Broderbund's Ghost Still Haunts Me: A Warning About Today's AI Revolution: By Erica Andersen

Finextra

25-05-2025

Don't destroy your career by ignoring AI
"AI is the future, but we don't do that yet!"
How many times have you heard that? How many times have you said it?
Here's the uncomfortable truth: AI isn't just the future—it's already here. And if your company isn't adopting it, your competitors (especially in China) are.
The Fear You Should Really Have
Do you worry AI might replace your job? I call it Assistive Intelligence—because the best use of AI isn't to replace people, but to enhance them. AI should work with you, making you faster, smarter, and more efficient.
But here's the real fear: AI isn't coming for your job—it's coming for your company. And if your company fails to adapt, you will be out of a job—not because AI took it, but because your business collapsed.
A Cautionary Tale: Broderbund and the Cost of Ignoring Change
In 1997, I was a senior executive at Broderbund, the largest consumer software company in the world. We made legendary products like Myst, PrintShop, and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
Yet, just a few years later, it was all gone.
Why? The Internet.
We owned franchises that could have thrived online:
PrintShop could have been an early website builder.
Family Tree Maker could have been the first Ancestry.com.
But we hesitated. We missed the shift. And by the time we realized it, it was too late.
Broderbund wasn't alone. History is littered with giants who ignored technological shifts:
Kodak invented the digital camera but clung to film—bankrupt by 2012.
invented the digital camera but clung to film—bankrupt by 2012. Nokia dominated mobile phones but dismissed smartphones—crushed by Apple and Android.
dominated mobile phones but dismissed smartphones—crushed by Apple and Android. Sears was the Amazon of the 20th century but failed to embrace e-commerce—now a shadow of its former self.
The AI Inflection Point Is Here—Will You Adapt or Die?
AI is the next seismic shift. Companies that ignore it will:
Lose to competitors (especially those in China aggressively investing in AI).
(especially those in China aggressively investing in AI). Become irrelevant as AI-driven businesses outpace them.
as AI-driven businesses outpace them. Leave their employees stranded when the company fails.
But here's the good news: You don't have to be a victim.
How to Protect Yourself (and Your Career)
Start adopting AI now. Even small steps matter. Champion AI in your company. Be the person pushing for change. Gain experience. If your company fails, you'll be the one startups and forward-thinking firms want—because you understand AI and your industry.
How to Get Started
Build a business case for AI adoption .
. Lead digital transformation with practical AI solutions.
with practical AI solutions. Future-proof your business before it's too late.
Remember, you don't have to do this alone, there are AI experts you can bring in to assist. All it takes is one call. One conversation. One decision to act.
The question is: Will you wait until it's too late?
Written by Oliver King-Smith, CEO of smartR AI.