AI Is Coming For Managerial Tasks, But Not For Human Leadership

Speaking as a company leader, I can say from personal experience that a lot of management tasks today no longer require in-depth human involvement. Filling out reports, checking deadlines, scheduling meetings, making their summaries after the fact — all of these are tasks that artificial intelligence can already do faster and with greater precision than humans.

We’re entering an era when AI can confidently take over 80% of what junior or middle managers handle on a daily basis. That doesn’t mean management as a whole is going to become an obsolete concept, but it does mean the role is about to undergo some major changes.

Where AI Already Outperforms Human Managers

So what kinds of managerial tasks can AI handle already, you might ask? And the answer is: plenty.

Take meeting protocols, for example. There are quite a few dedicated AI assistants and notetakers out there already, and they are so good at transcribing meetings and highlighting key action points, that they can easily outperform humans. 

After all, it is not unusual for people to become distracted in the middle of the conversation so they forget to take notes. And in the same way, they can get lost in routine tasks and forget to send follow-ups. With AI, that’s not a worry anymore — nothing will be forgotten or misplaced. 

If you are scratching your head each time you have to compile a weekly or a monthly report, that’s also not a problem anymore. AI can write them up with just a few inputs, vastly simplifying the whole process. Dashboards, KPIs, financial summaries, project updates — all these can now be automated using AI-powered tools embedded in platforms like Notion or ClickUp or Google Workspace.

Even in HR, artificial intelligence is starting to take over. Screening through hundreds of CVs, selecting a handful of suitable candidates, and scheduling interviews with them used to eat up countless hours out of a manager’s week. Now, all you need to do is find a suitable AI model, set up parameters to your liking, and get only the top cut — the most suitable applicants.

In short, with AI, routine tasks can be dealt with in hours instead of days like they used to. So it’s no surprise that many people wonder if managers may as well be out of work soon. Except, of course, it’s never quite so simple.

Can AI Lead? Not Really.

Here’s an important thing to understand: out of all the use cases we’ve covered above, none of them make AI an actual leader.

Yes, AI tools can make organising things a lot easier, optimising processes across the board. But a manager’s job is about more than that — there is also the intrinsically human part that shouldn’t be forgotten. 

AI can’t provide real moral support when your team is going through an uncertain situation. It can’t mentor junior employees and help them find their legs in your company. It won’t spark any creative breakthroughs when you are brainstorming.

Real leadership — the kind that inspires trust and loyalty — still requires the human touch. In that regard, AI is ultimately only there to help you out, not to take over for you completely. It’s not capable of doing that yet. 

So, if you’re a manager reading this article, the question you should be asking isn’t “Will AI replace me?” It’s “Am I acting like someone who could be replaced?”

How to Be Irreplaceable in the Age of AI

The way I see it, managers need to focus on what truly sets them apart, doubling down on qualities that AI can’t replicate. Here are some of the more important ones that readily come to mind.

• Strategic thinking and creativity: AI can help you analyse data, but it can’t think for you. It doesn’t know your market, your people, or your company’s future like you do. Leaders who can peer ahead, ask the uncomfortable questions, and imagine new possibilities will always be needed.

• Adaptability and trust in technology: The best leaders aren’t threatened by AI — they learn how to partner with it for the best possible effect. They’re willing to experiment, to automate what no longer needs in-depth focus, and reimagine workflows in a way that frees up space for more meaningful work.

• Empathy and influence: One of the most important things in leadership today is building a culture in your company where people feel heard and valued. At its current stage of development, AI can’t think or feel. It doesn’t deal well with the nuances of human morality. That part falls on you. As a leader, it falls to you to motivate, coach, and empower your team. And I am convinced that this particular skillset will never become outdated.

I believe that the way forward — at least, for the more flexible companies — is to achieve a hybrid model of management that combines AI tools with human oversight. AI can take care of repetitive stuff so that people can focus on strategic thinking and drive value. It means that leaders can step away from micromanagement and put more time into guiding their people.