Asger Risom
The shift from encyclopedias to AI is transforming how people access and use knowledge, reshaping work, productivity and the role of human expertise.
For most of history, knowledge was slow, scarce and controlled by institutions.
Now, artificial intelligence is changing not just access to information — but what people can actually do with it.
From static to instant
For decades, knowledge lived in books, classrooms and expert networks.
Encyclopedias and textbooks offered carefully verified information, but finding answers required time and effort. The process itself — reading, comparing, interpreting — was part of the work.
Search engines then changed access, not understanding. Information became instant, but users still had to filter sources, judge accuracy and piece together conclusions on their own.
That shift increased speed, but also introduced overload, pushing more responsibility onto individuals.
AI takes a step further
Artificial intelligence changes the role of knowledge tools entirely.
Instead of just pointing to information, AI systems can summarise, analyse and structure it into usable outputs — from explanations to reports and recommendations.
As Bruce Broussard of HP Inc. explains, this means people no longer spend most of their time searching. They can move directly to decision-making, using AI to process complexity in the background.
The shift is subtle but significant: from finding information to directing systems that generate insight.
What changes at work
This transformation is especially visible in high-pressure fields like healthcare.
Doctors once relied on training and journals, then later on digital records that often added administrative burden. Much of their time was spent navigating systems rather than treating patients.
AI tools now aim to handle documentation, highlight anomalies in patient data and suggest possible diagnoses.
When effective, this reduces time spent on repetitive tasks and allows professionals to focus on judgment, interaction and care — the parts of work that cannot be automated.
Rise of the “individual enterprise”
AI is also changing the scale at which individuals can operate.
Tasks that previously required teams — data analysis, research, writing, planning — can now be supported by a single person using AI tools.
This lowers the barrier to entry for complex work. Entrepreneurs, small business owners and professionals can execute ideas faster, with fewer resources.
The result is not just higher productivity, but greater autonomy — people have more control over how they work and what they build.
A widening gap
However, the benefits are uneven.
Those who understand how to use AI effectively gain a significant advantage, while others risk falling behind.
Broussard notes that adoption is already uneven, with leaders using AI tools far more frequently than the broader workforce.
As generating information becomes easier, the value shifts toward skills like critical thinking, judgment and the ability to ask the right questions.
Still human at the core
Despite its capabilities, AI does not replace human strengths.
It cannot replicate trust, empathy or nuanced decision-making in complex situations.
What it changes is the allocation of time: less effort spent gathering information, more spent interpreting it and acting on it.
If used effectively, this shift could make work not only more efficient, but more meaningful — reconnecting people with the parts of their jobs that require uniquely human input.
Sources: Fortune
