Navigating the Tightrope: AI Innovation vs. Human Values

Photo by Andy Kelly on Unsplash

For a while, I was ready to walk away.

I mean, who wouldn’t feel uneasy watching the world’s biggest tech companies sprint towards AI innovation with all the caution of a toddler wielding a flamethrower? Not mentioning any names here but lately it seemed every headline screamed, “Faster! Bigger! Smarter!”—but I found myself asking, “Yes, but wiser?”

I got into AI transformation not because I was obsessed with algorithms, but because I believed AI could genuinely make life better—enhancing productivity, sure, but also deepening human connection, enabling fairness, and creating space for more meaningful work. But somewhere along the way, the conversation started shifting. The buzz wasn’t about how AI could elevate humanity, but how much money it could make, how quickly it could scale, and how efficiently it could replace human input.

I remember sitting in a high-level meeting last year where executives were practically giddy about the latest AI model’s capabilities. One of them casually mentioned, “This could cut the workforce by half!” as if they were talking about trimming a hedge. I looked around, waiting for someone—anyone—to say, “Wait a second… what about the people?” But no one did.

That was my crisis moment.

I wondered if I was playing for the wrong team. If I kept helping organisations integrate AI, was I just another cog in the machine of dehumanisation? Should I step back, go and live in the woods and raise chickens? (Those who know me know I already own the chickens—chickens don’t have ethical dilemmas about automation and in a world of algorithms and AI, my chickens are the perfect reset button.)

But then, something clicked.

I had a different kind of crisis—the kind that doesn’t make you want to run, but to stand your ground. I realised that turning away wasn’t the answer—showing up differently was. If I left, the conversation about responsible AI wouldn’t magically fix itself. The people still pushing for ethical AI, human values, and emotional intelligence needed voices—louder ones. The people driving AI innovation didn’t need less guidance, they needed more of it.

The future of AI isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about humanity. And if we leave that conversation to profit-driven automation, we lose the chance to shape it.

And so I leaned in.

I started making it my mission not just to help organisations use AI, but to understand it—deeply, critically, and with an unwavering commitment to human values. I started speaking up in rooms where “empathy” and “EQ” felt like foreign words. I made it my job to remind decision-makers that technology isn’t just about what can be done—it’s about what should be done.

And the best part? I learned that the right conversations, framed the right way, can change minds.

I tell leaders that AI should be like a great assistant, not an overzealous intern who automates everything—including bad decisions. I remind companies that the best AI won’t replace human intelligence—it will enhance it, support it, and free people up to focus on what truly makes us human.

Now, when I talk about AI, I talk about it as a partnership—one where we get to decide what kind of world we build. And I talk about it with a good dose of humour, because let’s be honest—if we don’t keep a sense of humour about AI, we’ll end up being the robots!

So yes, AI is advancing at lightning speed. But so are we.

And my job? My passion? It’s making sure we bring our humanity with us. Because at the end of the day, the question isn’t whether AI will shape our world—it’s whether we’ll shape it wisely. And that’s a choice only humans can make. And from personal experience, no matter how smart AI gets, I guarantee you—it still can’t herd chickens.

Tom keeping it real

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Tom Bryant is a Business Change & Transformation Specialist based in the UK, Founder & Director of TFB Consulting and confirmed FOMO AI Enthusiast! He is passionate about keeping the ‘human’ in Human-Centered AI evolution.