The Anti-Human Future

I watched a great interview on the weekend that was incredibly sobering - as a human.

Tristan Harris — co-founder of The Centre for Humane Technology - said to Bill Maher.

In reference to the real economic incentive of AI, given the levels of investment and debt.

"...To be crystal clear on where this is heading - to an anti-human future…’

Yep that’s us…

The very business model is to make us humans less necessary.

We already have the data on what lack of human engagement and disconnection is costing in the workplace.

Gallup's State of the Global Workplace 2025 puts it at $8.9 trillion annually.

Not from AI replacing jobs.

From humans already feeling like they don’t matter much.

From disengagement. Disconnection.

The quiet erosion of identity and belonging in the workplace.

This is BEFORE the next wave hits.

Now add this:

Circa 70–80% of AI deployments to date are delivering no discernible return - nice one...

Organisations are feeling the need to move at a breathless speed to deploy something they don’t truly understand.

The human cost is only just beginning to emerge.

By the way - NO human can keep up with this pace of change.

Not the board. Not the exec team. Not IT. Not HR.

Nobody.

So here's the question I keep asking myself —

and the one I think ALL leaders need to prioritise:

In the race to deploy AI in all its associated applications.

Are we creating organisations where humans are present -for now.

but BEING HUMAN is quietly being optimised away?

Sacrificed at the altar of ‘productivity’ and reductive growth?

Because there's a BIG difference between humans in the room

and humanity in the room.

Between an organisation that has people as a human resource

and one that has an authentic identity, sense of belonging and human-centric culture.

I've been fortunate to have experienced and been part of leading what good looks like over the course of my career.

I fear for where we are heading.

I believe the counter-intuitive move right now might not be to accelerate.

Rather to slow down - to take a pause.

To ask: what are we really trying to build here and who is it for?

Humans might be in the room.

But is BEING HUMAN?

That's the question I believe defines the next decade of leadership.

Not enough people are asking it.

Oh and credit to Gemini Nano Banana for bringing my dystopian prompt to life...