Open Assembly

In his latest Forbes article, John Winsor explores how AI labs are starting to learn from crowdsourced challenge data on platforms like Wazoku, Codewars/Andela, and Topcoder. It’s an important look at the role of open talent in shaping how machines learn and improve.

I've been deeply inspired by new research from my brilliant colleagues and friends Karim Lakhani and Hila Lifshitz-Assaf, alongside Ethan Mollick at Wharton, P&G, and others: The Cybernetic Teammate: A Field Experiment on Generative AI Reshaping Teamwork and Expertise. This work gets to the heart of something I’ve been exploring for years—the blurring boundaries between disciplines and the potential for technology to unlock new forms of human creativity and collaboration. What’s so powerful here is not just the scale of impact AI is having, but the shape of that impact. A couple of charts from the study really hit home: Performance Distribution Teams using AI were three times more likely to deliver top 10% solutions. Let that sink in. We’re not just talking about incremental improvement—we’re seeing a fundamental shift in the curve. The whole distribution moves up. Expertise Equalization Perhaps even more profound—individuals (even novices) using AI were able to match or outperform seasoned experts. The old silos between technical and commercial capabilities? Gone. AI is flattening hierarchies and expanding what’s possible for everyone. But it’s not just about outcomes—it’s about experience. Participants reported more excitement, less anxiety, and stronger emotional connection with their work. That matters. A few takeaways that stood out: - Teams with AI were three times more likely to reach top-tier results - Individuals using AI matched team performance at 16% faster speed - Silos between specialties dissolved—more integrated, well-rounded solutions - Emotional boost: higher excitement, lower stress For me, the big idea here is the democratization of expertise. This is about more than automation—it’s about amplification. It’s about empowering people, regardless of where they sit on the org chart, to contribute meaningfully in ways they couldn’t before. ? It’s exciting to see this kind of validation for the themes we’ve been working on for decades: open talent, distributed innovation, and the power of creative collaboration. This isn’t just the future of work—it’s already happening. Here's a link to the paper: https://lnkd.in/g3KiQuw4

In this episode of 'How I Invest', host sits down with Matthew Fitzpatrick, CEO of Invisible Technologies and former head of McKinsey’s QuantumBlack Labs, to uncover why 92% of AI models fail in production. Matt shares insights into the key challenges enterprises face when integrating AI, emphasizing the importance of data quality, model fine-tuning, and blending AI capabilities with human expertise to successfully scale AI solutions.

I'm really looking forward to this session!

"AI agents are redefining work, integrating with freelancers and employees to create a smarter, more efficient workforce for the future." - John Winsor Read more: https://lnkd.in/gB7twTCV

We could not agree more. Well done, Invisible Technologies.

"You have to have a curiosity to learn and it's the same for the independent professional; if what you think you can do is do what you’ve done last for the last 30 years, you’re grossly mistaken." - Miles Everson, CEO at MBO Partners and Author of Freebirds Revolution on the Transform Work podcast with John Winsor https://lnkd.in/gkytTh2e

If you are at SXSW, do not miss this. You've been warned. ??

The National Bureau of Economic Research working paper "Artificial Intelligence and the Labor Market" by Hampole et al. constructs measures of workers' task exposure to AI and machine learning technologies from 2010 to 2023. The study finds that while occupations highly exposed to AI experience relatively lower demand, the resulting increase in firm productivity leads to overall employment growth across all occupations. https://lnkd.in/dtddTYWH

The future of work is evolving—are you ready? In his latest @Forbes article, Harvard Business School Executive Fellow John Winsor explores how AI agents are becoming an essential part of the Open Talent movement. For years, companies have leveraged Open Talent to access expertise beyond full-time employees. Now, AI agents are taking it a step further—automating tasks, making decisions, and working alongside humans to drive efficiency and innovation. As Salesforce and OpenAI introduce AI-driven workforce solutions, businesses that fail to integrate AI agents into their talent strategies risk being left behind. The future isn’t about having the largest workforce—it’s about building the most adaptive, intelligent, and scalable one.