Interview with Dan Pace - The Human Side of AI: Why the Future of Business Still Depends on People

The story behind Genuine Technologies began almost by accident. Dan Pace was originally building a company in the fitness industry when he discovered the possibilities of artificial intelligence. It completely changed the direction of his career. He quickly realized that AI was about far more than generating text or images. Its greatest potential, he believes, lies in capturing a person's experience, knowledge, and workflows so they can continue working long after the individual steps away from the desk. As he explains, AI allows you to "give this tool information and workflows and kind of know-how that you have as a person," so that "this thing that was unique to you can now be leveraged 24/7, 365. "In other words, a business gains a digital extension of its own expertise, one that never stops working. 

Image: Genuine Technologies.

That realization took shape during the COVID-19 pandemic. While partnering with nonprofit organizations and local restaurants that helped distribute nearly 200,000 meals to families in need, Dan saw firsthand the critical role small businesses play in their communities. At the same time, he became increasingly concerned about their future. "I kind of got worried that these small businesses won't have time to develop those workflows," he recalls. As AI continued to evolve at an extraordinary pace, he feared that small businesses simply would not have the time or technical expertise to compete with larger companies investing heavily in these new technologies. That conviction ultimately led him to found Genuine Technologies, with the mission of helping small businesses and nonprofit organizations successfully navigate the age of artificial intelligence. 

According to Dan, marketing is one of the areas experiencing the most dramatic transformation. "What used to be advanced marketing is now gone down a tier," he says. "That's kind of what the standard is becoming right now. "Thanks to AI, businesses can better understand what their customers are interested in and automatically personalize their communications. He offers the example of a French Quarter Magazine reader who regularly clicks on articles about French fashion. Over time, AI could naturally deliver more fashion-related content to that reader, while someone interested in French cuisine would receive more culinary stories instead. As Pace explains, "They're thinking, 'Wow, French Quarter Magazine is thinking like me,' but in reality, you're just tracking their clicks and tracking their usage of your marketing."

Yet Pace firmly rejects the notion that artificial intelligence should replace human relationships. In his view, its purpose is to strengthen them. By automating repetitive tasks, AI gives business owners and employees more time to listen to customers, develop new ideas, and build lasting relationships based on trust. As he puts it, AI allows businesses "to know how to better engage" their customers rather than replace personal interaction. He also believes AI has made it possible for organizations of every size to create more content than ever before. In today's digital world, where search engines and AI-powered platforms increasingly determine what people discover online, visibility has become essential. "If I'm not making any noise," he says, "the AI bots and the search engines... are not going to pick you up at all, and then you're just invisible."

Like any powerful technology, however, AI also brings new responsibilities. Dan places particular emphasis on security and privacy. Too many organizations, he believes, are moving too quickly by giving AI unrestricted access to sensitive systems before proper safeguards are in place. "You have to learn how to crawl, walk, run," he says, warning that "a lot of people are... running before they walk." He points to examples of AI systems that have deleted files or exposed confidential information because they were given more authority than they should have had. For that reason, he strongly advises against sharing sensitive information on public AI platforms. "I would keep off from sharing financial information," he says, adding that healthcare records and other confidential data should remain in secure environments. 

Looking beyond the technology itself, Pace sees two very different approaches emerging on opposite sides of the Atlantic. While "the U.S. is kind of full steam ahead on development," he observes that "Europe seems to be full steam ahead on the regulation." In his view, both perspectives have value. The United States continues to drive innovation, while Europe has taken the lead in protecting privacy and personal data. Ultimately, he believes the future of artificial intelligence will require a balance between those two philosophies. 

Even when discussing highly specialized fields such as the legal profession, Pace takes a measured approach. He acknowledges using artificial intelligence to draft a contract, saving several thousand dollars in legal fees. But he is also quick to draw a clear line. "When I go buy a house, I'm going to have an attorney involved 100%," he says. AI, in his view, offers a valuable middle ground between expensive legal services and generic online templates, but it should never replace experienced professionals when important decisions are at stake. 

As our conversation came to a close, Pace offered a reflection that reaches far beyond artificial intelligence itself. Every generation, he believes, has had to adapt to new technologies from early computers and the internet to smartphones and today's AI systems. Artificial intelligence is simply the next chapter in that ongoing evolution. He summed up his philosophy with a line that captures both his optimism and his realism: "There is nothing more old school than change." We've adapted before, he says, recalling how "punch cards went to the keyboard... the mouse got introduced," and now "the next thing down the line is AI." The real challenge is not whether change is coming, but whether we are willing to learn, adapt, and use these new tools wisely.

Genuine Technologies Website: https://genuinetechnologies.co/