In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, host James Taylor interviews Marissa Afton, co-author of More Human: How the Power of AI Can Transform the Way You Lead. Marissa is a Partner at Potential Project, where she works with companies like IBM, Eli Lilly, and Amgen to create more human-centered workplaces.
Together they explore how artificial intelligence isn't here to replace leaders—but to amplify their humanity. Drawing from real-world examples, global executive interviews, and practical frameworks from the book, they unpack how leaders can become AI-augmented by developing awareness, wisdom, and compassion.
If you're a leader navigating the rise of AI, this episode will help you avoid dehumanizing traps and unlock a more mindful, emotionally intelligent, and ethically grounded approach to leadership.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
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AI is an amplifier: It will magnify your leadership—for better or worse.
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Awareness, wisdom, and compassion are the three human capacities that will differentiate great leaders in the AI era.
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Time-freed ≠ time-used well: Leaders must reinvest AI-generated efficiency into more connection, creativity, and presence.
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Digital twins and psychometric AIs can help simulate and anticipate—but the human touch is still essential.
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Stillness enables awareness: The best leaders will use AI to create space, not just speed.
💬 Notable Quotes:
"AI gives us the time to be better leaders—but we often just fill that time with more work." – Marissa Afton
"The leader of the future is not more digital—but more human." – James Taylor
"Awareness happens in stillness. Creativity happens in stillness." – Marissa Afton
"AI is an exoskeleton for the mind and heart. But we still have to drive." – Marissa Afton
"We must ask not only what AI can do for us—but what it can do to us." – Marissa Afton
⏱️ Timestamps:
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00:09 – Intro to Marissa Afton and More Human
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02:45 – How the book changed course due to generative AI
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04:40 – What leaders misunderstand about AI's permanence
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06:28 – Why some leaders want AI to make decisions for them
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07:58 – How to use time saved by AI for more human leadership
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10:14 – Psychometrics, sales calls, and keeping the human in AI
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12:34 – The risk of outsourcing too much to AI
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13:31 – Avoidin
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