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

Are we truly understanding global trade, or just reacting to headlines?

Step into a timely, eye-opening conversation on trade, geopolitics, and the systems shaping our global economy with Dmitry Grozoubinski, hosted by Kate O’Neill.

Topics Covered:

Connect with Dmitry Grozoubinski
Website
LinkedIn
Dmitry’s Book: Why Politicians Lie About Trade

Episode Chapters:

[00:00:04] Introduction to the Tech Humanist Show

[00:00:30] Guest Introduction: Dmitry Grozoubinski

[00:01:15] Why Trade Is Suddenly Front and Center

[00:03:40] Misconceptions About Global Trade

[00:06:05] How Trade Policy Actually Works

[00:08:50] Tariffs, Politics, and Public Perception

[00:12:10] Media Narratives vs. Trade Reality

[00:15:25] Supply Chains and Global Interdependence

[00:18:40] Trade Tensions and Geopolitical Shifts

[00:22:05] Why Trade Is Hard to Communicate

[00:26:30] The Fragility of Global Systems

[00:30:10] The Future of Globalization

[00:33:45] Why Trade Literacy Matters

[00:36:20] Where to Connect with Dmitry Grozoubinski

[00:36:45] Closing and Credits

Are we letting technology shape our lives, or are we actively choosing how it fits in?

Dive into an essential conversation about techno-chauvinism, AI’s real-world impacts, and what responsible innovation looks like with Meredith Broussard.

Topics Covered:

Connect with Meredith Broussard
Website
LinkedIn
Meredith’s book: ”More than a Glitch – Confronting Race, Gender, and Ability Bias in Tech”

Episode Chapters:

[00:00:04] Introduction to the Tech Humanist Show
[00:00:30] Guest Introduction: Meredith Broussard
[00:01:22] Stories We Tell Ourselves about AI
[00:03:50] Biases Embedded in Technology & Techno Chauvinism
[00:05:27] The Digital Shift and the Rise of Tech Dependency
[00:08:48] Bans, Restrictions, and Nuanced AI Policy
[00:10:44] AI Misconceptions vs. Hollywood Influences
[00:14:14] Explaining Generative AI in Plain Language
[00:17:37] Decision Making and the Fragility of AI Systems
[00:20:11] The Realities of Generative AI in the Workplace
[00:23:26] Responsible AI and Governance
[00:29:03] Longevity and Constant Change in AI Models
[00:31:25] AI Safeguards and Global Concerns
[00:33:00] Accountability in Distributed Technology
[00:34:43] Environmental Impact of Data Centers
[00:38:49] What “Better” Looks Like for Tech & Society
[00:41:21] Where to Connect with Meredith Broussard
[00:41:40] Closing and Credits

What happens when AI makes us more creative—does it also make us more human?

Dive into this episode to explore how blending technology and creativity can unlock new potential for individuals, teams, and businesses.

Topics covered:
Super Creativity: Augmenting human creativity with AI
Unlocking creativity in “hidden figures” and backstage roles
AI’s impact on solo creators vs. teams and executives
Examples of AI expanding creative possibilities (beyond speed)
Ethical questions around AI, data, and compensation
Skill atrophy and organizational trends
AI-powered empathy and psychometrics for presentations
The importance of curiosity and space for creativity
Practical ways to be more super creative
Global perspectives and learning from diverse industries

Connect with James Taylor
Website
YouTube
LinkedIn
Instagram

Episode Chapters:
00:00 – Welcome and Introduction
00:17 – The Promise of AI: What Will We Do with More Time?
00:28 – Meet James Taylor and “Super Creativity”
01:43 – What Is Super Creativity?
03:12 – Human, Team, and Human+Machine Creativity
03:36 – Aha Moment: Highlighting Backstage Creative Heroes
05:14 – Expanding Creativity through AI—Real World Examples
06:13 – Centaur and Cyborg Work Models
07:25 – The Future: Billion Dollar One-Person Businesses
08:20 – Purpose, Ethics, and Creating the Future
09:15 – Solo vs. Teams: Where Is AI Unlocking Creativity?
10:08 – AI Use Cases—from Coding to Healthcare
11:27 – The Transformative Potential of AI
12:52 – Essential Human Skills: Creativity and Critical Thinking
13:16 – AI + Psychometrics in Presentations
14:48 – Using AI for Data-Informed Empathy
16:18 – Digital Twins, Creative Abrasion, and AI Mentoring
18:37 – Boundaries: What James Taylor Won’t Use AI For
20:21 – Skill Atrophy and Tools of Consumption
21:41 – Physical Environment’s Impact on Creativity
23:05 – Values, Ethics, and AI Data Sovereignty
26:09 – AI in Organizations: Productivity, Headcount, and Ethics
27:56 – Practical Norms: Guardrails for AI, Facial Recognition, and Smart Glasses
29:47 – Creativity and Global Perspectives
30:42 – Staying Original and Leveraging AI as a Team
32:14 – Cross-Industry Learning and Boundary Crossing
33:44 – Super Creativity Applied
34:56 – Learning from Domain Experts and Other Speakers
35:26 – Books as Powerful Information Devices
36:40 – Practical Steps for Super Creativity
40:12 – Where to Find James Taylor and Closing Remarks

What does it really mean to build ethical and inclusive AI—and who gets to decide which problems we solve with technology?

Dive into this conversation with Tess Posner as she and Kate O’Neill explore how education, ethics, and diverse voices shape the future of AI.

Topics covered:
The intersection of AI, education, and responsible technology
Early experiences shaping ethical perspectives in tech
Critical thinking versus just coding
Unintended consequences and ethical frameworks
Representation, diversity, and AI bias
Organizational approaches to AI ethics
Incentives and policies for responsible AI
Scaling and challenges of AI literacy
Adapting education for future AI challenges
Building adaptive organizational cultures
Hopeful signals and the next generation of technologists

Connect with Tess Posner
AI 4 All Website
LinkedIn

Episode Chapters:
Exploring the Heart of Responsible AI [00:00:05]
Early Influences and Tech for Human Flourishing [00:01:16]
The Role of Ethics in Technology Education [00:03:33]
Embedding Critical Thinking Over Code [00:06:58]
Asking Unintended Consequence Questions [00:10:29]
Lived Experience Shaping AI Projects [00:13:20]
How Diversity Shapes Problem-Solving in AI [00:14:39]
Organizational Incentives and Systemic Change [00:18:30]
AI Literacy: Scaling, Challenges, and Surprises [00:28:34]
Adapting Education and Future Perspectives [00:35:25]
Hope, Human Alignment, and Signals to Watch [00:42:14]