Virtual communities were originally formed to help people learn and solve problems together. Over time, many were reshaped by business models that prioritized scale, efficiency, and monetization over participation. According to John Hagel, a leading voice on virtual communities and economic transformation, this shift weakened trust and turned communities from engines of shared value into systems optimized for extraction.

As AI enters the enterprise, Hagel sees the same pattern repeating. Under mounting performance pressure, organizations often default to fear-driven decisions that emphasize control and short-term gains. He argues that AI creates a different opportunity: redesigning work so people can move beyond routine tasks and focus on judgment, creativity, and collaboration. The challenge is whether leaders can move past fear and create environments that encourage exploration and long-term value creation.

Key takeaways:

• Virtual communities create value through participation: The most durable communities are built around shared problem-solving and learning, with incentives aligned to participants rather than platforms or advertisers.
• Fear shapes how enterprises deploy AI: Performance pressure pushes organizations toward efficiency-first decisions, even when AI enables more creative and higher-value work.
• “Zoom out, zoom in” as a strategy for change: Successful organizations identify a long-term opportunity ten to twenty years out, while committing to a small number of concrete initiatives over the next six to twelve months to build belief and momentum.
• AI changes work before it changes organizations: The real impact comes from removing routine tasks so people can focus on judgment, collaboration, and novel problems.
• Trust becomes a competitive differentiator: As confidence in traditional models declines, enterprises that align incentives with customers and employees gain lasting advantage.