In a previous conversation with my longtime friend and colleague Dev Mukherjee, we explored the evolving role of AI in business and relationships. The big takeaway? AI isn’t the villain, it’s the tool. But the relationships that truly matter… those are built by people, not platforms.
The conversation around AI has only intensified. We’ve seen platforms grow more powerful, algorithms more predictive, and automation more deeply embedded in how we work and interact. But amid all the hype and acceleration, one truth keeps rising to the surface… the future of connection depends on putting people before the platform.
Technology, no matter how advanced, can’t create trust. It can’t replicate empathy. And it definitely can’t build meaningful relationships on its own. What it can do, if used with intention, is remove the noise, reduce friction, and amplify what makes us human. That’s where the real opportunity lies.
I’m not anti-AI, far from it. I’m fascinated by its potential. But I’m also deeply concerned by how many businesses are chasing efficiency at the expense of authenticity. They’re turning over customer touchpoints to machines without ensuring there’s still a heartbeat behind the message. You can automate a thank-you email, but you can’t automate genuine gratitude.
The best use of AI isn’t to replace people, it’s to empower them. Imagine if companies used AI to surface which customers haven’t been reached out to in a while… not to send a mass message, but to prompt a real check-in. What if AI could help brands remember birthdays, shared experiences, or personal moments, and remind a team member to follow up with a handwritten note or a simple call?
That’s RETURN ON RELATIONSHIP (ROR) at its best… when technology supports deeper human interaction rather than trying to mimic it.
Let’s not confuse personalization with connection. An algorithm might know I like single malt, but it doesn’t know I associate that single malt with an evening cocktail with my Dad in his later years. AI can guess what I want, but it’s people who understand why it matters.
There are great examples out there. Companies using AI to flag at-risk customers so humans can intervene early. Platforms surfacing niche communities that real people then nurture and grow. Brands using AI to scan sentiment, not for vanity metrics, but to spark meaningful dialogue. These are signs of progress, but they’re not the finish line.
Too often, I see companies slap “AI-powered” on their messaging like a badge of innovation, while quietly cutting budgets for community teams, support reps, and human outreach. That’s the danger. Technology without intent doesn’t strengthen our connections, it just speeds up the disconnect. (P.S. And let’s not forget the so-called “thought leaders” who tack “AI” onto their titles, bios, and messaging like a badge of honor, or worse, expertise, and push the idea that AI is the end-all, be-all. 🤔)
The question we should all be asking isn’t just how we use AI, but why. What do we want it to do for our customers, our teams, our communities? If the answer isn’t rooted in care, connection, and long-term trust, then we’re building the wrong future.
I believe in a hybrid future. One where AI handles the mundane so humans can focus on the meaningful. Where platforms serve as the bridge, but people still choose where to walk. Where empathy isn’t coded, it’s cultivated.
Because platforms don’t build loyalty… PEOPLE DO. And in this world of accelerating change, that is the future of connection worth building.