The future is not something technology decides for us. According to applied futurist Brian David Johnson, leaders must keep humans at the centre, retain their agency, and actively shape what comes next. 

Brian David Johnson is an applied futurist who helps governments, militaries, corporations and startups build actionable visions of the future. He was the first futurist at Intel Corporation, influencing decisions impacting billions of devices. He is Director of the Threatcasting Lab at Arizona State University, a senior fellow at Phaedrus, and a prolific author of nonfiction and science fiction. His work focuses on human-centred innovation, emerging technologies and preparing organisations for future risks and opportunities. 

Brian discusses artificial intelligence, human labour, resilience, science fiction prototyping and why optimism is a deliberate act. He explains why leaders should ask what they are optimising for, what they should never automate, and how better stories help build better futures. 

Takeaways 

• Technology doesn’t decide the future; humans must actively shape it. 
• Leaders fail when they focus on tools instead of people. 
• Artificial intelligence is software; humans remain responsible for outcomes. 
• Efficiency alone creates fragile organisations vulnerable to disruption and attack. 
• The future of work requires redefining value of human contribution. 
• Optimism is a choice that enables action rather than fear. 
• Strong cultures reward questioning, failure, and early problem discovery. 
• Storytelling helps leaders explore futures more effectively than spreadsheets. 

Follow Brian David Johnson 
https://www.phaedrusllc.com/ 
https://threatcasting.asu.edu/ 

BDJ’s books
What You Need to Know About AI https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CNLZ3Q1C/
The Future You https://amzn.com/0062965077
Science Fiction Prototyping 
https://amzn.com/3031006682
Wizards and Robots https://amzn.com/B06XWR7KZJ
21st Century Robot https://amzn.com/B00PTBV4AK 

Books recommended
Future Shock by Alvin Toffler https://amzn.to/4vL2oxH
Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners 

Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter  https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/ 

Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/ 
Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO 
Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. 
Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. 
Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)  

Follow me: 
on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles 
on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth 

Enjoying the show? Leave a review