Mamaearth’s Ghazal Alagh shares advice for team leaders on AI use: ‘Teach people how to think, adopt’
Ghazal Alagh, co-founder of Mamaearth, recently shared his advice to team leaders on the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The 37-year-old entrepreneur, who sparked an online debate with his latest social media post, called on business leaders to focus on improving critical thinking and clarity about the benefits of AI in their roles.
In his LinkedIn post, Ghazal Alagh discussed the importance of skill development over tool selection in AI for team leaders. The caption of the viral post reads: “Most leaders I talk to are asking the wrong question about AI.”
Emphasizing the importance of teaching teams how to effectively leverage AI, he said: “They ask, ‘What tools should my team use?’, when the real question is ‘What kind of skills does my team need right now?’ Because tools will continue to change. What matters is the change that AI actually demands of you as a leader.”
As Ghazal Alagh observes, people who succeed in this age of AI are those who are self-motivated to learn and test their ideas. Sharing insights from the work of the teams at Honasa Consumer, he wrote: “They are clear on what a good output looks like. AI just helps deliver that output faster.”
‘Teach people to think and embrace’
Arguing that the people who struggle are those who oppose and resist change, he advised team leaders not just to “run AI workshops, but to teach people how to think and adopt.”
Emphasizing the importance of teaching teams how to leverage AI effectively, he added: “This is about helping your team develop a stronger understanding of their craft: what they stand for, what they are trying to create, what quality means in their particular role, and how AI can help them do their job better.”
Social media reacts
Many people reacted to the entrepreneur’s post on social media. One user wrote: “This is a big shift in perspective. The difference is not access to AI, but clarity about what to do with it. How do you see teams creating this clarity in practice?”
Another user said, “I think this goes a level deeper. This isn’t just a skills issue. It’s a systems issue.”
A third comment read: “This is a complete shift: from tool tracking to talent clarity. When teams have a clear, shared understanding of what “good” looks like, defined through a structured competency framework like KASBA, AI becomes an accelerator, not a guessing game. Skill isn’t about using AI; it’s about knowing your craft well enough to guide it.”
A fourth user stated: “I totally agree. Tools will continue to evolve, but what truly differentiates teams is clarity of thinking and focus on results. In retail operations too, I’ve seen those who adapt and try new ways of working always outperform others. AI is not a substitute, it’s a multiplier of the right mindset.”
A fifth user said: “Absolutely. AI is a talent enhancer, not a talent creator. Winning teams aren’t tool savvy, they’re savvy in thinking, clear on results, and willing to experiment. The job of leadership is to build that mindset, not just run tool tutorials.”
