Many people who could benefit from AI find the landscape confusing or overwhelming (or both). This prevents them from diving in and learning how to use AI well. Among those who have at least dabbled (a recent study found this is nearly 40%), far fewer have discovered how to get value from AI on a daily basis.

The story is very different for successful early adopters. They’ll tell you AI is a wildly powerful technology that helps them create and perform at a level that was impossible just a year ago. They’ll say it’s an imaginative, creative thought partner—that it’s made them a better manager, thinker, entrepreneur, learner, parent, or partner. That they can’t imagine life without it.

We’ve seen a pattern emerge in the early stages of transformational technology: the benefits are unevenly distributed. We are already seeing this pattern repeat in AI. As AI-enhanced people drive a new baseline, suddenly everyone else will be operating at a fraction of their potential. It’s not because they are less capable but because the ceiling of what’s possible has risen.

Countless brilliant minds—executives, educators, entrepreneurs, and leaders across every sector—are missing the opportunity to amplify their impact with AI.