đď¸ Link in the Shownotes #18 – Ai Is Already Here, Shaping Our Work.
Ever feel like youâre shouting into the void?
We talk about community, about loneliness, about making spaces affordable.
We dissect purpose-driven work versus just clocking in.
All vital. All real.
But thereâs this one thing, this massive, unseen force, that often goes unsaid, even when itâs staring us down.
Itâs artificial intelligence. And it’s not a Ray Bradbury sci-fi fantasy.
Itâs here. Now.
Quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, itâs ripping up the rulebook on how we work, how we connect, and what âskillsâ even mean in this new, brutal landscape.
Today, Iâm pulling back the curtain on four hard truths about AI and coworking. Truths we need to chew on if weâre serious about building a future that doesnât leave people behind.
Letâs go đ
1. Ai Is Already Here, Shaping Our Work.
Itâs not some distant future.
Itâs now.
Right now.
Think about it.
Your mate, the freelance copywriter?
Theyâre probably using ChatGPT to crank out first drafts faster than you can brew a cuppa.
That small business down the road?
Automating customer service queries that used to need a human touch, a real voice.
This isnât just about a bit more efficiency, a few quid saved here and there.
This is about the very definition of âskillsâ shifting under our feet, like sand.
And itâs changing the game for everyone, whether they realise it or not.
Especially in coworking, the supposed hub of modern work, the place where ideas spark.
Weâre seeing the ripple effects, even if we donât always name them.
From how teams collaborate across different time zones, blurred lines.
To how individuals upskill and learn new trades, scrambling to keep up.
And crucially, how we connect â or disconnect â from each other, the human cost.
This shift is happening, a silent undercurrent in our daily grind, a rising tide.
Itâs influencing who gets the gig, who gets the promotion, who gets left out in the cold.
Itâs influencing how we build and sustain our communities, online and off, the very fabric of our lives.
And itâs influencing who gets left behind in this rapid acceleration, this relentless pace.
Or who manages to grab ahold and get ahead, leaving others in the dust.
Ignoring it isnât an option; understanding it is survival. Itâs the first punch.
2. Ai Could Widen The Wealth Gap, Not Narrow It.
This is the uncomfortable truth, the one that keeps me up at night, staring at the ceiling.
Without conscious, intentional action, AI is on track to concentrate wealth.
And opportunity.
Leaving the already underserved, the newcomers, the outsiders.
Even further on the margins, looking in, pressing their faces against the glass.
Lucy McInally, everyones favourite inclusive coworker, said this in last weeks Coworking Values Podcast:
âWeâre talking about making spaces more inclusive, but perhaps not affordable.â
She saw the painful irony, the chasm between our words and our actions.
Many so-called âinclusiveâ coworking spaces still price out the very freelancers.
And the community members they claim to serve are the ones who need it most.
AI could make this chasm even wider, even deeper, a gaping maw.
If access to the latest AI tools, the essential AI training.
Or the emerging AI-driven jobs.
Becomes yet another barrier to entry, another locked door.
Another hidden cost, another layer of exclusion.
Another thing only the already privileged can afford, a luxury for the few.
This is a real risk.
A recent Harvard Business Review study, highlighted in Stacey Sheppard‘s Athena Magazine, found that women are 20% less likely than men to directly engage with generative AI.
If this trend continues, and if AI systems are trained on predominantly male data, the gender gap could widen, not shrink.
The authors of the Athena Magazine article warn that if the global gender gap is left to persist, it could lead to a self-reinforcing cycle of underrepresentation, further limiting economic opportunity for women.
Jaskiran Mangat‘s insight into âmoney traumaâ is so critical here, it cuts deep.
She spoke about the deep emotional scars, the anxieties, the constant hum of stress.
People often carry the weight of past financial hardship on their shoulders.
If AI ushers in an era of even greater financial stress for many.
More job insecurity, more uncertainty about the future.
That trauma doesnât just linger; it deepens, it calcifies, turning to stone.
Kofi Oppongâs story is a stark, powerful reminder of this reality, a gut punch.
Of how traditional expectations, particularly in underrepresented communities.
Often push education as the only safe path, the only respectable route.
Entrepreneurial ventures, freelance careers, the kind of work often found in coworking spaces.
These often arenât even on the table, not even considered a possibility, a pipe dream.
But Kofi also sees a profound opportunity here.
Heâs told me directly that AI is the best chance women have had to close the gender pay gap.
Kofi believes that with intentional action and accessible pathways, AI can be a powerful tool for empowerment, enabling women to leapfrog traditional barriers and access new economic opportunities.
If AI reshapes the job market, it will automate some roles and create others.
Without us actively building clear, accessible pathways for everyone.
We risk leaving even more people behind, stranded on the wrong side of the digital divide.
This isnât just a challenge; itâs a moral responsibility, a call to arms.
For the entire coworking community, for anyone who claims to care about âcommunityâ.
How do we genuinely bridge this gap, not just talk about it, but actually do it?
How do we truly open our doors, our networks, our resources?
To everyone, regardless of their starting point, their postcode, their background?
AI needs to be a central part of that answer, a tool for inclusion.
Not another brick in the wall of exclusion. This is the second punch.
3. Ai Can, And Must, Fuel Human Connection.
This is the optimistic take, the path forward if weâve got the guts to choose it.
AI has the potential to free us from the drudgery, the repetitive tasks, the soul-crushing admin.
Giving us humans more time, more mental space, more breath.
To create, to innovate, to collaborate on a deeper level, to truly connect.
To solve the complex, messy, higher-order problems that machines canât touch, the human stuff.
Ideally, this means fueling more genuine entrepreneurship.
More meaningful innovation, more resilient communities.
Within and beyond our coworking spaces, the places where life happens.
Lucy McInally, again, articulated the core human need so well, itâs etched in stone:
âIf we come together, it overcomes that loneliness that you feel at home when youâre just working by yourself. You gain confidence.â
This is the fundamental value proposition of coworking, its very heart, its beating pulse.
And AI, used thoughtfully, can augment this human core.
Not replace it, not diminish it, but enhance it, make it sing.
Imagine AI tools that subtly, respectfully help identify.
Which individuals in a large, bustling environment may be grappling with isolation?
And gently suggest ways for them to connect, to find their tribe, their people.
Or intelligent algorithms that donât just match skills for a project.
But suggest potential collaborators based on shared values or complementary working styles, a true fit.
My own excitement about Denise Brouderâs âThe Science of Flexibility Reportâ is a case in point, a moment of clarity.
I said it then, and Iâll say it again: âItâs very rarely youâll hear me say, âOh my God, youâve got to go read that report,â but you have got to go read that report.â
That report isnât just academic fluff; it dives into the messy reality of the future of work.
And coworkingâs crucial role as a âthird placeâ â not home, not the traditional office, but a vital third space.
AI can enhance this âthird placeâ concept significantly.
By streamlining the mundane operational burdens of running a space, freeing up staff.
By helping to personalise member experiences in meaningful ways, making it feel bespoke.
By making our spaces more accessible, more welcoming, and ultimately more valuable to more people.
Caleb Parker âs told me on the Coworking Values Podcast last year that impact is vital here, a guiding star.
“My impact isnât just about what I do. Itâs about all the other entrepreneurs I help become successfulâŚâ
AI can amplify this kind of ecosystem impact exponentially.
By providing us with improved tools for sharing knowledge and mentoring effectively.
To help more people find their footing, to connect them to the right resources at the right time.
To build stronger, more resilient professional networks that actually support people, a safety net.
Kofi Oppongâs incredible journey, from an East London upbringing to founding Urban MBA.
As many of you reading this know, his work combines neuroscience with business education for young people.
It powerfully demonstrates the impact of purpose-driven work and a resilient mindset, a testament to the human spirit.
AI supports this kind of transformative work.
By providing access to personalised learning pathways, tailored to individual needs.
By automating the administrative tasks that bog down community builders and educators.
By freeing up precious time and energy for the irreplaceable human element.
For genuine mentorship, for authentic connection, for work that truly matters. This is the third punch, the one that offers hope.
4. Tech Should Serve Humans, Not The Other Way Around.
Manuel Conti, a man whoâs been in the tech trenches for two decades, doesnât mince words.
He says, âWe want to make sure that we provide the tech for people to spend more time with each other.â
Think about that.
Not more time staring at screens.
Not more time lost in algorithms.
More time with actual humans.
Face to face.
Conti told me on the Coworking Values Podcast: âTech is not about what we do more, but what we remove. Itâs the friction we remove.â
This cuts through the hype.
Tech isnât about adding layers of complexity.
Itâs about stripping away the crap.
Making things simpler.
Making human connections easier.
He challenges the obsession with AI, platforms, and dashboards.
Weâre drowning in data.
But what about the conversation?
What about the welcome?
What about the subtle act of noticing when someoneâs having a rough day?
Thatâs the real gold.
Conti, the tech veteran, says it plainly: AI should augment community, not replace it.
It should be a tool in our hands, not a master over us.
It should help us be more human, not less.
This is the final punch, the one that demands we choose.
Our Human Advantage Is Clear, If We Choose To See It.
Human connection.
Genuine inclusivity.
A shared sense of purpose.
These arenât soft, fluffy, nice-to-haves, not anymore.
These are our core competitive advantages in an increasingly AI-driven era.
These are the things a machine, no matter how sophisticated, simply cannot replicate.
Itâs time, past time, to proactively and thoughtfully mix AI.
Into our ongoing conversation about coworking values, about community building.
This isnât about ignoring AI, sticking our heads in the sand and hoping it goes away.
Itâs about embracing its potential, critically and ethically.
With our deeply held human values leading the way, always.
Community.
Accessibility.
Purpose.
Belonging.
These are our anchors in a fast-changing, often bewildering world.
Our job now, as space operators, as community members, as concerned citizens.
Is to build on these insights, to translate them into concrete action.
Letâs commit to using technology, including AI, with empathy and foresight.
Letâs combine data-driven insights with genuine human dialogue.
To consciously shape a future of work that is not only more efficient.
But more equitable, more empowering, and profoundly full of real human connection.
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