Your Credentials Are Nearly Obsolete

Andrew Wilkinson (@awilkinson) recently shared an interesting experience: his 5-year-old son chatted with ChatGPT's advanced voice mode for over 45 minutes. It all started with a simple question about how cars are made, but soon evolved into an extended learning journey. ChatGPT explained the process in a way a young child could understand, adapted to his curiosity, and turned counting practice into an engaging game. The AI’s infinite patience and ability to respond meaningfully, adjusting to the child’s learning style, made the interaction remarkable. As Andrew put it, we’re looking at the future—”an essentially free, infinitely patient, super-genius teacher that adapts perfectly to each child’s pace and interests”.

Now imagine this in the context of the workplace.

The pace of knowledge decay isn’t limited to childhood learning or education—it’s everywhere, including the professional world. In a widely cited paper from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the half-life of medical knowledge is estimated to be around 7 to 10 years. Some areas of medicine, particularly those related to fast-moving fields like oncology or genetics, see significant shifts in knowledge and practice in an even shorter time frame—sometimes less than 2 to 3 years. And this rapid obsolescence isn’t just limited to medicine; it affects every industry.

We are on the brink of a future where the credentials that once symbolized lifelong expertise are decaying just as quickly as the knowledge they represent. Imagine a world where your expertise is no longer defined by static credentials but by dynamic, ongoing assessments—an environment where your understanding is continuously evaluated through lifelong, meaningful conversations with AI. The future Andrew described for his son—of having a patient, genius teacher always available—is nearly here for everyone, and it will change everything about how we value, develop, and maintain skills in the workplace.

For decades, organizations have relied on degrees, certifications, and licenses as proxies for skills. These were valuable indicators at the time they were earned, but what happens when the half-life of knowledge accelerates and a static credential no longer signifies competence today? In a world of AI-driven assessments, the very concept of certification will transform. Traditional credentials will be increasingly challenged by a new standard—real, demonstrable, and evolving expertise.

Imagine each of your team members having an ongoing, personalized conversation with an AI, in which their understanding of key topics is continuously probed and deepened. These aren’t just exams—they’re natural conversations where the AI adapts, asks nuanced questions, and offers resources to help individuals grow in areas they need. This dynamic evaluation will reveal much more than any single certificate ever could. It will expose those who are stagnating while amplifying those who are actively growing—irrespective of their formal credentials.

AI is about to make lifelong learning more than just a buzzword. Picture an environment where learning and assessment happen simultaneously, in every interaction, at every stage of life. These persistent conversations with AI won’t just be for the young or the formally educated—they’ll be accessible to anyone, regardless of their age or background, fostering deep, personalized growth.

Someone in your workforce who didn’t go to a prestigious university could be benchmarked against global experts simply by showing what they know and how they think in real time. Imagine a manager who once doubted their ability to navigate emerging tech trends—now, through persistent AI-led dialogue, they’re building confidence and skill, tracked and recognized continuously.

The implications of this shift are profound. AI-driven assessment will strip away the veneer of superficial knowledge. No longer will someone be able to hide behind a dated credential or clever self-promotion. Posers—those who coast on old accomplishments without actively staying sharp—will be exposed. In contrast, those with genuine understanding, who have stayed curious and continued to learn, will finally get the recognition they deserve.

Within your teams, the value individuals bring will no longer be based on the age of their degree but on the currency and relevance of their knowledge—knowledge they are demonstrating today. Imagine what this means for identifying potential leaders, experts, or innovators within your organization. Undiscovered talent will rise, and those whose expertise has grown stale will be challenged to keep up.

In this new world, we’re not talking about badges or one-time achievements. We’re talking about fluid indicators—ongoing evaluations that adapt with the person’s growth, reflecting the full, evolving landscape of their capabilities. These indicators are like having a living profile of skills and expertise—always relevant, always up-to-date.

For managers, this is transformative. The reliance on resumes and certificates to make decisions about hiring or promotions is already showing its weaknesses. Now, imagine being able to access a real-time, dynamic picture of someone’s capability—a picture that reflects what they can contribute right now. It could mean a radical rethinking of not only how you hire but also how you train, promote, and retain your best people.

The role of a manager will shift dramatically. The emphasis will be on nurturing environments where continuous learning is the norm. Managers won’t just be credential-checkers—they will become catalysts for learning, ensuring their teams are growing, adapting, and developing the kind of resilience needed to thrive in a fast-changing world.

Credentialing will no longer be a one-time box to tick but an ongoing, adaptive process. The managers who invest in building teams capable of real-time learning, adaptation, and AI-assisted growth will find themselves leading the most effective, future-proof teams. It will be a shift from managing competencies to enabling perpetual growth.

The world of work is evolving at a breathtaking pace. In the near future, the difference between an obsolete team and a thriving one won’t be about who has the most credentials. It will be about who can demonstrate current, evolving knowledge. The AIs that will accompany us on this journey will become the mirrors that reflect the truth—they will reveal where we are, where we need to grow, and just how far we can push the limits of what we know.

This is not a distant dream. It’s happening now. And those who embrace it—who foster environments of constant growth and continuous learning—will not only survive but lead in this new era. Your credentials might be nearly obsolete, but your capacity to learn and adapt never will be.

This article was cross-posted on X.