Fun fact about me: I have a degree in social work. 

Long before I worked in marketing, data, or technology, I was deeply fascinated by people — what makes them feel safe, valued, and truly cared for. I studied human behavior, trauma, connection, and trust. I learned how much words matter. How presence matters. How listening — really listening — can change outcomes. 

That lens never left me. 

Now, as AI becomes more deeply woven into how businesses operate and make decisions, I find myself returning to those same questions: 

• How do people feel on the other side of this decision? 

• Who is impacted? 

• What’s being missed if we only look at the numbers? 

AI is incredibly powerful. It can process massive amounts of information, identify trends, predict outcomes, and optimize faster than any human ever could. It can help leaders move quicker and see clearer. But AI doesn’t understand context the way humans do. It doesn’t feel uncertainty, burnout, fear, or hope. It doesn’t recognize when someone needs empathy more than efficiency. 

That’s where leadership comes in. 

Empathy in business isn’t soft. It’s not slow. And it certainly isn’t a weakness. It’s a skill — and one that matters more now than ever. Especially for leaders navigating change, growth, and uncertainty in a world that feels increasingly automated. 

The most impactful leaders I’ve worked with don’t rely on AI to make decisions for them. They use it as a tool — a partner — while staying deeply grounded in human understanding. They ask better questions. They pause. They listen. They consider not just what the data says, but what it means for the people behind it. 

AI can tell us what is happening. 

Empathy helps us understand why — and how to respond with care. 

As we build smarter systems and adopt more advanced technology, my hope is that we don’t lose sight of the human element. Because data without empathy can feel cold. But when intelligence and empathy work together, decisions feel more thoughtful, teams feel more supported, and organizations become stronger. 

At the end of the day, business is still about people. 

And the future worth building is one where technology amplifies our humanity — not replaces it.