A human-centric AI strategy is the CEO’s path to inspiring customers and team members

The author, a CEO, expressed frustration with Silicon Valley leaders like Jack Dorsey and Marc Benioff who attribute layoffs to artificial intelligence, stating that these cuts are actually due to poor hiring and insufficient right-sizing post-pandemic. This misrepresentation, according to the author, creates unrealistic expectations for boards and investors, pressures leadership teams for immediate AI results, and fosters a culture of fear within companies. The author cites Mark Zuckerberg's extensive employee activity tracking at Meta as an example of leaders using AI to mask difficult management decisions, noting that employees recognize the disconnect between stated intentions and reality. The author frames AI deliberately as a tool, not because it is ordinary, but because this perspective forces leaders and teams to focus on foundational principles. The core argument is that technology alone does not drive outcomes; people do, citing historical examples of transformation at Salesforce, DocuSign, and by Henry Ford. Regardless of the technology, the pattern of reshaping work, eliminating some roles, creating others, and placing the responsibility on leaders to manage transitions remains consistent. Even with AI's power, the fundamental principles of disruption and change management apply, and leaders must adopt this mindset.