It's happening.

I didn’t wake up this morning hoping to write yet another thing about AI but here we go. Another proclamation and requirement to use AI in order to be considered for promotion. Weeks ago it was Microsoft, today it’s Amazon. Tomorrow it's coming for your job—whether you're an employee, consultant, contractor, or vendor. Listen to me now and believe me later at your own peril—The floor is literally being rewritten under your feet, and most people are still debating whether this matters, doing everything to avoid AI. 

If you're not building AI collaboration skills right now, you're already behind.

Jamie Siminoff, VP of Things and Stuff at Amazon, just dropped a hammer: anyone seeking promotion in his organization must now show how they've used AI to improve customer experience or increase operational efficiency. They need measurable impact. Specific projects. Results. 

And managers? They get a bonus requirement: prove you used AI to "do more with less" without expanding headcount. 

Here’s an excerpt from Business Insider that broke the story:

Siminoff, in his email, said employees seeking a promotion must now describe how they have used generative AI or other AI technologies to improve customer experience or increase operational efficiency. They are also asked to cite specific AI projects they've worked on and the measurable impact achieved.

Those in management positions are also required to show how they used AI tools to accomplish "more with less," while reducing or not growing headcount, according to the email.

This isn't a suggestion. It's not encouragement. It's a gate. No AI proficiency? No promotion. Full stop. Managers have to show they’ve reached Minimum Viable Humans. No cap.

I’ve seen this coming and a big reason why I wrote Creative Intelligence  because the pattern was obvious. What's happening now and will continue to happen in the next one thousand tomorrows was inevitable.

Let's cut through the corporate speak. These companies aren't just encouraging AI adoption—they're creating a professional caste system. There will be those who can think with machines and those who can't.

The first group will advance, lead, and thrive. The second will stagnate, struggle, and eventually be eliminated.

And it's not just happening to employees. Consultants who can't demonstrate AI-enhanced capabilities? Clients will find others who can. Contractors bidding against AI-amplified competitors? Good luck with that. Vendors who haven't integrated AI into their service delivery? Someone else already has.

Folks, it’s go time! I saw this coming and wrote the book to teach how to use AI to collaborate, not automate--that’s a race to the bottom. Any mouth breather can do that and will. And when everyone’s doing the same thing, you’re going to need a way to stand up and stand out from the masses. 

Creative Intelligence is the only book that will give you the foundation, the ability for you to create your own floor. While others scramble to hit AI usage metrics and come up with bland ideas, you'll be building the skills and capabilities that actually matter and set you apart.

The book costs $15 and about six hours of your time. If that’s still to much or you’re unsure than download and read chapter 4 for free. At least do that much for yourself.

Creative Intelligence—Get it. Read it. Use it.