Why AI Needs the Human Heart to Truly Work

A few weeks ago, headlines raged. OpenAI’s latest update to ChatGPT left many users frustrated and confused. Critics pounced. The Guardian called it a lesson in what not to do with AI. Features disappeared, performance dipped, and trust was shaken.

But beneath the technical glitches and commentary lies something deeper. A pattern. A question we’re just beginning to ask out loud:

Is performance really what people want? Or is it presence that truly matters?

This tension isn’t new. We’ve seen it play out before. In customer service, in coaching, even in cafés.

Starbucks and the AI Illusion

Back in 2020, Starbucks proudly announced its intention to integrate AI and reduce staff numbers. Five years later, they reversed course. Why? Because people didn’t just want quick coffee — they wanted connection.

Yes, the drinks matter. But so does the warmth of the barista’s smile. The eye contact. The small moment of being seen.

Replace the barista with a bot, and you might improve efficiency. But at what cost?

AI Is a Hammer

We often treat AI as if it were a sentient thing. As if it chooses how to behave. But as with any tool, whether a hammer or a pen, its use depends on us.

A hammer can build a home or break a window. The same goes for AI.

The output depends on the input. The skill of the user. The clarity of intention. The ability to ask better questions, and to know when the answer doesn’t feel quite right.

It’s a matter of collaboration. Asking intelligent questions. Working with AI is not just a matter of asking a question and trusting the answer is correct. It’s about understanding what you’re asking and articulating your intention.

Anyone can tap numbers into a calculator, but it takes someone good at maths to know whether the answer is right. The same goes for AI. It doesn’t negate our need to think. If anything, it sharpens the need for awareness. Used well, AI becomes not a replacement for thought, but a companion to it — a virtual personal assistant.

A Lesson from the Past

Over thirty years ago, when property management software first emerged, the industry faced a similar wave of uncertainty. Many were sceptical. The cost of adopting these new systems felt high. The change in working practices, even higher.

At the time, I thought my research would show that companies using the software were managing more properties. But the opposite was true. They were managing fewer.

And yet, something powerful was happening: costs were down, but the level of care and time managers could give each property had increased. Why? Because the software handled the admin, the calendars, invoices, and data, it freed humans to do what only humans can do. They could finally focus on the people and the properties themselves.

Sound familiar?

AI, for me, is the next stage in this evolution. It’s here to save us time, not necessarily money. And in doing so, it allows us to do our jobs, and live our lives, better.

What If Presence Is the Performance?

In a world chasing automation and speed, presence might be the new luxury. The currency of trust. The differentiator in business, coaching, leadership, and even tech.

Maybe it’s time we redefined performance.

Not just in metrics, but in meaning.
Not just in output, but in how we show up.
Not just in answers, but in awareness.

AI may get faster, smarter, more capable. But it will always reflect the quality of the presence behind the prompt.

So here’s a thought for the week:

What if your greatest advantage — in life and in work — isn’t how quickly you can perform, but how deeply you can be present?