62. AI Integration Needs Talent Leaders, Not Trainers with Mike Sullivan and Vinay Gidwaney

**What if AI transformation isn't really a technology challenge at all?** Jess talks with OneDigital executives Mike Sullivan and Vinay Gidwaney about why they see AI as a talent, leadership, and workforce transformation challenge, and why L&D should be at the center of it, leading the transformation. They explore what it means to treat AI as talent, redesign work around human and AI strengths, activate leaders for new ways of working, and move L&D beyond content creation into a much more strategic role.   ## Jess, Mike, and Vinay Discuss - Why AI transformation is fundamentally a talent and behavior change challenge, not simply a technology rollout - What changes when organizations begin thinking about AI as talent - Why giving employees access to AI is not enough to create meaningful adoption or business impact - How leaders can accelerate AI adoption and behavior change across their teams - Why the future workforce is a blended workforce of humans and AI - How leaders can distinguish between reducible work that AI may handle and irreducible work that depends on human judgment, creativity, empathy, and experience - Why organizations may need to stop tweaking existing job descriptions and instead completely rethink how work gets done - The emerging leadership responsibility to manage both human talent and AI talent - How L&D can help managers unbundle work, rethink roles, and redesign teams for an AI-enabled future - Why people, not AI itself, may become an organization's greatest source of competitive advantage - How L&D's role in capturing, codifying, and spreading organizational intelligence becomes even more valuable in an AI-enabled workplace - What L&D professionals can do now to move from spectators of AI transformation to active leaders shaping what comes next   **About Mike Sullivan** Mike Sullivan has spent more than four decades at the intersection of business strategy, mergers & acquisitions and all facets of an evolving American workplace. He has seen firsthand what separates companies that thrive from those that stall. As Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of OneDigital, he has helped build one of the most dynamic insurance and financial services firms in the country, guiding its expansion through acquisition, partnership, and entry into new markets. Outside OneDigital, he is an active investor and board member across a broad set of firms and industry verticals.    **About Vinay Gidwaney** As Chief Product Officer (CPO) at OneDigital, Vinay Gidwaney is passionate about creating opportunities for employees and families to make better decisions around their finances through OneDigital's integrated offerings. He leads a strong team of technology experts and developers who deliver the latest in innovative products and solutions to OneDigital's customer base.   **Find and Connect with Mike and Vinay** - Mike Sullivan LinkedIn - Vinay Gidwaney LinkedIn - Book: Workforce Intelligence: The PEOPLE-FIRST Playbook for Leading Your Company Through AI TRANSFORMATION   **Find and Connect with Jess Almlie** - LinkedIn - Website: www.jessalmlie.com - Book: L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner - L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Team Development Roadmap - Contact Jess