Amplifying Cognition

Ross Dawson
  • 5.0 (1)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Amplifying Cognition

Leading futurist and entrepreneur Ross Dawson speaks to the world’s best at creating value from infinite information. His guests share the insights and practices that will help you to thrive in a rapidly accelerating world.

  1. Pat Pataranutaporn on human flourishing with AI, augmenting reasoning, enhancing motivation, and benchmarking human-AI interaction

    2 DAYS AGO

    Pat Pataranutaporn on human flourishing with AI, augmenting reasoning, enhancing motivation, and benchmarking human-AI interaction

    In this thought-provoking episode of The Amplifying Cognition Show, Ross Dawson speaks with Pat Pataranutaporn, a researcher at MIT Media Lab, about the intersection of artificial intelligence and human flourishing. Pat shares how his work centers around enhancing human wisdom, wonder, and well-being through AI. From projects like the Future You—an AI simulation that lets users interact with their future selves—to AI systems that support critical thinking and personalized learning, Pat emphasizes the importance of designing technology that makes people smarter, not more dependent. He also highlights the psychological impact of AI on motivation, mental health, and long-term decision-making. The conversation dives deep into augmented reasoning, AI-driven learning tools, and multi-agent systems that blend human and artificial intelligence into a collective intelligence model. Pat also introduces MIT’s new initiative, AHA (Advancing Humans with AI), which aims to establish empirical frameworks for measuring how AI affects human development over time. From building trust with AI agents to fostering cognitive diversity, Pat and Ross discuss the urgent need to shift the AI narrative—from machines getting smarter, to people flourishing with AI. It's a timely and inspiring vision of how technology can serve humanity’s highest potential.

    39 min
  2. Amplifying Foresight Compilation

    19 MAR

    Amplifying Foresight Compilation

    This podcast compilation explores the evolving relationship between AI, human cognition, and forecasting the future. Experts discuss how AI-augmented predictions can enhance human judgment in forecasting complex events, highlighting research that shows human forecasters perform best when assisted by AI rather than relying on AI alone. The conversation also delves into the diverse ways people interact with large language models—some seeking direct answers while others use AI as a sounding board to refine their thinking. Insights from futurists emphasize the importance of scenario planning, signal scanning, and developing foresight skills to better understand emerging trends and navigate uncertainty. Beyond AI, the discussion expands to the broader implications of future thinking, community evolution, and creativity as a tool for shaping the world ahead. Experts reflect on the role of imagination in innovation, the potential of small, interconnected communities in a rapidly changing world, and the power of unlearning outdated models. The conversation is both hopeful and pragmatic, balancing concerns about misinformation, climate change, and inequality with the belief that through curiosity, creativity, and collective intelligence, we have the ability—and responsibility—to create a better future.

    31 min
  3. AI for Strategy Compilation

    12 MAR

    AI for Strategy Compilation

    AI is revolutionizing the way we approach strategy, sense-making, and decision-making. Experts in this discussion explore how AI augments human cognition by processing vast amounts of data, identifying hidden patterns, and generating diverse perspectives. Rita McGrath highlights how AI can enhance strategic foresight by detecting early signals of change, while Christian Stadler discusses how AI disrupts conventional boardroom dynamics, encouraging deeper analysis and more informed decision-making. Valentina Contini shares insights on AI’s role in accelerating the foresight process, reducing the time needed to generate scenarios, and uncovering unexpected correlations. Anthea Roberts delves into the evolving relationship between humans and AI, emphasizing the importance of metacognition—understanding both our own thinking processes and AI’s capabilities. She explains how AI can handle cognitive complexity beyond human capacity, but human intuition and critical thinking remain crucial in interpreting AI-generated insights. As AI becomes an integral part of strategic planning, the conversation underscores the need for thoughtful human-AI collaboration, where AI serves as a powerful tool rather than an autonomous decision-maker.

    32 min
  4. Collective Intelligence Compilation

    5 MAR

    Collective Intelligence Compilation

    Collective intelligence extends beyond the sum of individual intelligence, as Anita Williams Woolley explains. It emerges from how team members interact, coordinate, and amplify each other’s contributions, leading to greater problem-solving capabilities. Research has shown that factors such as transactive memory, shared attention, and collective reasoning play key roles in a group's intelligence. By fostering collaboration and goal alignment, teams can develop a stable collective intelligence that enhances their ability to tackle complex challenges. Artificial intelligence (AI) also intersects with this concept, as large language models (LLMs) aggregate human knowledge and reasoning, creating a new form of intelligence that mirrors human collective cognition. Experts like Jason Burton, Gianni Giacomelli, and Louis Rosenberg further discuss the role of AI in amplifying collective intelligence. LLMs function as an advanced aggregation mechanism, learning from human input and refining responses through reinforcement learning. AI can facilitate better decision-making, augment team interactions, and even mediate deliberative processes. As organizations integrate AI into their workflows, the focus shifts to designing effective human-machine collaborations, unlocking new potentials in augmented collective intelligence. The future lies in combining human cognition with AI-driven insights to create smarter, more adaptive teams and systems.

    31 min
  5. Helen Lee Kupp on redesigning work, enabling expression, creative constraints, and women defining AI (AC Ep78)

    19 FEB

    Helen Lee Kupp on redesigning work, enabling expression, creative constraints, and women defining AI (AC Ep78)

    Ross Dawson and Helen Lee Kupp explore the evolving relationship between humans and AI, emphasizing how technology can augment creativity, collaboration, and productivity in the workplace. Helen shares her cautious optimism about AI’s role in reshaping work, drawing from her background in flexible work research. She highlights the importance of personalizing work environments to accommodate different styles and preferences rather than enforcing rigid structures. The conversation delves into how AI can help individuals move beyond efficiency to explore new possibilities, enabling organizations to foster innovation by empowering employees to experiment and share insights. They also discuss the role of diversity in AI, particularly through Helen’s initiative, Women Defining AI, which supports women in navigating AI adoption and policy-making. She stresses the need for diverse voices to identify biases and shape the responsible use of AI before it becomes seamlessly embedded in everyday technology. Looking ahead, Helen shares her excitement for the future, both personally—expecting her third child—and professionally, as her community shifts toward publicly sharing AI-driven projects and insights to inspire a new generation of technologists.

    35 min
  6. Human AI Symbiosis Compilation (AC Ep77)

    12 FEB

    Human AI Symbiosis Compilation (AC Ep77)

    As AI continues to evolve, its relationship with humans is becoming more complex—shifting from a background tool to an interactive, almost social entity. In this episode, Alexandra Diening explores the concept of human-AI symbiosis, emphasizing that AI can either be mutualistic, benefiting both parties, or parasitic, harming humans while optimizing for efficiency. She highlights the growing importance of responsible AI deployment, advocating for frameworks that ensure AI enhances human skills rather than diminishing them. Mohammad Hossein Jarrahi expands on this idea by distinguishing between automation and augmentation, explaining that while AI can handle structured, data-driven tasks, human intuition remains irreplaceable in high-stakes decision-making and exception handling. Futurist Erica Orange introduces the idea of lifelong forgetting—the need to unlearn outdated thinking to adapt to AI's rapid advancements. She encourages shifting away from the "us vs. them" mindset and embracing a future of co-evolution between humans and technology. Pedro Uria Recio takes this a step further, predicting a future where AI and humans become deeply interwoven, potentially transforming humanity itself through brain-computer interfaces and AI-driven medical advancements. As AI reshapes industries, societies, and even human cognition, this episode provides a thought-provoking discussion on how to steer AI toward a constructive, symbiotic future rather than an exploitative one.

    26 min
  7. Rita McGrath on inflection points, AI-enhanced strategy, memories of the future, and the future of professional services

    5 FEB

    Rita McGrath on inflection points, AI-enhanced strategy, memories of the future, and the future of professional services

    In this engaging discussion, futurist Ross Dawson and renowned strategy expert Rita McGrath explore the accelerating pace of change in business and the evolving nature of competitive advantage. McGrath reflects on how many of her ideas, such as transient advantage, have become even more relevant over time, particularly as businesses face shorter cycles of strategic opportunity. She explains how inflection points—moments of dramatic industry shifts—have historically reshaped economies and are now being driven by digitalization and AI. They discuss how AI's exponential growth is fundamentally altering decision-making, allowing businesses to detect weak signals and process vast amounts of data in ways that humans alone cannot. The conversation delves into sense-making and strategic thinking in the AI era, emphasizing the need for leaders to complement human creativity with AI’s analytical power. McGrath highlights how AI can surface unexpected correlations—such as the surprising decline in gum sales linked to smartphone usage—illustrating how digital trends subtly transform industries. They also discuss business model innovation, the changing role of consultants, and how companies must adapt to a gig-based, rapidly shifting workforce. McGrath shares insights on the future of work, the importance of continuous learning, and the evolving relationship between business and government in shaping economic prosperity. The episode offers a compelling look at the strategies leaders need to thrive in an era of accelerating change.

    33 min
  8. Christian Stadler on AI in strategy, open strategy, AI in the boardroom, and capabilities for strategy

    29 JAN

    Christian Stadler on AI in strategy, open strategy, AI in the boardroom, and capabilities for strategy

    In this episode, Ross Dawson interviews Christian Stadler to explore the intersection of AI and strategic decision-making. Christian, an advocate for open strategy, discusses how AI tools like ChatGPT can serve as valuable partners in the strategy-making process. By assisting with ideation, fine-tuning, and implementation, AI provides fresh perspectives, facilitates scenario planning, and supports the formulation of actionable strategies. Christian highlights examples where AI has been used to disrupt traditional boardroom processes, fostering deeper discussions and uncovering new insights. He emphasizes that while AI can augment human intelligence, its true value lies in being guided by human strategists who provide context and direction. The conversation also delves into the concept of open strategy, where organizations engage a broader range of voices—both internal and external—in shaping their strategies. Christian explains how involving more people not only generates innovative ideas but also improves execution by fostering buy-in and alignment. The discussion touches on the challenges of integrating AI into strategic processes, the political dynamics affecting leadership, and the importance of engaging and retaining talent in an era of rapid change. This episode provides a compelling look at how leaders can navigate a world shaped by accelerating technological and societal shifts.

    34 min
See All (100)

    Ratings & Reviews

    About

    Leading futurist and entrepreneur Ross Dawson speaks to the world’s best at creating value from infinite information. His guests share the insights and practices that will help you to thrive in a rapidly accelerating world.

    Information

    • Creator
      Ross Dawson
    • Years Active
      2021 - 2025
    • Episodes
      100
    • Rating
      Clean
    • Show Website
      Amplifying Cognition

    You Might Also Like

    Content Restricted

    This episode cannot be played on the web in your country or region.

    To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

    Stay up to date with this show

    Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes and get the latest updates.
    Select a country or region

    Africa, Middle East, and India

    Asia Pacific

    Europe

    Latin America and the Caribbean

    The United States and Canada