That’s what creates a differentiated buying experience. That’s what builds trust. And that’s what turns customers into advocates.

But in 2025, there’s a paradox we all have to face. Artificial Intelligence is changing how we sell, market, and engage with customers — but depending on how we use it, AI can either amplify authenticity or replace it.

Too many companies are using AI to automate connection instead of enhance it. The result? A flood of robotic “personalized” emails and templated posts that sound more like an algorithm than a human being.

The danger isn’t AI itself. The danger is delegating empathy to automation.

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Where AI Goes Wrong — Replacing Humanity

When sales and marketing teams first adopt AI, the impulse is often scale:
- More emails
- More posts
- More content
- More outreach

But what’s often missing is meaning.

The irony is that AI can make us more efficient at doing the wrong things. We end up turning our “personalization engines” into mass-production machines that remove the one element buyers crave most — authentic human connection.

I’ve seen this play out in dozens of health tech startups. The tools are smarter than ever, but the messaging feels flatter than ever. Teams are “AI-powered,” but their customers feel unseen.

This is where your systems and your people collide. In my 5 Stones Growth Systems™ framework, Process and Pipeline are the first two stones. If you inject AI into those systems without intention, you risk automating mediocrity instead of amplifying authenticity.

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Where AI Gets It Right — Amplifying Authenticity

When used with discipline and purpose, AI doesn’t replace human connection — it scales it. Here’s how it strengthens each of the 5 Stones:

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1. Process – Use AI to simplify complexity.

Let it analyze customer data and identify patterns that show what your buyers actually care about.
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2. Pipeline – Use AI to qualify fit, not just volume.

The best salespeople don’t chase every lead — they spend time with the right ones.
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3. Predictability – Use AI forecasting and insight tools.

Remove the guesswork, giving your people confidence and preparation.
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4. Performance – Use AI to coach better.

Tools that analyze call recordings or meeting notes can surface teachable moments faster.
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5. People – Use AI to free people, not replace them.

Every hour saved from admin or analysis is an hour redirected toward real relationships.

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Practical Applications

- Sales Enablement: Use AI to summarize discovery calls, but let humans interpret emotional tone and intent.
- Marketing Messaging: Use AI to segment audiences and surface pain points — but write final messages in your brand voice.
- Thought Leadership: Use AI to brainstorm structure and flow, but infuse every piece with your own story.
- Leadership Coaching: Use AI dashboards to track engagement, but still walk the floor, ask questions, and listen.

The human connection will always be the differentiator. AI just gives us the leverage to express it more clearly and consistently.

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The Authentic Advantage

In the end, authenticity is still the best stone for your sling.

Think of AI in the context of a sling itself — it gives your authenticity reach, speed, and precision. But it can’t choose your target or tell your story for you.

As health tech leaders, we stand at a powerful intersection of humanity and technology. The companies that win won’t be those that automate the loudest, but those that connect the deepest.

AI won’t make you authentic. But if you lead with purpose — and use AI to support that purpose — it can help you scale authenticity faster than ever before.

Because the future of sales and marketing isn’t human versus machine. It’s human through machine.

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Fred Sheffield is the Founder of 5 Stones Growth Systems™ and author of “Health Tech Giant Slayer: What CEOs Need to Know to Defeat Their Goliaths.” He helps health tech startups and scaleups create predictable, differentiated growth through authentic, system-driven go-to-market strategies.