Human-Centric AI: Why Successful Teams Still Need Each Other

Unless you've been living in a hermetically sealed chamber for the last few years, you have heard people argue about the potential of AI taking our jobs, replacing humans with amoral bundles of math and software. I've been an advocate for AI being deployed to ampify human intelligence, not eliminate it. The challenge is that the first few generations of AI tools do a great job of "assisting" individuals, but haven't focused much on human connection.

Teamwork, Dream Work

You've heard the adage that "teamwork makes the dream work." I've managed teams for decades, to varying degrees of success, and a common theme that has emerged is that successful teams prioritize each other in deep, human ways. There are no heroes on successful teams. Instead, there is a diverse set of individuals that empower each other every day, listening to alternative points of view, learning, and adapting together.

Amplifying one's teammates isn't about getting a leg up, competing with each other to be "right," or the "best." Its about genuine human connection, including not only knowing yourself, but also knowing your team members deeply and asking how you can help each other succeed. In the past, I have had my teams take the excellent StrengthsFinder assessment, which helps one to discover, hone, and lean into the unique mixture of strengths that they bring to the table. Identifying strengths and sharing them with the entire team allows every team member to maximally contribute.

If you're interested in learning about the science behind team performance, I'd encourage you to read up on Google's Project Oxygen and Project Aristotle, in which "psychological safety" is highlighted to be a predictor of a successful team.

You Can't Fake Connnection

If successful teams are built around human connection, what does that say about AI in the workplace? Isn't it just going to take our jobs? Or just be an "assistant" that dominates our conversations, reducing the amount of time we spend together? Well, that my friends is a choice we all have to make.

AI is a tool. Just a tool. A very, very powerful tool, but a tool nonetheless. If the business of a programmer is to write code, then an AI assistant can certainly help them to do that job more effectively, but it's largely in isolation. Having a conversation with an AI assistant about the relative merits of different architectures can be useful, but it isn't a substitute for lively and respectful debate between trusting teammates.

AI assistants are great, but they don't generally challenge you or your ideas. Instead, they're a bit sycophantic, flattering your intelligence, and highlighting the positives to any of your arguments, rather than challenging you to consider alternate viewpoints. If your team spends more time talking to Claude than they do talking to each other, you should consider what effect that may have.

Stop, Collaborate and Listen

So, is AI going to take our jobs? Or is it going to drive isolation and disconnection? That's our choice! And I hope we prioritize humans. There are some signs of positive movement on this front. AI giant Anthropic is a "public benefit corporation," with commitments to safety and a strong set of core values that signal a human-centered perspective. Just today, there is a profile of a startup in TechCrunch called Humans& which calls itself a "Human-Centric Frontier AI Lab." Their vision is encouraging, and I am excited to see where they go from here.

Mission, for our part, is leaning into human-centric AI with our own products and services. Our Mission Control cloud services software platform is built from the ground up with human connection as a core feature, combining services and software in new and exciting ways. Our biggest step in this direction is coming soon, and I look forward to sharing more!