One of the weird, unintended consequences of AI is that it’s pushing people back toward in-person meetings.
Because the content you see online now is getting too good. The videos look real. The images look real. The voices sound real. And if we’re being honest, it’s getting harder to tell what’s authentic and what’s a really convincing costume.
And when the screen stops being trustworthy, people go looking for a different kind of proof.
Not vibes. Proof.
This is what I’m seeing: if the stakes are high, if money’s on the line, if you’re putting yourself out there, the most reliable way to know you’re dealing with who you think you’re dealing with is still… sitting at the same table.
Identity matters. Verification matters. Presence matters.
It’s kind of like online dating. The profile can be perfect. The messages can be perfect. The photos can be perfect. But at some point you go, “Cool. Let’s grab coffee.” Because in real life, you’re picking up a hundred little signals you don’t get through a screen.
And I don’t actually think this is a bad thing.
Businesses are fundamentally about relationships. Remote work is great. Digital tools are great. AI is great. The good news is we can move faster and collaborate more widely than ever.
But there’s no substitute for in-person face time when you need alignment, accountability, or actual trust. And I think that’s going to pull some business back local too, because the easiest in-person meeting is the one you can do without a flight and a hotel.
Now, reality check: in-person isn’t a magic shield. People can still lie to your face. Bias can still show up. Power dynamics are still real. AI can still be used ethically, responsibly, and transparently to build trust rather than erode it.
But if your entire relationship is built on pixels, you’re betting a lot on a medium that’s about to be flooded with very convincing fakes.
So here’s the takeaway: decide where trust is non-negotiable in your business. And for those moments, make “same table” the default. Not for everything. Just for the things that actually matter.