by Rui Wang, Ph.D., CTO of AgentWeb

The Unstoppable Force: Speed in AI Leadership

If there’s one lesson that stands out from the relentless pace of tech, it’s this: speed is everything. The companies defining tomorrow’s technology landscape are those that don’t just keep up with AI—they set the pace. As CTO of AgentWeb, I’ve seen firsthand that the next decade belongs to leaders who master two things: moving fast with agentic AI and deepening human connection.

Why Speed Wins in AI Strategy

AI is evolving at a breakneck pace. Take OpenAI’s GPT-4o launch just months after GPT-4: features that seemed futuristic last year are now baseline expectations. This acceleration puts pressure on every tech leader to shrink product cycles, ship improvements, and embrace risk.

But speed isn’t just about releasing features faster. True AI leadership is about:

• Building agentic AI systems that act autonomously and adapt in real-time
• Rapidly iterating on user feedback to stay ahead of changing needs
• Moving from idea to impact in weeks, not quarters

For example, Airbnb’s CTO has emphasized the power of nimble AI-driven teams that can deploy and test new recommendations features in days, not months. That agility is a competitive moat in itself—and it’s the difference between leading and lagging.

The CTO Perspective: Balancing Agentic AI and Risk

From a CTO’s seat, the push for agentic AI—systems that take initiative and automate complex workflows—raises new challenges. Yes, agentic AI can drive exponential growth. But without a thoughtful strategy, you risk losing sight of what matters most: your users.

Actionable insights for CTOs:

1. Create feedback loops: Use human-in-the-loop review processes to monitor autonomous AI decisions, especially in high-stakes areas like recommendations or moderation.
2. Prioritize explainability: When agentic AI takes action, users need to know why. Build transparency directly into your product’s UX.
3. Iterate with intent: Move fast, but don’t skip user research. Use quick A/B tests and interviews to ensure speed doesn’t undercut human connection.

The Enduring Advantage: Human Connection

Despite all the hype about AI’s autonomy, the real winners will be those who remember why technology exists in the first place: to serve people. The Fast Company article Spotlight: Business lessons of 2026 puts it succinctly—innovation is worthless if it erodes trust or fails to solve real human problems.

How to Foster Human Connection in an AI Age

• Design for empathy: Even the smartest agentic AI can come off as cold if not designed with empathy. Think about LinkedIn’s focus on meaningful, positive interactions—which has helped rebuild trust in algorithmic recommendations.
• Personalize at scale: Use AI to tailor experiences, but ensure users feel seen as individuals. For instance, Meta’s push into personalized feeds leverages AI, but they’ve redoubled investment in surfacing real-life connections and mutual communities.
• Keep people in the loop: Automation should empower, not replace, human judgment. Give users control: clear opt-outs, the ability to edit AI-generated content, and simple explanations of how decisions are made.

Practical Steps for Startup Founders

If you’re building the next big thing, here’s how you can marry AI speed with authentic human connection:

1. Start with user stories, not tech specs. AI is a tool, not the goal. Learn what your customers need most, then ask how agentic AI can solve their most painful bottlenecks.
2. Prototype with a human-in-the-loop. Before you trust your AI to run on autopilot, run closed betas with real users reviewing every decision. This helps you catch edge cases and build trust.
3. Invest in transparency. Make it easy for users to understand—and correct—AI-driven outcomes. Users should always know when they’re interacting with an AI agent versus a human.

Looking Ahead: Why This Matters Now

The next decade won’t be defined by how much AI a company uses, but by how quickly leaders can adapt—without sacrificing the human element. Technology’s role is to amplify what makes us human: curiosity, empathy, and connection. The leaders who win will be those with the courage to move fast, embrace agentic AI, and never lose sight of the people they serve.

For further reading on how tech companies are navigating the balance between AI speed and human connection, see Fast Company: Business lessons of 2026.