AI adoption often looks rational on paper while feeling human in practice. That insight sat at the centre of my conversation with Ian Smith from Baseline, and it informed the tone of our discussion.

Ian spoke about reaching a point in his career where technology no longer carried the whole story. Lived experience moved to the forefront. People bring anticipation, uncertainty, curiosity and concern to AI programmes. These emotions shape AI adoption as much as any technical roadmap.

Efficiency continues to matter, yet it arrives with consequences. Organisations gain speed and clarity, yet roles evolve, responsibilities shift, and expectations change. Vision sets direction, yet lived experiences determine whether progress becomes real or remains notional.

Ian shared his views around personal agency. AI now gives individuals the ability to build, learn and create with a freedom that previous technologies didn’t allow. AI systems offer new routes into capability development and new forms of contribution that feel empowering.

That momentum brings a parallel challenge. As personalised, agentic systems expand, boundaries around trust and control begin to stretch. Organisations face new questions about governance, oversight and responsibility when capability sits outside the structures that once shaped it.

Trust carries real weight in this moment. Trust in systems, trust in data, trust in human judgement. The balance between them influences decisions, interactions and outcomes. Automating trust remains far more complex than automating efficiency.

Ian finished by returning to something firmly human. Augmentation has always been part of the human story. The deeper fulfilment still comes from connection, shared presence and the moments that remind us we remain social beings even as digital intelligence becomes more present in our lives.

This episode offers a steady, balanced view of AI adoption. It acknowledges the trade-offs while recognising the possibilities, and it invites listeners to consider both with clarity and care.

Key messages

• The lived experience around technology is crucial for organisations.

• Leadership should focus on accountability and adoption, not just vision.

• AI adoption is as much about people as it is about systems.

• Trust and ethics are paramount in the deployment of AI.

• The consumer-centric approach is reshaping technology services.

• AI can empower individuals to customise their own solutions.

• There is a paradox in AI replacing human jobs while creating new opportunities.

• Human diversity must be preserved in the age of AI.

• Ethical governance is essential for AI systems.

• Maintaining human connection is vital in a technology-driven world.

Chapters

00:00 The Human Experience in Technology

03:03 Leadership and Accountability in Technology Adoption

05:37 The Paradox of AI and Human Displacement

08:43 Consumer-Centric Technology and Customisation

11:26 Trust, Ethics, and Governance in AI

14:17 The Future of Work and Individual Agency

16:52 Balancing Technology and Human Connection

21:14 Tacit Knowledge and AI

24:09 Governance and Shadow IT

27:50 Augmenting Knowledge

32:07 Retaining A Sense of Humanity