Bridging the AI trust deficit
Human capital leaders should lead with empathy and clarity. They must build a culture where curiosity replaces fear
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Last Updated: Nov 13, 2025, 12:29 IST2 min
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New Transformation
AI is no longer a distant future… it is here, shaping how we work, learn and lead. But while algorithms evolve, emotions linger. Employees are asking real questions: Will AI replace me? Will it be fair? Will I be seen?This is where human capital leaders step in. Not as tech translators, but as trust builders. Our role is to ensure that AI doesn’t just land in the workplace, but also grows roots in a culture of transparency, ethics and inclusion.
Transparent Governance
Trust is no longer a checkbox, it is a design principle. Organisations must build AI governance that is clear, accountable and human-led. This means:- Cross-functional reviews that keep bias in check and people in the loop
- Ethical AI playbooks that prioritise fairness, privacy and auditability
- Explainable algorithms in plain language
Also Read: The AI shift: For middle managers, a risk and opportunity
Humans + Machines
AI doesn’t replace human judgement. It refines it. Models like Reinforcement Learning with Human Feedback prove that human input makes AI smarter and fairer. Adobe’s approach—where employees test AI features before launch—shows how trust grows when people are part of the process, not just recipients of it.At Fractal, we’ve seen this first-hand. Our Smarter Everyday programme helped corporate teams get comfortable with GenAI tools like ChatGPT and CoPilot. With 70 percent participation, it wasn’t just training… it was an exercise in trust. We’ve also involved Fractalites in testing features during the development of some of our consumer-focussed products such as Kalaido.ai, Vaidya.ai and MarshallGoldsmith.ai. This co-creation mindset ensures that innovation is grounded in real-world feedback, making our solutions more intuitive and trustworthy.
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In a multigenerational workplace, silence breeds fear. Employees across age groups want to know:
- How will AI impact my role?
- What data is being collected/used?
- How can I reskill?
Every industrial revolution brought discomfort before progress. AI is no different, except in speed. The lesson remains that societies that invest in reskilling and inclusion don’t just adapt, they thrive.
Role of culture and leadership
Human capital leaders now face a defining moment. To lead with empathy and clarity. They must build a culture where curiosity replaces fear and where AI is understood as augmentation, not automation. This involves five key commitments:- Begin with trust: Invite employees into the AI conversation
- Build transparent frameworks: Make AI principles visible and enforceable
- Invest in reskilling: Treat AI literacy like Excel once was—foundational
- Design for humanity: Shape roles around creativity, empathy and strategy
- Measure trust: Track sentiment as seriously as performance
Collaborative Intelligence
The next chapter isn’t about AI alone, but collaborative intelligence. Systems that amplify human strengths while handling the cognitive load. Gen-Z already sees this as empowering. They are not resisting AI; they are mastering it.Toffler’s triad of learn, unlearn, relearn isn’t just a mantra. It is a mindset. When we embed transparency, accountability and humanity into AI, we build more than just better tech, we build a better workplace. Because the highest purpose of technology is to make us more human.
The writer is chief people officer, Fractal
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First Published: Nov 13, 2025, 12:40
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