As enterprises accelerate AI adoption, a growing number of leaders argue that sustainable growth depends on augmenting human expertise rather than replacing it. In a recent discussion, Colgate-Palmolive’s Chief Data and Analytics Officer Diana Schildhouse outlined how organizations can merge AI, analytics, and human insight to drive innovation while keeping people firmly in the loop.
At Colgate-Palmolive, AI is positioned as a productivity and decision-support tool embedded into everyday workflows. Schildhouse emphasized that AI initiatives begin with clearly defined business challenges, not technology-first experimentation. By applying human-centered design, teams ensure AI tools align with how employees actually work. Thus, enabling faster ideation, improved confidence, and better outcomes in areas such as marketing and demand generation.
The company also balances centralized and localized AI efforts. Shared, enterprise-wide tools provide a strong horizontal foundation, while vertical initiatives focus on priority growth areas. At the same time, local teams are encouraged to experiment through governed environments such as an internal AI Hub, allowing safe exploration and the sharing of successful use cases across regions.
A strong learning and governance culture underpins this approach. Mandatory AI training, clear guardrails, and ethical guidelines help prevent misuse while building trust and confidence among employees. According to Schildhouse, governance is not a barrier to innovation but a mechanism that enables responsible scaling.
Finally, measuring value remains critical. Colgate-Palmolive tracks AI impact across revenue growth, efficiency gains, intellectual property creation, and global scalability to ensure initiatives deliver tangible business results.
Key takeaways for AI-driven growth:
- Start with business problems, not technology experiments
- Combine centralized AI foundations with local innovation
- Enable safe exploration through governed AI platforms
- Invest in continuous learning and ethical guardrails
- Measure AI value through revenue, efficiency, and scale
The case highlights a broader trend: organizations that treat AI as a partner to human talent are positioning themselves to achieve long-term, people-centered growth.
Source:
https://www.zdnet.com/article/5-ways-to-grow-your-business-with-ai-and-keep-humans-in-the-loop/
