Meet Artificial Intelligence: a fully functional member of our society – and whether people are aware of it or not, we're all using it in our daily lives. Here are some examples.

AI algorithms are integral on social media. They curate content, make friend suggestions, and provide that “personalized experience” we often hear Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk talking about.

With nearly 240 million subscribers worldwide, Netflix, the world's #1 streaming service, uses AI to suggest program titles to watch, which they say are tailored to enhance each user's unique experience.

According to Statista, almost 7 billion smartphones are equipped with AI the features.

If you use Alexa, she's already a guest in your home whose sole purpose is to monitor everything from your music tastes and grocery shopping lists to controlling your security system, appliances, and even your thermostat. “She” can be a personal assistant, making appointments on your behalf and making suggestions to run your home more efficiently. Have you ever wondered how and why Alexa was created?

Related: These are the 9 dead giveaways that HE wrote this story

Why is AI so controversial?

The use of AI is met with mixed emotions. AI proponents love the efficiency gains they get from using AI platforms like ChatGPT because it automates routine tasks, allowing people to focus on the more complex nature of things, which can increase productivity. If time is money, many argue that AI saves its users both.

Conversely, those who oppose its use raise many concerns, including:

• of eliminating jobs as things become more automated
• Growing disparities between young entrepreneurs/uneven startups and well-funded companies
• Theft of intellectual property
• Ethical dilemmas in health care, such as prioritizing help for those in higher income groups
• Along with automation comes depersonalization and the “human element”.

Pew research from 2023 shows this 52% of Americans have concerns about the intrusion of AI into daily life. Three-quarters of respondents from Gallup and Bentley University believe so AI will cut jobs in an already very competitive job market. Furthermore, 79% don't trust that companies will ethically use AI.

If AI continues on its current trajectory, questions about obsolescence are legitimate. If AI can automate to the point of eliminating retail cashiers, humans in a manufacturing environment, customer service representatives, news broadcastersaccountants, paralegals, bank tellers, writers, editors and other creatives, is it hard to believe that it can also replace CEOs and heads of government?

Given enough time and data, why not? Is it possible for leaders to continue to be relevant with AI swirling around us? If you're on the fence, I suggest checking out the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Leaving aside realism, which forces people down a rabbit hole of “what if?” At its core, 2001 it's about what happens when technology becomes sentient. Ultimately, HAL 9000, the computer on board the ship, learns from his people how to put his own survival above all of humanity. This is one of the many concerns that people who are against AI have about it wide use.

Related: Will investors go wild for a hologram zoo? Find out in the season premiere of 'Elevator Pitch'.

Empathy-based leadership: At the moment, AI cannot be matched

We already know that AI is very capable intelligence gatheringallowing companies to be more agile in the face of anything. But can organizations keep up with how intelligent and adaptable AI is becoming?

As AI continues to evolve, business predictability isn't what it used to be. At first, it would seem that companies can predict and react to changes in the market better and faster. However, if half of organizations rely on AI in their day-to-day operations, what works today may be irrelevant tomorrow, requiring leaders to be flexible and adaptable. Adaptability is essential to avoid obsolescence in this dynamic landscape, as illustrated by the ratings 72% of CEOs who are afraid of losing their jobs.

I spent the first half of my career working in war and post-conflict areas. I have worked with people who follow the worst days of their lives to thrive instead of crumble. Lost homes, limbs, families and communities should really flatten people, but instead, despite losing so much, I saw people rise to the occasion and advise others to do the same. And these were not one-off experiences, they were the norm.

These moments, which I spend a long time in me book, From war zones to boardrooms: Optimize when strategic planning failsit prepared me well for the work I do today as a strategic advisor to Fortune 100 organizations. In everything we encounter, from the important to the seemingly trivial, it is essential to recognize that it is about people at every turn. When I'm consulting with my clients, I remind them that empathy should be what guides them in every decision we all make. And as long as AI is not capable of empathy, this is a leadership quality that AI cannot hold over humans.

I advise them to prioritize a culture that encourages innovation and not to be afraid of experimentation. AI offers new tools, but it also requires risk-taking, experimentation, and learning from one's mistakes—something AI is not yet capable of.

Related: The top 10 jobs with the lowest risk of being replaced by AI

Whether it's job displacement, new policies and procedures, or the ethical concerns that come with AI, adaptability equips leaders with the tools to handle the unknown.

At the moment, artificial intelligence can handle the tasks, analyze large data sets and process information at the speed of light. However, AI cannot replace decision-making or empathy. If you choose to use AI in your business, there are many ethical considerations. Sweeping is expensive, and while it's less expensive to automate everything, AI makes mistakes. It's incapable of feeling, so it doesn't care if it costs you a great employee or a million dollar contract. I advise my clients to focus on longevity, not short-term gains that may be fleeting.