What John Henry and farmers can tell us about the future of AI

Growing up, one of my favorite stories was the legend of John Henry, the “steel-driving man.” Born with a hammer in his hand, he was the best railroad worker there was, renowned for his strength and skill. The story goes that he raced against a steam-powered drill to dig a tunnel. John Henry won, proving his incredible prowess, but the effort cost him his life. It’s often told as a tale of human spirit versus the machine, but I see it differently – as a cautionary tale about the cost of competing against technology instead of collaborating with it.

The idea of technology augmenting human work isn’t new, despite the current hype around AI. At home in Montana,  I don’t know any farmers who till vast fields without tractors, relying solely on manual labor. I certainly don’t know any accountants who forgo tools such as Excel to manage complex data sets by hand. For decades, we’ve embraced tools that make us more efficient, handle laborious tasks, and allow us to achieve more than we could alone. Tractors didn’t replace farmers; they allowed farmers to cultivate more land and produce more food. Excel didn’t replace accountants; it enabled them to perform more complex analyses and provide greater strategic value.

Generative AI is the next evolution in this story. While the possibilities are vast, I believe its most powerful immediate impact lies in its ability to automate the redundant, repetitive, and often tedious parts of our jobs. Think about the time spent summarizing notes, drafting standard emails, searching for information across disparate systems, or formatting reports. These are the modern equivalents of manually driving steel spikes. AI can handle these tasks efficiently, freeing up human workers to focus on critical thinking, creative problem-solving, complex negotiations, and building relationships – the areas where human insight and empathy truly shine.

However, making this transition shouldn’t fall solely on employees’ shoulders. Companies have a crucial role and responsibility in navigating this shift. We can’t simply introduce powerful new tools and expect everyone to adapt seamlessly and safely. Organizations should provide:

1. Support & training: Helping employees understand how AI tools can genuinely assist them in their specific roles, not just expecting them to figure it out.
2. Clear guidelines: Establishing policies around how AI should be used is critical. For example, you absolutely wouldn’t want employees uploading sensitive company or client data into an unprotected public AI model. Clear do’s and don’ts are essential for security and compliance.
3. Focus on augmentation: Framing AI as a partner or assistant, designed to enhance human capability, not replace it entirely.

John Henry didn’t have the option to partner with the steam drill; his story was framed as a zero-sum competition. Today, we have a choice. The future isn’t about people racing against AI; it’s about people working alongside AI. By embracing AI to handle burdensome tasks and providing the right support and guardrails, we can empower our teams to be more productive, more strategic, and, ultimately, find more value in their work.