As AI reshapes how businesses operate, many small business owners are wrestling with the same question: how do you use AI to increase efficiency without losing the human element that drives relationships, decision-making, and growth?
On today’s episode of Business Trends Today, we’re joined by Meghan Joyce, Co-Founder and CEO of Duckbill, to share how entrepreneurs can delegate routine tasks to AI while empowering their teams to focus on higher-value work that requires human insight. Joyce is no stranger to scaling companies through transformation. Before launching Duckbill, she served as CEO of Oscar Health and held senior leadership roles at Uber, helping both organizations navigate high-growth phases and public-market milestones. Today, she is focused on redefining how AI and people work together in the modern workplace.
The real pain point
For many entrepreneurs, the challenge is not a lack of vision but a lack of time. Administrative tasks such as scheduling, vendor coordination, research, and email management consume hours that could otherwise be spent building customer relationships, strengthening strategy, or developing new opportunities.
“The tension between the things you want to be doing and the things you have to do that are urgent and mission-critical has plagued me for years,” Joyce said.
That frustration ultimately led her to build Duckbill, an AI-powered personal assistant platform that combines generative AI with human expertise. She confirmed that the goal was not full automation, but thoughtful delegation.
Start small
Joyce encourages business owners who may feel overwhelmed or skeptical about AI to start small. Search and content creation are among the most common and accessible use cases. Drafting emails, generating outlines, conducting preliminary research, or organizing information can immediately reduce administrative strain. But, for those ready to go further, she suggests applying AI to more complex logistical tasks such as appointment booking or calendar coordination. These are often time-consuming responsibilities that require persistence, follow-up, and attention to detail, but do not necessarily require executive-level judgment.
Protecting the human edge
Freeing leaders from what Joyce calls the “admin tasks” allows them to focus on the work that truly drives growth. Relationship-building, customer engagement, supplier negotiations, and navigating novel business challenges remain firmly in the human domain. Although concerns about job displacement continue to surface in AI discussions, Joyce believes the strongest outcomes come from pairing technology with people.
“For better or for worse, we are finding that AI plus humans is actually the most powerful combination.”
Much like delegating to a team member, working with AI requires oversight. Joyce describes the approach as “trust but verify.” AI can produce a first draft, summarize data, or outline next steps, but human judgment remains essential for validation, refinement, and final decision-making.
For small businesses operating with lean teams, AI can also serve as an augmentation tool. Rather than immediately hiring additional staff, owners may use AI to increase productivity and allow existing employees to accomplish more.
Creating space for what matters most
While leadership often embraces AI’s potential, employee adoption often lags. Joyce points out that CEOs and executives may recognize the value of AI, but employees often hesitate to experiment because they feel overwhelmed or unsure how to integrate it, and many perceive AI as an external process that requires a detour from their routine tasks.
Joyce recommends that employees reverse the usual strategy by focusing on a specific, ongoing problem within their current job duties and integrating AI directly into that process. This hands-on, experimental approach not only boosts efficiency but also establishes the employee as a proactive innovator within the company.
She draws a parallel between the current state of AI and the early skepticism surrounding ride-sharing. Just as users moved from initial reluctance to widespread adoption upon recognizing the convenience, Joyce predicts AI is on a similar path toward becoming a standard tool.
Still, Joyce acknowledges the risks of overreliance. Poorly edited or unchecked AI-generated content, sometimes referred to as “AI slop,” can damage credibility. She recommends using AI as a drafting partner rather than an autopilot system. Providing feedback and refining outputs ensures that communications reflect a company’s authentic voice and values.
Ultimately, while AI should not replace the human element that defines entrepreneurship, Joyce believes it should remove friction, reduce administrative burden, and create space for leaders and teams to focus on strategic thinking, creativity, and meaningful relationships.
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