
The Forces That Shape AI’s
Uneven Progress
Automation advances unevenly across tasks and roles. Understanding the friction
factors that slow adoption can help leaders navigate workforce transformation
strategically.
By Will Drover and Laura Huang
As articial intelligence has begun to write code, pilot
vehicles, and even diagnose disease, narratives of
machines abruptly replacing humans have taken hold.
However, the real story is slower, messier, and far more
uneven. Across roles and industries, AI’s emergent
capabilities form what’s often called a “jagged frontier,”
where it excels at some tasks while struggling with ...