Smarter Together: Making The Case For AI-Human Collaboration

The narrative surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) is clear and forever gaining momentum: AI is the future. It will revolutionize business, make companies faster, smarter, and more efficient. Get on board, or be left behind.

Today, AI is helping companies crunch massive amounts of data in seconds, automate repetitive tasks, personalize customer experiences, and spot patterns no human can see.

It’s fast, efficient, and, in many cases, saving businesses serious time and money. But what happens if we hand over too much control? What follows should we trust the machines more than we trust ourselves?

While AI can draft entire business strategies before you’ve finished your morning coffee, unlike us, it doesn’t think. It doesn’t feel. It doesn’t understand people. And the moment businesses forget that, they could be heading for trouble.

Researchers and science fiction writers have long seen machines running entire industries, with large language models outperforming humans in most tasks. What are the consequences, though, when we take AI out of the lab and into the boardroom?

To explore one practical application of AI in decision-making, Harvard Business Review observed a series of executive team meetings at an Austrian company with US$85 million in revenue, which sells organic, eco-friendly woolen sneakers.

They found that, while the AI story up until now has mostly been about the accuracy of the information it provides, what actually makes it a valuable team member is that it helps execs see more options. And it provides information quickly to speed up decisions.

In this case, the researchers found AI worked best when guided by humans, supporting—not replacing—decision-making. Its value lay in changing how the team thought and interacted.

In this specific case, the most valuable ideas emerged not directly from the AI, but from how it prompted executives to think differently. They had to question it, push back, and dig deeper. When they did, they made better decisions. The AI wasn’t the leader, it was just the assistant.

While insightful, this was still a single-case experiment, and it shouldn’t be seen as a definitive reflection of AI’s broader impact on corporate decision-making.

What it does highlight, though, is a key truth: AI is a tool—not the boss, at least not yet.

Still, there’s a growing belief that it won’t be long before AI surpasses even the brightest human minds. Some experts predict it could soon run entire departments, or even whole companies. That idea is no longer confined to science fiction—it’s fast becoming a real possibility.

The problem though is that too often people treat AI like it’s already in charge, accepting its output as fact, and letting it steer strategy, hiring, and more. That’s when things can start to go wrong.

In February, three lawyers involved in a personal injury lawsuit against Walmart were fined $5,000 by a US District Judge in Wyoming for referencing fake cases generated by AI in their court filing. The judge said the lawyers had an ethical obligation to ensure that the cases they cited were real.

At the same time, Reuters reported that over the past two years, a growing number of judges across the US had raised concerns or taken disciplinary action against lawyers for including AI-generated legal cases and quotes in their court submissions.

Instances of this nature have emerged in at least nine lawsuits since AI chatbots like ChatGPT became widely used, exposing a new litigation risk.

It’s easy for businesses to rely too much, too soon, on AI, assuming its output is always right. But when human oversight is skipped, mistakes can pile up quickly.

As good as it is at processing data, AI doesn’t understand context. It can’t predict human emotions, cultural trends, or gut feelings. This matters, because business isn’t just about numbers, it’s about people.

Imagine a startup expanding into a new country. AI will analyze market trends, predict demand, and roll out a strategy. But what if it doesn’t account for local customs? What if it recommends a marketing campaign that could offend half the population?

AI still doesn’t understand culture like people do. It can’t pick up on humor, and what matters to us most. That’s why businesses still need people in charge, individuals who can read the room, adjust, and make smart calls that machines aren’t yet ready for.

When AI is used to draft financial reports or support major negotiations, and something goes wrong, it’s still the people behind the decisions who are held accountable. After all, AI doesn’t get fired or go to court.

AI needs clear boundaries. Use it as an aid, not a decision-maker. Let it assist, but don’t let it take the lead. The best businesses use AI to speed up research, highlight trends, and automate boring tasks. But the final call must belong to a human.

Business isn’t just about numbers. It’s about instincts, relationships, and knowing when to take a risk. AI can’t do that. It can suggest strategies, but it can’t read the mood. It can analyze customers, but not build relationships.

Startups, in particular, must be extra careful. It’s tempting to believe that AI will give them an edge, helping them compete with bigger players. But leaning too heavily on AI at this stage can be dangerous. Startups need adaptability, creativity, and emotional intelligence, all things AI currently lacks.

The most successful companies aren’t those that rush to adopt every new technology. They’re the ones that mix innovation with human intelligence. AI should sharpen human judgment, not completely take its place.

Undoubtedly, AI has a huge role to play in the future of business. But the future can still belong to people. The companies that get this balance right will be the ones that thrive.

About The Author

Rashit Makhat is the co-founder and Director of Scalo Technologies, a tech venture company based in Dubai.