AI & the Human Touch

In an era dominated by rapid technological change, the fusion of artificial intelligence (AI) with human experience presents unprecedented challenges and opportunities. As a product leader with a background in economics and anthropology, I’ve traversed a unique journey through tech giants like IDEO, Salesforce, Amazon, and Nextdoor. My mission has always been to center human behavior in the heart of technology. Here's what I believe the future holds and how we must evolve alongside AI.

The Anthropological Approach to Tech Product Design

My journey began not in engineering, but in the social sciences. I studied human behavior deeply, earning a PhD in anthropology, which led me to analyze major socio-economic shifts like the post-collapse of the Russian economy in 1998. This unique lens allowed me to approach product development with a people-first mindset, focusing on culture, motivation, and long-term impact.

When IDEO called, I stepped into global projects aimed at understanding how humans interact with technology. Working in Kenya and Cambodia, I observed firsthand the behavioral shifts caused by mobile finance technologies like mPesa. These insights not only reshaped how I viewed product design but made me a global thought leader on mobile money and human-centered tech.

Building Products that Resonate

Throughout my time at IDEO and later at Salesforce and Amazon, I prioritized designing products that respond to the cultural, emotional, and societal needs of users. Rather than designing around fleeting metrics, I encouraged companies to define North Star metrics that align with product value, product love, and mission.

For example:

• Product Value: What real value does the product provide to users?
• Product Love: Are users emotionally invested and returning because they trust and love the experience?
• Mission Alignment: Does the product fulfill the company’s broader purpose?

These deeper metrics yield more sustainable innovation and brand loyalty.

The AI Revolution: Fear and Freedom

Generative AI, including models like ChatGPT, has disrupted not only how we work but how we define the future. Knowledge work—once considered a pinnacle of human progress—is now being automated. Many of us face existential questions: Will our skills remain relevant? What does it mean to be human in a world where AI writes, codes, and thinks?

Instead of fear, I see a chance for renewal. As AI handles more of our logical and repetitive tasks, humans can return to richer, more spiritual and creative dimensions. Our future need not revolve around writing better emails but around imagining new ways of living, connecting, and being.

A Shift Toward Conscious Leadership

Interestingly, Silicon Valley—the very birthplace of many AI innovations—is also experiencing a spiritual awakening. From the increasing legalization and exploration of psychedelics to broader consciousness movements, many tech leaders are asking deeper questions about purpose and meaning.

This shift is not coincidental. As AI advances, so does our need to explore what lies beyond logic and data. I believe the next wave of leadership will be defined not just by technical prowess but by the ability to guide organizations toward holistic human futures.

The Global Implication of AI

One of AI’s most disruptive powers is its ability to democratize access. Native English speakers and those in dominant economies have long held an advantage in global business. AI erodes these barriers, allowing talents from emerging economies to compete on a level playing field.

This leveling effect could lead to instability but also great innovation. As power shifts, so too does the opportunity to define new economic paradigms and ways of working that are inclusive, distributed, and human-centered.

A Call to Founders and Innovators

To every founder and innovator reading this: now is the time to reimagine. Ask yourself not what you can build based on yesterday’s ideas, but what problems truly deserve your attention today.

• Are you solving a big enough problem?
• Does your product reflect the future you want to create?
• Can your work inspire, connect, and elevate humanity?

Remember, every moment you invest in yesterday’s idea is a moment lost from creating tomorrow’s breakthroughs. Embrace the blank page. Skate to where the puck is going—not where it’s been.