I was at an exciting conference on remote work, filled with leaders from some of the largest remote organizations in the world. And what was top of mind for nearly every speaker and panelist?  

AI. 

One CEO after another talked about how AI was transforming the remote workplace. Common refrains included:

“I can get so much more done! My AI answers emails, responds to employee questions, and even attends team meetings. Now I have time to get my important work done.”

“AI has allowed me to double my span of control since I don’t have to spend as much time managing my people.”

“The best part is that my employees rarely know if it’s me or my AI answering their questions or sitting in their meetings!”

Wow.

I left that conference feeling like I was looking into the iRobot abyss, and I didn’t like what I saw. In all the enthusiasm for training AI to help us become more productive, there was one important concept being overlooked; one thing AI simply cannot do. 

Build trust.

Through 2025 I have found myself coming back to this one foundational truth. 

We are relational beings and we need to be seen, heard, and valued, especially in remote spaces. 

When human connection is minimized, trust erodes. And no AI-generated e-mail, meeting summary, or chatbot interaction can repair the disengagement that follows.

Why Trust Matters

Trust is simply not a “soft skill” that can be sacrificed in pursuit of efficiency. When people trust their leaders and colleagues, powerful outcomes follow:

• Commitment, motivation, and engagement increase.

• Employees take more risks, offer new ideas, and push back on poor decisions.

• Ambiguity is interpreted more generously.

• Burnout, stress, and loneliness decrease.

In short, trust doesn’t slow work down, it makes meaningful work possible.

Why Trust at a Distance Matters Even More

As important as trust is in any context, it is even more critical in a digital setting. When we lose those informal hallway conversations, we also lose the shared understanding that helps us interpret what others mean and why they act the way they do. 

Without those relational cues, we are forced to rely on 

• assumptions

• stereotypes

• best guesses 

Sure, AI might help us access data more quickly, but it cannot provide the relational context that comes from knowing and trusting the people behind the message. 

As our high-definition screens and AI assistants move us further from human connection, it is more important than ever to create and prioritize practices that build trust.

• Identify and leverage moments where human conversation matters. 

• Pay attention. Minimize email during ZOOM calls and actively listen. Use eye contact, ask thoughtful questions, empathize. Ignite your humanity.

• Design systems to build trust through predictable and prioritized check-ins, recognition, and authentic connection.

• Use AI to reduce clutter, not replace relationships.

In an AI-enabled future, trust is what will prevent work from becoming merely mechanical. As we look forward to 2026, my hope is that we intentionally reclaim our humanity in our hybrid and remote workspaces.