BY SHONDELL SABAD, SENIOR STRATEGIC ADVISOR AT THE ALBERTA ENTERPRISE GROUP

In 2016, AI pioneer Geoff Hinton made a bold prediction: we should stop training radiologists because machines would soon outperform humans at reading medical images. He was half-right. AI models like CheXNet can now detect pneumonia and other conditions with greater accuracy than a panel of radiologists, and do it in seconds.

But Hinton was wrong about one thing: radiologists didn’t disappear. They became more valuable. Today, radiology is the second-highest-paid medical specialty in the U.S., with earnings nearly 50% higher than when Hinton forecasted its decline.

Why? Because AI did not eliminate their work; it changed it. Machines took over repetitive, pattern-based tasks, freeing radiologists to focus on what truly matters: communicating results, consulting with doctors, advising patients, and guiding next steps. Their value is not rooted in simply what they know, but in who they can reach and how effectively they translate complex knowledge into action.

That’s the real lesson of the AI revolution. As technology transforms industries, success will hinge not only on technical competence but on communication, connection, and collaboration. The future belongs to those who can turn information into impact, and those who can bridge the gap between data and decision-making.

History reinforces this. Every major technological shift – from industrialization to the internet – has created more work, not less. When machines make something faster and cheaper, humans don’t stop doing it; they do more of it. AI will follow the same pattern. The challenge won’t be mass unemployment but finding enough people with the skills to adapt and connect.

That’s where networking becomes indispensable. AI can help you learn faster, but it can’t build relationships, earn trust, or create opportunity. Your network is how your expertise meets the market, the way radiologists connect their insights to doctors and patients who depend on them.

In this new era, the most valuable professionals won’t just master their craft; they’ll master networking and communication. They will know how to make their ideas matter to the right people.

AI will not replace those who adapt; it will amplify them. The future doesn’t belong to algorithms. It belongs to people who know how to connect.

Excerpts of this blog were based on the latest Rational Optimist weekly newsletter, you can read the full news letter here – Quantum’s billion-dollar mirage – by Stephen McBride