Last month, I began my journey at Stanford University through the Latino Business Action Network Scaling Program. Nearly 100 entrepreneurs from around the world came together to do what we do best—build bigger, better, and more profitable businesses that shape our economy.
The coursework covered many topics that are highly relevant to today’s business challenges. But what stayed with me most wasn’t just the content; it was a shift in perspective.
When I went to Stanford to study AI, I expected to come back talking about models, tools, and technology. And yes, I learned all of that.
But the most meaningful takeaway had little to do with the technology itself.
It came from Professor Michael Lepech, Professor and Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment. He kept returning to a simple but powerful idea: AI is not a technology problem. It is a people problem.
That stuck with me.
As a Latina entrepreneur, I’ve always built with people in mind first – relationships, trust, and understanding how people actually experience a product or service. So hearing this in the context of AI didn’t feel abstract. It felt real.
A recent New York Times article explores how AI is reshaping jobs, not just eliminating them. That resonated, too. The work isn’t disappearing; it’s evolving. And the people who will thrive are those who learn to work with AI, not against it.
Stanford helped me understand why so many companies struggle with this shift.
There’s a statistic I keep coming back to: 85% of AI projects fail. Not because the technology doesn’t work, but because organizations don’t know how to apply it in ways that create real value.
That’s the gap.
AI is powerful, but it can’t repair a broken understanding of your community. It can’t heal lived experiences or past trauma, and it can’t spark the passion required to transform systems so they truly serve people.
It doesn’t fix processes that were never designed with ALL people in mind.
A reminder that the work we do at SE2 matters deeply. Slow down. Pause. Sit with people. Listen to their stories. Build real connection.
At its core, the SE2 PowerMap® framework is about people. We help individuals navigate important decisions. We build trust in moments that matter. We operate in complexity that is not just technical but also emotional.
That kind of work isn’t something AI replaces. It’s something AI should support.
One of the biggest mindset shifts for me was understanding the difference between automation and augmentation.
- Automation is about efficiency—handling simple, repeatable tasks.
- Augmentation is about empowering people to make better decisions, especially when the stakes are high.
SE2 operates in that latter space.
The decisions our clients, governments, elected leaders, and communities face require context, trust, and judgment. That’s where people matter most.
So when I think about AI in our world, I don’t think about replacing human interaction; I think about improving it.
Another framework we explored at Stanford was Product, Organization, and Process.
Most companies focus heavily on the product; they want to add AI features, build smarter tools, and move fast. But what I’ve seen, both in my own work and through this lens, is that organization and process matter just as much.
At SE2, relationships aren’t an afterthought; they’re the foundation. And that’s a strength, especially right now. Because the more AI becomes embedded in how we work, the more valuable human connection becomes.
That’s the biggest shift in how I think about all of this.
AI isn’t just artificial intelligence; it’s a way to scale collective intelligence. But that only works if people are at the center.
- People are still the ones making decisions.
- People are still the ones building trust.
- People are still the ones accountable for outcomes.
