Social Capital in the Age of AI

I recently came across an interview with Greg Pryor, who spoke about why social capital matters in the age of AI.

We’re all talking about AI initiatives such as automating tasks, building intelligent agents, learning faster, and boosting productivity.

But Greg reminds us of something we risk overlooking:

Our human skills for forming connections, learning from one another, and transforming experience into social capital. It is the underlying fuel that powers personal and professional success.

What Is Social Capital?

I consider it to be the supportive network we diligently build around us: the people we can consult, learn from, and exchange ideas with.

Algorithms can’t generate it. At least not for now...

Social capital is crafted through purposeful human connection, with colleagues, peers, mentors, and stakeholders who help us grow and amplify our impact.

Greg explains that social capital is needed to become a top performer because relationships provide access to ideas, honest feedback, decision-makers, and inject energy when our work gets harder. These enable high-quality results and better outcomes, pushing us to land the next promotion and overcome new career challenges.

Why It Matters Now? Especially in Customer Success

For CS professionals and teams, repeatable success means retention, growth, and customer loyalty. AI promises to make us move faster. That’s essential as we scale CS activities, but it’s our human skills that guide us when things get complex.

The top CSMs of tomorrow will be those who can blend AI efficiency with human connection, mastering both the technology and the art of building personal trust and increasing their social capital.

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Greg and his colleagues identified four recurring success patterns, each of which resonates with the evolution of modern CS excellence.

⚡ The Fast Movers

They are quick to adjust to new roles and changing circumstances. They instantly align with their customers' priorities. Moreover, they build trust quickly and instill confidence in their ability to deliver.

Think of the CSM who onboards a new customer seamlessly, understanding their needs and goals from day one.

Or the new CS leader who shares a new plan and immediately builds team confidence.

Or the CS executive who quickly aligns internal leaders and external senior stakeholders, presenting the vision and plans towards a shared success.

🎯 The Fast Sharpers

They stay calm, focused, and balanced. They direct their energy to where it matters most, creating visible wins to those who trust them.

Examples:

• The CSM who spots the root cause of potential churn either resolves it or directs teams or individuals to address it.

• The CSM who identifies influential stakeholders and verifies their sentiment and needs early on.

• The CS leader who automates manual and tedious processes to free up time and resources.

• The CS executive who makes a business case that influences product priorities, leading to improvements in customer experience.

🚀 The Fast Scalers

They turn individual wins into collective success. They identify what works, then spread the knowledge effectively. They use their network to amplify value across teams and customers.

Their colleagues, partners, and clients follow because they acknowledge the immediate value they bring.  With scale, their reputation is strengthened, and they gain more followers as their network grows.

In Customer Success, scale and efficiency underline our strategic and tactical initiatives.

We are not only measured on business outcomes, but also on the effectiveness of our playbooks, tools, and people. Top performers don’t protect the knowledge or their jobs; they happily diffuse their know-how across the organization and their network.

That’s how reputations are built, networks grow stronger, and social capital is gained.

🌱 The Fast Risers

Speed, sharpness, and scale create the foundation for growth. Fast risers don’t chase titles; they earn respect through consistent contribution.

They mentor others, invest in their network, share best practices, and keep learning. Their social capital compounds, turning influence into impact, and making the case for the upcoming promotion.

What This Means for CS Professionals

No matter your level, your social capital will shape your resilience and relevance in an AI-driven reality. Invest in your human network because technology amplifies what relationships initially establish.

Consider these practical habits:

✅ Build learning cohorts. Follow and engage with people from different disciplines who you can learn from and consult.

✅ Invest in peer relationships, not just for skills, but for trust and perspective.

✅ Share challenges openly. Collaboration sharpens problem-solving.

✅ Identify sponsors. Keep them close, offer value, and nurture long-term allies.

Final Thoughts

Networking isn’t about collecting contacts; it’s about cultivating meaningful connections. More connections don’t guarantee better outcomes.

What matters is building authentic, intentional relationships that align with your goals and create genuine value for those around you, shaping your social capital.

As AI reshapes how we work, our human power: empathy, trust building, proactive listening, and collaboration, will be the real differentiator. And those who invest in it now will lead the next era of Customer Success.