Why AI Gains Fail When You Sprinkle 'Fairy Dust' on Old Processes

Jan de Vries · 2026-09-16

AI is rushing into boardrooms faster than most companies can figure out what to do with it. For Jim Harris, a GenAI and disruptive innovation expert, the real danger isn't moving too slowly—it's slapping new tech onto old workflows and expecting magic. Harris has advised giants like American Express, Barclays, IBM, SAP, Walmart, and the UK Cabinet Office. In 2024, TEC Canada named him Speaker of the Year for his AI work. In this exclusive interview with the AI Speakers Agency, he shares why you need to redesign processes from scratch, how to ease employees' AI fears, and why humans must stay in the loop. ### Why Employees Fear AI—and What Leaders Can Do When introducing AI, leaders often trigger resistance without realizing it. Harris says the first step is creating psychological safety. "The majority of people in developed nations actually fear AI. They fear job loss," he explains. As adults, we're naturally uncomfortable with new ways of working. So organizations must work hard to reassure: "Your jobs are safe, number one. Number two, we're going to provide you training. And three, this is going to enhance your skill set and your employability." Those three promises can turn fear into enthusiasm. ### The $1 Billion Lesson: Why You Can't Just Add AI Harris points to a striking example from Ernst & Young (EY). With 400,000 employees and a billion dollars spent on AI, EY had a 46-hour risk management process for clients. 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 tech-first, AI-savvy new hires with risk managers who'd never touched the process. The result? 15 minutes. After adding back compliance steps, it landed at six hours. That's over an 80% reduction. > "You can't just sprinkle some AI fairy dust on your existing processes and hope to get the greatest gain." — Jim Harris So what's the takeaway? Don't take a 2018 process and try to enhance it with AI. Start with a blank sheet of paper. Ask: If we were designing this today from first principles, what would we do? Also, the people who designed the old process are often wedded to it—consciously or not. Bring in fresh eyes. ### Beyond ChatGPT: AI's Transformational Potential Harris has seen AI's potential firsthand. He's interviewed Demis Hassabis, founder of Google DeepMind and a Nobel Prize winner in 2024. "Why? PhD student..." he begins, hinting at the groundbreaking work. But the point is clear: AI isn't just about chatbots. It's about reimagining entire workflows. When you redesign from scratch, you can redeploy people to more important activities, boost efficiency, and unlock innovation. ### The Human Element Remains Critical As AI adoption accelerates, Harris stresses keeping humans involved. Technology should augment, not replace, human judgment. By addressing fears, redesigning processes, and embracing fresh perspectives, businesses can achieve transformational gains—not just incremental tweaks. The fairy dust won't cut it. You need a new blueprint.