AI-Empowered Humans

Becoming AI-Empowered: Why the Future of Data & AI Still Belongs to Humans

By 9:12 a.m., your model has eaten three quarters of the data warehouse and asked for seconds. Impressive.

But it still can’t decide what matters.

It can’t negotiate with a prickly stakeholder, sense when a metric is misleading or pick the right moment to challenge a room full of execs without accidentally starting a small civil war.

That’s why the next leap in AI isn’t going to be faster models. It’s going to be better humans – humans who know when to use AI, how to question it, and when to park it quietly in the corner with a “we’ll talk later” look.

I’ve seen this up close in keynotes, strategy sessions, and workshops with organisations from UBS to Keller Williams to WebMD Ignite. The ones making real progress aren’t those “doing the most AI.” They’re the ones using it with ruthless intention… and just the right amount of healthy scepticism.

The AI-Empowered Mindset

AI-empowerment isn’t wizardry. (No robes or wands required – though if dressing like Dumbledore helps you prompt better, I’m not here to judge.) It’s ownership. You choose the question, the guardrails, and the bar for “publish.”

I teach it with my 20-60-20 model:

First 20% – Set the strategy and write a clear prompt
● Middle 60% – Let the machine sweat through the heavy lifting
● Final 20% – Review, refine, and make the final call

Miss the first 20% and you’re wandering without a map. Skip the last 20% and you’re trusting a machine that doesn’t understand your business to sign the cheques.
The fastest wrong answer is still wrong, just sooner. And personally, I prefer my mistakes slow, obvious, and ideally caught before the CFO gets wind of them.

Six Ways AI Can Amplify Your Human Skills

When I talk to teams, this is where the lightbulbs switch on. AI isn’t here to replace you, it’s here to amplify you.

The Quick Fix – Learn a new skill before lunch. Need to try a clustering method you’ve never touched? AI can walk you through it line by line, no eye-rolling
The Support Line – Tackle those once-a-year tasks. Think “compliance report” without the annual swearing… or at least with 50% less
The Blank Page – Beat the blinking cursor that feels judgy at 8 a.m. AI can give you a starter draft or structure—like a writing buddy who never sulks when you delete half their work.
The Training Ground – Role-play tough presentations or stakeholder Q&A with AI as your sparring partner. Bonus: it won’t remember that thing you said last time.
The Fresh Lens – Spot patterns or outliers you’ve gone blind to after too many tabs and too little sleep.
Turbo Charge – Do what you already do well, but faster. Think “you on your best day” with a silent partner who works at 3 a.m.

It’s not about using all six every day. It’s knowing which lever to pull, and when.

When AI Partnership Hits the Sweet Spot

In a recent leadership strategy session with UBS, we explored how managers could guide their teams in using AI more intentionally. These leaders already had AI tools so my role wasn’t about convincing them to try AI, but about helping them decide where it adds value, and where the human touch is non-negotiable.

We worked through real scenarios from their day-to-day:
● Using AI to get past the “blank page” when drafting important client communications Partnering with AI to structure complex updates, then adding the nuance, relationship history, and compliance considerations that only a human can bring

That’s AI-empowerment in practice: the machine handles the mechanics, the human shapes the message. Like peanut butter and jelly – different roles, better together.

Breaking the Blank Page Barrier

In a sales and strategy workshop with WebMD Ignite, we talked about how AI can accelerate prospect research, pulling together public information to help align messaging with a client’s needs and values.

Why the Human Element is the Strategic Element
Data isn’t insight. AI isn’t strategy.
Humans decide the questions. Humans set the ethical boundaries. Humans choose which patterns are meaningful and which are just noise wearing a lab coat.
Think of AI as Mission Control: telemetry, plots, alarms. You’re the flight director. You say “go” or “no-go,” and you own the call. And when it works, you get the glory; when it doesn’t, you get… the meeting.

Avoiding the “Because We Can” Trap
One of the biggest risks I see? Automation without intention.
● We can automate this decision
● We can predict behaviour
● We can model 20 years of data
Sure. But should you?
AI-empowered teams pause to ask better questions before pressing “run.” They look for bias, check the context, and invite different perspectives. They know that speed is meaningless if you’re sprinting in the wrong direction… which is just cardio with paperwork.

Your AI-Empowerment Challenge

Whether you’re leading a global team or managing your own projects, the challenge is the same:
Don’t just collect a list of AI tools. Build a plan for how you’ll lead with AI.

Ask yourself:
● Where could AI free me to focus on higher-value thinking?
● Where do I need to be the human guardrail?
● How will I help my team build both AI skills and the judgment to use them wisely?
AI will keep getting faster. The real differentiator will be wisdom – your ability to blend human context, ethical judgment, and machine capability into something competitors can’t copy-paste.
If you want to go beyond “using AI” to truly leading with AI, start by experimenting with small, low-risk projects. Build your team’s confidence, keep the conversation open, and never lose sight of the human element.

The future of AI isn’t about the technology alone, it’s about the people who know how to make it matter. And if you can have a little fun along the way? Even better.

🎤 Julie Holmes is bringing the AI fire to BOTH BA25 and DAI25!
Get ready for not one, but two electrifying keynotes from one of the most dynamic voices in AI, tech, and innovation.

✨ At BA25:
Keynote: UPGRADE: Unlocking AI’s Potential for Business Analysis
🗓 Monday, 15 September 2025 | ⏰ 9:10 – 9:55 AM
📍 Convene 133 Houndsditch, London
🎟 Book your BA2025 tickets

✨ At DAI25:
Keynote: Becoming AI-Empowered: Igniting Innovation with AI
🗓 Tuesday, 14 October 2025 | ⏰ 9:10 – 9:55 AM
📍 etc.venues Fenchurch Street, 8 Fenchurch Pl, London
🎟 Book your DAI25 tickets

Julie’s keynotes will show you how to go from AI curious to AI confident — with live demos, bold frameworks, and real-world strategies that will leave you inspired, equipped, and ready to lead.

Don’t miss the chance to learn from one of the best.