Why The Era Of Specialisation Is Over & The Future Belongs To Generalists

I believe the era of specialisation is coming to an end, and the AI Revolution will see the return of generalism and the Renaissance spirit. Of course, this will have sweeping consequences for business, education, and society. And, while there will be a lot of disruption, there will also be plenty of opportunity - but only for those individuals and businesses who realise what is really happening.

We’re still imprisoned by the ‘Jack of all trades’ dogma & the Industrial Revolution

We’ve all heard the phrase “Jack of all trades, master of none” - and it’s decidedly negative, implying that a person does lots of things, but none of them well. But, did you know that it used to just be “Jack of all trades?” The “master of none” was, apparently added sometime in the late 18th century. The original phrase, to quote Wikipedia, was in the following context:

“as a compliment for a person who is good at fixing things and has a good level of broad knowledge. They may be a master of integration: an individual who knows enough from many learned trades and skills to be able to bring the disciplines together in a practical manner. This person is a generalist rather than a specialist.”

Indeed, although recent generations have grown up being taught that the path to success lies precisely in specialisation, it has only been that way for a comparatively short time. Specifically, since the Industrial Revolution. Prior to that, while everyone was undoubtedly ‘best’ at something or other, people generally needed a much broader skill set to get by. And, for the most part, this spanned a fairly broad spectrum of society. If you were poor, you needed to be able to mend and make do, and turn your hand to whatever paid work was available. If you were wealthy, you most likely had to ensure you were knowledgeable on a considerable breadth of subjects in order to keep up appearances. Yes, I know, there were exceptions, and some cases where the sexes were constrained - but I’m talking very generally, and relative to today.

The drive towards specialisation is perfectly logical when put into the context of the industrial revolution. The name of the game was efficiency, and it was most efficient to have individuals become very good at doing one small part of often very complex mechanised production processes. Of course, as businesses grew, management and owners often also ended up relatively narrowly focused on one specific sector (although it should be remembered, even then, there was usually a handful of ‘big picture’, generalist entrepreneurs driving things at scale in the background).

It’s interesting to note that, prior to the Industrial Revolution, in the 15th and 16th centuries, Europe went through the Renaissance - a time driven by broad-thinking generalists who made great efforts to become accomplished in many areas. Indeed, we still use the term ‘Renaissance man’ today to describe someone who is knowledgeable, educated, or proficient in a wide range of fields.

Why the future belongs to the generalists & mindset is everything

So, why am I bringing all this up now? Well, I think the time of specialisation is coming to an end. I believe the AI Revolution will again usher in a time of the big picture, broad-thinking generalists.

The logic behind this is very simple. You see, we are already at a point where AI has surpassed human capacity for learning (at least in the sense of learning specific technical skills). No amount of financial resources or good intentions will change this. AI is learning in an exponential manner, and unless there’s a global apocalypse, this isn’t going to stop.

Specialisation is unsustainable in the age of AI

Any technical skills, be it coding, accounting, designing functional consumer products, or myriad other things, are going to be dominated by AI. Humans, on an individual, educational, and social level simply can’t evolve quickly enough to keep up. As difficult as it is to face, the truth is that most people won’t stand a chance of being able to confidently select a specialisation that has a reasonable chance of providing them with a sustainable career. Worse, the speed of change means that even continually switching specialisations won’t be practical (think how long it takes to put together and teach new courses).

Businesses are going to find themselves facing the same problem. Currently, businesses large and small, employ specialists. Whether it's a production line worker or financial controller, a coder or data analyst. All specialists at what they do. Of course, even if some new jobs are created, there are going to be massive job losses globally, and I’ve discussed this before. But here, I want to ponder something different. That is the mindset.

Whether it is in public sectors like education, or businesses of any size, the vast majority of people are moving into the future with that relic of the Industrial Revolution - the specialist mindset. Colleges and universities are still churning out specialists, and parents around the world are still encouraging their kids to specialise in a specific skill or subject. And, so far, it still appears to be working. But I think there are two relevant analogies we should consider:

1. It is often said that armies are always preparing to fight the last war. It is only after a new war starts that they realise things have changed. This normally leads to heavy losses and very painful lessons learned the hard way.

2. Even if people have plenty of warning and are urged to evacuate from an approaching hurricane, they often look outside, see the sky is clear, and stay put. This is a classic case of normalcy bias.
   

Right now, schools, colleges, and universities are preparing students to ‘fight the last war’, and businesses are looking around, presuming things are fine, and standing still - even though a hurricane is coming.

Endless opportunities... for those who grasp the new reality

This isn’t all doom and gloom. With any great disruption comes great opportunity. I just think most people are looking in the wrong place. Precisely because we have all grown up in a world obsessed with specialisation, most are making the flawed assumption that the key to thriving in the future is simply immersing themselves in AI tech. Given the context, this is absolutely understandable. But I suspect it is naive.

You see, no one will be able to keep up with the minutia of AI tech. And, frankly, there won’t be a point in doing so. What’s the point in wasting weeks wrapping your head around how to use a specific AI tool now, when within a few weeks or months, there will be something newer, better, and far easier to use - something that doesn’t require any of the knowledge you just learned?

Now, before anyone starts picking, I know there will be exceptions. Like my maths teacher used to say, “It’s the exception that proves the rule.” There will always be some people who buck the general trends for whatever reason (though luck will probably play a large part). I’m talking big picture, broad trends here.

How individuals, education, and businesses can thrive as generalists

Given this reality, I believe those who will thrive will be those who accept and use AI tech but concentrate on thinking big. Those who break out of the siloed, compartmentalised way of thinking, and channel the spirit of the Renaissance again. Yes, they will need to absorb a lot of knowledge and try their hands at many things, but they cannot afford to let themselves get bogged down. They certainly won’t be able to afford to invest precious time in learning technical things that will be obsolete before they have even finished.

When it comes to individuals, the future belongs to those who actively take advantage of the unprecedented amount of information at their fingertips. People who will absorb information continually, but not let the slow, ponderous frameworks of the past slow them down. People who will assess the real, sustainable value of any course or qualification before they invest their precious time and resources in it.

In order to remain relevant, the entire edifice of our educational systems will need to be torn down and rebuilt. The rationale behind education will need to be rethought. No longer can any system - no matter how well funded and staffed - hope to cling to the same old ways and still provide any value to students and society. The role of teachers and institutions must pivot from teaching facts and testing, to inspiring. Inspiring young minds to investigate, discover, practice, and create. Inspire them to become people who will learn every day, using the unlimited information at their fingertips, and enjoy it.

And, as for businesses. Well, the rigid structures and compartmentalisation that are so inherent in companies today will need to be replaced with something much more flexible. As AI-based software and services are integrated into businesses, and fewer employees can do more, one thing is going to be critical - making sure the remaining staff are led by people with the right mindset. You see, just like in educational institutions, it won’t matter how much money and resources you throw at something if the minds of the leadership are still stuck in the specialisation paradigm.

But, for those individuals and organisations that do understand the importance of resurrecting the spirit of the Renaissance, the sky really is the limit. Never before have people had so much creative power at their command. Never before has the individual had so much productive potential. Really, it is mind-boggling. Any business that manages to find these people and harness their potential, will thrive in the new age.

And herein lies the biggest problem we face. Because we are all products of the specialisation era, and those passing through the education system are still in it, where are the generalists we now so urgently need going to come from?