During a recent interview with Daniel Roth, LinkedIn’s editor in chief, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz expressed a profound and deliberate sense of concern about the rapid progression of artificial intelligence — a concern he emphasized by saying he is, in his own words, “with a capital W, Worried.” His decision to foreground the topic was intentional; he made it clear that AI was an issue he felt compelled to discuss, recognizing both its transformative potential and its unsettling acceleration.
In elaborating on his apprehension, Schultz drew a vivid comparison between AI’s current trajectory and the evolution of social media over the past decade and a half. He reflected on how platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and others expanded at a breathtaking pace, while societal and governmental regulations lagged far behind their influence. According to Schultz, the imbalance between innovation and oversight created a chain reaction of consequences — some beneficial, but many others detrimental to public discourse and well-being. “If we look back over the last ten or fifteen years of social media,” he explained, “it becomes difficult to argue that the immense speed, widespread impact, and numerous negative side effects of that revolution have been adequately offset by the positives it brought.” He went on to assert that one of the fundamental reasons for this imbalance was the nearly complete absence of timely regulation; any efforts that did arrive, he lamented, came far too late to prevent harm.
Drawing on this historical lesson, Schultz argued that artificial intelligence is now moving along a disturbingly similar path — one that could replicate the same lack of foresight. He emphasized that AI’s pace of advancement is so extraordinary that regulators are struggling even to grasp the nature of the challenges they are supposed to govern. “They are so far behind,” he warned, “that they don’t even know what the right questions are, simply because of the speed at which this technology is evolving.” In his view, this informational and bureaucratic gap creates an environment in which innovation drastically outpaces ethical reflection and social responsibility.
While Schultz stressed that he supports the thoughtful adoption of AI technologies, he clarified that his motivation for speaking out was not corporate positioning but personal conviction — his desire, as a private citizen, to urge caution and deliberation. “I worry,” he noted, emphasizing again his deep unease, “with a big W, about the impact this could have — an impact that could, if left unchecked, turn out to be profoundly adverse.” His tone balanced admiration for technological progress with the gravity of someone who has witnessed firsthand how unchecked innovation can reverberate through culture and business.
As the conversation progressed, Schultz turned his attention toward the leaders of the world’s most powerful technology companies — figures such as Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Satya Nadella, Reid Hoffman, and Bill Gates — imploring them to act collectively and recognize the moral dimension of their work. He urged these influential innovators to “come together and understand collectively” that their pursuit of competitive success must be tempered by an inescapable ethical duty to society. In Schultz’s assessment, technological leadership carries not only the capacity to redefine industries but also a profound responsibility to safeguard human interests.
Schultz’s perspective draws further weight from his long-standing legacy within Starbucks. He originally served as CEO from 1987 until 2000, later returning in 2008 to revitalize the company in the wake of the global financial crisis. More recently, he briefly resumed leadership as interim CEO between 2022 and 2023 before transitioning his focus to philanthropy through the Schultz Family Foundation. That organization now directs its energy toward initiatives designed to support communities and expand opportunities, a mission that reflects his belief in people-centered progress.
Interestingly, Starbucks itself has taken a somewhat different approach to technological integration compared with its competitors. Instead of channeling extensive resources into automation, the company has concentrated its investments on empowering employees — choosing to strengthen its workforce rather than replace it. This human-first emphasis contrasts with strategies seen at other restaurant chains like Chipotle and Wendy’s, which have leaned more heavily on automation to improve efficiency. Nevertheless, even Starbucks has acknowledged the growing utility of AI. Earlier this year, in June, it announced a partnership with OpenAI to create an AI-driven platform called Green Dot Assist — a digital tool designed to serve as a smart, conversational assistant for baristas, easing workflow and improving customer interaction.
The timing of Schultz’s conversation is also notable. His remarks came less than a month after Starbucks revealed a significant operational shift: the planned closure of more than one hundred locations across North America, accompanied by layoffs affecting roughly nine hundred non-retail employees. Against that backdrop, Schultz’s reflections on technology, responsibility, and human impact acquire an even more poignant relevance — underscoring the tension between efficiency-driven innovation and the social ramifications of corporate transformation.
When contacted for comment on Schultz’s statements, representatives from both Starbucks and the Schultz Family Foundation declined to respond to Business Insider. Yet his message stands on its own: a call for vigilance, ethical foresight, and collective accountability in an era where artificial intelligence is moving faster than most institutions can comprehend. By invoking both his business acumen and his personal convictions, Schultz reminds us that leadership in technology is not measured merely by who innovates first, but by who ensures that innovation ultimately serves humanity rather than eclipsing it.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/howard-schultz-starbucks-worried-about-ai-2025-10
