Reclaiming Technology for People, Not Just Profit

Technology should be a force for good. The data and AI that many companies deploy could serve us all, creating more balanced workplaces, healthier communities, and a fairer society. Instead, they’re often tools to boost quarterly profits, fueling a relentless drive that squeezes every last dollar out of employees and consumers alike. The human toll may be hidden from the spreadsheets, but it’s there: worn-down workers, customers viewed as little more than data points, and communities left to pick up the pieces.

However, it doesn’t have to be this way. The tools of big data and AI, if guided by the right incentives, could be powerful allies in reshaping the workplace, supporting worker well-being, and fostering real customer relationships. But this reorientation will require action from every corner of society, including investors, regulators, consumers, employees, tech developers, and the media.

Let’s dig into the role each of these groups can play—and the power they already hold—to redirect technology toward more human-centered goals.

1. Investors and Boards: The Power of Purposeful Capital

Money speaks louder than most things in business. And investors—the people holding the purse strings—have the potential to lead the way in this shift. Imagine if institutional investors or large funds not only looked at quarterly returns but also demanded to see a company’s human metrics: how well it treats employees, its environmental impact, its real contributions to communities.

Investors focused on long-term sustainability could push companies to measure and value more than profits alone. We’re seeing glimmers of this in the growth of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) investing, but we need more—a shift where purpose, not profit, becomes the bottom line for success. When shareholders demand metrics on employee well-being, sustainable practices, and customer loyalty based on relationship-building rather than transactions, companies will listen. It’s simple: businesses follow the money.

2. Policymakers and Regulators: Setting the Rules of the Game

If investors set expectations, regulators set boundaries. Laws that force companies to report on how they use technology—especially AI—to track worker productivity, automate customer service, or push for profit maximization could redefine ethical business practices. Imagine a world where every company had to openly report its human impact metrics, from how their algorithms affect workers’ lives to the communities impacted by their decisions.

Policymakers can also use incentives to encourage humane tech use. For instance, companies that use AI to enhance worker autonomy, offer flexible schedules, or create safer environments could receive tax breaks or grants. If regulators make it easier for companies to prioritize people, they create a more level playing field where ethical practices aren’t a competitive disadvantage but rather the standard.

3. Consumers: The Power of Conscious Choice

Consumers have more influence than we might think. Every time we make a purchase, we cast a vote for the kind of business practices we’re willing to support. Imagine if, as consumers, we demanded transparency from the companies we buy from. What if brands were rated not just by quality or price but by how they treat their employees, handle customer data, or contribute to the community?

Brands that are transparent about their practices and genuinely commit to their values will earn loyalty and respect. And as more consumers prioritize values over price, we will see a shift. With the right information and consumer-driven certification on humane tech use, we could create a feedback loop where people choose brands that align with humanistic values, and brands are incentivized to live up to those values.

4. Employees: Driving Change from Within

Change can also come from the inside. Employees, particularly those in high-demand roles like data science, AI, and engineering, have the leverage to demand ethical practices. They are the ones building the systems that track, monitor, and automate. Skilled employees increasingly want to work for companies whose values align with their own—and companies vying for top talent know this.

When employees push back against exploitative practices and demand humane technology policies, it can be the catalyst for broader change. Imagine a workplace where technology serves to enhance employees’ lives—tools that help them work smarter, allow flexible scheduling, and create healthier work environments. For companies to attract and retain the best talent, they must align their actions with employee values.

5. Tech Developers and Ethical AI Advocates: Building Ethical Frameworks

Those who build the technology have an outsized role in shaping its impact. We’re seeing a growing movement among AI and data professionals advocating for ethical standards. Developers themselves can set the standard, creating frameworks that emphasize transparency, fairness, and accountability. They can also insist on creating open-source tools that prioritize ethical and human-centered uses.

Tech developers have a responsibility and an opportunity: to build AI and data systems that support and protect people rather than exploit them. By setting ethical standards from the ground up, they can make it easier for companies to adopt responsible technology practices—and harder for companies to hide behind a “black box” of tech-driven decisions.

6. Media and Public Opinion: Shaping the Narrative

The role of media cannot be overstated. Stories exposing exploitative practices have the power to galvanize public opinion and demand accountability. Investigative reporting on the hidden human costs of corporate technology use—burned-out employees, dehumanizing algorithms, and stripped-down communities—can bring these issues to light.

When the media celebrates companies that do things differently, companies notice. Public awareness and narrative-shaping can help create an environment where ethical behavior is recognized and valued. Companies that know their reputation is on the line are more likely to be transparent and accountable.

It’s Time to Reclaim Technology for Humanity

The potential for a more balanced, human-centered economy is within reach, but it won’t happen without effort. Technology should work for us, not the other way around. If we can harness the influence of investors, regulators, consumers, employees, tech developers, and the media, we can build a world where technology supports human dignity, not just quarterly profits.

This isn’t a utopian dream. It’s achievable, and the time to act is now. Let’s insist on technology that respects human beings, sustains communities, and builds a future that serves us all. Because when companies start valuing people as irreplaceable assets, not as costs to be minimized, they’ll discover a truth that many of us have known all along: putting people first is the best investment any business can make.