important, but the ones that dream with you, fight with you, who have your back and your ear, the ones who stand with you and kneel with you.

“The ones who see you, including the parts you don’t want seen, who never stop believing even when you do sometimes. Because when you find your people, you don’t just beat the world – you change it.

“Whatever the future holds, just remember we will always be your people, because every dream needs a team, you know it. Take care my friend, see you on track. We are really looking forward to it. That’s the most important message I’ve ever sent!”

If you don’t have them already, my wish is that you find your people. If you’d like my help, just reach out and I’m happy to help you change the world.

We’re just two issues shy of a full year of weekly newsletters written, and I’m grateful to count you as a subscriber. Thank you for being on this journey with me!

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