How to Foster Human Connection Through AI

Top-performing AI users are twice as likely to quit. Here's why - and how to stop it: While AI tools are dramatically increasing productivity, They're also dramatically increasing burnout. According to new findings from The Upwork Research Institute,   88% of top AI performers report burnout, And they are 2x as likely to leave their jobs. The reality is that AI is quietly eroding ↳Human connection ↳Trust ↳Purpose Which are all critical to long-term success. But it doesn't have to be that way. Proactive leaders can take advantage of AI's massive contributions, While still supporting motivated, engaged, and thriving teams. Here's how to start: 1. Make it okay to log off ↳AI tools are always available, which makes people feel like they should be too ↳Ex: Say, "You don't need to respond outside work hours," and back it up 2. Make time for real connection ↳People now say they trust AI more than coworkers, putting connection at risk ↳Ex: Start team meetings with shoutouts and appreciation, not just metrics 3. Notice the good stuff out loud ↳AI delivers quick results, but people need to feel appreciated to stay engaged ↳Ex: Ask, "What's something you're proud of this week?" in 1:1s 4. Give people time to think ↳AI increases speed, but without space to think, quality suffers ↳Ex: Block two hours daily for deep work across the team 5. Remind people why their work matters ↳AI can make work feel transactional, draining the meaning that fuels motivation ↳Ex: Share a customer story to remind people what they're part of 6. Make it safe to speak up ↳AI moves fast, but without safety, speed leads to silence, not innovation ↳Ex: Encourage questions even when things are moving quickly 7. Share the full picture ↳AI tools give fast answers, but people need context to feel connected ↳Ex: Share how and why key decisions were made 8. Celebrate what only humans can do ↳AI optimizes for output - humans thrive when their unique gifts are seen ↳Ex: Recognize creativity, empathy, or leadership, not just speed or output 9. Show it's okay to struggle ↳AI can make it seem like everyone's cruising, making people hide their own challenges ↳Ex: Share your confusion or frustrations so others feel safe doing the same 10. Slow down when it matters ↳AI can answer fast, but it takes human judgment to ask the right questions ↳Ex: Praise someone who pauses to think critically instead of rushing 11. Find moments to build trust ↳Trust is built through action, but AI has made human follow-through less visible ↳Ex: Send the message, make the call, follow up - show them they can count on you AI's short-term gains are real and impressive. But only the leaders who invest in people will make those gains last. Are you seeing burnout rise as AI use increases? --- ♻️ Repost to help more teams thrive with AI. And for even more tips on how to strengthen workplaces in the AI era, Check out Upwork’s complete report: http://spr.ly/GeorgeStern #UpworkPartner #FutureOfWork #AI

I'm knee deep this week putting the finishing touches on my new Udemy course on "AI for People Managers: Lead with confidence in an AI-enabled workplace". After working with hundreds of managers cautiously navigating AI integration, here's what I've learned: the future belongs to leaders who can thoughtfully blend AI capabilities with genuine human wisdom, connection, and compassion. Your people don't need you to be the AI expert in the room; they need you to be authentic, caring, and completely committed to their success. No technology can replicate that. And no technology SHOULD. The managers who are absolutely thriving aren't necessarily the most tech-savvy ones. They're the leaders who understand how to use AI strategically to amplify their existing strengths while keeping clear boundaries around what must stay authentically human: building trust, navigating emotions, making tough ethical calls, having meaningful conversations, and inspiring people to bring their best work. Here's the most important takeaway: as AI handles more routine tasks, your human leadership skills become MORE valuable, not less. The economic value of emotional intelligence, empathy, and relationship building skyrockets when machines take over the mundane stuff. Here are 7 principles for leading humans in an AI-enabled world: 1. Use AI to create more space for real human connection, not to avoid it 2. Don't let AI handle sensitive emotions, ethical decisions, or trust-building moments 3. Be transparent about your AI experiments while emphasizing that human judgment (that's you, my friend) drives your decisions 4. Help your people develop uniquely human skills that complement rather than compete with technology. (Let me know how I can help. This is my jam.) 5. Own your strategic decisions completely. Don't hide behind AI recommendations when things get tough 6. Build psychological safety so people feel supported through technological change, not threatened by it 7. Remember your core job hasn't changed. You're still in charge of helping people do their best work and grow in their careers AI is just a powerful new tool to help you do that job better, and to help your people do theirs better. Make sure it's the REAL you showing up as the leader you are. #AI #coaching #managers

Using AI to design non-AI activities can enhance community and belonging in education. We often talk about AI in education as if it's all about chatbots and automated grading. But what if we used AI to create more human interactions, not fewer? Here's a thought: Using AI to create non-AI activities that build community and belonging. 1. Idea Generation: AI can help brainstorm unique community-building activities tailored to your specific class dynamics. 2. Personalization at Scale: Use AI to analyze student interests and suggest group projects that align with those interests, fostering natural connections. 3. Inclusive Planning: AI can help identify potential barriers to participation and suggest accommodations, ensuring activities are accessible to all students. 4. Conversation Starters: Generate thought-provoking questions or discussion topics that encourage meaningful peer-to-peer interactions. 5. Cultural Sensitivity: Leverage AI to check activity plans for cultural biases and suggest more inclusive alternatives. I'm seeing more success using AI is the behind-the-scenes assistant, not the star of the show. The activities I'm creating are all about human interaction, creativity, and connection. This approach addresses one of my big concerns about AI in education - the risk of falling into a reductionist trap where we oversimplify complex human experiences. By using AI to create non-AI activities, we're leveraging technology to amplify, not replace, the human elements of learning. How could you use AI to design activities that bring your students together? What human-centered problems in your classroom could AI help solve? P.S. If you're doing cool things with AI to boost community in your classroom, I'd love to hear about it. Drop your experiences in the comments! #GenerativeAI #StudentBelonging #Teaching #Schools

We’re living in a world where AI can write, design, summarize, translate, and brainstorm, but it still can’t anticipate that your stakeholder will ask, ‘Can we make the CTA pop more?’ for the third time. But here’s the catch: AI can assist your voice, it shouldn’t replace it. If you’re navigating how to stand out without blending in with a sea of AI-generated sameness, here are a few ways I’ve been keeping things human. 1️⃣ Lead with your tone of voice Whether you’re writing a caption, an email, or a case study, your voice is your fingerprint. Use words you actually say. Embrace your quirks. 2️⃣ Design with personality Add colors, fonts, and layouts that match your energy. Whether your vibe is minimalist and moody or punchy and playful, your visuals can do a lot of talking before you even say a word. 3️⃣ Use AI as a co-pilot, not a ghostwriter I use AI to start the idea, not to be the idea. I edit, shape, and sprinkle in personality until it feels like something I’d say. 4️⃣ Show your face Whether it’s behind-the-scenes photos, messy sketches, or a video of you sharing your thoughts, that’s all you! 5️⃣ Inject YOU into the process Don’t just share the polished result, share the “why,” the lessons learned, or even the things that didn’t work. People connect to the human behind the pixels. AI can scale your ideas, but it’s your authenticity that makes people remember them. Curious to hear, how are you balancing AI support with staying true to your "brand”?

Love this: Change is changing. Phenomenal insights and tips from Heather Conklin. I can’t help but think about the AI “brain” and our human ones under the influence of change and stress. What do we share, and how are we different? How are we complimentary? AI is advancing the nature of and pace of change. Humans do, too. (Case in point, the last 100 days.) It turns out, we have that ability in common. But does AI struggle to adapt to change the way humans do? Not really. When humans struggle with change our “reptilian brain” (fight or flight) is activated by evolutionary design. If AI does not have the same brain mechanics, can AI actually support humans to understand, navigate and master change with our full brains? Tough Day thinks so. And that makes AI our human-positive parter. Building on Heather’s points: 1.) Help everyone know the plan — with AI. Once you’ve documented the strategy, AI can make it available to your people on demand to interrogate it, build on it, and integrate it into their work. 2) Set and reinforce principles and guardrails into your AI. AI can embody those values and behaviors. (We did this working with our clients in state of Hawaii to create a version of Tuffy with “aloha spirit” to guide it’s voice, behaviors, recommendations.) 3) Communicate like it’s a campaign— AI can communicate on your behalf in the teachable moment 24x7. Repetition can be frustrating and time-consuming for leaders. Make sure to teach AI the messaging to be available on demand to remind people what’s happening, why it’s happening, what to consider. 4) Create a space for real reflection. Yes, AI can provide that safe space— without fear of judgement, retailiation, or shame. Anyone can say what they really think, anyway they want to say it. (67% of people now trust AI more than their human managers according to the Resume AI Report 2025.) Note to human leaders— you need to create and engage in these spaces, too! 5) Build two-way feedback loops and actually listen? Humans-this is on you to build these muscles. And, yes, AI can help in a couple of ways. First, AI can deliver anonymized insights to leaders as signals that guide their decision making. They might even be more authentic insights as there are not politics involved in who gets heard. Second, AI can help employees learn how to effectively give and receive feedback, practice tough conversations, and build the confidence to have more direct, honest, HUMAN conversation IRL. We’ve heard countless stories from users about how their experience inside Tough Day enabled them to effectively master a real human conversation at work. So what does all this mean for humans? There is no replacement for great human coaches and leaders at all levels who embody these principles. We need you and we celebrate you. And consider that AI can be an effective partner to help scale these capabilities and make humans more resilient in ever-changing change. Human + AI.

Algorithms have their language, but humans resonate with stories. The fusion of human intuition and machine intelligence can produce magic. Reflecting on my past launches, I've found that the best AI-driven projects always had a strong human touch at their core. Consider the art of storytelling. For centuries, we've been captivated by tales of triumph, sorrow, love, and adventure. Stories shape societies and mold beliefs. Now, think about the narratives crafted by brands, products, and services. They're essentially stories, right? AI can churn out data, analyze trends, and even generate content, but can it understand the heartbeat of a story that resonates with human emotion? As Product Managers, our role isn't just to leverage AI for efficiency but to intertwine it with the art of storytelling. It's our narratives that give AI a soul. Here's a simple approach: ✨ Let AI handle the extensive data analysis, identifying patterns and insights that can inform your strategy. ✨ Then, blend these insights with a story that speaks to the heart. For instance, while AI can predict that a user might need a particular product based on their browsing history, it's the compelling narrative behind the product that convinces the user to make a purchase. ✨ This duality is where the future lies. It's not about humans vs. AI, but rather humans with AI. Embrace this synergy, and you'll craft tales that not only make sense but also matter.

You might think we're losing our humanity to machines. In 1966, kids predicted our present: automation everywhere, computers taking over, humans getting bored. They saw the automation. But missed something bigger. Here's how to stay human in an AI world: 1. Make Real Connections Today * Schedule 2 "no-screen" coffee meetings each week * Call instead of text for important conversations * Host monthly dinner parties (67% of Gen Z craves in-person connection) 2. Practice Active Empathy * Start meetings with "How are you?" and wait 30 seconds for real answers * Write one handwritten note daily * Remember and mention personal details in conversations * Look people in the eyes, not your devices 3. Share Real Stories * Document your failures, not just wins * Start team meetings with personal victories * Create weekly rituals with your closest people * Share vulnerable moments that AI never could 4. Blend Human + Machine * Use AI for research, humans for insights * Automate your email replies, personalize your thank yous * Let tech track your tasks, let humans shape your decisions * Schedule "Airplane Mode" hours daily 5. Build Trust Deliberately * Arrive 5 minutes early to chat * Follow up on personal news people share * Remember birthdays without Facebook's help * Create device-free zones at home The more digital we get, the more valuable our humanity becomes. ♻️ Share this with someone who needs practical ways to stay human 🔔 Follow Kabir Sehgal for insights on staying human in a digital world Credit: BBC