Here’s the scenario.

You’re a strong, mid-level manager. You’ve been tagged as “high potential.” And now you’ve been given a stretch assignment: present a clear roadmap to your department for how your team, and eventually the broader business unit, is going to integrate AI tools into the daily workflow to increase productivity and reduce costs.

There’s just one problem.

You’re not an AI expert.

Yes, you’ve experimented. You’ve used a few tools. You’ve automated some small tasks. But if you’re honest, you don’t feel remotely qualified to stand up in front of your peers and say, “Here’s the plan.” Your first instinct is to thank your manager for the opportunity… and then politely suggest that you’re not the right person for the job.

But then it hits you.

Your manager’s response is going to be: “Exactly. I picked you because I want you to figure it out.”

Now you’re on the hook.

You have to make something out of nothing.

And that, whether we like it or not, is a critical leadership skill in 2026.

In a post-COVID world, the companies that win will be the ones that build competitive advantage through leaders who can figure things out. Not because they have all the answers, but because they know how to create clarity where none exists.

Whether you’re developing an AI adoption strategy, rethinking a broken cash-flow process, or responding to a market shift no one anticipated, organizations will continue to need critical thinkers who can make progress without a playbook.

Based on years of experience and what we’re seeing across our business simulations and client work, here is a simple model you can apply anytime you’re asked to make something out of nothing.

The phrase “Now I’ve heard it all” came to mind while I was interviewing a Subject Matter Expert for a new, highly customized Strategic Business Negotiations simulation we’re designing.

When Simulation Design Meets AI-Powered Practice

The client’s challenge was clear: how do you rapidly test, reinforce, and elevate IT professionals’ mastery of new operating systems and critical security protocols, at global scale, without relying on passive training or basic knowledge checks?

Advantexe, a global leader in simulation-centric learning, and our partner Yoodli addressed this challenge by designing a bold, AI-enabled learning experience built around realistic role plays and structured practice. Yoodli is an AI-powered role-play and coaching platform that allows learners to engage in guided conversations, receive immediate, personalized feedback, and practice critical skills repeatedly in a safe, scalable environment.

By pairing the power of the Yoodli platform with Advantexe’s experienced instructional design and real-world business context, the program enabled learners to actively apply new knowledge, strengthen decision-making, and build confidence in handling complex, security-critical scenarios.

During a recent workshop discussion about the evolution of AI, and the fear that it will take all the jobs, disrupt the economy, and redefine the future of work forever, one of the participants said something that stopped the room cold:

“No matter what happens, your AI assistant will never eat a pizza.”

It was such a simple, almost humorous statement. But it was also profound.

He was referring to a fundamental truth about the U.S. economy: it is, and will remain, consumer-driven. And consumers—human consumers—will always be the ones eating the pizza.

AI may order it.

AI may optimize the supply chain behind it.

AI may manage the labor scheduling, demand forecasting, marketing campaigns, revenue management, and customer service interactions.

AI may even send you the perfect personalized offer at 5:32 p.m., right before you hit decision fatigue and give in to the pepperoni.

But it will never take a bite.

And that insight matters.

Because while AI is becoming indispensable to workflows, productivity, and decision-making (I myself would love to reward my AI assistant with a hot slice), the economic engine still ultimately relies on human behavior, human choice, and human consumption.

From a business acumen perspective, there are five big things today’s leaders should take away from this “AI will never eat the pizza” truth:

It’s earnings season, and publicly traded companies are conducting their quarterly earnings calls. As usual, Q3 2025 is filled with good news and bad news. While the estimated GDP growth rate was a fairly robust 4%, a lot of companies, especially those that rely on consumer purchasing power, are starting to feel the impact of a bifurcated economy where higher wage earners continue to spend, but lower wage earners continue to struggle.

As a leader in the design, development, and delivery of Business Acumen training programs, I pay special attention to these trends because they influence how we teach financial literacy and best-practice business decision-making. The pattern we’re seeing isn’t just about numbers; it’s about how leaders interpret and act on those numbers.