Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban delivered a characteristically blunt warning over the weekend: artificial intelligence will decide which companies survive, and those that don't adapt won't be around to regret it.
The Two Types of Companies
Cuban took to X on Saturday with a message that cuts straight to the point. "There will be 2 types of companies in the future," he wrote. "Those that are great at AI, and those that used to be in business."
It's the kind of stark binary thinking that gets attention, and Cuban clearly means it. This isn't his first time sounding the alarm on AI adoption. Earlier this year at Arizona State University, he hammered home the same theme: businesses that fail to embrace AI risk extinction, while those that master it will dominate their industries.
Embrace AI or Get Left Behind
During his Arizona State appearance, Cuban urged students to get familiar with AI tools like ChatGPT, arguing that mastering these technologies would give them a competitive edge regardless of their field. The opportunity is real, he said, but so is the threat. Companies, jobs, and even universities that resist adaptation could find themselves overtaken by competitors who moved faster.
Cuban's message is simple: AI literacy isn't optional anymore. It's becoming foundational to business success, and the window to catch up is closing.
What Tech Leaders Are Saying About AI's Future
Cuban isn't alone in thinking AI will reshape everything. Earlier this month, Alphabet Inc. (GOOG)(GOOGL) CEO Sundar Pichai said AI tools might soon act as decision-making agents for users within a year, handling everything from investment guidance to reviewing medical treatments. He acknowledged that AI could take over complex tasks currently managed by corporate leaders, and yes, some jobs will disappear while others transform.
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) CEO Satya Nadella offered a more measured take, suggesting that fully AI-managed companies remain far off and emphasizing the continued need for human oversight when assigning tasks to AI systems.
Then there's Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, who predicted back in October that AI would eventually replace all jobs. Not some jobs, not most jobs—all of them.
Former Google X executive Mo Gawdat added another sobering perspective: artificial general intelligence (AGI) could eventually threaten even top performers and executives, challenging anyone who isn't the absolute best at their work.
The debate among tech leaders isn't whether AI will transform business and work—it's how quickly and how completely. Cuban's warning fits squarely in the "adapt now or become irrelevant" camp, and given the pace of AI development, it's hard to argue he's being overly dramatic.