There’s a story I keep coming back to. You’ve probably heard it, too.

At one point, a cargo ship found itself stranded in the water due to a malfunction. Despite the crew’s efforts to diagnose the issue, their attempts were unsuccessful, leading them to seek the help of several experts, yet the problem remained unsolved.

Eventually, they reached out to a seasoned professional who had been repairing engines since his youth. Upon arriving, he inspected the engine briefly, tapped it at one precise spot with a hammer, and the engine roared back to life. A few days later, the captain received a bill amounting to $10,000.

He pushed back, saying that the old man barely touched it and couldn’t justify the high cost.

The expert responded that tapping the hammer costs $2. Knowing where to tap is $9,998.

This anecdote never loses its charm for me. It illustrates that regardless of how sophisticated a system may be—even one as intricate as AI—its true worth is still dependent on the individuals operating it.

Humans are still the ones holding the hammer

In my role as COO of a technology firm, I frequently engage with business leaders keen on integrating AI solutions. They recognize the necessity of possessing the correct data and technical setup to accommodate AI, yet often overlook the human component. Specifically, who will be responsible for building, training, maintaining, and utilizing the AI tools implemented by their company? This clarity is frequently absent.

AI can indeed be beneficial, but only if you have the right people who can guide it thoughtfully and strategically.

During the AI readiness evaluations conducted by our firm, I regularly observe that even intelligent, experienced leaders underestimate the significance of human expertise and perspectives. While they’re conscious of the core business issues they aim to tackle, they frequently neglect to determine who within their team possesses a comprehensive understanding of AI, or how much skill development is essential for their staff to fully benefit from it.

Though AI excels in processing vast data sets, a capable team is still necessary to link these data insights to the broader strategic objectives of the business. You require individuals who can spot opportunities that would otherwise elude any machine without direction.

I’ve seen plenty of companies invest heavily in AI systems, only to realize later that their people lacked the critical thinking or strategic perspective necessary to use the technology effectively.

Likewise, AI is very good at automating repetitive, manual tasks, but you still need people to handle the edge cases and complex tasks AI can’t do. You still need people who know where to tap with the hammer when the ship is dead in the water.

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So, what kind of people do you need to make AI work?

At the top, a Chief Data Officer (CDO) or VP of AI Strategy sets the direction by deciding how AI can solve strategic problems. Next, AI Product Managers shape that vision into projects, using basic tech know-how to bridge business and AI.

Below them, Data Scientists cleanse and prepare data for AI consumption, while Machine Learning Engineers create the AI models that turn data into insights. Business Analysts use those insights to improve decision-making. AI Ethics Specialists oversee compliance, especially in fields like healthcare, making sure the AI doesn’t break laws or fairness rules. Change Management Leads get everyone on board, training staff to use AI tools without pushback.

These roles interlock: the CDO sets the goal, Product Managers plan, technical teams build, Analysts tweak, Ethics Specialists check and Change Leads make it stick.

After all these years in Operations, I’ve seen a lot of technology come and go. And there’s always excitement around the next big thing. But in all that time, one thing’s never changed: Tools don’t drive results; people do.

It’s no different with AI. Yes, it’s much more powerful and can alter every process we have been following so far. But it doesn’t create business value on its own. That still takes sharp minds who know how to make AI work for the business.

Mind you, finding those people is not easy. The competition for AI talent is intense. From AI architects, data scientists and engineers to AI-savvy marketers, customer support and departmental leaders, supply is tight and demand is high.

AI is the hammer

AI isn’t the old ship mechanic; it’s his hammer. Your investment in AI can only pay off if you’ve got people who know precisely where and how to apply it.

The smartest technology in the world won’t move your business forward if your people aren’t clear about how to turn the insights it delivers into strategic action.