On AI Appreciation Day, industry experts reveal how smart, responsible AI use is transforming business, empowering people, and driving meaningful innovation.
Remember when AI felt like something out of a sci-fi movie? Those days are over. Now, on AI Appreciation Day, artificial intelligence is quietly working behind the scenes in businesses everywhere, from the chatbot that actually helps you solve a problem to the systems protecting your data.
But this isn’t just about cool tech anymore. It’s about real change, happening right now, that affects real people. As Ezzeldin Hussein from SentinelOne puts it, “A decade ago, artificial intelligence was largely experimental, often misunderstood, and cautiously adopted. Today, it shapes our everyday lives, from personalised healthcare and smarter cities to securing cyberspace and decoding complex global challenges.” The conversation has shifted. It’s no longer about whether to use AI, but how to use it in a way that actually works. If you’re feeling pressure to jump into AI, you’re definitely not alone. But diving in without a plan isn’t going to work. Justin Hurst from Extreme Networks puts it clearly: “Across Australia, organisations are evaluating how much and how quickly they should lean into AI. Ignoring the trend is not an option, but jumping in without a plan is not viable either.”
So what does make sense? Start with realistic goals. Think beyond just buying the latest tool. Consider how AI fits into your wider strategy: your people, your systems, and your culture. Hurst also points out that AI isn’t just about squeezing out more efficiency. If done right, it can create a cycle of ongoing improvement. But that only works if your team has the space to experiment, iterate, and even fail occasionallywithout being penalised for it.
HR is stepping up
One area seeing a surprising rise in influence is HR. David Lloyd from Dayforce says, “Now is the time for HR to lead in driving AI adoption and change management by taking a key strategic role at the executive table.” This goes beyond using new HR tech. It’s about HR leaders shaping how AI is used across the business. They’re the ones focused on training, managing change, and making sure AI supports people, not overwhelms them. Lloyd adds, “The growing interest in agentic AI is bringing new opportunities for HR teams. Unlike basic assistants that just respond to requests, AI agents can ask follow-up questions to better understand the task. That means more time for HR to focus on strategy, engagement, and leading through change.”
AI should be a partner, not a replacement
Let’s be clear: good AI isn’t about replacing people, it’s about making work better. Shaun Leisegang from Tecala puts it well: “AI is not a replacement for human potential, but rather a partner in unlocking it. It’s not about machines taking over, it’s about people stepping up.” Think about all the time lost to repetitive tasks like expense reports or leave approvals. AI can take that off your plate so people can focus on what actually matters: strategy, creativity, problem-solving, and building relationships. Leisegang says it best: “The best applications of AI aren’t those that eliminate roles, but those that eliminate friction. The value of AI isn’t in the code, it’s in what it unlocks for people.”
Don’t overlook the energy cost
Here’s something that gets overlooked far too often: AI uses a lot of energy. Simon Wistow from Fastly is blunt about it: “Gen AI isn’t just some magical cloud outputting poetry and code. It’s millions of GPUs crunching vectors and consuming serious power, and most people don’t even realise how much.” That matters, especially for Australian businesses that now have to report their emissions. If you’re investing in AI, you also need to think about the environmental impact. There is a path forward. Wistow says, “Innovation and sustainability aren’t mutually exclusive. But right now, we’re leaning heavily into innovation at any cost. That’s not sustainable in the long run.”
The better option is to choose providers working on energy-efficient models and look for ways to share infrastructure instead of everyone building their own AI from scratch.
If your data’s a mess, so is your AI
Here’s a tough but necessary truth: AI is only as good as the data you feed it. Matthew Hardman from Hitachi Vantara puts it plainly: “AI relies on high-quality, comprehensive data to deliver accurate results. Poor data can compromise its effectiveness.” In a recent Australian study, 43 percent of businesses said good project management and governance made the difference in successful AI projects. Another 35 percent pointed to strong data quality. Hardman says, “Boards and regulators are now demanding that businesses have a clear framework to manage AI models throughout their life cycle—from development to deployment and beyond. Those that meet that standard will get the most value out of AI.”
AI can complicate security but also improve it
Introducing AI comes with new security risks. But it also gives you better tools to deal with them. Patrick Harding from Ping Identity explains, “From deepfakes to autonomous agents, AI has transformed identity-based cyber threats, making it increasingly difficult to verify who, or what, is behind a digital interaction.” The scale of the challenge is growing fast. Check Point found that AI services are used in over half of business networks each month, and 1 in every 80 prompts contains information that could cause issues if leaked. But Harding is optimistic: “When deployed responsibly, AI can improve real-time threat detection, behavioural analysis, and adaptive authentication. It helps organisations prevent fraud while also improving the user experience.”
Les Williamson from Check Point Software Technologies adds a word of caution: “Effectively communicating complex AI risks to business leaders and boards is essential. These are no longer just IT issues—they’re strategic ones.”
Customer service might finally work
You know the pain: getting transferred three times, repeating your details over and over, still not getting a resolution. AI might finally put that experience behind us. Todd Gorsuch from Customer Science Group says, “Those horrific transfers in contact centres where you’re asked to repeat yourself and spend over an hour on the phone—AI will be our champion in putting those days behind us.”
That said, not all AI support tools are created equal. Audrey William from CrayonIQ warns, “Customers today are looking for change. They won’t tolerate being sent back to the era of clunky chatbots and rigid call menus.” The goal is AI that can hold a real conversation and actually understand the customer—not just spit out a canned response.
Skilled people still make the difference
Even as AI tools get more powerful, they still need smart, capable people behind them. Pieter Danhieux from Secure Code Warrior says, “The real magic lies in how skilled humans use AI tools to reach new heights in their roles.” There are still real risks from hallucinated responses to baked-in vulnerabilities. According to Danhieux, “It’s the people with AI literacy who will unlock the gains everyone’s hoping for, and do it safely and responsibly.” So it’s not about replacing your team. It’s about giving them what they need to get better at what they already do.
So what’s the takeaway for your business?
AI Appreciation Day isn’t about celebrating hype. It’s about recognising that AI is now a regular part of business, and using it well is what separates the companies that move forward from the ones that fall behind. The businesses that thrive won’t be the ones with the flashiest AI tools. They’ll be the ones that use AI to make their people more effective, their customers happier, and their operations more sustainable.
Like Ezzeldin Hussein said, “The future is not about AI replacing us, but AI elevating us.” And honestly, that’s something worth appreciating.
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