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At this year’s T2 Connect conference, our CPO, James Paden, and COO, Tammy Baker, shared an inside look at how Parker Technology is approaching AI in operations. The wins, the challenges, and the lessons that apply to any parking organization navigating technology-driven change.
Their presentation centered around one theme: AI creates opportunity, but resilience comes from people, communication, and thoughtful leadership.
Wait, What Even Is AI?
AI is a broad term, so James began by grounding the discussion. When we talk about AI at Parker Technology, we’re focused primarily on generative AI, the type of technology that can interpret and produce human language, making it valuable for customer support, training, operational workflows, and more.
James shared a few key milestones that brought us here:
- The Transformer model, introduced by Google in 2017, became the foundation for modern generative AI.
- Advances in GPU technology made it possible to train much larger, more capable models.
- Together, these breakthroughs enabled the creation of Large Language Models—systems that learn patterns across vast amounts of human language and knowledge, allowing AI to understand context, respond conversationally, and support operational decision-making in new ways.
For a customer service–driven business like ours, this technology opens the door to efficiency gains and improved user experience, but only when used thoughtfully.
Opportunity vs. Hype
Technology is exciting, and it’s easy to want something simply because it’s new or widely adopted. But Tammy emphasized that before any organization brings AI into the fold, it’s essential to pause and ask:
- What problem are we trying to solve?
- Have we asked the people closest to the work what they need?
- Does the solution exist today, or is it “coming soon”?
- Are we choosing the tool, or the trend?
AI can offer tremendous value, but it is not a shortcut. It requires clear intention, reliable data, and well-defined expectations.
The Human Side of AI Adoption
One of the strongest themes of the session was communication. Change doesn’t cause friction, surprise does.
Tammy illustrated this with a simple example: walking into your regular grocery store only to discover every aisle has been rearranged. The frustration doesn’t come from the new layout; it comes from not knowing it was coming.
The same is true for your workforce.
People adapt to change when leadership:
- Communicates early
- Shares the “why” behind decisions
- Keeps updates consistent and clear
- Acknowledges uncertainty instead of avoiding it
Communication doesn’t eliminate every concern, but it prevents misinformation and builds trust, both essential ingredients for organizational resilience.
Where Operations and Technology Align
James shared an example that highlighted why collaboration matters. He built a voice AI tool intended to handle “ghost calls.”
Technically, the solution worked. Operationally, it didn’t.
Without input from Tammy’s team, the AI would have delayed callers who needed assistance, solving one problem but creating another. That experience reinforced that AI isn’t built in a lab. It’s built alongside the people who live the work every day.
Successful AI implementation requires:
- Cross-departmental communication
- Real-world context
- Shared accountability for outcomes
Innovation only works when operations and technology speak the same language.
AI as an Ongoing Process, not a One-Time Project
A consistent truth about AI is that it evolves quickly. Models improve, retire, or shift in capability within months. Because of that, AI requires:
- Continuous testing
- Clean and reliable data
- Well-defined performance standards
- Clear expectations for accuracy and behavior
- Contingency plans for outages or technical failures
AI doesn’t reduce the need for human involvement; instead, it shifts that involvement toward oversight, monitoring, and refinement.
Addressing Concerns About Job Security
During the presentation a common and understandable concern was: will AI replace people?
Tammy’s answer reflected the approach we’ve taken internally:
- AI can take on repetitive or low-complexity tasks.
- That frees employees to focus on higher-level, more rewarding work.
- As AI expands our capacity, we can grow the business without reducing our workforce.
The goal isn’t replacement, it’s enhancement. AI strengthens teams when used to elevate their work, not eliminate it.
Four Practical Takeaways for Leaders
1. Communicate early and often: even brief updates keep teams aligned and prevent unnecessary uncertainty.
2. Strengthen cross-departmental relationships: operations and technology must partner closely for AI initiatives to succeed.
3. Rely on experts: internal or external, experienced guidance helps avoid costly pitfalls.
4. Prepare for the unexpected: technology will fail, so people and processes must be ready to step in.
AI is the Tool. People Are the Strategy.
AI brings exciting new possibilities, but the organizations that will thrive are the ones that integrate technology with strong leadership, thoughtful communication and a people-first approach.
As James and Tammy highlighted, resilience isn’t about having perfect tools; it’s about building teams and workflows that can adapt, learn, and lead through change.
James Paden
CPO
James Paden is the Chief Product Officer at Parker Technology, helping transform traditional parking operations through AI-enhanced customer service solutions. We’re exploring how empathy can be scaled and how to proactively solve problems before they even arise.