In this episode, Ross Dawson speaks with nonprofit technology leader Beth Kanter about how artificial intelligence can free up valuable time for mission-driven organizations. Kanter introduces the concept of the “dividend of time” — when AI automates routine tasks, nonprofits can reinvest those saved hours into stronger relationships, deeper learning, and more innovative impact. She encourages teams to view AI as a collaborator, using frameworks like the prep chef, sous chef, and family recipe to determine where automation, augmentation, and uniquely human work should fit within their workflows.

Kanter also shares practical ways AI can enhance nonprofit fundraising, personalize donor engagement, and elevate critical thinking rather than replace it. Through thoughtful use of large language models as learning partners — not answer machines — nonprofit professionals can strengthen reflection, strategic decision-making, and creativity. The conversation explores ethical considerations, team norms for AI collaboration, and the emerging human skills needed to build more adaptive, humans-plus-AI organizations in the future.

Futurist Ross Dawson returns to the Humans Plus AI podcast with updates from his recent keynotes in Dubai and Riyadh, where he explored how artificial intelligence can amplify human potential and reshape the future of organizations. He reaffirms that Humans Plus AI is more than a concept—it’s a growing movement dedicated to understanding how people and AI can collaborate to create better outcomes for individuals, companies, and society. Dawson also introduces Thought Weaver, a new application designed to enhance human-AI thinking workflows, inviting the community to participate in its development.

He then outlines his “Six Levels of Humans Plus AI in Organizations” framework, which describes how businesses evolve through six stages: augmented individuals, human-AI hybrid teams, learning communities, fluid talent, evolutionary enterprises, and ecosystem value co-creation. Each level represents a deeper integration of AI into human collaboration and decision-making—from improving personal productivity to transforming entire ecosystems. Drawing examples from organizations like Morgan Stanley, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Unilever, Maersk, and MELLODY, Dawson illustrates how forward-thinking companies are already embracing this transformation.

In this episode, Ross Dawson speaks with Iskander Smit about the evolving relationships between humans, AI, and autonomous “things.” Drawing on his Cities of Things research, Iskander explains how AI is moving beyond being just a tool or mirror to becoming a collaborator, co-author, or even an “intern” that can structure thinking, reflect back new insights, and challenge human biases. The conversation highlights the importance of intent and conversational feedback loops in shaping valuable interactions, showing how AI can enrich rather than replace human reflection.

From a design perspective, Iskander emphasizes the shift toward co-creative systems that are continuously evolving. He advocates for introducing intentional “friction” in AI experiences—interruptions and adaptive narratives that help users engage more deeply and avoid black-box outcomes. Looking ahead, he sees designers taking on the role of creative directors working with AI partners, while human-to-human and human-AI conversations remain central to building collective intelligence.

In this episode, Ross Dawson speaks with Brian Kropp about how organizations can move beyond AI experimentation to truly drive adoption and performance. They discuss the gap between executive expectations—often aiming for 20–50% improvements in performance—and the current reality of single-digit results. Kropp emphasizes that while the technology is ready, the real challenge lies in adoption: creating the right incentives, redesigning organizational structures, and ensuring leaders are both comfortable and competent with AI.

The conversation explores practical approaches such as focusing on measurable pain points, forming cross-functional teams, and fostering a culture where experimentation and even failure are celebrated. Kropp also shares insights into the future of management, noting how AI will flatten hierarchies by reducing the need for middle managers and shifting leadership toward relationship-building and strategic guidance. Together, they highlight how organizations that embrace AI boldly—accelerating into the “turns”—will be best positioned to gain a competitive edge in the years ahead.

In this episode, futurist Ross Dawson speaks with Suranga Nanayakkara, founder of the Augmented Human Lab, about reimagining the relationship between people and technology. Suranga shares his personal journey of feeling “not good enough” with early computers, and how that experience inspired him to design human-computer interfaces that assist and empower rather than intimidate. He discusses breakthrough projects such as ISee, a wearable device that helps blind people — and travelers like himself — access visual information seamlessly, and Prospero, a cognitive training tool that adapts learning moments to an individual’s readiness and cognitive load.

The conversation explores the Lab’s wider innovations, including AI-augmented reasoning, wearable fact-checkers, interactive tools co-designed with autistic children, and even the concept of an “AI inner voice” that nudges people toward healthier and more confident choices. Suranga emphasizes co-design with stakeholders, context-awareness, and non-invasive augmentation as guiding principles. Looking ahead, he sees the convergence of AI, robotics, and consumer wearables as opening new horizons for technologies that help us make better decisions, learn more effectively, and ultimately become better versions of ourselves.

In this episode, Ross Dawson speaks with renowned computer scientist Michael I. Jordan about the misconceptions surrounding artificial intelligence and human intelligence. Jordan emphasizes that despite advances in machine learning, we are far from understanding the depths of human intelligence, which is not just cognitive but also deeply social and cultural. He argues that current AI systems are largely brute-force tools trained on massive datasets, lacking the creativity, shared experience, and contextual understanding that define human thought. Instead of chasing “superintelligence,” he suggests we focus on how AI can complement humans and enhance overall social welfare.

The discussion also explores the idea of “collective genius,” where innovation emerges not from isolated individuals but through shared knowledge and collaboration. Jordan stresses the importance of embedding economic principles—such as incentives, information asymmetry, and social welfare—into the design of AI systems. By viewing AI as an economic facilitator that helps shape markets and decision-making, rather than as a replacement for human intelligence, he sees potential for technology to empower people. However, he cautions against the concentration of power in the hands of a few and urges for broader, collective approaches that prioritize fairness, adaptability, and human values.

Salesforce’s Chief Ethical and Humane Use Officer, Paula Goldman, joins Ross Dawson to discuss how organizations can design and deploy AI responsibly while maximizing its benefits. She emphasizes that ethical AI is not just about avoiding harm, but about fostering trust through transparency, safeguards, and collaborative design. Goldman outlines practical strategies like adversarial testing, inclusive stakeholder input, and clear escalation processes between humans and AI to ensure systems perform reliably and support meaningful human oversight. She also introduces the concept of “human at the helm,” reframing traditional “human in the loop” models to better suit autonomous, agentic AI while preserving human control over critical decisions.

The conversation also covers AI governance in real-world settings, advocating for iterative, minimum viable governance structures that start with clear goals, basic performance metrics, and heightened diligence for sensitive use cases. Goldman stresses the importance of board-level oversight, diverse advisory councils, and open channels for employee feedback to ensure responsible deployment. Ultimately, she envisions a future where AI augments human creativity, deepens connections, and frees people for higher-value work—underscoring that the technology’s positive potential depends on intentional, values-led implementation.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Ross Dawson speaks with neuroscientist and entrepreneur Vivienne Ming about using artificial intelligence to amplify human potential. Ming shares powerful personal stories—from hacking her son’s diabetes equipment to founding companies that pioneer AI-driven health diagnostics. She explains how true innovation lies in systems that don't replace human ability but instead enhance it—even after the technology is turned off. Drawing on her work in neuroprosthetics and postpartum depression, she explores how human-AI hybrid systems can help us plan better for the future through data, diagnostics, and trust-based, personalized health insights.

The conversation expands into education, metacognition, and the ethical use of AI in learning environments. Ming warns against over-reliance on AI tools that can dull cognitive engagement, emphasizing the need to foster reflective thinking, uncertainty awareness, and diverse problem-solving. She challenges us to embrace AI not as a crutch, but as a partner in discovery—one that enhances creativity rather than conformity. Her vision of the future is one where individual uniqueness is not just preserved but magnified through thoughtful, human-centered design.

In this episode of the Humans Plus AI podcast, Ross Dawson speaks with Matt Beane, author of The Skill Code, about how artificial intelligence is disrupting traditional paths to skill development. Beane shares insights from over a decade of research, revealing that true skill-building doesn't come from formal training alone, but from solving complex problems with expert support. He introduces the “Three Cs” framework—Challenge, Complexity, and Connection—as essential conditions for meaningful learning at work. As AI systems increasingly enable experts to work independently, junior professionals are often cut out of critical learning opportunities, threatening long-term talent pipelines.

The conversation explores innovative strategies to reverse this trend, such as “inverted apprenticeships” and AI-assisted workflows that still involve and upskill junior team members. Beane highlights real-world examples from fields like surgery, software development, and investment banking, illustrating how organizations can re-engineer work to preserve learning while boosting productivity. He urges leaders to demand more from AI vendors—specifically tools that enhance user skill over time—and warns of the long-term cost of neglecting employee growth. This is a must-listen for anyone focused on the future of work, talent development, and human-AI collaboration.

In this insightful conversation, Ross Dawson reconnects with tech pioneer Tim O’Reilly to explore the transformative power of artificial intelligence and its parallels with previous technological revolutions. O’Reilly emphasizes that AI represents a profound shift in how humans interact with machines — continuing a historical trend of lowering the barriers to computation and creativity. Rather than framing AI as a job-destroying force, he urges a perspective that highlights new capabilities, expanded access, and human-machine collaboration. Drawing comparisons to the disruptive impact of the printing press, O’Reilly underscores how democratizing tools lead to periods of upheaval but ultimately unlock greater societal advancement.

The discussion also delves into the concept of “architecture of participation,” where innovation thrives not just through open source code but through communities that share knowledge and build together. O’Reilly warns against the “enshittification” of platforms driven by capital over value creation, advocating for AI development that prioritizes user empowerment and cooperation over monopoly control. With examples from industry, open source history, and his own company’s journey, he illustrates how organizations can become AI-native by fostering curiosity, allowing grassroots innovation, and enabling teams to co-evolve with the technology — turning collective learning into lasting transformation.

In this insightful conversation, anthropologist and former professional rugby player Jacob Taylor shares how his unique background informs his work on collective intelligence and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Drawing from his experiences at the Brookings Institution and initiatives like 17 Rooms, Jacob explains how fostering collaboration through “rooms” aligned with each SDG enables action-focused teamwork across sectors. He emphasizes that intelligence emerges through action and shared goals, and introduces the importance of ritual, community bonding, and feedback loops as mechanisms to strengthen learning and coordination in teams.

The discussion dives into innovative concepts like "vibe teaming"—a new model of using AI collaboratively to synthesize expert insights—and explores the potential of digital twins to represent communities, ecosystems, and even non-human species. Jacob highlights real-world pilots of “interspecies money,” where AI-inferred preferences of gorillas, elephants, and trees influence how funds are used to protect habitats. Ultimately, the episode envisions a future where AI is built bottom-up to serve human and planetary flourishing, powered by a new ecosystem of aligned technologies, inclusive experimentation, and deeply human collaboration.

In this special solo episode, Ross Dawson shares key reflections from his participation in Human Tech Week in San Francisco, where he delivered the opening keynote and led a panel discussion with John Hagel and Charlene Li on the future of strategy. Drawing from that rich conversation, Ross explores how AI is reshaping the strategic landscape—accelerating decision cycles, decentralizing innovation, and emphasizing the uniquely human capabilities of judgment, synthesis, and sense-making.

He delves into themes such as the erosion of institutional trust, the shifting role of leadership, and the balance between long-term vision and short-term action. Highlighting the importance of trust-based relationships, storytelling, and continuous learning, Ross argues that strategy in the AI era must serve not only organizations but also the broader ecosystems and communities they’re part of. He invites listeners to engage with the Humans Plus AI community and continue the conversation as we navigate this rapidly evolving future together.

In this insightful conversation, Ross Dawson interviews Matt Lewis, a leading voice in brain capital and mental health innovation. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience in AI and neuroscience, Matt shares how technologies like machine learning and generative AI are being used to identify patterns in mental health, personalize interventions, and support cognitive well-being. He emphasizes the importance of seeing individuals in their full context—beyond clinical data—while discussing the shift toward lived-experience-driven solutions and the growing role of citizen data scientists in shaping more responsive care systems.

The discussion also explores the potential and risks of generative AI in mental health—from offering companionship to the lonely, to the danger of reinforcing cognitive distortions in vulnerable users. Matt introduces the concept of "brain capital," a framework centered on enhancing individual and societal cognitive capacity for a better future. He shares his optimistic outlook on the decade ahead, calling for moonshot goals like eradicating mental illness and preventing brain disorders, while describing his venture studio’s mission to support entrepreneurs building toward that vision.

In this insightful conversation, Ross Dawson speaks with Amir Barsoum, founder of InVitro Capital, about how artificial intelligence is reshaping the service industry—particularly healthcare. Amir shares how his venture studio builds AI-native service providers rather than traditional SaaS companies, emphasizing a shift toward automation, augmentation, and smarter workflows. They explore the transformation of pricing models, moving from human labor-based costs to consumption- and outcome-based structures, driven by AI’s growing capabilities.

Amir also discusses the massive opportunity for AI in healthcare, especially in non-clinical areas like scheduling, approvals, and billing, where AI can enhance efficiency and reduce costs. The conversation touches on the rise of vertical integration, the democratization of AI applications, and the future of work, where many administrative jobs will be replaced but new roles—and education pathways—will emerge. He outlines a strategic view of AI investments across foundational models, applications, and real-world services, underscoring the importance of data, distribution, and fast iteration in building scalable ventures.

In this insightful conversation, futurist Ross Dawson speaks with Minyang “MJ” Jiang about how generative AI can serve as a catalyst for human augmentation—freeing us from routine tasks, sparking creativity, and elevating curiosity in the workplace. MJ highlights three key areas where AI delivers value: addressing capacity constraints, automating repetitive tasks, and reducing cognitive burden from monotonous work. She emphasizes the importance of using AI not as a replacement, but as an enabler of deeper thinking, skill expansion, and human connection.

The discussion also explores the evolving nature of leadership in an AI-first world. MJ stresses that leaders must engage directly with these tools, define what responsible AI use looks like, and foster cultures rooted in integrity and imagination. Trust emerges as a central theme—trust in systems, leadership, and the intentions behind AI deployment. Ultimately, the episode encourages listeners to stay curious, intentional, and grounded in their values while embracing new possibilities shaped by technology.

In this insightful episode, Ross Dawson interviews Sam Arbesman, author of The Magic of Code, about the deeper meaning and interdisciplinary power of code. Arbesman presents code not merely as a technical construct, but as a “universal solvent” that dissolves boundaries between fields like language, philosophy, biology, and art. He shares personal stories—from early experiences with computers to his grandfather's awe at the first iPhone—to emphasize the importance of rekindling wonder and delight in how we engage with technology.

The conversation dives into the concept of “tools for thought,” the idea that computers—and increasingly AI—can augment human thinking rather than replace it. Arbesman reflects on the promise of AI to uncover latent knowledge and help us think more associatively, but stresses the human role in steering technology toward meaning, purpose, and the best versions of ourselves. Ultimately, the episode invites listeners to be deliberate about the tools they adopt, embracing those that inspire curiosity, creativity, and connection.

In this episode, Ross Dawson speaks with Bruce Randall, an AI practitioner, Reiki Master, and meditation advocate, about the evolving relationship between humanity and technology. The conversation begins with Bruce’s firsthand observations of brain-computer interfaces, such as Neuralink, and their potential to dramatically enhance human capabilities. Drawing from his background in AI development and spiritual practice, Bruce shares how these advancements could not only aid those with disabilities but also pave the way for everyday human enhancement. He highlights the commercialization of AI implants, the ethical implications of accelerated progress, and the need for thoughtful integration of these tools into our lives.

As the dialogue unfolds, Bruce draws parallels between energetic healing and artificial intelligence, suggesting that both operate on frequencies and vibrations that may one day align. He emphasizes the value of meditation as a tool to sharpen critical thinking and self-awareness in a world increasingly shaped by algorithmic decision-making. Together, Ross and Bruce explore the boundaries between reality and illusion, trust in machines, and the future of human consciousness in an age of intelligent systems. The episode invites listeners to consider not just where technology is heading, but who we are becoming as we integrate it more deeply into our bodies and minds.

In this thought-provoking episode, futurist Ross Dawson speaks with AI expert Dr. Nisha Talagala about the evolving role of artificial intelligence in education, work, and society. Nisha shares how AI has progressed from obscure experimentation to a mainstream force, catalyzed by powerful computing, vast data, and tools like ChatGPT. She highlights the shift from trying to replicate human intelligence to augmenting it—empowering people to work alongside AI in coding, medicine, and creative fields.

At the heart of the conversation is AI literacy. Nisha introduces the "Four C’s"—Concepts, Context, Capability, and Creativity—as essential pillars to help individuals understand, engage with, and responsibly apply AI. Through her initiatives at AIClub, students as young as third grade are building their own AIs, gaining early insight into the ethics and mechanics behind the technology. She emphasizes that adapting to AI isn't about mastering complex algorithms—it's about cultivating curiosity, understanding motivation behind tools, and using AI to elevate human potential.

In this launch episode of Humans Plus AI, Ross Dawson reflects on the podcast’s evolution—from Thriving on Overload to Amplifying Cognition, and now to its current form. Originally rooted in exploring how individuals navigate an age of overwhelming information, the podcast has shifted in response to rapid advancements in AI, especially following the release of ChatGPT. Dawson explains how this moment catalyzed a deeper integration of his long-standing work on human-AI collaboration, leading to a new focus on how we can not just survive, but thrive alongside intelligent machines.

The episode outlines the podcast’s new mission: to examine how AI can amplify human capabilities—from individual cognition and skill development to strategic thinking, work transformation, and collective intelligence. Dawson emphasizes a positive, forward-looking approach, aiming to spotlight the tools, mindsets, and societal structures needed to co-evolve with AI. Through interviews, insights, and community conversations, Humans Plus AI will serve as a guide for harnessing this unprecedented partnership between humans and machines to shape a better future.