Are you a 5 percenter?

Imagine this: a task that once required a team of six experts working tirelessly for two weeks can now be completed in minutes. That’s exactly what Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon revealed about AI’s ability to draft 95% of an IPO prospectus. The heavy lifting—organising data, structuring content, and ensuring compliance—is no longer a human burden. But here’s the catch: the final 5%, the part that demands nuance, judgement, and creativity, still needs us.

For now.

This isn’t just about IPOs. Think about self-driving cars. The first 95% of the journey to autonomy was relatively straightforward—teaching AI to follow rules, recognise patterns, and navigate predictable environments. But the last 5%? That’s where it gets messy. Rare, chaotic scenarios—like a reflective tanker tricking sensors or dense fog obscuring the road—are proving to be the ultimate challenge. And yet, while the world fixates on these edge cases, AI is quietly mastering the 95% that makes up the majority of driving.

The same pattern is emerging across industries. AI is rapidly taking over the bulk of tasks that are repetitive, structured, and predictable. Clerical work, data analysis, even some forms of creative output—AI is transforming how we work. And while we debate its imperfections, it’s already reshaping the job market. Just look at the news from the tech sector this week, where layoffs have surged, partly due to automation. The question isn’t whether AI will replace jobs; it’s which parts of your job it will replace.

So, where does that leave you? Are you working on tasks that fall into the 95%—the predictable, the repeatable, the automatable? Or are you part of the 5%—the rare, the complex, the uniquely human? The truth is, the future belongs to those who can adapt, innovate, and focus on what machines can’t do. Creativity, critical thinking, emotional intelligence—these are the skills that will define the next generation of leaders and innovators.

It’s easy to fear the rise of AI, but there’s another way to look at it. By taking over the mundane, AI frees us to focus on the extraordinary. The question isn’t whether AI will change your work—it already is. The real question is: how will you change with it? What will you do to ensure you’re part of the 5% that AI can’t replace?

The future isn’t something to fear; it’s something to shape. So, what’s your next move?

💥 May this inspire you to advance healthcare beyond its current state of excellence.