February 4, 2026

Optimists, Pessimists, and Realists: Leading in an AI-Native World – Sanu Satyadarshi

As Mercari continues to scale its Artificial Intelligence capabilities, we’ve had the opportunity to work closely with engineers, managers (both technical and non-technical), and leaders across the organization. One thing has become immediately clear: almost everyone has a strong opinion about how AI will change our world, or at least how it will change their work. These perspectives are often deeply polarized. Some see AI as the most transformative shift since the internet. Others view it with skepticism or concern. Both reactions are understandable. What matters most, however, is how organizations learn to navigate these differing worldviews while continuing to build reliable, production-grade systems. To make sense of these dynamics, one useful way to look at AI adoption inside organizations is through three broad cultural lenses: Optimists, Pessimists, and Realists. This framing isn’t meant to judge or rank perspectives. Instead, it helps leaders understand motivations, sources of friction, and how to channel disagreement productively. Part I: Understanding the Three Cultures The Optimists: The Force Multipliers Optimists are often found among senior leadership and engineers who are directly building AI- and LLM-based products. Their energy is infectious. Conversations with this group are often filled with statements like, “This is the biggest shift since the internet.” From their perspective, AI is a genuine force multiplier, work that once took weeks can now be done in days, sometimes hours. While this is an oversimplification, the underlying momentum is real. What defines Optimists is not uniform motivation, but consistent enthusiasm. They are excited by faster product cycles, new technical possibilities, and step-changes in how businesses operate. In many organizations, they become champions of change, pushing teams to think bigger and move faster. At the same time, optimism without intellectual humility can become a liability. Healthy ambition must be paired with rigorous questioning. The strongest… <a class="more-link" href="https://about.in.mercari.com/ai-native/optimists-pessimists-and-realists-leading-in-an-ai-native-world/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Optimists, Pessimists, and Realists: Leading in an AI-Native World – Sanu Satyadarshi</span></a>