For centuries, work, workers, and workplaces have been tightly intertwined, forming a triad that shaped economies, societies, and individual lives. Work provided purpose, identity, and financial security. Workers were at the heart of this system, contributing skills and labor in exchange for stability. And the workplace, whether a factory, office, or co-working space, was where collaboration, mentorship, and culture thrived.

But as AI advances, this triad is coming undone. Work is being fragmented into micro-tasks, workers are reduced to skill clusters ranked by algorithms, and workplaces are being replaced by digital platforms that strip away communal identity. This "Great Decoupling" is already underway, and if left to the forces of unchecked capitalism, it will create a future where efficiency trumps humanity, and people become disposable inputs in an algorithmic economy.

In this talk we will explore – “how we choose to shape that transformation? Will we allow AI to accelerate our race to the bottom, or will we reimagine work as a system that prioritizes human dignity, creativity, and well-being?