AI in Recruiting and Leadership: Why Supercomputers Need Supercommunicators

Conversations about artificial intelligence (AI) often swing between two extremes. Some envision AI as the ultimate problem solver, capable of tackling humanity’s greatest challenges like climate change and cancer. Others fear it could signal the end of humanity as we know it. Among the loudest voices are futurists who predict that by the end of this decade, AI will outperform humans in every conceivable task—from creative ideation to driving cars, and even running governments and businesses.

But is this vision of AI dominance accurate? As someone deeply engaged with hundreds of CEOs and government leaders navigating AI adoption, I believe this is a misconception. AI will not replace human leadership. Instead, human leadership must evolve alongside AI to remain relevant and effective. This article dives into why that is, explores the challenges leaders face today with AI adoption, and explains why the future belongs to “super communicators”—leaders who can bridge the gap between humans and machines.

The AI Leadership Debate: Humans or Machines?

The idea that AI will lead the future because it can outperform humans at everything sounds compelling, but it raises a fundamental question: if AI is better at all tasks, why would humans remain in charge? After all, humans have inherent limitations—we need sleep, breaks, and social connections. Yet, humans possess unique strengths that AI cannot replicate. We can envision a future, connect emotionally with each other, and collaboratively turn visions into reality.

This human ability to dream and unite for a common purpose is why I argue that AI optimists who see AI as the future leader are mistaken. However, this doesn’t mean human leadership will stay the same. To stay relevant in an AI-powered world, leaders must evolve their skills and approaches.

Challenges Leaders Face in AI Adoption

Despite the growing prominence of AI, many organizations are still slow to adopt it. I recently spoke with the CEO of a financial services company who admitted their AI adoption was sluggish, and it was hurting their business. They were losing market share, and attracting top talent became difficult. One candidate bluntly told him, “If you are slow in adopting AI, you are probably slow with everything else.” Ouch. This candid remark highlights a harsh reality: AI is no longer a luxury; it’s becoming a commodity as essential as electricity.

AI has transformed intelligence from a scarce, precious resource into something cheap and ubiquitous. This shift means that companies savvy with AI will outcompete those who lag behind.

The Promise and Pitfalls of AI Integration

I'm bullish on AI—especially agentic AI, which are smart autonomous systems capable of managing entire workflows within organizations. I’m even more excited about AI’s potential to serve as a hyper-personalized tutor, mentor, and coach for every individual, whether student, employee, or lifelong learner.

Yet, there is a tipping point. More AI isn’t always better. A famous fast-food chain recently trialed voice AI in their drive-thru restaurants, only to find customers complaining that the AI kept adding extra items to their orders. For example, two friends ordering chicken nuggets found their order ballooning from a few nuggets to hundreds. Another customer had bacon added to their ice cream. The trial was promptly halted.

This example is more than a funny mishap—it illustrates a crucial leadership lesson. Some leaders have missed the AI train entirely, becoming cogs in the machine rather than pilots of it. Outsourcing all thinking and decision-making to AI makes leaders redundant. If you don’t do enough, you become obsolete. But if you rely too heavily on AI without human oversight, you can also become obsolete.

How to Lead in the Age of AI: Don’t Compete, Collaborate

The solution is simple yet profound: don’t compete with machines. Use machines to compete. But how can leaders achieve this balance?

Leadership boils down to three core functions: understanding, deciding, and decision-making. The leaders who thrive in the AI era use AI as a tool to enhance these functions. They leverage AI to deepen their understanding of complex data, improve the quality of their decisions, and communicate effectively to ensure AI adoption succeeds within their organizations.

Importantly, these leaders recognize that bringing more humanness to leadership and communication is essential. AI can process vast amounts of information quickly, but it cannot replace the empathy, trust, and vision that human leaders provide. As I often say, supercomputers need supercommunicators.

Bridging the Human-AI Gap

Only those leaders and companies that learn to bridge the gap between people and AI will survive the AI transformation. This is no small feat. As the renowned biologist E.O. Wilson famously noted, “The real problem with humanity is that we have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and godlike technologies.” This mismatch means many AI projects fail or underperform because humans and institutions are not yet ready for the technologies they deploy.

Why Do Many AI Projects Fail?

Chicken nuggets are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to failed AI experiments. Many underperform quietly without making headlines. From my experience, two major reasons explain why AI projects often fail:

1. Leaders don’t understand AI deeply enough. Many leaders recognize the need to act but delegate AI initiatives to experts or IT departments. AI is not just another software implementation—it fundamentally changes how business is conducted. Leaders must get AI savvy first to guide their organizations effectively.
2. Lack of trust. AI often operates as a black box, making it hard for people to trust its outputs. More critically, employees fear AI might replace them. This fear triggers fight, flight, or freeze responses, undermining enthusiasm and cooperation with AI initiatives.

Building Trust and Understanding

To overcome fear and build trust, leaders must communicate transparently and empathetically. Sharing the “why” behind AI adoption, addressing concerns honestly, and fostering a culture of learning are crucial steps. For example, I recently spoke with Nicole, a startup founder who implemented a brilliant policy: everyone at her company can use any AI tool that makes their work easier, provided they share insights and learnings with the team. This policy revealed her core values—care for the team and collective success.

The result? A fast-learning, motivated team and a thriving business.

The Irreplaceable Power of Human Connection

Nicole’s story highlights a timeless truth—human connections matter deeply. They are good for people and good for business. Collaborating face-to-face, breaking bread together, and looking each other in the eyes build trust and foster creativity in ways AI cannot replicate.

AI can simulate empathy, but it cannot truly feel it. If we imagine a future where AI replaces human leaders, therapists, or even companions, we risk losing the very essence of what makes us human. Such a future could lead to a race to the bottom, where winning means being stuck in an empty and lonely place, as marketing expert Seth Godin warns.

The Future of Leadership: Super Communicators in an AI World

Despite the challenges, I remain optimistic about AI. For the age of AI to be a golden age for humanity, we need leaders who rise to the occasion. We need leaders who are super communicators—those who can energize, inspire, and paint a positive vision of the future.

Bringing more humanists into leadership and communications is essential. It is this combined power of human wisdom and technological intelligence that will unlock the best of both worlds.

Fast Intelligence, Slow Wisdom

In the age of AI, intelligence is fast, cheap, and abundant. But wisdom remains slow and scarce. Wisdom is what guides us to deploy AI effectively, to find the right words that inspire teams to cross the abyss of change, and to know, for instance, how many chicken nuggets a customer actually wants.

This delicate balance of fast intelligence and slow wisdom is the hallmark of successful leadership in the AI era. It is the power of super communicators and supercomputers working together.

Conclusion: Embracing AI in Recruiting and Leadership

AI in recruiting and leadership is no longer optional; it’s a necessity. Organizations slow to adopt AI risk losing market share and top talent. Yet, blindly handing over control to AI risks obsolescence. The future belongs to leaders who leverage AI to enhance their decision-making while maintaining the human touch—building trust, creating vision, and fostering connections.

To succeed, leaders must become AI savvy, communicate transparently, and cultivate a culture where humans and machines collaborate. By doing so, they will not only survive the AI transformation—they will thrive in it, driving innovation and growth in the years to come.

Remember, in the race of AI in recruiting and leadership, don’t compete with the machine—use the machine to compete.