In this episode, Hilary Corna sits down with Jim Jacobs, CEO of Focus Insight and Human Layer AI, to talk about how AI is changing the way companies think about process, scale, and operational efficiency. Jim shares how the EMP program transformed his perspective on growth, helping him rethink his business model, rebuild processes, and identify where AI could create real leverage.
Together, Hilary and Jim explore why AI should not be treated as a replacement for people, but as a tool that can augment teams, reduce repetitive work, improve quality, and lower costs when implemented correctly. They also discuss the importance of human judgment, building the right guardrails, using AI to solve real business problems, and why companies can no longer afford to keep operating the way they always have.
TIMESTAMPS
[00:50] Meet Jim Jacobs, CEO of Focus Insight
[01:30] What Focus Insight and Human Layer AI do
[02:30] How EMP changed Jim’s perspective on scaling
[04:00] Rebuilding the business around AI and process improvement
[06:00] Using AI to rethink roles, structure, and workflows
[09:40] The risk of using AI without judgment or guardrails
[12:20] Solving real process problems with AI
[14:30] Focus Insight’s core customers and market research work
[15:30] Lessons from process improvement and simplifying the customer experience
[18:00] Why organizations are being forced to change faster than ever
[21:00] AI as the next major shift in business operations
[23:30] The biggest myth about being a CEO
[25:00] Where to connect with Jim
