Amplifying Cognition

Ross Dawson
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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. Kunal Gupta on the impact of AI on everything and its potential for overcoming barriers, health, learning, and far more

    4D AGO

    Kunal Gupta on the impact of AI on everything and its potential for overcoming barriers, health, learning, and far more

    In this thought-provoking episode, futurist Ross Dawson interviews Kunal Gupta, author of 2034: How AI Changed Humanity Forever, to explore the profound and personal ways AI is reshaping society. Kunal shares the story behind his book, inspired by over 250 intimate, tech-free dinner conversations he hosted across Europe, where guests discussed how AI might impact every aspect of human life—from how we work and learn to how we date, eat, and govern. With over 100 future-facing ideas sourced directly from these dialogues, the book—and this episode—invites listeners to expand their perspective on what’s possible in an AI-driven world. The conversation dives into AI’s current role as a cognitive companion, helping users like Kunal analyze personal health data, rethink decision-making, and reduce cognitive load in daily tasks. They discuss the rise of agentic AI, the gap between AI capability and adoption, and the risks of overreliance and passive curiosity. Most importantly, the episode frames AI as a tool for empowerment—if we choose to engage with it actively. The future, Kunal argues, hinges on fostering AI literacy and curiosity, making AI not just a noun, but a verb.

    34 min
  2. Lee Rainie on being human in 2035, expert predictions, the impact of AI on cognition and social skills, and insights from generalists

    APR 16

    Lee Rainie on being human in 2035, expert predictions, the impact of AI on cognition and social skills, and insights from generalists

    In this insightful episode, futurist Ross Dawson interviews Lee Rainie, director of the Imagining the Digital Future Center at Elon University, to explore how AI and emerging technologies are reshaping humanity. Rainie shares the origins of his work with Elon and Pew Research, emphasizing their long-standing methodology of gathering expert predictions to understand future trends. The conversation touches on the accuracy of past forecasts—such as the rise of mobile, the blending of work and life, and the emergence of extremist groups online—while acknowledging the limits of expert-driven foresight, particularly given its skew toward Western academics. The focus then shifts to the center’s latest report, Being Human in 2035, which examines how AI might impact essential human traits. While most experts foresee negative effects on social-emotional intelligence, empathy, and deep thinking, a few areas—curiosity, creativity, decision-making, and possibly metacognition—are predicted to thrive. Rainie and Dawson explore the implications of these findings for education, leadership, and meaning in life, highlighting both the risks of human complacency and the potential for AI to amplify cognition, connection, and purpose. The conversation closes with a look at future research directions and the growing need to differentiate human intelligence from its artificial counterparts.

    40 min
  3. Kieran Gilmurray on agentic AI, software labor, restructuring roles, and AI native intelligence businessesKieran Gilmurray on agentic AI, software labor, restructuring roles, and AI native intelligence businesses

    APR 9

    Kieran Gilmurray on agentic AI, software labor, restructuring roles, and AI native intelligence businessesKieran Gilmurray on agentic AI, software labor, restructuring roles, and AI native intelligence businesses

    In this compelling conversation, Ross Dawson speaks with author and digital transformation expert Kieran Gilmurray about the rise of agentic AI — a new wave of AI that doesn't just generate content, but autonomously acts, plans, and adapts to achieve goals. Unlike earlier automation tools or even generative AI, agentic AI introduces a level of autonomy and cognitive capability that could fundamentally change the way we work. Kieran explores how these systems can perform complex workflows, from research and content creation to deployment and optimization, all without constant human supervision. The discussion emphasizes both the immense potential and the deep strategic questions businesses must face, especially in terms of team structure, hiring practices, and the future role of human cognition in work. Together, they unpack what this shift means for individuals, teams, and leaders. Kieran urges organizations to focus on augmentation over replacement, highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence, curiosity, and adaptability in navigating this new landscape. As AI takes over repetitive or low-level tasks, humans are called to develop higher-order thinking and collaborative skills. The episode closes on a hopeful note: by designing intelligent systems that empower people rather than displace them, we can build businesses that are not only efficient, but enduring — with great technology serving great people at the core.

    35 min
  4. Jennifer Haase on human-AI co-creativity, uncommon ideas, creative synergy, and humans outperforming

    APR 2

    Jennifer Haase on human-AI co-creativity, uncommon ideas, creative synergy, and humans outperforming

    In this engaging episode, Ross Dawson speaks with researcher Jennifer Haase about the rapidly evolving relationship between AI and human creativity. Jennifer shares her unique journey—from studying psychology and creativity to diving deep into computer science and generative AI—highlighting how tools like ChatGPT are reshaping our understanding of what it means to be creative. She discusses how AI, once considered incapable of true creativity, now challenges traditional theories by demonstrating the ability to generate original, meaningful ideas, particularly through large language models. The conversation touches on human-AI co-creation, where AI acts not just as a tool but as a collaborative partner capable of contributing to the creative process. The duo also explore the design of systems that foster synergy between human thought and machine intelligence. Jennifer emphasizes the need to keep humans engaged and in control, rather than passively delegating tasks to AI. They discuss success factors in co-creation, the risks of over-reliance, and how new models are evolving to better adapt to individual users. Drawing from her research, Jennifer points to examples such as AlphaGo and emerging agentic LLMs, which illustrate how AI can surprise us with novel approaches beyond human constraints. The episode ultimately serves as a reflection on how we can amplify human cognition and creativity without losing the spark that makes it uniquely ours.

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

    MAR 26

    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
  6. Amplifying Foresight Compilation

    MAR 19

    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
  7. AI for Strategy Compilation

    MAR 12

    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
  8. Collective Intelligence Compilation

    MAR 5

    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
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5
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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.

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