Balancing AI with Human Creativity in CX
Reflections on Vanderbilt’s “Generative AI for Leaders”
I love new technology but often joke that I am a late adopter. I didn’t even consider getting a smartphone until 2015, which, I’m told, is basically “technological dinosaur” territory. It’s not that I am resistant to new tech; I’m just conscientious about how adopting it will change my life. Or, in the case of my work, what the impact will be for my customers beyond the screen. How will the integration of this new tool play out in their work or lives over time? What are the actual benefits, and what might be the unintended consequences? With GenAI being such a hot trend, I wanted to learn more before diving in for myself or my customers. The Coursera course "Generative AI for Leaders" from Vanderbilt University was a great start. It did more than introduce me to the mechanics of AI—it sold me on the potential to leverage GenAI to enhance human potential, framing AI as a tool to support people—if used well—and enhance their potential to reach new levels of creativity and critical thinking.
Insights from the Course
Dr. Jules White, a Professor of Computer Science at Vanderbilt University, teaches the course. I especially appreciated his framing of GenAI as "the mind’s exoskeleton." This metaphor resonated with me, highlighting AI’s role in augmenting our strategic thinking, creativity, and systematic problem-solving capacity. The course stressed that GenAI is not an artificial replacement for human intelligence but rather a tool that amplifies our strengths and frees us from repetitive tasks so we can focus on complex, high-value work. This aligns perfectly with the values of people-first design: innovation thrives when people are empowered by technology, not overshadowed by it.
Rethinking Customer Experience through AI
One of my main focus areas during my five years at Farfetch was the future of work and automating transactional, process-driven tasks. When I first joined, teams were overwhelmed by customer requests that required little thought but consumed significant time and energy. Canceling an order, changing an address, or tracking a package—these tasks involved someone pushing buttons behind the scenes, often leading to delays and leaving teams both exhausted and disengaged. Over time, we implemented an automation strategy that empowered customers with self-service options, reducing unnecessary friction. My team and I leveraged machine learning and AI-driven insights to refine customer journeys and improve satisfaction. By systematically addressing problem areas and utilizing sentiment analysis, we identified friction points and opportunities for improvement, enabling us to get to the root causes of issues and respond to customer needs more accurately and efficiently. This not only enhanced the customer experience but also elevated the roles and morale of service teams, shifting their focus from defect resolution to building deeper customer connections.
What excites me most is how GenAI can take this work to the next level. Beyond just driving efficiency, GenAI unlocks the potential for more personalized, empathetic interactions and deeper customer relationships. It's not just about automating tasks—it's about creating more connected experiences and giving service professionals the tools, time, and space to focus on meaningful, complex engagements while AI manages the repetitive, routine elements. Paired with people-centric leadership, this creates the ideal conditions to consistently impress customers with greater accuracy, reliability, and most importantly, genuine connection. People remain the heart of any business, and the future of CX will depend on balancing AI-driven efficiencies with human empathy and creativity.
Building a Collaborative Future with GenAI
Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. Successfully integrating AI into business strategy creates opportunities to connect dots across the organization, fostering a holistic, collaborative approach that unites cross-functional teams, customer feedback, and strategic foresight. From journey management and continuous improvement to testing new products, nothing is achieved alone. AI enables teams to focus on solving strategic challenges and driving innovation, while uncovering patterns, streamlining workflows, and managing data at scale. GenAI holds the potential to create more seamless customer interactions—because when internal processes are cohesive, it paves the way for the customer journey to flow.
Looking Ahead: The Potential of GenAI in CX
Looking ahead, I see GenAI playing a pivotal role in shaping customer experiences that are not only more efficient but also more emotionally intelligent. Real-time feedback loops and AI-powered sentiment analysis will enable businesses to anticipate customer needs, deliver proactive support, and build stronger, more loyal relationships. This marks a shift from merely reacting to customer feedback to actively designing experiences that deeply resonate with individuals. The irony? When used effectively, the robots could be the key to unlocking a clearer path to more impactful people-first design.
Risks, Opportunities, and the Path Forward
Of course, integrating AI into CX strategies comes with risks. We've already seen how these tools reflect our own biases, from gender roles to other forms of human prejudice. As the course highlights, it's crucial to stay vigilant about data privacy, bias, and the ethical implications of automation. However, with responsible use and clear intentions, these risks can be mitigated. As a society, we still have work to do in building ethical guidelines around this technology, which means we must proceed thoughtfully as individuals. We have a responsibility to treat AI outputs for what they are—drafts that require human nuance and expertise to ensure accuracy, ethical use, and to reach their full potential.
A Call for Collaboration and Innovation
The "Generative AI for Leaders" course has inspired and motivated me to explore how GenAI can drive innovation in CX and beyond. It reinforced my belief that the best business strategies are people-first and rooted in collaboration. AI can empower us to solve complex challenges more effectively, but only if we approach it as a partner, not a replacement. For leaders shaping the future, the message is clear: embrace AI thoughtfully, ensuring it strengthens human connections, fosters innovation, and drives strategic, long-term success.
What opportunities do you see for GenAI in your field? How can we leverage this technology to create more people-first, collaborative experiences? I invite you to share your thoughts and continue the conversation.
AI Transparency Statement: I use GenAI (ChatGPT & Grammerly) for insights and initial drafts, which I fully rewrite and refine. The tool helps with grammar and structure, but all content is carefully crafted and finalized by me to reflect my voice and vision.
