Who do you want to be?

Episode 15: Is AI making us lazy leaders?

Abha Malpani Naismith & Sabine Karunanithy

This week on Who Do You Want to Be?, we unpack a fascinating—and slightly unsettling—experience from a recent AI conference in Bangkok. Sabine shares a story about a new app called Happily AI, designed to improve employee engagement and organizational culture in Asia. But what happens when leaders start using AI to avoid real conversations?

Together, we dive into:

  • Why AI feedback tools must enhance, not replace, human connection
  • The danger of outsourcing emotional intelligence to algorithms
  • What Gen Z employees really want from their leaders
  • How we can use AI to support authentic leadership—not dodge it

We ask the big question: Are we letting AI tools distance us from our humanity?

Key takeaways

  • AI is a tool—not a replacement—for real human leadership.
  • Feedback is only meaningful when followed by real conversations.
  • Younger generations crave emotional intelligence and mentorship.
  • We must use tech intentionally to support, not substitute, our values.

So this week, we urge you to take 5 minutes to ask yourself: “Am I hiding behind a tool when I should be showing up as a leader?” Reflect and share your thoughts with us or share with a friend who needs to hear this.

People on this episode