Truth, Lies and Work 277. What REALLY happens when you let A.I. run your workday, with The Economist's Boss Class Host, Andrew Palmer
Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture.
This week we’re diving into how AI is actually landing in the workplace — and what that means for managers, employees and the future of work.
Our guest is Andrew Palmer, host of Boss Class from The Economist and author of the Bartleby management column. In Season 3 of Boss Class, Andrew goes hands-on with AI — not just talking about it, but living with it, testing it and asking the questions leaders need to answer as the technology transforms jobs and organisations.
This episode isn’t about hype. It’s about what AI is actually good at today, what it’s still terrible at, and how leaders should think about deploying it in ways that help people — not replace them.
🔥 What you’ll learn
1) AI isn’t coming. It’s here.
Season 3 of Boss Class opens with Andrew trying generative AI tools in real work routines — even asking Claude to draft his management column — and discovering both the power and the weirdness that comes with using them.
2) AI reshapes roles, not just tasks
Rather than automating jobs wholesale, the most immediate workplace impact of AI is changing how work gets done — augmenting roles, compressing coordination and expanding what managers are responsible for.
3) Imperfect AI still delivers value
Some AI tools don’t get things right. But when used as thinking partners — critiquing ideas, suggesting alternatives, or helping leaders make sense of complexity — they make teams more productive and innovative.
4) Leaders need AI literacy, not just tech teams
AI affects strategy, priorities and people decisions — not just coding and automation. The organisations that thrive aren’t those that wait for perfect tech, but those that integrate AI intelligently into leadership and workflows.
5) Human judgement still matters
Far from making humans obsolete, AI highlights uniquely human strengths: judgment, nuance, people skills and context-aware decision-making.
🧠 Why this matters for work
AI is not just a tool — it’s a workforce multiplier. Leaders who understand how to harness AI can reshape productivity, culture and the role of managers in their organisations. Those who don’t risk falling behind as workplace expectations shift rapidly.
🔗 Resources & links
Season 3 of Boss Class asks crucial questions about responsibility, adoption and what we truly mean by progress — and this episode brings those questions directly into your workplace context.
Listen to Boss Class from The Economist — Season 3 launched January 2026 and explores AI, management and the future of work:
https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/boss-class
Andrew Palmer’s work: search “Boss Class” on podcast platforms or visit The Economist’s podcast page:
https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/boss-class
💬 Connect with the show
Website: https://truthliesandwork.com
Email: hello@truthliesandwork.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthlieswork
Hosts
Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/
Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne/
🧠 Mental health support
UK & ROI – Samaritans
Call 116 123 | http://www.samaritans.org
UK – Mind
Call 0300 123 3393 | https://www.mind.org.uk
US – Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 | https://988lifeline.org
Australia – Lifeline
Call 13 11 14 | https://www.lifeline.org.au
Global helplines
https://findahelpline.com