‘Build for People, Not Just AI’: Lattice CEO Sarah Franklin Urges Human-First Balance as AI Fears Grow

Lattice CEO Sarah Franklin says the only sustainable path through the AI revolution is one that centers on people — not algorithms.

Speaking at the SXSW London conference and later in an interview with TechCrunch, Franklin urged tech companies to adopt artificial intelligence with a deep sense of balance, warning that unchecked deployment of AI systems could erode trust, accelerate job losses, and alienate customers.

Her remarks come at a time when public anxiety over AI’s impact on jobs and society is reaching new heights. As companies roll out tools capable of generating content, making decisions, and even managing employees, concerns are growing about the mass displacement of workers, biased algorithms, and the lack of meaningful oversight.

“We put people first,” Franklin said of Lattice, the $3 billion performance management platform. “It’s important to ask yourself, ‘Are you building for the success of the AI first, or are you building for the success of the people and your customers first?’”

Franklin believes that while AI can enhance productivity, using it to replace human labor entirely — especially in fields rooted in relationships, trust, and creativity — is a short-sighted strategy. She warned that companies that automate for the sake of cost-cutting may soon find themselves out of step with customer expectations and internal culture.

Her position is not merely theoretical. Lattice has already introduced AI features, including an AI-powered HR agent that provides proactive insights and supports employees in one-on-one meetings. The company also offers tools for clients to build custom AI agents tailored to their business needs. However, even as Lattice embraces these innovations, Franklin insists that human oversight remains essential.

“You don’t want to trade out trust,” she said, emphasizing that trust — with both customers and employees — is the most important asset any business can cultivate in an AI-driven world.

Her appeal for balance lands amid growing concerns from policymakers, labor unions, and industry watchdogs about the social and economic risks of AI. In recent months, leaders from OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google have entertained calls for AI regulation, following growing concerns across various sectors that AI will eliminate creative and technical roles.

According to a 2024 report by the International Labour Organization, while AI may enhance certain types of work, it is already disrupting administrative jobs at scale and threatening income security for millions. In the U.S., the White House has launched an AI Safety Institute, and several states are considering laws that require transparency when companies deploy AI tools affecting workers’ livelihoods.

Franklin’s call for “checks and balances” echoes these broader efforts. She advocates for transparency about how AI is used, clear boundaries on its deployment, and above all, accountability. Leaders, she argues, must ensure that humans are ultimately responsible for what AI systems produce or influence.

“Otherwise, we are then in service of the AI, versus the AI being in service of us,” she said.

She also warned against blind faith in automation. “It’s a way to just have the regular checks and balances that we’re used to in our workforce,” she said, noting that over-reliance on AI without human judgment could weaken decision-making and degrade workplace dynamics.

For Franklin, the future belongs to companies that harness AI while preserving what she sees as irreplaceable: human connection, empathy, and trust.

“We all have a responsibility to make sure that we’re doing this for the people of society,” Franklin said. “Human connection cannot be replaced, and the winners are going to be the companies that understand that.”