The world is undergoing an unprecedented technological revolution driven by artificial intelligence (AI).

Once confined to laboratories and research papers, AI is now woven into the fabric of daily work—responding to emails, preparing presentations, analysing vast datasets, and managing customer service. It is reshaping the very structure of offices, factories, and service industries across the globe.

Alongside this rapid digital transformation, leadership itself is evolving. The role of the line manager—once centred on overseeing tasks, preparing reports, and meeting deadlines—has changed dramatically. Today's line managers are no longer just supervisors. They are bridges between technology and people, motivators of teams, and drivers of organisational change.

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), the so-called "robot revolution" was expected to displace 85 million jobs globally by 2025—but also create 97 million new ones, resulting in a net gain of 12 million. A more recent WEF projection for 2025–2030 anticipates 170 million new jobs, even as 92 million are displaced—leading to a net increase of 78 million positions worldwide.

In Bangladesh, the effects of AI will be particularly visible across the ready-made garments (RMG), agriculture, banking, IT, and customer service sectors. While exact data are still emerging, early indicators paint a mixed picture: automation could reduce RMG employment by a notable percentage, yet AI-powered tools such as digital crop monitoring and advisory apps are helping farmers increase productivity. In India alone, AI is expected to generate 2.3 million new jobs by 2027—although challenges such as skills shortages and sectoral inequities persist.

These developments illustrate AI's dual nature: it disrupts traditional roles while also creating opportunities—especially for those who embrace lifelong learning and adaptability.

AI has already automated many of the routine tasks that once filled a manager's schedule. This shift redefines the role into four key domains:

Strategic leader: Determines which tasks AI should handle and where human oversight remains essential.

Human-centric leader: Fosters creativity, supports staff, and maintains morale in an AI-augmented workplace.

Guardian of transparency and ethics: Ensures responsible use of data, fairness, and privacy.

Agent of change: Leads technology adoption and nurtures a culture of innovation.

To thrive, line managers must develop new capabilities suited to an AI-driven environment:

Task classification: Delegate repetitive work to AI while reserving critical thinking and creative roles for humans. Research shows AI can raise productivity by up to 15% in routine operations.

Skill development: Build team capacity in digital literacy, adaptability, and ethical reasoning. The demand for complementary skills is rising faster than job replacement rates.

Morale management: Ensure employees feel valued, not replaced. Transparency and inclusion are vital during transitions.

Performance evaluation: Apply fair, data-driven metrics when assessing individuals and teams.

Ethical oversight: Guard against data misuse, algorithmic bias, and privacy breaches.

Technological acumen: Managers need not be AI experts, but they must understand which tools to deploy—and when. By automating routine work, they can redirect roughly a quarter of their time to strategic initiatives.

Change management: Lead with openness and evidence. Pilot projects, feedback loops, and inclusive dialogue can accelerate decision-making by up to 50%, according to studies.

A notable example is J.P. Morgan Chase, which is investing $18 billion in technology in 2025—up $1 billion from the previous year. In consumer banking, AI has cut servicing costs by nearly 30%, with operational headcount projected to fall by 10%, particularly in fraud detection. In asset and wealth management, AI tools such as Smart Monitor and Connect Coach have boosted advisory productivity more than threefold.

What drives these results is not only technology—it is leadership. Forward-thinking managers at the bank have combined automation with human intelligence, using data to empower staff rather than replace them.

Artificial intelligence is redefining the very essence of leadership. Line managers can no longer be passive supervisors; they must become strategic thinkers, technology facilitators, empathetic team builders, and ethical guardians.

Organisations that equip their managers for this transformation will hold a decisive edge. In the end, AI is not merely a story of automation—it is the story of leadership evolving for a world where human potential and machine intelligence work hand in hand.

TBS / Prime Bank / Corporate