As the conversation around artificial intelligence accelerates across every corner of business, executive advisor, bestselling author, and podcast host Tiffani Bova urges leaders to take a balanced, opportunity-driven approach to adoption. In today’s episode of The Small Business Show, Bova shares her perspective on where we are with AI, what’s next, and how business owners and employees alike can thrive by embracing, not fearing, the technology.
Bova opens the conversation by grounding the current AI conversation in context: this isn’t the beginning of artificial intelligence, it’s the tipping point. Tools like spellcheck, predictive email text, and autocomplete in Google have existed for years. What’s changed, she says, is that AI has now reached a level of accessibility that mirrors the early consumer internet boom.
“This is a massive inflection point,” Bova said. But rather than viewing AI as a job killer, she advocates for a partnership model; one where humans use AI to become more efficient, not obsolete. She’s critical of businesses that see AI purely as a cost-cutting tool to reduce headcount. Instead, she believes companies should use AI to collapse sales pipelines, improve service, and ultimately grow by hiring more of the right people in the right roles.
Throughout the discussion, Bova emphasized that resistance to AI often stems from a fixed mindset. “The six most dangerous words in business are ‘we’ve always done it that way,’” she said. For skeptics, particularly employees hesitant to adopt the technology, Bova urges a shift toward curiosity. Whether using AI to draft a first pass at an article or streamline marketing campaigns, those who leverage the technology effectively will outpace competitors.
“Those that win in the future are going to be those that use technology better than the competition.”
She also shares a glimpse into how she uses AI herself, which includes creating a digital twin of her voice, feeding in years of her own content to generate authentic drafts. Still, she’s cautious not to rely entirely on automation. “We’re not ready to turn it all over,” she admitted, noting that fully AI-generated content still lacks the warmth and nuance of human input.
In her current role as chief of research and strategy at the Futurum Group, Bova says her team is actively exploring AI’s capabilities, but with clear transparency and quality control. For small businesses in particular, she sees AI as a strategic advantage. With a lean team, tools like ChatGPT can multiply output without sacrificing creativity or integrity, if used wisely.
Bova’s long-running podcast, What’s Next with Tiffani Bova, continues to explore the intersection of technology, leadership, and innovation. From CEOs and athletes to startup founders and cultural influencers, the show dives into the big questions shaping the future of business. As Bova puts it, “Those that win in the future are going to be those that use technology better than the competition.”
Her message to business leaders is clear: AI isn’t coming…it’s here. But the winners won’t be the ones who replace people with machines. They’ll be the ones who empower people with tools that make them better.
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