Leadership and communication are transforming in the age of AI
Digital communication has an important role to play for leaders communicating with their staff. However, assuming an AI-knockoff chatbot CEO works as a standalone alternative to speaking with team-members risks alienating employees, warns Entec Si CEO Eman Al-Hillawi.
Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has been at the helm of the company for more than two decades, leading the social media revolution. Now, he is attempting to redefine leadership in the digital age and guide his 80,000 employees through a new digital clone of himself.
Meta says the 3D AI character is being trained to mimic Zuckerberg’s mannerisms, tone, speech patterns and views on company strategy. In theory, this will allow it to “converse” with employees, providing feedback and guidance. One of the aims is for workers to feel more connected to Zuckerberg as a leader. However, sceptics have questioned whether this technology can truly replace human interactions, empathy and emotion to successfully lead a workforce, or whether employees will be left feeling disconnected, disengaged and misunderstood.
For many organisations, particularly large ones with hundreds, sometimes thousands of employees, the challenge of making every individual feel seen and heard is very real. An AI-powered leader may appear to offer a practical solution. It’s always available, endlessly scalable and capable of responding to questions instantly.
What’s being missed is that employees do not just want information. They want creativity, inspiration, reassurance, purpose and a sense that their leaders understand the realities of their day-to-day roles. Digital twins can fulfil certain tasks but won’t be able to offer employees a human connection, which remains central to effective management and idea generation, as it’s well documented that workforces respond to empathy, instinct and authenticity.
The rise of AI digital twins should not be viewed as a replacement for senior teams, but as a tool to support good leadership and bridge the gap between employees and managers. Before deploying technology, executives should focus on getting the basics right. For example, even those with busy schedules should maintain regular face time with employees, especially when a company has multiple offices, or hybrid working policies. This may mean visiting each office location regularly, aligning schedules to see people in the office, or presenting certain communications virtually. Team meetings and employee face time should not be treated as optional extras, as when senior presence becomes inconsistent, the workforce might start to feel overlooked or undervalued.
Time spent with teams should be used to build relationships, understand responsibilities and recognise the impact individuals have on the wider business. Showing a genuine interest in people and their work can make a huge difference to team morale and overall business alignment.
Digital communication also has an important role to play when it comes to leadership. Monthly company updates such as newsletters, virtual all-employee meetings and organisation-wide emails can help leaders share progress and celebrate success. Used properly and consistently, these channels help to create transparency and reinforce a sense of shared purpose across the organisation.
Recognition is another essential part of strong leadership, and something an AI twin may not be able to replicate. Businesses work best when people feel their contribution is noticed. Whether through direct feedback, public recognition or financial incentives, acknowledging good work helps to strengthen culture and motivation. Just as importantly, employees need clear channels through which they can share feedback and raise concerns.
Rather than relying on AI twins to fully replicate human qualities and take over pastoral or leadership responsibilities, it might be more effective to adopt digital technologies that support human staff. There are countless ways humans and technology can overlap effectively to improve the daily lives of employees when implemented correctly, with the right guardrails and with a qualified human in the loop when appropriate. For example, a trained, secure chat bot could act as a 24/7 first port of call for employees to initiate conversation and raise issues. Human managers can then access the data or necessary information, apply their judgement and take appropriate action.
It is undeniable that AI provides increased efficiency and will continue to transform the workplace. However, while digital tools can help draft employee communications from leadership, day to day management requires intelligence and connection outside of its capabilities. As businesses navigate the age of AI, instead of completely replacing human leadership with machine intelligence, teams should focus on deploying new technology in ways that supports and compliments staff.
Whilst AI can simulate conversation, it cannot replace the key characteristics and skills that comes from being a genuinely present, engaged, leader, which has been proven to improve the workplace and boost productivity.
Eman Al-Hillawi is CEO at business change consultancy, Entec Si.
