Based on a conversation between Barry Schwartz, Seref Turkmenoglu, and Lauri Paloheimo

In today’s business environment, AI is a pressure cooker. Leaders feel compelled to adopt it quickly, teams are overloaded by choice, and the true purpose of work risks getting lost. Barry Schwartz, Seref Turkmenoglu, and Lauri Paloheimo offer a blueprint for how organizations can move from knee-jerk adoption to meaningful, wise use of AI.

AI Without Purpose Is a Recipe for Chaos

Barry Schwartz, known for his work on the paradox of choice and practical wisdom, cautions against adopting AI just to appear modern. When organizations chase capability at the cost of usability and purpose, teams get paralyzed by options. AI becomes a checkbox rather than a meaningful enhancement. His advice: always start with a clearly defined reason for change. Without that, even technically sound implementations may fail.

Seref Turkmenoglu adds that both creators and users of AI face intense pressure: investors demand speed, while organizations rush to adapt without proper structure or metrics. The result? Shortcuts, shallow integration, and a disconnect between the promise of AI and its actual impact on the ground.

Slow Down to Speed Up

Rather than starting from “What can AI do?”, Lauri Paloheimo advocates a Japanese-inspired subtractive approach: start by removing friction. Use AI to understand workflows, reduce waste, and only then think about automation. His work at Pandatron shows how even brief reflective sessions, 10 to 20 minutes, can help employees clarify their priorities and make AI genuinely helpful.

Barry agrees: slowing down may be the most important act of leadership. Especially in times of rapid change, building “meaningful friction” into the system space for thoughtful inquiry helps avoid chaos disguised as efficiency.

Purpose and Meaning Matter More Than Ever

When it comes to AI, the risk is that it’s eroding the meaning of work. Schwartz warns that if AI is deployed in ways that reduce autonomy or treat workers as disposable, it will tank morale and productivity, even if output initially looks better.

But when AI is designed to serve people, not just replace them, it becomes an ally. Paloheimo explains how AI coaches at Pandatron help users reconnect with purpose, values, and even organizational principles. These aren’t abstract exercises. They anchor people in meaningful work and empower better decisions.

Build Practical Wisdom, Not Just Metrics

Rules and incentives are important, but insufficient. Schwartz emphasizes the need for practical wisdom; judgment, discretion, and the will to do the right thing. This can only flourish when leaders relinquish control, embrace uncertainty, and involve people in shaping how AI is used.

As Turkmenoglu puts it, successful transformations begin and end with the user. Start with their real needs. Then expand from there, measuring what matters, but also accepting that some benefits, like morale and trust, don’t show up immediately on a spreadsheet.

Final Thought: Wise Adoption Is Human-Centered

Smart organizations fail at AI not because the tech is wrong, but because their approach is. They forget that AI is a tool not a purpose. As Barry Schwartz reminds us, “Don’t just do something. Sit there.” Reflect. Define your purpose. Respect your people. Then move forward. Slowly, wisely, and together.