Nabil Bukhari, the president of AI platforms and chief technology officer at Extreme Networks, a Seattle-based AI-powered cloud-networking company, has created an AI clone of himself that now handles 80% of project and program reviews. What began as a joke among his team about wanting to be in multiple places at once turned into a practical solution to manage his demanding workload. Bukhari oversees a wide range of responsibilities, including the company’s AI business, product portfolio, and technology strategy across a team of about 3,000 employees. The idea for the AI clone came after a lighthearted conversation about the challenges of being stretched too thin across meetings and responsibilities. He decided to explore the possibility of creating a digital version of himself that could handle routine reviews. The AI agent was trained on a broad set of materials—internal documents, meeting transcripts, social media posts, press interviews, and public speaking engagements—to replicate not just Bukhari’s thinking style but also his tone and communication patterns. The result is a system that reviews project updates, program plans, business strategies, and product specifications, asking the same probing questions he would and offering feedback in his voice. Since implementation about seven to eight months ago, the AI has taken over the initial round of reviews, allowing Bukhari’s teams to get early feedback without waiting for his availability. The agent continuously learns from team feedback, enabling ongoing refinement. While early on the AI’s questions matched only about 50% of Bukhari’s, that has now risen to 85% to 90%. Despite its growing accuracy, Bukhari remains deeply involved in high-stakes decisions. He emphasizes that the AI is not meant to replace human judgment, especially in critical areas. He personally reviews all decisions above a certain threshold, ensuring human oversight remains central. The biggest change, however, has been personal. With significantly less time spent in meetings and on routine reviews, Bukhari now has the opportunity to be more present in his children’s lives. He used to drop off his 6-year-old and 8-year-old only once or twice a month. Now, he does it 10 to 15 times a month. The simple act of starting his day with his kids has improved his mood and focus, making him more effective in his work. Bukhari believes the real value of AI isn’t in cutting costs or replacing people, but in freeing humans to be more human. It’s about creating space for reflection, creativity, and meaningful connection—qualities that AI cannot replicate. By automating repetitive tasks, teams can focus on strategic thinking, problem-solving, and innovation. For Bukhari, this isn’t about speed or efficiency alone. It’s about reclaiming time and mental space so leaders and teams can make better decisions, lead with intention, and show up more fully—both at work and at home.