In this episode of QInsight, hosts Steve Clarke and Alastair Jupp talk with Chris Parkes, long-time Microsoft consultant and AI advocate, about the rise of digital labour and the shifting balance between people and machines.
From the Industrial Revolution to the AI era, Chris explores how every wave of progress has expanded human capacity, and why this one is different. The trio discuss what the capacity gap really is, how AI agents are already reshaping sales and service roles, and what it means to become an “agent boss” in the age of intelligent automation.
They also confront the challenges of governance, trust, and data security, and consider how small and mid-sized businesses can adopt AI safely without losing what makes them human.
It’s a wide-ranging conversation about risk, readiness, and responsibility as digital labour becomes part of everyday business.