Dawn Winterhalter Parks, an AI strategist and director of BusinessAccessHubat at NKU’s Haile College of Business, wrote this Community Voice essay.
Let’s be clear: AI won’t replace you in your current position. But it might be used by someone who knows how.
Businesses in NKY need to hear that message—not out of fear, but with concentration. Although widespread tech layoffs at firms like Microsoft and P&G dominate national discourse, that is not the situation here. AI isn’t causing small firms in Campbell, Kenton, and Boone counties to lay off employees. The hiring process is currently ongoing.
The true issue is that the talent isn’t coming.
In recent publications, Janet Harrah, director of NKU’s Center for Economic Analysis & Development, has said unequivocally that the pipeline of new workers is closing and our workforce is aging. Not because the economy is stagnating, but rather because we are running out of people, NKY’s labor force is expanding more slowly than demand, and unemployment has remained persistently low.
In other words, small firms are continuing to work hard, adapt, and try to make sure that their teams are sufficiently stretched to cover every shift, project, and client interaction. The problem is that when you don’t have enough resources, you’re also vulnerable.
This is where artificial intelligence (AI) enters the picture, not as a futuristic trick but as a useful requirement.
From augmentation to armor
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AI is capable of creating captions on social media. It can automate invoicing and set up meetings. However, those are not the only justifications for being serious about it. How AI can serve as a digital shield is the true story.
However, it’s becoming more and more obvious—especially in the wake of significant cybersecurity breaches—that you’re at risk if you’re not using it to safeguard your company, your data, and your clients. Not only to hackers. And perhaps to insignificance.
Even the neighborhood bakery is susceptible to cyberattacks as the majority of small businesses handle private client information. Over 43% of cyberattacks now target small organizations, and the average breach costs them over $2.9 million in lost income, fines, downtime, and recovery, according to IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report.
However, there are AI tools that can be useful. Even without a professional IT staff, you may significantly lower your risk with today’s AI solutions, which range from behavior-based fraud detection to automated login alerts, from network traffic analysis to phishing detection. My next post will cover cybersecurity in more detail.
Instead of replacing people, you should strengthen them.
AI is being utilized to complement human teams, not to replace them, in almost every NKY company that has attended our Bootcamps and Masterclasses.
- It flags anomalies in your accounting software before they become IRS problems.
- It catches suspicious login attempts before your site is held hostage.
- It automates repetitive admin work so your staff can focus on customer relationships.
- And yes, it helps you stay compliant with increasingly strict privacy laws.
It’s not about experimenting with new technology. It’s about safeguarding what you’ve previously established.
The greater danger? Getting behind
After 20 years of mentoring business leaders, I’ve come to the harsh realization that major interruptions are rarely what bring down a company. The steady erosion is the cause. The lost chance. the slow gap between how you used to manage your business and how your rivals currently do it.
AI is a language, just as financial literacy. You can’t know what you don’t know if you don’t speak it. For half the outcome, you can be spending three times as much on marketing. You may be at risk for data breaches that you were unaware could occur. You may be ignoring your own ability while hiring for jobs that could be automated.
It’s not hype. It’s hygienic.
My purpose is not to advise you to start small. I’m here to advise you to start wisely and right away. You should investigate AI for your operations in the same manner that you wouldn’t forgo insurance. Now, it’s a requirement of doing business.
Because no, AI might not replace you in your current position. However, it may target your company if you ignore it for a long enough period of time.
AI tools were used in the development of this content.
I looked into common misconceptions regarding AI using ChatGPT and Perplexity.ai, and I found reliable sources like Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and LinkedIn that influenced the material. I also reviewed spelling, grammar, and clarity using Grammarly.
Although I edited and modified each sentence, these techniques assisted in organizing, honing, and strengthening the ideas that were conveyed. The ideas and conclusions are entirely mine.
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