The Future of Human-Machine Collaboration: Insights from the Jamie Gorman Podcast
Chris Nolan
Multiple Emmy Winning Director-Writer | Filmmaker | Author | Keynote Speaker | Futurist | Branding Expert | CEO 90,000 Feet Studios | Investor | Rise of Humanness Podcast
7,248 subscribers
February 16, 2025
Hey, fellow humans (and any sentient bots secretly subscribing—welcome, no judgment).
Back with the news from our latest mind-expanding The Rise of Humanness podcast, your intrepid guide into the wild, weird, and wonderful world of AI, human intelligence, and everything in between.
Our latest guest is basically the Gandalf of human-machine collaboration—Jamie Gorman, Director of ASU’s Center for Human Artificial Intelligence and Robot Teaming (CHART).
His research is delivering profound insights into the synergy between human intelligence (HI) and artificial intelligence (AI) and how we will all co-exist and co-create in the future.
The Big Question: Buddy Movie or iRobot?
As we’re merging psychology, AI, and robotics at breakneck speed, the question is – are we headed for a feel-good buddy flick or careening toward iRobot?
Jamie, a unique psychologist with a expertise for team dynamics (even the robot kind), is helping us understand how humans and machines can actually work together—and how we will all co-exist and co-create in the future.
And, in a way, it's like trying to put square pegs into round holes.
Spoiler alert: It’s a complicated relationship.
The Science of Teamwork Between Humans and Machines
As Jamie delved into the intricate aspects of integrating psychology with robotics and AI, he altered our conventional views and dystopian narratives of a world driven by machines, and highlighted the importance of harmonious partnerships.
Jamie hit us with a brain-bender right out of the gate:
?? Humans Are A Closed system.
?? Machines Are Closed system.
?? Merging them together overnight? Not so easy.
Basically, he uses the term "closed systems" to describe how human psychology and machine systems have traditionally been studied and developed.
We’ve spent centuries studying humans like mysterious, squishy organic puzzles and looking at machines like nuts and bolts (or 0 and 1's) engineering. But AI isn't a glorified vending machine just pumping out answers. It's more like an alien intelligence. We're still not sure how it works or where it's going...
It turns out slapping them together and hoping for teamwork takes some research.
The good news? Jamie and his team at CHART are working on cracking the code—
He points out that both humans and machines are often treated as separate, self-contained units with clear boundaries, studied and designed without fully accounting for the interactions between them or external influences.
?? Closed Systems Defined: Traditionally, machine systems (AI, robots) are engineered assuming they operate in a controlled, predictable environment. Similarly, psychology often treats human cognition as a fixed, closed process.
??The Challenge of "Overnight" Merging: The attempt to integrate these systems, built on differing assumptions, into effective teams is happening rapidly. However, human behavior is dynamic, adaptable, and influenced by its environment (an open system), while machines are often designed with fixed, rule-based operations.
?? The Resulting Difficulty: Combining closed systems without rethinking their design to account for the interplay and differences can hinder the creation of effective human-machine teams.
?? The Rise of Humanness: To get to a point of human ascendance, we must understand how our AI is changing us. For instance how AI helps us get into flow states as a group (synchrony), so we understand not just how humans collaborate seamlessly, but how they can flourish in the robot AI world.
In essence, Jamie argues for a shift towards "open systems engineering," where the design and study of both humans and machines account for their dynamic interaction and mutual influence.emphasized the need for open systems engineering, contrasting it with traditional closed systems.
Exploring the Holy Grail of Human-Machine Teaming: " How Do You Measure "Teaming" With a Robot?
Turns out, you don’t just integrate AI into your workplace and expect everyone to Kumbaya and join their mindsets with it. It takes looking at the real metrics at play here:
?? Influence: How much does a human change a system? How much does a system change a human?
?? Adaptive Response: When stress hits, how does a system reorganize to survive?
?? Trust & Flow States: Are you working with the AI, or not. Do you trust AI, or not.
From DARPA’s top-secret human-robot teaming projects to AI-powered classrooms, Jamie’s work is basically Blade Runner meets The Office. In both realms, measuring bio-behavioral influence and real-time decision-making are pivotal. Through sensor suites and advanced analytics, these projects aim to enhance both learning and security.
Jamie discussed how bridging psychology and technology requires a holistic approach. A deep understanding of the the human experience using AI is the critical to our future, elucidating how we need to create an environment where humans and machines complement each other.
The goal is not just to survive with AI but to flourish alongside it.
Sounds like The Rise of Humanness!
So, What’s Next? Preparing for an AI-Driven World
Where does this all lead? Jamie's answer? The future is about teaming, not just automation. AI is a tool, not a replacement. It should be like the perfect co-pilot—handling the boring bits so humans can focus on the creative, big-brain stuff.
The real challenge? Making sure AI is actually designed with humans in mind, instead of being another tech bro experiment gone rogue.
Final Thought: What Should You Do?
Worried about AI stealing your job? Take Jamie’s advice: Learn how to work with it, not against it.
AI’s going to do the heavy lifting on the repetitive tasks, but the real winners? The ones who bring human creativity, critical thinking, and ingenuity to the table.
For those interested in the future of technology and its impact on humans, tune in to our podcast –– this episode is an essential listen....
... also and keep an eye on the incredible advancements happening at ASU's CHART.
Be One of the First to Join Our "Rise of Humanness"Community
Thank you for reading our newsletter, where we bring you thought leaders and innovative ideas on leadership topics each week.
We strive to elevate the quality of leadership worldwide. Are you ready? If you are looking for help developing your leaders, explore our services.
?? Watch to the episode on YouTube featuring Jamie Gorman here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbujcastFjg&t=6s
?? Subscribe now on YouTube to stay ahead of the curve: https://www.youtube.com/@RiseofHumanness
?? Listen to the audio podcast featuring Jamie Gorman here: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-9z2eb-17dea68
?? Learn More about Jamie Gorman and ASU's CHART https://globalsecurity.asu.edu/expertise/human-artificial-intelligence-and-robot-teaming
?? Get our latest book →The Rise of Humanness: Expanding Human value in the Age of AI
?? VUCA MAX Website: www.itsvucamax.com
?? Grow with The Rise of Humanness:Join our community to learn more about amplifying human value in the machine age.
?? Subscribe now to our Newsletter for updates and exclusive content.https://www.dhirubhai.net/newsletters/7291576538771210240/ https://itsvucamax.com/blog/
?? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/itsvuca
Until next time—.
Stay curious, stay collaborative, and, as both Jamie and the robots encourage...
Stay human.
Helping high potential individuals and business owners set bigger goals and find new ways to achieve them.
1 周Great article Chris. Thinking of machine learning as an alien intellect is interesting and warns us that we should not treat it in an anthropomorphic way. It would be a huge mistake to think of it as having a nature similar to ours. It is foreign and we had better approach it as such. Amy Enright of Newton Street (Newtonstreet.com) has a novel approach to providing humanistic inputs into AI that seems compatible with your approach. You might want to discuss with her.
Software Quality Assurance & Test Consultant
1 周Very Insightful and Thoughtful post ??. One of the crucial element about being human is the unique capacity to be compassionate, sympathetic, forgiving and being kind which perhaps might be an analytical conclusion based on a very deep rooted human algorithm. I might be wrong to think but I do feel that one of the key factors to see humans being a beneficiary from the extraordinary evolution of AI, is that somehow if AI can gather the unique capacity to be compassionate, sympathetic, forgiving and being kind. Any professional task or a corporate assignment in human world essentially needs to factor these elements. Classic examples:- 1. How a bot would provide a comprehensive and satisfactory consultancy to a very aged and new-to-the-computer-world person regarding matters pertaining to complex pension cases, funds issue, insurance, medical advice, etc.? 2. How an e-Teacher (bot/robot) would successfully impart education to students with different levels of knowledge grasping capability? 3. How an e-Consultant would satisfactorily advise mental health aspects to patients? The list goes on…… These questions are needed as they might help to transform AI from a “Tool” to a “Companion”