Cognitive sovereignty, tools for thinking, Humans + AI skills partnerships, and more...

December 08, 2025

"The bottleneck isn’t AI capability; it’s human imagination in how to use it” - Brian Krabach

Internal Masterclasses on AI for augmenting work

This week I’m kicking off an AI training program for a division of one of the world’s largest technology companies. They are leaders in AI, but not everyone in the company is an AI expert. However they all need to learn how to augment themselves, and they value the positive frame of Humans + AI thinking.

I’ll be running one Masterclass each week until April. Of course teaching is one of the best ways of learning and consolidating my own thinking, I am sure there will be things to share from the experience.

Be well!

Ross

 

📖In this issue

  • Framework: Humans + AI workflow elements and flow

  • Humans + AI update: Neurotechnology Summit 2025, CHI Tools for Thinking, Humans + AI skills partnerships.

  • From Humans + AI Explorers Community: Pre-thinking for AI engagement, cognitive sovereignty, FRAME for AI in learning & education..

  • Humans + AI Podcast: Joel Pearson on putting human first, 5 rules for intuition, AI for mental imagery, and cognitive upsizing.

💡Framework: Humans + AI workflow elements and flow

This is an evolution of a similar framework I created early this year. The workflow elements have changed slightly, including adding Simulation and Verification, and the example workflows are new.

The key point is that virtually everything will be in Humans + AI workflows, so we need to get into that mode of

🧠🤖Humans + AI

Insights from Neurotechnology Summit 2025

I attended Neurotechnology Summit 2025 this week, which significantly focused on Brain-Computer Interfaces, which are on the verge of transforming Humans + AI work. There is massive potential but also some steep dangers.

Findings of CHI 2025 Tools for Thinking workshop

CHI is the premier academic conference on Computer Human Interfaces. It included a top level Tools for Thinking workshop which focused on protecting and augmenting human cognition, with pointed and valuable insights.

Humans + AI skills partnerships

McKinsey's latest report provides excellent analysis in a human-centered frame on the inevitable transition to people collaborating with AI in almost all work.

🌐From Humans + AI Explorers Community

Lots going on in the Humans + AI Explorers Community.

Note that a number of these links are available to free community members, just sign up!

Beth Kanter asked How much human pre-thinking matters for cognitive risk or benefit?, sparking a rich and insightful discussion.

Lots of responses to This Week’s Big Question: When you return to AI after a pause, what shifts the most in your thinking?, with a particularly thought-provoking one from Lee Christopher Grant on retaining cognitive sovereignty.

Dan Bashaw shared the insights from the AI in Learning & Education Campfire live community discussion, with highlights including delving into the FRAME education scaffolding and great advice on my upcoming Humans + AI Teaming course.

And far more!

🎙️This week’s podcast episode

Joel Pearson on putting human first, 5 rules for intuition, AI for mental imagery, and cognitive upsizing  

Why you should listen

Joel Pearson has shifted from cognitive neuroscience, including extensive work on mental imagery, to AI and its role in human thinking and work, sharing some great insights.

Thanks for reading!

Ross Dawson and team