AI's Biggest Myth: Why You Can't Just Sprinkle Fairy Dust on Old Processes

Jan de Vries · 2026-09-16

### The AI Wake-Up Call: Stop Bolting New Tech onto Old Ways AI is moving into boardrooms faster than many businesses can figure out what to do with it. For Jim Harris, a GenAI and disruptive innovation expert, the bigger risk isn't moving too slowly—it's bolting new technology onto old ways of working and expecting transformational results. Harris advises executive teams at companies like American Express, Barclays, IBM, SAP, Walmart, and the UK Cabinet Office. In 2024, he was named Speaker of the Year by TEC Canada. In an exclusive interview with the AI Speakers Agency, he explained why companies need to redesign processes from scratch, how leaders can reduce employees' fear of AI, and why keeping humans involved remains critical. ### Fear Not: How Leaders Can Introduce AI Without Resistance Many people in developed nations fear AI—especially job loss. Harris stresses the importance of psychological safety. "An organisation has to work really hard to say, 'Your jobs are safe, number one, and number two, we're going to provide you training. And three, this is going to enhance your skill set and your employability.'" That means being transparent about the changes and investing in upskilling. When employees see AI as a tool to augment their work rather than replace them, resistance fades. ### The $1 Billion Lesson: Why Redesigning Processes Matters At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Harris interviewed the head of AI for Ernst & Young (EY) in the US. EY has 400,000 employees and has spent $1 billion on AI. They had a 46-hour risk management process for clients. Initially, they applied AI with the original designers and got it down to 32 hours—a 20% gain. But then they tried something different: they paired AI-first newbies with risk managers who had never been involved in the process. They got it down to 15 minutes. Then, to meet data compliance and verification requirements, they added steps back in, landing at six hours. That's an 80% reduction from the original 46 hours. "You can't just sprinkle some AI fairy dust on your existing processes and hope to get the greatest gain," Harris says. "You really need to start with a blank sheet of paper and say, if we were designing this process today from first principles, what would we do?" > "The people who have been involved in designing the process, unconsciously or consciously, are wedded to it. We need to have fresh eyes to bring in." — Jim Harris ### Beyond ChatGPT: AI's Transformational Potential Harris points to Demis Hassabis, founder of Google DeepMind and Nobel Prize winner, as an example of AI's far-reaching impact. While tools like ChatGPT grab headlines, AI's real power lies in rethinking entire workflows—from drug discovery to risk management—and freeing up humans for more strategic work. The takeaway? Don't just apply AI to old processes. Rethink them from the ground up, involve fresh perspectives, and keep humans in the loop. That's how you unlock AI's true potential.