What does it really mean for AI governance to be more than just buzzwords—and how do we build systems that are worthy of our trust?

This week on the Tech Humanist Show, we get candid with responsible AI expert and Algorithmic Justice League advisor, Rebekah Tweed. Together, we explore the not-so-glamorous (but oh-so-crucial) world of AI governance—think less “theater,” more real talk on trust, transparency, and protecting our privacy.

Topics covered:
The evolution of responsible AI as a corporate function
Balancing safety and privacy in AI applications
Algorithmic harms in everyday life (hiring, healthcare, security)
Why harm in AI is more than just a technical bug
Organizational trust and accountability in AI governance
Practical evidence of responsible AI practices
The importance of transparency, literacy, and public trust
Building AI governance that is operational—not just performative
Roles for government and open source in shaping responsible AI
What gives hope for the future of AI and public infrastructure


Connect with Rebekah Tweed
Website
LinkedIn
AI Governance Course on LinkedIn Learning



Episode Chapters:
00:04 Introduction to the Tech Humanist Show
00:17 Responsible AI Becomes an Organizational Norm
01:29 Rebekah Tweed’s Journey from Music Industry to AI Governance
03:36 AI’s Impact on the Creative Arts and Early Influences
04:57 The Rise of AI Governance Teams and Job Roles
06:12 Building Responsible Tech Career Development
07:38 What Responsible AI Means in Human Terms
09:36 Algorithmic Harms in Ordinary Life and Public Response
15:38 When AI Harm is a Deeper Systems Problem
18:57 How to Build Genuine, Non-Theatrical AI Governance
25:16 Evidence That AI Governance Is Real
29:12 Cultural Weirdness, Systems Strangeness, and Literacy
35:13 Speed, Trust, and What Leaders Need to Know
37:42 What Gives Hope for a Responsible AI Future
40:22 Outro and Credits

How do our everyday digital traces—social posts, check-ins, photos—shape our identities, relationships, and the very nature of privacy in a hyper-connected world?

Kate O’Neill sits down with Lee Humphreys, professor and Chair of the Department of Communication at Cornell University and author of The Qualified Self: Social Media and the Accounting of Everyday Life. The conversation explores the rich history and surprising continuity of documenting daily life, from centuries-old diaries and photo albums to today’s social media and sensor-driven platforms.

Topics Covered:

Connect with Lee Humphreys
Cornell Website
LinkedIn
”The Qualified Self – Social Media and the Accounting of Everyday Life”

Episode Chapters:

00:04 Introduction to the Tech Humanist Show & guest
00:17 The concept of phatic communication
02:27 Lee’s route into communication technology
04:42 From photo manipulation to tech distrust
06:00 Diaries, Twitter, and the origins of media accounting
12:10 Social reinforcement vs. narcissism in social media
13:33 Location sharing and its role in identity
16:35 Parasocial relationships and context collapse
19:53 Data, experience, and mismatched realities
22:33 The shifting meaning of place and time in data
24:31 Networked privacy and the collective dimension
27:39 Incentives, policy, and platform accountability
30:01 Algorithmic identity and the “qualified self”
35:26 Digital rituals, remote work, and connection
40:31 Closing thoughts: technology, humanity, and hope
41:04 Lee’s story of hope and innovation through tech
42:58 Episode wrap-up and thanks

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, the nation faces unprecedented challenges: political polarization, economic insecurity, climate change, and the complex influence of technology and AI. How can America rethink its long-term strategy—and rebuild trust—at this historic crossroads?

Host Kate O’Neill is joined by strategist and author Patrick Doherty, co-author of “The New Grand Strategy,” and Brandyn Keating, founder of YOUnify and an expert in repairing civic trust. Together, they explore:

Connect with: Patrick Doherty
The Center for the Constitution & Grand Strategy: https://ccgstrategy.org/
Long Haul Capital: https://www.longhaulcapital.com/team
X: @PatrickCDoherty
LinkedIn
The New Grand Strategy: Restoring America’s Prosperity, Security, and Sustainability in the 21st Century

Connect with Brandyn Keating
YOUnify: https://www.younify.org/
LinkedIn

Episode Chapters:
00:00 Introduction & Setting the Stage: America at 250
00:04 Grand Strategy Explainer with Patrick Doherty
00:46 Infrastructure, Generational Planning, and Lessons from Eisenhower
01:46 Trust, Polarization & the Grassroots Perspective with Brandyn Keating
03:38 Linking Grand Strategy to Community & Trust
05:04 Coherence Gaps and Economic Realities
09:38 Political Consequences & Declining Trust
13:00 Strategic Risks When Citizens Lose Faith
16:12 Remedies: Information Environments & Offline Connection
18:35 The Dilemma of Celebrating vs. Critiquing America
21:05 Overcoming Binary Thinking & Building Shared Values
24:04 Policy, Thriving Conversations & Bridging Local to National
29:05 Making Grand Strategy Inclusive
34:32 Global Flourishing Goals & Write the Future
38:01 Parallels to Tech Humanism & Organizational Strategy
39:06 Hopes for America’s Next 250 Years
44:05 Connect with the Guests & Closing Remarks

Are our emotions shaped—and even expanded—by technology, or are we just becoming more disconnected and manipulated online?

Dive into this episode as Kate O’Neill and Pamela Pavliscak explore the complicated emotional landscape of the digital world and what it truly means to “stay human.”

Topics Covered

Connect with: Pamela Pavliscak
Pamela Pavliscak on LinkedIn
All the Feels: How to Stay Human in the Digital World
Instagram (@pamelapavliscak)
Substack https://feelingdigital.substack.com/

Episode Chapters
00:00 Introduction & Heart of the Conversation
01:40 What is the Future of Feelings in Technology?
02:25 Why Emotions Matter in Design
04:43 A Butterfly Story: Tech & Personal Grief
05:17 Early Tech Optimism vs Today’s Realities
07:39 Debunking Myths About “Screen Time”
10:00 Diaries and Meaningful Online Experiences
12:55 Metrics Beyond Time: How to ‘Measure’ Digital Well-Being
14:46 Shame, AI, and Tech Purity Culture
18:04 Individual Responsibility vs Systemic Change
20:17 Living in a Tech Ecosystem: What Do We Do Now?
20:33 Emotional Life on the Internet vs. Emotional Life with AI
24:17 Navigating Social Norms with Generative AI
28:41 Are Neo Emotions Expanding Our Feelings?
36:37 Why Does Outrage Rule the Internet?
39:09 Persuasion vs. Manipulation in Emotional Interfaces
42:28 Should Tech Be Accountable for Emotional Harm?
45:00 Needed: Guardrails for Emotionally-Aware AI
49:35 Staying Hopeful & Staying Human
51:36 Outro & Where to Find the Book

Topics Covered:

Connect with Craig Havighurst
Website
Substack – StringTheories

Episode Chapters:
00:04 – Welcome and introduction to Craig Havighurst
01:22 – The relationship between music and being human
04:15 – Craig’s first memorable music experience
07:28 – What is musicality and why does it matter?
11:03 – Listening for vs. listening to music
14:41 – The concept of a healthy musical diet
19:09 – The effect of industry shifts on music access
20:51 – Genres, formats, and who gets heard
25:17 – How streaming platforms affect musical literacy
33:20 – Bluegrass as a healthy musical ecosystem
34:38 – AI, authenticity, and musical provenance
44:13 – Music, empathy, and democracy
48:26 – Practical steps for intentional listening
51:34 – Closing thoughts and where to find Craig Havighurst

Are leaders thinking big enough—and human enough—in the AI era?

Explore how AI and technology shape the human experience with Kate O’Neill and guest Brian Solis, Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow. Discover the concept of cognitive Darwinism, AI transformation stories, leadership in the AI era, and how to drive growth while staying human-centric.

Topics Covered:
AI augmentation vs. automation
Cognitive Darwinism and self-awareness
Capacity and capability overhang in AI adoption
Transformation as a human story
Purposeful iteration vs. intentional innovation
Return on intelligence vs. return on ignorance
Reskilling and workforce transformation case studies (IKEA & Walmart)
Human-centric leadership and psychological safety
Personal relationship with technology & digital attention
Mind shifts required for future-ready leadership

Connect with Brian Solis

BrianSolis.com
Brian’s latest book: Mindshift
ServiceNow
LinkedIn
Brian Solis, Author at Workflow®

Episode Chapters:
00:04 Introduction & Guest Welcome
01:00 Transformation as a Human Story
02:24 The Human Story Leaders Miss in the AI Era
03:06 AI’s Anti-Human Trajectory & Cognitive Darwinism
04:28 AI Tax and Brain Fry
05:49 AIQ: Artificial vs. Augmented Intelligence Quotient
09:16 Agentic AI & Process Reinvention
11:11 Grand Strategy and Leadership Mindsets
15:55 Mind Shifts and Self-Awareness
17:18 Book Inspiration and Becoming a Leader of the Moment
20:13 Unlearning Disruption Myths in Enterprise
25:16 Innovation: Creating New Value
26:59 Evaluating AI Use: Efficiency vs. Net New Value
31:13 Psychological Safety and Human-Centric Leadership
32:28 IKEA & Walmart: Augmentation and Reskilling Case Studies
38:00 Personal Relationship with Technology & Life Scale
41:48 Closing Thoughts: Questions for Embracing Change
43:05 Episode Wrap-Up and Farewells

Are you overwhelmed by nonstop change and wondering how to truly thrive in a world shaped by AI and information overload?

Tune into the latest Tech Humanist Show episode, where Kate sits down with Frederick Marshall—gardener, CEO, and author of Thrive: The Antidote to Future Shock—to unearth how we can cultivate clarity, resilience, and actual human thriving in our tech-saturated world.

Topics covered:

Future shock in 2026 and its effects
Common leadership misdiagnoses of burnout and overwhelm
Strategies for managing information overload and uncertainty
The Thrive framework: Priorities, obligations, and noise
Observations from top performers across industries
Design by subtraction and life “ecosystems”
The Super 8 factors for thriving AI as collaborator and human-AI symbiosis
Responsible and human-centered AI adoption at work
Building thriving business and personal ecosystems
Meaning, contribution, and human adaptability

Connect with Fred Marshall

Episode Chapters:

00:04 Introduction and future shock today
01:11 Fred Marshall’s background and philosophy
02:07 Defining future shock in the modern era
04:10 How leaders misdiagnose overwhelm
05:31 AI tools and strategic alignment
08:07 Design by subtraction—managing time and attention
11:05 What top performers do differently
12:57 Assumptions, autopilot, and learning
15:11 The problem Thrive solves for leaders
16:06 Role of AI and personalizing technology for growth
18:47 Accelerating learning with AI—cognitive friction
21:20 Systems thinking for complexity
22:04 The “Super 8” life factors
27:02 Meaning, contribution, and purpose
30:46 Thriving organizations and business ecosystems
33:08 Speed vs. thoughtful strategy in fast-changing times
41:43 Human-AI partnership and neural net overlap
44:03 What leaders should believe about humans
46:51 Why people give hope for the future
48:38 Closing and where to find Thrive

How can leaders harness AI in their communication without losing their authentic human touch?

Topics covered:

Connect with: Allison Shapira
Website
LinkedIn
Instagram

Episode Chapters:

00:04 Introduction and overview of the Tech Humanist Show
00:32 Allison Shapira’s background: Opera to executive communication
03:39 Why AI for the Authentic Leader—leadership problems and urgency of the moment
06:09 Defining authenticity in a leadership and AI context
08:40 AI’s impact on executive presence—when the tools are “better than us”
11:27 Tension between what AI rewards and what leadership requires
14:37 Navigating ambiguity and nuance in leadership communication
18:33 Projecting confidence versus certainty as a leader
20:40 Communicating clarity and maintaining trust amid uncertainty
22:27 Over-explaining, under-explaining, and AI’s potential impact
23:49 Executive presence on camera and its evolving demands
26:27 Societal expectations of leaders’ communication skills
28:42 Bringing authority and warmth on camera; avoiding “performance” of leadership
31:09 The “anti-pitch” idea—rethinking introductions in a tech-driven world
34:51 Ethical use of AI in relationship building and values alignment
37:18 Practical steps: What leaders should start (and stop) doing with AI
38:56 Final takeaways and how to lead authentically in an AI-shaped world
40:01 Outro and credits

How can organizations confront their histories of harm before being forced to reckon with them?

In this episode, Kate O’Neill is joined by Sarah Federman as they explore the crucial difference between deferred and acknowledged harm, and what real accountability can look like—especially amid today’s AI boom.

Topics covered:

Connect with Sarah Federman
Website
LinkedIn
Instagram
Sarah’s new book: Corporate Reckoning: How Businesses Can Address Historical Wrongs

Episode Chapters:

00:04 Introduction and Host Welcome
00:35 Guest Introduction: Sarah Federman
01:47 Defining Reckoning Work
03:00 The Interval Between Harm and Reckoning
04:15 The Personal Connection to Reckoning
05:27 Deferred Harm and Corporate Inaction
06:57 Action, Inaction, and Neutrality
08:20 AI Data Centers, Power Asymmetry, and Community Impact
10:45 Protest, Creativity, and Avoiding Lazy Solutions
12:18 Patterns of Reckoning Across Industries
13:03 Ethical Acceleration and Real-Time Accountability
15:13 Emergent Accountability Mechanisms
16:05 Practical Steps for Responsible Tech Leadership
18:22 Institutional Change vs. Performing Change
21:11 History, Hope, and The Long Arc of Accountability
22:54 Book Details and Where to Connect
23:59 Closing and Credits

Are you overwhelmed at work but can’t pinpoint why?

Discover how “thought load”—not just workload—may be sabotaging productivity, innovation, and well-being in the tech-driven workplace. Kate O’Neill sits down with Liane Davey—the brilliant mind behind the new book Thought Load—to unpack why work isn’t working for so many of us.

Topics covered:

Connect with Liane Davey
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn

Episode Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction and background
00:43 – What is “thought load”?
02:15 – Equation: Cognitive and emotional demands over energy reserves
03:38 – The neuroscience of “treacherous triad”
04:05 – Why workload and thought load are not the same
05:22 – AI’s surprising effects on thought load
06:27 – Rethinking productivity: The activity-output-outcome framework
09:08 – Technology’s role in multiplying and draining cognitive demand
10:30 – Why managers reward “responsiveness”—and why that’s a trap
13:14 – When tech reduces vs. increases cognitive demands
15:57 – Tech as an emotional burden amplifier
17:02 – The misunderstanding of feedback vs. judgment
18:54 – Social pain and at-scale judgment in digital workplaces
23:20 – The operational significance of energy reserves
28:06 – High-leverage interventions for organizational energy
33:36 – Conflict debt as an outcome of high thought load
35:20 – Making conflict safer and more productive
40:15 – What a tech humanist organization could look like
42:19 – Closing thoughts and hope for the future
43:26 – Book release and where to connect