In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker are joined once again by AI strategist C.A. Clark for a wide-ranging conversation about artificial intelligence, adoption gaps, and what the technology actually means for the future of work in tourism.

The discussion begins with a look at recent job market data and the growing debate around whether AI is already affecting employment. While the long-term outlook may include economic growth and new opportunities, the group explores the short-term disruption that could occur as industries adapt—particularly for entry-level and white-collar roles.

From there, the conversation shifts into what may be a bigger issue: the massive gap between AI’s real capabilities and how most organizations are actually using it. Many professionals claim to be using AI, but in reality they’re treating it like a slightly smarter search engine. Meanwhile, the tools themselves are advancing at an exponential rate.

C.A. argues that the biggest shift isn’t about delegating tasks to AI—it’s about learning how to work differently alongside non-human intelligence. That requires experience, experimentation, and a willingness to rethink traditional workflows.

The group also explores why many organizations—including DMOs—are struggling to adopt AI meaningfully. Conferences often spend too much time explaining what AI is instead of showing real use cases. At the same time, many teams are waiting for a perfect moment to start experimenting instead of learning by doing.

The takeaway: the window for experimentation is right now.

The hosts discuss how younger generations may actually have an advantage in this environment, how AI could drive a new wave of entrepreneurship, and why skills like trust, taste, and execution may become the most valuable roles humans play in an AI-powered world.

If you’re still sitting on the sidelines with AI—or just scratching the surface—this conversation is a reminder that the time to start experimenting is already here.

Key topics in this episode:
• Is AI already impacting jobs and the travel economy?
• Why entry-level career ladders may be changing
• The growing gap between AI capability and real-world adoption
• Why using AI like Google misses the point
• The mindset shift required to work alongside AI
• How Gen Z may be uniquely prepared for AI-era work
• Why DMOs need to move from talking about AI to showing real use cases
• Why 2026 may be the tipping point for meaningful AI adoption

Tools mentioned in the episode:
• Claude
• Gemini
• Replit
• AI “thinking models” and co-working tools