I helped create Amazon's Alexa – here's why I think businesses should embrace humanity's analogous imperfection to succeed

I've witnessed firsthand the remarkable development of AI, having helped to create the technology that eventually became Amazon’s Alexa.

Today, models can be extraordinary conversationalists, brilliant analysts, and world-class researchers. When they get it right, they’re nothing short of astonishing.

Yet, as we create ever-more advanced models of AI, I've observed a fascinating counter-trend.

While exploiting the benefits of AI, people are increasingly craving the kind of imperfection that only humans are capable of.

They’re craving authentic human experiences — and businesses should take heed.

The perfection paradox

We're rapidly approaching a world where everyone can access the best marketer, the best lawyer, the best everything with a few well-written prompts.

In that world, marketing emails will become perfectly crafted, computer code will be completed in seconds, and sales outreach will be flawlessly targeted.

But here's the paradox I've learned from years developing my own AI platform: when everything is perfect, trust diminishes.

Perfection, it turns out, isn't what makes us human. It's our imperfections, our quirks, our authentic mistakes that help us form genuine connections.

My colleague recently experienced this while hiring someone for a new role at UnlikelyAI. Reviewing applications, he encountered covering letters with “the narrative quality of Tolstoy coupled with the technical nuance of Newton.” Initially impressed, he soon spotted the telltale signs of AI generation.

Despite their technical superiority, my colleague moved these perfect applications into the rejection pile. This may seem odd, since he was hiring for an AI company. But what my colleague craved instead were grammatical errors, examples, and anecdotes that demonstrated authenticity.

The human connection gap

The most revealing insight comes from customer service interactions. While AI can resolve issues faster and more efficiently (as we've seen with companies like Klarna, whose AI assistant handled two thirds of all customer service chats in its first month) something crucial gets lost in the process: rapport.

The same colleague who had been recruiting for a new position mentioned waiting 23 minutes for human customer service support on one occasion.

Despite the inefficiency, he came away feeling significantly better, having had a genuine human interaction with a real person (they ended up discussing dogs!). This seemingly wasteful interaction accomplished something AI cannot.

I’m not, of course, railing against technology. I spend my days developing AI systems and use popular AI tools frequently in my everyday life. But through those experiences I've also learned that efficiency isn't everything.

The balance businesses need

For business leaders, the challenge isn't in choosing between AI and human interaction. It's identifying the crucial moments to preserve human connection. These are my tips for forward-thinking companies that want to navigate that process:

Identify high-impact human moments: Not every interaction needs human involvement, but certain touchpoints are critical for building trust and loyalty. Customer complaints, complex problem-solving, and relationship-building conversations are prime candidates for human intervention.

Embrace productive imperfection: Train your teams to be authentically human in their interactions. This might mean allowing conversations to drift off-topic occasionally. It could involve sharing personal anecdotes, or admitting when they don't know something immediately.

Measure beyond efficiency: While AI excels at traditional metrics like response time and resolution rates, businesses should also track emotional connection indicators. Focus on customer satisfaction with the experience, not just the outcome.

The authenticity premium

We're already seeing this demand for authenticity and human connection manifest across industries. Government data shows that, as people seek intimate human experiences, the performing arts have become one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. Musicians like Billie Eilish are now deliberately leaving mistakes in their recordings to combat the autotuned attempts for perfection.

As AI becomes ubiquitous, the companies that will thrive are those that understand when to exploit AI's efficiency and when to embrace imperfection. The future isn't about humans becoming obsolete. It's about shifting focus from tasks AI can automate toward the aspects of business that require our humanity.

The imperfect, messy, gloriously unpredictable elements that make us human are becoming our greatest professional assets. In customer service, this might mean allowing representatives to have genuine conversations. In marketing, it could involve sharing authentic stories rather than perfectly optimized content. In leadership, it means being vulnerable and admitting mistakes.

The irony isn't lost on me that as someone who helped create one of the world's most successful AI assistants, I'm advocating for the value of human imperfection. But that's precisely why this perspective matters. Having seen AI's capabilities up close, I understand both its immense potential and its fundamental limitations.

The businesses that will succeed in an AI-dominated world are those that recognize when perfection isn't the goal. They understand when what customers really want is connection, authenticity, and the imperfect experience of interacting with other human beings.

As we stand on the brink of a new world, the most valuable skill of all might just be learning to be human again.

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