AI is everywhere, but leaders are moving fast on tools and slow on people. While work accelerates, trust, clarity, and connection are getting left behind.
At a recent industry dinner in Los Angeles, we gathered with 27 bold leaders across tech, philanthropy, and the arts to ask: What kind of leadership are we hungry for right now?
The topic that surfaced again and again? AI.
Not the hype or headlines — but the human implications.
👉 Read: What Leaders Are Craving Right Now →
We’re building on that conversation here. Because while AI is reshaping workflows, it’s also revealing what’s been missing all along: space for people to learn, grow, and lead with intention.
Why AI Alone Isn't the Answer
We’ve been in conversation with clients and collaborators every week about the promise and pressure of AI. One insight keeps surfacing:
“Even the best generative AI models are still performing at the intern or early-career level. They need context, direction, and interpretation. They’re helpful, but they’re not peers.”
— Tina Hossain, in a recent leadership conversation
We’ve seen teams build seamless AI workflows that reduce time on campaign creation, performance reviews, or analysis. That’s powerful.
But too often, speed comes at a cost.
Take this example:
A marketing team starts using AI to generate campaigns in hours instead of days. But in the rush, they stop looping in sales. The content moves faster but misses the mark. The alignment is lost. The impact shrinks.
That’s the real risk:
Speed without dialogue. Automation without insight. Tools without trust.
What Real Learning Looks Like
If AI is going to change how we work, it also has to change how we learn. But most teams haven’t updated their learning strategies to match.
The result?
An over-reliance on short videos, generic one-size-fits all courses, and self-paced content that’s easy to speed-click through , all while teams struggle with inclusion, collaboration, and performance.
We believe the fix isn’t just better content.
It’s prioritizing and creating better conditions for learning.
At Next Shift Learning, we anchor our work in:
- Learning science – Grounded in how people actually retain and apply information
- Peer connection – Real-time practice and feedback, not just content consumption
- Somatic regulation – Tools for emotional resilience, not just cognitive skills
- Reflective space – Structured pauses to unlearn, reflect, and reset
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- In our Emerging Leaders program, participants don’t just talk about feedback. They practice giving and receiving it in real time, with peer coaching and self-regulation tools.
- In our work with Snap Academies, early-career talent explores how emotional intelligence, working styles, preferences, and team dynamics impact collaboration, then they immediately can apply what they’ve learned through team projects and dialogue.
- For other clients, we’ve integrated journaling, grounding exercises, and structured reflection into leadership offsites. Because presence, not just performance, is what builds strong teams.
This is the kind of learning AI can’t replace.
Because transformation isn’t just about knowing more. It’s about becoming different.
Where AI Fits (and Where It Doesn’t)
We’re not anti-tech. We’re pro-context.
AI can absolutely support better leadership when it’s paired with human skills.
Imagine this:
"An AI nudges me during a meeting to ask if I’ve invited in quieter voices. That’s powerful. But it only works if I already know how to create psychological safety for those voices to speak."
— Sergio Rosas
That’s the tension.
AI can mirror our habits. But it can’t develop our self-awareness. It can’t mediate a conflict. It can’t facilitate a hard conversation or build trust in a hybrid team.
Those are distinctly human moves. And they still matter — maybe more than ever.
Our Invitation: Don’t Replace Learning. Deepen It.
We’re at a crossroads.
Organizations can chase AI efficiency and wonder why their teams feel disconnected. Or they can use this moment to recommit to the fundamentals: building trust, creating space for reflection, and developing people alongside technology.
The choice isn’t between human learning and AI tools.
It’s between shallow adoption and thoughtful integration.
The teams that get this right won’t just be faster. They’ll be more adaptable, creative, and resilient.
And that’s the kind of competitive advantage no algorithm can replicate.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
We’re helping teams navigate these questions every day.
DM us, drop a comment, or reach out to share what’s coming up for you.
How is AI changing the way you lead? Or maybe more importantly — how is it not?
#FutureOfWork #Leadership #AI #WorkplaceLearning #HumanSkills #Reflection #EquityInTech #PeopleFirst #NextShiftLearning
