{"id":1082,"date":"2026-04-14T11:44:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T09:44:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cloudtango.net\/blog\/?p=1082"},"modified":"2026-04-14T11:44:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T09:44:09","slug":"navigating-the-ai-shift-qa-with-net-friends-ceo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cloudtango.net\/blog\/2026\/04\/14\/navigating-the-ai-shift-qa-with-net-friends-ceo\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating the AI Shift: Q&A with Net Friends CEO"},"content":{"rendered":"

Navigating the AI revolution is about building a foundation that lasts. At Net Friends, we view the AI landscape through three distinct layers: how we use it internally, how we guide our clients, and the bigger picture of where the technology is heading for small businesses.<\/p>\n

Net Friends CEO John Snyder shares how we are navigating this shift and what we\u2019ve learned along the way.<\/p>\n

Layer 1: Internal Use<\/h2>\n

Q: Tell us about how Net Friends got started with AI.<\/strong><\/p>\n

John Snyder:<\/strong>\u00a0When ChatGPT 3.5 came out in late 2022, we immediately recognized it as the most significant technology shift we had seen since Google search first appeared. That instinct pushed us to get intentional fast. We started building policies, training, and governance around them. That’s really been our posture ever since:\u00a0embrace it early but do it responsibly.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Q: How is Net Friends using AI internally?<\/strong><\/p>\n

John:<\/strong>\u00a0We started with policy before tools. Before anyone touched AI, we made sure people understood what was sanctioned and why. Then we gave everyone access to the right tools:\u00a0Claude for Teams, ChatGPT for Business<\/strong>, and an\u00a0AI meeting\u00a0<\/strong>notes tool. The goal was to normalize responsible use, not restrict it. If people do not have sanctioned tools, they will find their own, and that’s where you lose visibility and control.<\/p>\n

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Q: What is the biggest mistake businesses make with AI?<\/strong><\/p>\n

John:<\/strong>\u00a0Skipping the policy conversation. Most businesses go straight to the tool and skip the foundation. Who is allowed to use what? What data can AI touch? What happens when AI gets something wrong? Those questions feel bureaucratic until something goes sideways, and then they feel urgent. We think the governance layer is not optional. It is what makes the rest of it work.<\/p>\n

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Q: Do you have concerns about AI agents (tools that act on your behalf)?<\/strong><\/p>\n

John:\u00a0<\/strong>There is a philosophical question underneath the technical one. If an AI is responding to someone’s email, scheduling their meetings, acting as them, does the other person know? And if they do not, does it change the relationship? I think it does. Most meaningful business relationships are built on direct engagement. The moment someone suspects they are talking to a bot acting for you, it shifts from a relationship to a transaction. We are very deliberate about where that line is.<\/p>\n

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Q: What are the operational risks of AI agents?<\/strong><\/p>\n

John:<\/strong>\u00a0The risk that does not get talked about enough is error amplification. AI can dramatically increase your output volume, but if your processes are not tight, you are now producing errors faster and at greater scale.\u00a0Speed without auditing is not efficiency, it is exposure.<\/strong>\u00a0We tell clients to get their fundamentals right first, then layer in automation.<\/p>\n

Layer 2: Guiding Clients on AI Use<\/h2>\n

Q: How should small business owners think about starting their AI journey?<\/strong><\/p>\n

John:\u00a0<\/strong>It starts by understanding the benefits of using AI. We approach this by looking at it from two points of view, the individual and the organization:<\/p>\n