Sometimes I feel like I’ve been transported back to 1999 – a time when the internet was still magic, eCommerce was a buzzword, and “eyeballs” were the currency of the future. Everyone knew the web would change things, but few imagined just how profoundly. If you’d told me then that I could one day airdrop files wirelessly or video chat across the globe for free, I’d have thought we were in a sci-fi film.
And now, here we are again, on the cusp of another transformation. AI isn’t just knocking at the door; it’s remodeling the entire house. We’re surrounded by terms like “autonomous agents,” “digital twins,” and “synthetic minds.” Prompt engineering is a job description. Neural dust sounds like a plot device from a cyberpunk novel. And yet, these are our realities.
Humans vs AI
Just the other night, I found myself watching HUM∀NS on Netflix, a show set in a world where anthropomorphic robots called “synths” live and work among us. Designed to resemble humans closely, they function as caregivers, housekeepers, and laborers. But some begin to develop consciousness, and suddenly, society must confront uncomfortable questions: What makes someone human? Who deserves rights? What role do emotion and empathy play in leadership?
The next morning, I was back on ChatGPT and Perplexity, marveling at their speed and clarity. But something in me hesitated. I started wondering if, someday soon, AI would take over not just rote tasks but creative direction, organizational strategy – even leadership itself.
That question hit close to home. I recently published a deeply personal business book, Soul Venture: A True Life and Death Journey into the Startup Culture, a project I spent nearly two decades writing. It’s a hybrid of memoir and entrepreneurial reflection – raw, vulnerable, and my observations from the decades in the entrepreneurial trenches. I put it all out there – exposed myself fully to the world, while AI watched behind the scenes.
But as I launched it in 2025, I faced a hard truth: books don’t command attention like they used to, so I knew I needed to get my word out in additional ways. We live in a world of audio clips, 90-second videos, and AI-generated content. I did produce an audiobook, of course, but I knew what I had written couldn’t be mimicked by a machine.
Not yet.
Because Soul Venture wasn’t just about building companies; it was about what it costs to build them – the fusion between the internal and external journeys of an entrepreneurs. The toll on the mind and body. The moments of self-doubt as we secretly try to find meaning in life on the startup stage. The insights that come only after you’ve fallen, dusted yourself off, and tried again. It’s a story with heart. And as I think about the future of leadership, I keep coming back to one question:
Can AI Lead With Soul?
Let’s be honest, AI will outperform most of us in processing information, forecasting markets, and making data-driven decisions. It will never miss a KPI. It won’t need coffee breaks. It won’t get emotionally rattled.
But that’s exactly the point.
True leadership, in startups, in boardrooms, in life, requires more than logic. It requires empathy. Presence. The ability to sit with someone in silence after a hard loss. The intuition to know when a team is exhausted, or when a risk is worth taking even if the data says otherwise.
We are moving into an era where leaders must redefine their roles. It won’t be enough to be the smartest person in the room; the AI will already hold that title. The real value will come from what only humans can offer: emotional intelligence, contextual judgment, and moral courage.
In Soul Venture, I wrote about the evolution of leadership I witnessed firsthand. In the early days, leadership was hierarchical and stoic. Strength meant control. Vulnerability was a weakness. But over time, I saw a shift. The most effective leaders weren’t those who barked orders but those who listened deeply. Who asked questions. Who made space for others to rise.
This Is Heart-Based Leadership
And now, in an age of automation, it’s more vital than ever.
Let me offer some practical markers for what this looks like:
- Lead with Empathy, Not Ego – When someone on your team struggles, don’t just analyze performance metrics. Ask how they’re doing. Understand the story behind the stats.
- Embrace Imperfection – AI strives for optimal outputs. Humans don’t. And that’s where creativity lives – in the messy, uncertain, in-between places.
- Make Space for Stories – Data is essential, but stories connect. They give meaning to the mission. A team that shares stories is a team that trusts.
- Prioritize Purpose Over Profit – AI will maximize efficiency. But only humans can nurture a sense of belonging and long-term purpose. That’s what retains talent and builds legacy.
- Stay Soul-Driven – Your leadership journey is unique. Your scars, your triumphs, your beliefs, they matter. Don’t outsource your voice to the algorithm.
Ultimately, AI will be a brilliant co-pilot. But it will need a human captain. The leaders of tomorrow will be those who can navigate both digital and emotional complexity, who can use AI as a tool, or at least another member of the team.
What will matter is not how efficient we were, but how we treated others. Not how fast we scaled, but what we stood for.
Because when the game is over, the king and the pawn return to the same box.
So yes, Google can search. AI may reason and possibly lead with logic.
But we, the flawed, soulful, beautifully complex humans, must still lead with heart.
Author Bio
Ashwin Gulati has launched international ventures, helped startups take off or land, and copiloted complex transitions for over 100 companies in various industries in the UK, US, Spain, and France. With 30 years in the trenches, he has identified the hidden pitfalls, unspoken truths, and personal twists that ultimately determine a venture’s success or failure.
He holds a BA in Economics and Mathematics from Claremont McKenna College and studied at King’s College and the London School of Economics. His new book is Soul Venture: A True Life and Death Journey into the Startup Culture.Learn more at soulventurebook.com.
