Why the Human Experience Still Matters in a Machine-Led World

In this thought-provoking conversation, I’m joined by Kate O’Neill, author, speaker, and founder of KO Insights, to explore how leaders can make meaningful, human-centered decisions in a time of rapid AI adoption and organisational change. Known as the “Tech Humanist,” Kate has helped everyone from Google and IBM to city governments navigate the evolving relationship between emerging technologies and the human experience. We discuss what it really means to create a future that aligns tech innovation with human values. Rather than racing ahead with AI for its own sake, Kate argues that every organisation needs to start by clearly articulating its strategic purpose in three to five words. From there, technology should be implemented to serve people, not just processes. Kate shares insights from her latest book What Matters Next, including how to define ethical acceleration, how to lead through tech transformations without breaking cultural trust, and why asking “should we?” is more important than “can we?” when it comes to deploying agentic AI. She also breaks down why traditional efficiency metrics fall short when applied to human work, and how business leaders can shift towards more meaningful measures of success. We also reflect on real-world case studies, from Apple's design clarity to Duolingo's missteps in announcing its AI-first strategy. And in a world where many are using AI to automate hiring, content creation, and even strategy, Kate reminds us that wisdom, nuance, and empathy are still irreplaceable. So what does ethical acceleration look like in practice? And as businesses lean into automation, are we keeping the human experience at the centre or just chasing what’s technically possible? I’d love to hear your take on this. Is your organisation leading with purpose or with pressure? Let’s continue the conversation.