Trendspotting - The Future of AI with Michael Tchong

Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.

In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty and futurist Michael Tchong, founder of the Ubertrends Academy, discuss the profound impact of AI on society, the workforce, and the economy. They explore the rapid advancements in AI technology, the potential for job displacement, and the need for upskilling in the workforce. Michael  emphasizes the importance of understanding the trends and innovations that AI brings, as well as the cultural shifts that accompany these changes. The conversation highlights the urgency for businesses and individuals to adapt to the evolving landscape shaped by AI.

Takeaways

AI’s Disruption Is Here: AI is already transforming work and society on a massive scale – a change many experts call even bigger than the internet revolution. Leaders can’t ignore it.

Adaptation Is Key: Rather than fearing automation, organizations must focus on upskilling talent and using AI to streamline workflows. Those who leverage AI will outpace those who don’t. In Michael’s words, “Everyone needs to upskill… that’s the only way you’re going to survive.”

Short-Term Pain, Long-Term Gain: New tech often displaces jobs initially (especially entry-level roles). But if harnessed correctly, AI can boost productivity and create new opportunities – similar to how desktop publishing eventually made print bigger, not smaller.

Real Problems, Not Just “Me-Too” Tools: Michael argues today’s AI boom is filled with copycat chatbots. The real value will come from AI solving everyday pain points – for example, automating tedious workflows so people can focus on creative, high-value work.

Quality vs. Quantity: With generative AI, it’s now easy to pump out content – including low-quality “AI slop.” In the long run, either AI will learn to produce truly high-quality results, or people will seek out human authenticity. (Think of it as a “flight to humanity,” where authenticity becomes a differentiator.)

Stay Ahead of the Wave: Michael’s motto is, “I help you catch the next wave before it catches you.” The message: be proactive. Understand the trends (like AI) shaping your industry, and lead with them – don’t chase them after the fact.

Sound bites

Michael Tchong:

• “AI is the biggest revolution – even larger than the internet itself.”
• “With AI, we’re going to get a 10× wave of unforeseen effects on society.”
• “Everyone needs to upskill in AI – it’s the only way you’re going to survive.”
• “The #1 pain point for everyone is: why does it take so freaking long to do anything? Workflow is the biggest opportunity for AI to boost productivity.”

Chris McNulty:

• “Every breakthrough is social before it’s technical. What changes the wires changes us.”
• “Either AI gets better at quality, or there will be a flight to humanity – people craving authentic, human work.”
• “AI won’t replace people. But people using AI will replace those who don’t.”

References

Michael Tchong

University of San Francisco – https://www.usfca.edu Michael Tchong serves as an adjunct professor of innovation at USF

Ubertrends – https://www.ubertrends.com Ubertrends Academy, Michael Tchong’s trend forecasting & innovation academy (and title of his book “Ubertrends – How Trends and Innovation Are Transforming Our Future”).

Michael Tchong on LinkedIn

Industry News

ChatGPT reached 100 million users in its first two months (Source: Ubertrends)

Only 17% of U.S. adults expect AI to have a mostly positive impact on society in the next 20 years (Source: Pew Research Center)

18% of work globally could be automated by AI, affecting 300 million roles (Source: Goldman Sachs)

Society & Culture

Open Letter on AI Pause – In 2023, Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and 1,000+ tech leaders signed an open letter urging a 6-month pause on advanced AI development, warning of “profound risks to society”[5].

Teens & AI Therapy –28% of parents report their teen has used AI for emotional support (Source: Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report: Connected Kids (2025))

Ford CEO on Jobs – Jim Farley (Ford Motors) predicted at Aspen Ideas Festival that “AI is going to replace literally half of all white-collar workers in the U.S.”. (Source:
Ford Authority.)

John Oliver’s Take – On HBO’s Last Week Tonight, John Oliver discussed how it’s not going to be AI replacing lawyers; it’s going to be lawyers with AI replacing lawyers without it.

“The Victorian Internet” (book by Tom Standage) chronicles how the 19th-century telegraph revolutionized communication, spurring phenomena from instant stock quotes to the first “online” romances – a reminder that technology has long disrupted social norms.

Events

TribalNet Conference | September 14-18, 2025, Reno Nevada

London Tech Leaders’ Summit | October 7-8., 2025 Minster Building - right near the Tower of London - London UK 

Experts Live | October 10, 2025 at Microsoft NYC in Times Square

Vancouver AI Summit | October 19-20, 2025 Vancouver BC

TechCon 365 Dallas - | November 3-7, 2025 (Dallas, TX) - Irving Convention Center

Microsoft Ignite 2025 – Nov 17-21, 2025 (San Francisco, CA). 

ESPC25 (European SharePoint Conference 2025) | Dec 1-4, 2025 (Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) Dublin, Ireland). 

Production

Polaris is produced with help from Riverside.fm. Our theme song, “Alternative Dream” is provided courtesy of Adobe.  Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.

Polaris is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:11 Terms and Data Points

03:32 Introducing Michael Tchong

05:24 The Rise of AI and Its Impact

07:07 Future of Work and Labor Market

09:50 AI in Marketing and Business Transformation

11:20 Agentic AI

14:27 Conclusion and Future Directions

30:22 Cultural Influences

32:57 Upcoming Tech Events and Conferences

34:03 The Impact of Technology on Society

35:16 Closing