We’re on a bridge. A liminal era. 

Behind us lies the old world. 

In front of us, the unknown: a radically new landscape where AI runs our companies and performs our jobs. 

Before you cross over, ask yourself: What is your purpose? What is pushing you forward into the unknown? 

Why you need a purpose

Money cannot be your main driver. If it is, you already don’t have a business — you just don’t know it yet.

You and your company need to stand for something other than money. 

A few weeks ago, I sat down with Rodolfo de Felipe. He’s the founder and president of LIDE Argentina, dedicated to promoting ethical leadership in the region. 

Together, we talked about what success means in today’s world. And we diagnosed what most organizations are doing wrong: 

• They focus only on the bottom line, on profits, on results.
  
  

• They don’t believe in anything. They sell products and services without an underlying idea or mission. 

• They might donate to causes or environmental initiatives. But these are just superficial gestures or greenwashing — and their audience knows it. Consumers are much smarter than you think.

Your purpose cannot be for show. And it’s not always going to be convenient. 

You must have a real, authentic purpose. Because as Simon Sinek once said: “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” 

In the decades ahead, it’s your purpose that will keep you relevant. 

Why I do what I do

At Santex, we seek purpose in everything we do as an organization. That’s our purpose.

We believe technology should serve humanity, not the other way around. It should empower us, not dehumanize us. 

Sadly, not everyone agrees. 

As I argued in a recent podcast, companies in Silicon Valley are obsessed with innovation for innovation’s sake. 

They don’t care about the human cost or about offering real value. 

Yet innovation that doesn’t solve real human problems is simply noise. I’m far more impressed by African entrepreneurs who are transforming lives with limited resources, helping build a more sustainable and inclusive planet. 

They get it. If we don’t shape the future ourselves, somebody else will do it for us.  

Shaping the future of AI

In the spirit of what I wrote above, we cannot stand by and watch as AI takes over. We need to be active participants in the evolution of AI. 

And the first step is to figure out where humans are going to fit in. 

According to the World Economic Forum, some of the most important human skills in tomorrow’s workplace will be: 

• Creative thinking

• Curiosity

• Lifelong learning

• Social influence

• Resilience and flexibility

Notice anything? Most of these skills are rooted in human experience and connection — not computation. 

Adopting AI is about more than implementing a random tool or two. It’s about figuring out what AI can already take care of — and recognizing where humans will still be needed. 

Because here’s the problem:

Many companies, schools, and universities continue teaching people how to perform tasks that AI can — or will soon — do better, faster, longer. 

They haven’t updated their curriculum or onboarding materials. And because of this, they’re merely preparing students and employees to be disposable and replaceable. 

We need to take control of the AI narrative. We need to tell a story that benefits humans and makes us essential. 

Designing a future to believe in

In the face of progress, the worst you can do is turn your back on it. 

Just look at what happened in 2023, when Senegal temporarily shut down the internet to silence political unrest. They only managed to stifle economic growth, political freedom, and human potential. 

This year, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice determined the shutdown was illegal and infringed on people’s rights to personal expression and access to information. 

So, this isn’t the way. The only way forward is forward — never backward or sidewise. 

But we all need a purpose to guide us. And at Santex, our conviction is that — as we move into the unknown, into our AI future — we’ll continue hiring, empowering, and celebrating humans. 

Because AI doesn’t have to replace humans. Instead, it can open spaces where humans can thrive. 

Let’s cross that bridge together. 

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With human love,
Juanca