AfterShock Podcast: Staying Human While AI Evolves

Helen joined leadership coach Caroline Stokes on her AfterShock podcast for a conversation about how AI reshapes the way we think and feel—and what that means for leaders trying to navigate this moment.

The conversation ranged across some of our core research: the idea of symbiogenesis (humans and AI co-evolving), the eight roles we assign to AI, and the five phases of human–AI adaptation. Helen introduced the AI Adaptation Cube—a framework for reflecting on whether you're treating AI as a Doer, Advisor, or Co-Author—and made the case that cognitive sovereignty, the ability to notice how AI influences your perception, is becoming a critical leadership skill.

One thread that ran throughout: the efficiency rhetoric around AI can quietly erode what makes us human. The answer isn't to resist AI, but to approach it with awareness—embracing uncertainty and cultivating wonder rather than reaching for control.

Watch/listen to the episode here.