AGI is no longer a distant future—it’s knocking on the door.

At the Leading Innovation Summit in Sydney, one moment hushed the room:

Artificial General Intelligence—so-called “real AI”—isn’t years away. It’s months away.

Even in a crowd of seasoned innovation leaders, this was a jolt. It reframed the entire summit: the pace of transformation is accelerating, and most organisations are underestimating just how soon and how deeply it will reshape the way we work.

As someone who works with teams navigating digital transformation, I found myself nodding often. The insights shared weren’t abstract—they were direct, practical, and actionable. Here are the takeaways that hit hardest.

AI Is Here—Use It or Fall Behind

Forget the hype. AI isn’t replacing us—it’s augmenting us. One financial firm shared how it saved over 56,000 hours annually with an in-house GenAI tool. Another case showed consultants completing tasks 25% faster with 40% higher quality using prompt-driven tools like GPT-4.

The organisations seeing results aren’t winging it—they’re following a clear model:
Test → Measure → Expand → Amplify.
Start small. Track the results. Scale what works. This isn’t about hype—it’s about capability building before it’s too late.

Critical Thinking Is Still Our Superpower

AI might automate tasks—but it won’t replace judgement, creativity or curiosity. One session framed it beautifully: “Every breakthrough starts with questioning: Is this the best we can do?”

Sessions emphasised the power of psychological safety, open dialogue, and environments where it’s safe to challenge the status quo. Critical thinking isn’t optional—it’s a differentiator. Especially when algorithms can now produce average answers at lightning speed.

Leadership Is What Happens in the Chaos

One of the most practical sessions laid out the seven traits of innovative leaders:
Self-aware, humble, adaptable, accountable, steady, collaborative, and growth-minded.

These aren’t buzzwords. They’re the baseline behaviours that shape cultures where people can experiment, learn and act without fear. In uncertain times, steady, values-driven leadership is what makes innovation possible.

Final Thought: This Is the Moment to Move

There’s no more waiting. AGI is nearly here. Generative AI is already reshaping productivity. And organisations that aren’t experimenting today will find themselves reacting tomorrow.

At Future CoLab 3000, I help teams turn insight into action—through strategy, workshops and hands-on support that embeds innovation and AI-readiness into everyday work.

If you're ready to lead boldly into what’s next—let’s talk.