Adopting AI Responsibly: KTVU 2 Features Column.us CEO Megan Villanueva on Putting People First

Big Tech spent an estimated $725 billion on AI last year. But questions are growing about how much value that investment is delivering. That was the question San Francisco’s KTVU 2 put to Megan Villanueva, CEO of Column.us, on September 30, 2026.

Speaking from Washington, D.C., Villanueva made the case that companies can get the most from AI when they start with the outcome they want to achieve—not simply the technology itself. She pointed to Column’s customer support team as one example.

Start with the outcome, not the technology

Executives are under growing pressure from boards and investors to incorporate AI, Villanueva said. But with so much being invested, the question of where and how AI creates meaningful value is becoming increasingly important.

For companies outside the big AI labs, she argued, the opportunity is to be intentional about where AI fits. Does it help deliver a better experience for customers? Does it improve an outcome that matters? Or is it being applied primarily in the name of efficiency?

The technology is most useful, she suggested, when it solves a real problem rather than simply signaling that a company is keeping up with the market.

At Column.us, AI supports people. It doesn't replace them.

For Column’s customers, public notices are often connected to important legal requirements and major life events. A family may need to publish a notice after a loved one passes away. Someone navigating an adoption or estate process may need help understanding what comes next.

In those moments, having the ability to talk with a real person makes a difference.

Column.us uses AI to support its customer support team, while keeping people at the center of the customer experience. The team proudly maintains a 95% customer satisfaction score.

“If we actually don't provide this human support, we will lose our customers,” Villanueva said, “and frankly, we will lose their trust. In an age of public information, trust is everything.”

Villanueva also pointed to companies that reduced support staff in favor of AI and have since brought some staff back as customer experience suffered. The lesson, she suggested, is that an efficiency gain isn't necessarily a gain if it comes at the expense of customer relationships and resulting churn.

Thoughtful guardrails can support better AI adoption

Villanueva also discussed the role of governance as AI continues to develop.

When technology leaders themselves call for thoughtful development, clear safeguards and responsible governance, she said, it is a signal that implementation deserves careful consideration.

She supports government guardrails as well. AI has enormous potential, Villanueva said, but its effects can be consequential, particularly when the technology is used inside government. Thoughtful rules can help create a clearer framework for developing and deploying AI responsibly.

What this means for Column

Column connects law firms, governments, businesses and individuals with local newspapers to publish public notices. Because that work intersects with legal requirements and significant moments in people's lives, accuracy, reliability and human support matter.

That shapes how we think about AI, too.

Our approach follows the principles Villanueva shared on air:

• Start with the outcome. Use AI where it can meaningfully improve the customer experience or solve a real problem.

• Keep humans in the loop. Automation can make our teams more effective, while people remain available when customers need them.

• Protect trust. When technology touches public information and legal obligations, reliability and accountability matter.

This builds on Villanueva’s recent FOX 5 DC conversation on America.gov, where she discussed what responsible modernization can look like in government.

The question isn't simply how much companies are spending on AI. It's whether that investment is helping them serve people better.