AI & the Human Side of Business

The Human Side of Business Has Never Mattered More

Here’s something that might surprise you: while 60% of C-suite executives are planning to expand AI integration within the next five years, only 16% of U.S. workers are actually using AI in 2025.

That’s not just a gap, it’s a canyon.

And in that canyon are real people; leaders trying to keep up, teams trying to make sense of what’s next, and cultures quietly slipping into fear.

As someone who works with organizations every day, I can tell you this: 85% of AI initiatives fail to deliver their expected value. Not because the technology isn’t capable, but because we’re forgetting the most important part of the equation: the humans.

The Real Cost of Leaving People Behind

When employees don’t understand AI or don’t see themselves in the conversation, they disengage. Fear takes over. And once fear enters the culture, innovation stalls — not because people aren’t capable, but because they don’t feel safe.

People start wondering: “Will I still have a place here?” “Can I keep up?” “Am I being replaced by a machine?”

If we’re not addressing those questions head-on with clarity, empathy, and transparency, we’re not leading — we’re reacting. And in a world that’s moving this fast, reactive leadership is the fastest way to lose trust.

A Different Kind of AI Conversation

AI isn’t the enemy of humanity; fear and disconnection are. Our job as leaders is to make sure our people never feel replaced by the very progress we promised would help them.

Because when done right, AI can do something beautiful: it can free people to do the kind of work only humans can do — creative problem-solving, relationship-building, critical thinking, and vision-crafting.

That’s the human-centered future we should be building toward. But getting there requires intention — and a plan.

Because This Isn’t About Technology

It’s about trust. It’s about belonging. It’s about building organizations where people feel included, equipped, and empowered — even as the world changes around them.

At the end of the day, the most advanced AI in the world won’t matter if your people don’t understand it, trust it, or know how to work alongside it.

That’s the real work of leadership today — balancing progress with people.