The most important dynamic in the AI Value Stack isn’t static positioning — it’s that the boundaries between layers are moving upward over time.
Prediction 1: The Middle Layer collapse accelerates. As agentic AI systems mature, compression jumps from gradual to sharp. AI agents executing multi-step workflows replace teams of Middle Layer specialists.
Prediction 2: The Top-Middle becomes the competitive battleground. As the Middle compresses, organizations compete fiercely for professionals who combine judgment, cross-domain synthesis, and AI fluency. Compensation premiums increase significantly.
Prediction 3: The Top Layer fragments. A new distinction emerges between augmented experts (who use AI for productivity) and compound experts (who reshape their entire methodology around human-AI synthesis). The compound experts command an order-of-magnitude premium.
The career strategy isn’t “reach the Top-Middle and stay.” It’s “maintain a layer advantage over what AI can do.”
Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
