Why Executives Are Dangerously Wrong About AI's Impact

The latest CFO Survey, directed by The Fuqua School of Business in partnership with the Federal Reserve Banks of Richmond and Atlanta, suggests AI won't meaningfully shrink payrolls. In this episode, Professor Harvey argues that CEOs and CFOs are dramatically underestimating AI's reach. The real disruption isn't replacing clerks; it's AI rewriting code for security and speed, redesigning websites and apps, drafting and reviewing contracts, prepping earnings call questions, and serving as an always-on strategy consultant.Harvey details how "agents" — not mere tools — are already reshaping legal, finance, and sales workflows. He also flags additional disruptions on the horizon: quantum computing, decentralized technologies, and "multiomics” (an integrated approach to DNA, RNA, and protein structure). The future is closer than most managers think.