Milton Hershey vs AI: An Ethical Reckoning in the Age of Automation

The Irony of Progress

As I sit here using AI to research my article on Milton Hershey vs AI, the irony is not lost on me.

I am using AI to research the story that prompted this article.

During my college undergrad years, I was in a leadership class and we reviewed this story about Milton Hershey as a case study in servant leadership.

I did not know much about the man, other than, “Hey isn't that the chocolate guy?”

And yes, that's him. 

But I came to find out he was much more than that. And I came to admire him and respect him on a much deeper level because of the story that follows.

Hershey's Human-Centric Ethos

As the story goes, during the construction of the Hotel Hershey in the early 1930's, Hershey showed a depth of thoughtfulness and humanity rarely seen.

As the Great Depression gripped the nation, Hershey launched a massive building campaign to provide jobs for the local community. During construction, Hershey saw two massive steam shovels excavating Pat's Hill, to which his foreman remarked, “Those steam shovels can do the work of 40 men.” 

Upon hearing this, Hershey replied, “Take them off. Hire 40 men.”

In that moment, Hershey made a choice to remove the more efficient machines and employ manual labor instead, thus prioritizing human employment over mechanization during a time of economic hardship.

This story encapsulates Hershey's belief in human dignity over mechanical (perhaps, automated? efficiency).

It's worth noting that Milton Hershey also famously built Hershey, Pennsylvania, as a model town for his employees, complete with housing, schools, and even an amusement park. He founded Milton Hershey School, donating most of his fortune to educate underserved children. His leadership emphasized fairness, simplicity, and ethical business conduct. He was a symbol of people-first capitalism.

The AI Dilemma: Efficiency vs Humanity

There appears to be a painful contrast between Milton Hershey’s values—investing in people, community, and ethical labor—and the modern dilemma of AI automation, which threatens to displace human workers.

Modern AI, especially in platforms like ServiceNow, is revolutionizing work by automating tasks, streamlining workflows, and enhancing productivity. But this transformation raises serious ethical questions. 

The ethical implications of AI job displacement are vast and worth considering as we venture into the future. There are estimates that AI could displace millions of jobs by 2030, not just in manufacturing but also in white-collar sectors like finance, healthcare, and legal.

Along with job loss, workers face the prospect of a litany of mental and emotional strains in the way of potential loss of purpose, depression, financial hardship, and inequality, while tech owners gain disproportionate influence and power.

I am heartened to see the advent of ethical frameworks like “Socially Responsible Automation” urging companies to balance innovation with human welfare.

Bridging Hershey and ServiceNow

So what can we do?

I will always support Hershey’s model of community building, investing in people, and rejecting dehumanizing efficiency.

However, as we have often seen, resisting change is often futile and leaves us out of the conversation altogether. 

Rather, when we participate in it, we can take part in shaping it for the better. AI’s model of optimizing workflows, reducing costs, and automating repetitive tasks does not have to tear communities apart, divest in people, or lead to dehumanizing efficiency.

In fact, ServiceNow’s latest innovations—like the AI Experience and Agentic Workforce Management—are trying to humanize AI by:

• Empowering employees to collaborate with AI agents.
• Keeping humans in control via governance tools like the AI Control Tower. 
• Enhancing productivity without removing the human element.

This opens the door to a middle path: using AI to augment, not replace, human work—something Hershey might have supported if it preserved human dignity and community.

A Call for Ethical Innovation - Progress without Ethics is Regression

As we stand at the crossroads of technological advancement, the question is no longer whether we can automate—it’s whether we should. The tools are here. The platforms are powerful. The efficiencies are undeniable. But so are the consequences.

Milton Hershey once chose people over machines. He saw workers not as cost centers, but as community members. Today, as AI reshapes the workforce, we must ask ourselves: are we building systems that serve humanity, or are we letting efficiency erode empathy?

Platforms like ServiceNow offer a glimpse of what ethical automation can look like—where AI augments human potential rather than replaces it. But the responsibility lies with us: consultants, architects, leaders, businesses, and organizations. 

We must design with conscience, implement with care, and advocate for solutions that elevate—not eliminate—the inherent worth, value, and dignity of all humanity.