The Closer Cut with Waseem Mirza

If artificial intelligence can sound trustworthy, who do we actually believe?

In Episode 6, Waseem Mirza sits down with Jonathan Gabay - brand and AI psychologist, author, academic and keynote speaker - to explore how trust, persuasion and human behaviour .. are changing in the age of artificial intelligence.

• Jonathan is available for speaking engagements through https://thecloser.consulting/jonathan-gabay

Jonathan explains why “the real story is the story”, how people curate versions of themselves that may not be entirely true, and why the psychology behind modern marketing is nothing new. From Edward Bernays and the famous “Torches of Liberty” campaign to today’s algorithms, influencers and AI-generated content, the methods may have evolved, but the battle for attention and belief remains remarkably familiar. He explores:

• Why the story behind a brand matters more than the surface message.
• How people curate their identities online — and why Jonathan describes modern life as “very Matrixy”.
• What Edward Bernays can teach us about propaganda, persuasion and marketing today.
• Why artificial intelligence should be treated as a second head, not a replacement head.
• The difference between simply using AI and developing what Jonathan calls “actual intelligence”.
• Why “marketing slop” is the inevitable result of careless prompts and careless thinking.
• Why saying “no comment” during a crisis often creates an even bigger story.
• How silence feeds algorithms, and how algorithms feed advertising.
• Why perceptions of truth are becoming increasingly fluid, tribal and immediate.
• What smart glasses, digital identity and future wearable technology could mean for authenticity.
• Why leaders need to know when to speak — and when to shut up.
• The case for leading from the back.

• Jonathan’s simplest advice for brands, leaders and individuals: tell the truth.

Jonathan also discusses the tension between AI-generated content and the growing demand for work that feels genuinely human. As younger audiences become more sceptical of polished claims and synthetic content, authenticity may become one of the most valuable assets a brand can possess.

Jonathan Gabay is available to speak at events through The Closer Speakers Consultancy: https://thecloser.consulting/jonathan-gabay

If you enjoyed the conversation, follow #TheCloserCut leave a review, and share this episode with someone thinking about trust, technology, marketing or leadership.

You can find more about the host at: https://www.waseemmirza.tv

Follow on linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/waseemmirzaofficial

#TheCloserCut #JonathanGabay #BrandPsychology #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Trust #Marketing #Leadership #Authenticity

Brought to you by Mirza Productions

© 2026 MIRZA Productions. All rights reserved. Distributed via YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Amazon, LinkedIn, and key podcast networks. Re-uploading, reproduction, or redistribution of any portion of this audio or video content without an explicit written licence is strictly prohibited.

What if the real currency of business isn't money - it's relationships? In this episode, Waseem Mirza sits down with Andy Edwards, creator of Relationomics, accredited behavioural psychologist and international keynote speaker.

Andy reveals why getting the relationships right is the single biggest lever for performance, culture and leadership effectiveness - and what happens when organisations get it wrong. Drawing on personal lessons that reshaped his worldview, he explains how trust, communication and self-awareness drive better results than any strategy deck ever could.

In this episode, you'll discover:

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  What Relationomics is—and why relationships are the true economic generator of any organisation

• 
  

  Workplace behaviour (and why Andy argues it's not about gender)

• 
  

  Why AI and automation make human connection more valuable, not less

• 
  

  The one leadership habit that changes everything - and what breaks first when leaders skip it

• 
  

  How your greatest strength can become your biggest weakness when others experience it differently

• What people actually say about your leadership when you're not in the room

Guest:

Andy Edwards is an award-winning speaker, behavioural psychologist and author of Why Can't People Be More Like Me?! and LEADERSHT*. He's spoken in over 20 countries for clients including Sony, Barclays and JP Morgan. Book Andy through The Closer Speakers Consultancy - details in the show notes.

Subscribe, rate and share if this episode sparked ideas for your team or next event. And keep cutting closer!

Show notes & links:

• 
  

  Book Andy Edwards through The Closer Speakers Consultancy - https://thecloser.consultancy/andy-edwards

• 
  

  Andy's website: andyedwardsthespeaker.com

• Follow Waseem Mirza: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waseemmirzaofficial

  Bio: https://www.waseemmirza.tv

#TheCloserCut #Relationomics #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #BehaviouralPsychology #Podcast #TheWaseemMirza

Brought to you by Mirza Productions

© 2026 MIRZA Productions. All rights reserved. Distributed via YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Amazon, LinkedIn, and key podcast networks. Re-uploading, reproduction, or redistribution of any portion of this audio or video content without an explicit written licence is strictly prohibited.

From the stage to boardroom strategy - this Jennifer Bryan brings the drama (the good kind)!

The Closer Cut x Jennifer Bryan - Episode 4: RADA-trained actress and Broadway dancer turns emotional intelligence into boardroom advantage.

Book Jennifer Bryan for your next business event through The Closer Consulting:

https://thecloser.consulting/jennifer-bryan

Follow her at: jenniferlbryan.com

More about the host at: https://www.waseemmirza.tv

https://imdb.me/WaseemMirza

Get in touch with the show: [email protected]

© 2026 MIRZA Productions. All rights reserved. Distributed via YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Amazon, LinkedIn, and key podcast networks. Re-uploading, reproduction, or redistribution of any portion of this audio or video content without an explicit written licence is strictly prohibited.

👑🕺🏾🎤💫 No moonwalk required… this Michael Jackson still thrills! Meet the 'Other' Michael Jackson on The Closer Cut.

This episode of The Closer Cut with Waseem Mirza features the 'Other' Michael Jackson - prolific keynote king - dropping in to change the game!Michael has delivered more than 3,000 events across 46 countries, working with leading international organisations.

He was featured at the Inner Circle showcase, hosted and moderated by Waseem, and prefers to be known as a "relevant speaker" rather than a purely motivational one - a distinction that shapes everything he does on stage.

In this episode: the story behind the name, why relevance beats motivation, the funniest assumptions people make when they hear "Michael Jackson," and what he wants every audience to feel by the time they leave the room!

🎙️ Book Michael through The Closer - details below:

🌐 https://thecloser.consulting/michael-jackson

👑 Follow him at: https://www.youtube.com/c/MichaelJacksonspeaker/

There's more about the host Waseem Mirza at https://imdb.me/WaseemMirza

If you enjoyed this conversation, like, subscribe, follow and share #TheCloserCut ..it really does help the show grow!

Email the show: [email protected]

#TheCloserCut #KeynoteSpeaker #ConferenceSpeaker #emcee #BusinessChange #EventProfs #TheCloserConsulting #Podcast #WaseemMirza #MichaelJackson

© 2026 MIRZA Productions. All rights reserved. Distributed via YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Amazon, LinkedIn, and key podcast networks. Re-uploading, reproduction, or redistribution of any portion of this audio or video content without an explicit written licence is strictly prohibited.

In this edition of The Closer Cut, Waseem Mirza sits down with a leading authority in spatial technologies – Cortney Harding – and finds out whether the future really is right in front of us…

Cortney is the founder of Friends With Holograms, an Emmy-nominated producer, a Top 100 Global Woman in AI (Davos 2025), and the author of The Spatial Race. She’s built AI avatars and immersive training for Amazon, Walmart, Lowe’s, Target, Verizon and PwC – tackling the hardest workplace issues, from bias and exclusion to mental health.

In this episode: why smart glasses need a “Blackberry Moment” before an iPhone one, why the office – not the factory floor – could be where they go mainstream, and how immersive tech can make work more human, not less. Plus, Waseem shares why he’s still using the original TCL NXTWear glasses from CES for XR today – although with one big problem!

🎙️ Book Cortney Harding through The Closer Speakers Consultancy:

https://thecloser.consulting/cortney-harding

[email protected]

📖 The Spatial Race – Cortney’s latest book is out now

🌐 https://cortney-harding.com

If you enjoyed the conversation, like, subscribe, follow and share – it really helps the show grow!

More about the host Waseem Mirza:

https://thecloser.consulting/waseem-mirza

#TheCloserCut #Smartglasses #SpatialComputing #AI #FutureOfWork #WaseemMirza #TechPresenter

© 2026 MIRZA Productions. All rights reserved. Distributed via YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Amazon, LinkedIn, and key podcast networks. Re-uploading, reproduction, or redistribution of any portion of this audio or video content without an explicit written licence is strictly prohibited.

Waseem Mirza sits down with Ritavan, a technology leader with over a decade of experience turning complex data challenges into scalable solutions. Together they unpack leadership, innovation, and the real impact of data-driven thinking on growth and performance.

Ritavan is available to speak at events through The Closer: https://thecloser.consulting/ritavanhttps://thecloser.consulting/ritavan

More about the host on IMDb

and at: https://www.waseemmirza.tv

Brought to you by Mirza Productions

© 2026 MIRZA Productions. All rights reserved. Distributed via YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Amazon, LinkedIn, and key podcast networks. Re-uploading, reproduction, or redistribution of any portion of this audio or video content without an explicit written licence is strictly prohibited.