My View: Why Responsible AI Adoption Starts With Your Employees
Article originally published in the Phoenix Business Journal.
The term “social contract” may sound academic, but in business, it’s incredibly practical. It’s the unspoken agreement between companies and the people who power them, and it requires an evolving understanding of responsibility, fairness, and trust. As we see artificial intelligence technology continue to grow, that contract is being rewritten in real time.
I believe the modern social contract demands that we prepare our people for the future, rather than replacing them with technology. It’s not enough to chase the latest innovation. The real challenge is using it in a way that strengthens your business and your workforce.
Every time a major shift happens, whether it’s new technology, a regulation, or a disruption, businesses face a choice. Do we adapt our responsibilities to match the moment, or do we default to doing what’s easiest or cheapest?
With AI, we’re at an inflection point. What’s needed now is clarity and leadership. Our workforce needs training and guidance, not just new software. Otherwise, we risk replacing development with shortcuts, and that’s not a sustainable path forward.
I’m not anti-AI. As a leader, I’m exploring ways to integrate it into our sales and customer experience solutions. We see AI as a productivity multiplier, not a personnel substitute.
Consider sales development reps, or SDRs. There’s growing buzz about AI replacing them. But sales is more than outreach. It’s about building relationships. A skilled SDR asks smart questions, builds trust and handles objections with empathy. That human skillset is still at the heart of selling.
The same goes for service. When was the last time you had great service? Many people struggle to recall one example. But ask about bad service and they’ll have multiple examples from the past week.
That’s because good service depends on empathy, listening, and solving problems. These aren’t tasks. They’re critical interactions. AI can support them, but it shouldn’t own them.
Investing in people still the best ROI
Right now, every company says they’re “doing something with AI.” Often that means a chatbot or some automated routing. The reality is that much of this adoption is shallow. If the tech we adopt doesn’t move the needle on real outcomes, it’s all just noise. Innovation without impact is theater. The purpose of AI should be to help teams become smarter, faster, and better prepared, not just to look innovative.
That said, AI does deliver real benefits. It can clean data before a campaign, allowing people to focus on relationships and results. It can identify buyers earlier in the funnel, giving us the chance to engage at the right time. But without the human touch that follows, none of that matters.
I lead a company with a unique business model. We employ and empower women, many of whom have been impacted by incarceration, through meaningful careers in sales and marketing. These are people most companies would overlook, but they exceed expectations every day.
My experience has shaped how I view AI. When you invest in people, when you give them structure and tools, they rise. AI doesn’t change that, but it can enhance it. It can help us train faster, perform better, and deliver stronger results. But it only works because we built a foundation on people first.
Leaders in service industries need to remember this. AI isn’t your value driver. People are. Tech should support their growth, not sideline it.
When companies get this right, the results are clear: greater productivity, better customer outcomes, and more engaged employees. In our business, that means SDRs who tailor outreach using AI insights. Agents who solve problems faster because they have the right context. Teams that are focused and aligned, not replaced.
If you’re feeling pressure to “do something” with AI, start with a better question: how will it help your people do better work? If you can answer that, you’re on the right path.
