#6 - JUNE 2026
Final glance
A VIEW
FROM ELSEWHERE
OLIVIER DUBOIS
President
OLEA INSURANCE SOLUTIONS AFRICA
For Olivier Dubois, the disruption lies in the shift in values. The head of Oléa feels that artificial intelligence is no longer confined to assisting analysis. It is now involved upstream of a transaction. Though not dispensing with the expert on the ground, it triggers a re-evaluation of the professional’s role. In 2026, experts are no longer the gateway to knowledge. Now they approve, adjust and ultimately take responsibility. The markets’ reaction is a sign of this. The recent fall in top international brokers’ share prices reflects doubts about the business model as regards the role of machines. The picture is somewhat different on the African continent. With a presence in 26 countries, OLEA operates in very different environments where data quality is inconsistent and personal relationships still play a vital role.
A GRADUATE’S
PERSPECTIVE
JEAN-ROCH HOULLIER (SKEMA 2017)
Head of Operations, Learning & Digital
SAFRAN UNIVERSITY
At Safran, an expert is defined by their ability to judge, not the knowledge they have accumulated. Jean-Roch Houllier cites two different uses. On the left, “substitute AI”: the product of human delegation, which promises immediate gains but carries the risk of intellectual impoverishment. On the right, “confrontational AI”, which challenges users, forcing them to explain, rephrase and prioritise. An AI that challenges human critical thinking and establishes it as an essential invariant…
A PROFESSOR’S
PERSPECTIVE
AMINE EZZEROUALI
Professor of Organisational Management and Programme Director of the MSc in International HR and Performance Management
SKEMA Business School
Do you remember CSI? In the 2000s, they were a regular sight on our TV screens, and we were all convinced they were the leading experts in their respective fields. Yet some of the characters in these series were total rookies! Much like the AI experts popping up all over LinkedIn… What constitutes legitimacy? Amine Ezzerouali points out that it is a social construct. “Claiming to be an expert is not enough; it is also vital to be accepted and recognised as such.”