Dentons CEO: trust is the edge AI cannot automate

The commentary comes framed as a question: in a time when AI strips away routine effort and lets companies reach more markets than ever, have we gone too far, too fast, and lost sight of trust? The CEO's concern is not the usual risk list around AI. He focuses on what gets displaced when people consult a machine instead of a colleague — the moment someone asks for feedback on an idea, or for advice on a difficult conversation.

He draws a line from those small interactions to business outcomes. Stakeholder relationships, he argues, are often strengthened in the margins of the day — the informal encounters — and when organizations make space for them, trust begins to grow. He ties this to a broader shift he attributes to the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer: trust in distant institutions and leaders is declining, while trust within personal networks, including with employers, is rising. Trust, in his framing, is built closer to home.

His prescriptions stay concrete. He describes a "gratitude hour" at Dentons for sending notes of appreciation, and says larger organizations should work to feel smaller by bringing people together around shared client goals. He urges leaders to listen rather than perform town halls, and to be consistent — delivering what they promise so that clients experience Dentons as one firm across jurisdictions. His closing claim is the pivot: business leaders chase speed, scale and efficiency, but trust cannot be automated or accelerated.