Pascal Jauffret: "We Want to Augment People with AI, Not Replace Them"

As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the workplace, organizations face a fundamental question: will AI diminish or strengthen leadership? During the final fireside chat of the 2026 HEC Paris Purpose Day, Pascal Jauffret, CEO of Forvis Mazars Group, joined Karina Litvack, Non-Executive Director at Terna and Founding Chair of Chapter Zero Alliance, in a discussion moderated by Marya Besharov, Professor at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, on the future of leadership in the AI era.

For Jauffret, AI should be understood as a powerful "muscle" that amplifies human capabilities rather than replaces them. While the technology can accelerate analysis, automate routine tasks and improve efficiency, leadership remains fundamentally a human responsibility. Judgment, ethical reasoning, curiosity and the ability to inspire people cannot be delegated to algorithms. Instead, AI should free leaders to focus on the uniquely human dimensions of their role: making sense of complexity, exercising discernment and building trust.

The discussion also highlighted the governance challenges created by AI. As organizations deploy increasingly powerful systems, boards and executives must develop a deeper understanding of the technology to oversee its risks and unintended consequences. Responsible AI requires more than technical expertise—it demands clear accountability, transparency and a strong sense of corporate purpose to ensure that innovation serves society as well as business performance.

Rather than viewing AI as a threat to leadership, Jauffret argued that it offers an opportunity to redefine it. The leaders who will thrive are not those who compete with machines, but those who know how to combine technological capabilities with human intelligence, values and purpose.