The most important lesson I've learned in 20+ years working with AI and food: If you want your AI initiatives to succeed, don’t start with the AI.
Start with your humans.
It sounds counterintuitive in an age of prompt engineering, model selection, and LangChain workflows. But the truth is: Without strong human capabilities, even the smartest AI is just running in circles—fast.
Here’s what I mean.
The Data That Stopped Me
When we look at AI implementations that fail, it's rarely because the model wasn't powerful enough or the prompts not working.
It's because the humans using it weren’t ready to guide it.
The core capabilities we see missing most often:
Strategic Thinking
What actually matters?
What’s the real context?
What are we trying to achieve?
Value Judgment
What’s worth pursuing?
What trade-offs are acceptable?
What standards matter?
Without this foundation, AI becomes a highly capable intern with no direction—fast, cheap, but fundamentally misaligned.
What we’re witnessing is a shift from tool thinking to team thinking. The AI doesn’t replace your team—it extends it. But only if the team is ready.
Why This Matters Now
This looks like more than just a tech adoption curve.
It’s a leadership challenge.
In our work across food and agriculture, we’ve seen two very different trajectories:
Some teams leapfrog the competition by using AI as a strategic partner.
Others burn time and budget producing faster mediocrity.
The difference?
Not the model.
Not the data.
The people.
Teams that know how to frame a problem, assess competing priorities, and apply judgment are getting extraordinary results with the same tech others fumble with.
What This Means for You
The implications for our industry are significant.
You don’t need more tools.
You need more alignment.
Because when your team knows how to ask better questions, AI gives you better answers.
This isn't about being a prompt ninja. It's about becoming a meaningmaker—someone who can create context and purpose from raw data.
The brands that will thrive are the ones who understand that AI isn’t replacing strategy. It’s sharpening it.
How to Build These Muscles
If you’re not getting what you hoped from AI yet, try this reset:
Run an internal audit: Can your team clearly define success for each initiative? If not, fix that first.
Introduce “Strategic Framing” prompts before you even open ChatGPT. Example: “What tension are we trying to resolve?”
Treat AI as a sparring partner—ask it to argue both sides of a tough trade-off, not just summarize content.
Slow down to go faster: A 10-minute team huddle to agree on context saves hours of back-and-forth prompt iteration.
This is the kind of work we do with clients every day—embedding AI into their culture, not just their stack.
Where 6 Seeds Comes In
We’re not an AI consultancy. We’re a clarity consultancy.
At 6 Seeds, we help food and ag companies reveal the real problem, reimagine the direction, and realize smarter outcomes—with AI as an embedded partner throughout.
We start with behavioral insight and data
We reframe using strategic storytelling
We build systems that actually get used
Want to run a "Human Readiness for AI" session with your team? We're happy to facilitate.
Let’s Talk
What’s the biggest friction you’ve encountered when trying to bring AI into your work?
Where has it surprised you?
And what would help your team become better meaningmakers in this new landscape?
Reply and let me know. I’d love to hear what’s working—and what’s still unclear.
Share this post