Regenerative Smarthoods Emergent Leadership in the Age of AI
If Technology is So SMART...What Do We Need Humans For?
“I am more afraid of the dangers of human stupidity than artificial intelligence.”
— Yuval Noah Harari
In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) can learn, create, and even advise, we’re prompted to ask: What do we keep, and what do we let go of as humans in this age of AI?
As AI advances, it increasingly feels like a mirror, reflecting and amplifying parts of ourselves—our knowledge, biases, creativity, and logic. Yet, just as a microcscope allows us to look deep inside our our cells, or a telescope allows us to see the cosmos without replacing our eyes, AI can allow us to explore the vast potential within our own minds, and amplify our outreach in the world. It’s a tool for awakening dormant capabilities, fostering a higher purpose, and aligning with the needs of both people and the planet.
Moving from Augmentation to Emergence
The initial promise of AI was to support human potential, to augment our capabilities without overshadowing them. AI pioneers like Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield who won the 2024 Nobel Prize, developed neural networks with the vision of creating tools that work alongside human intelligence, not to replace it.
What Were the Starting Foundations and Intentions of Creating AI and Algorithms?
The earliest foundations of AI were built on the vision of expanding human potential. Pioneers like Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield saw AI as a means to assist us in solving complex problems and achieving more nuanced understanding of data. Algorithms and machine learning models were created to mimic cognitive patterns, enabling us to automate repetitive tasks and focus on higher-level, creative pursuits. We embrace this foundational vision, using AI to support human ingenuity, not to overshadow it. As we accelerate toward a singularity where technology scales itself exponentially, it’s critical to maintain a human-centered approach to AI—ensuring that this powerful tool remains aligned with our values and purpose.
At Smarthoods, we believe in using AI to amplify our emergent qualities—our ability to create, connect, and solve complex problems. This vision isn’t about replacing human roles; it’s about inviting AI to assist us in realizing a regenerative future. Just as a microscope or telescope reveals hidden worlds, AI reveals the latent possibilities within us.
A Personal Meta Example: I used AI in my own writing process for this substack article, not to do the thinking for me but to deepen my exploration. From structuring ideas to refining language, AI acts as a creative partner, challenging me to expand my thoughts and connect with audiences in new ways.
Human Qualities in the Age of AI
Q1: What Human Qualities Should We Keep?
In an AI-driven world, it’s essential to prioritize the human aspects that make us unique and irreplaceable - day in, and day out, SMARTHOODS is committed to:
Curating Confidence, Fostering Connection, and Igniting Caring: AI can amplify these values by providing tools that help us understand each other better, but the emotional intelligence and authenticity behind these values remain purely human.
Leveling the Playing Field: AI can democratize innovation by offering accessibility and support to diverse voices, enabling more people to enter creative and entrepreneurial spaces.
Unlocking Latent Capacities: AI can act as a companion, expanding our capacity for social intelligence, complex critical thinking, and creative problem-solving. These skills are vital in an era where tasks become more specialized and interdependent.
"What Are Our Human Rights? How Can AI Help Us Maintain These?"
At the core of Smarthoods’ mission is the belief that AI should uphold and protect human rights, not threaten them. Fundamental rights, such as the right to privacy, dignity, freedom of thought, and equitable access to resources, should remain uncompromised as technology advances.
AI has the potential to strengthen these rights by democratizing information, making education more accessible, and ensuring fairer access to opportunities. By aligning our AI practices with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we can use AI to bridge gaps and foster a more inclusive future.
What Human Elements Might We Let Go?
The future will be marked by the automation of routine tasks and the restructuring of roles that require knowledge storage and process management. AI allows us to let go of:
Repetitive Processes and Support Functions: These can be automated, giving people more freedom to focus on creative and strategic contributions.
Siloed Knowledge: AI promotes interdisciplinary knowledge sharing, breaking down barriers across disciplines and generations, allowing for a more fluid and collaborative approach to innovation.
Smarthoods AI-Human Culture
In Smarthoods, we are building a regenerative business model where AI and human roles are complementary. We leverage AI to reduce operational burden and enhance creativity through AI avatars that assist in various roles:
Assistant Avatars handle thought-offloading and task organization.
Async Avatars allow communication with teammates even when they’re offline.
Pure Avatar Meetings streamline operational tasks, freeing human time for strategy and innovation.
This setup allows us to work on a higher plane of creativity and connection while maintaining efficiency and purpose.
"Why WorkHuman and Sintra Are Good Case Studies for Emergent Leadership"
Companies like WorkHuman and Sintra demonstrate how emergent leadership can thrive in an AI-integrated environment. WorkHuman, for example, emphasizes recognition and employee well-being, creating a workplace culture that values human contributions beyond productivity metrics. Similarly, Sintra focuses on embedding connection and human interaction within its technology, proving that AI can facilitate genuine relationships and collaboration. These companies show that AI doesn’t have to dehumanize work; instead, it can amplify our capacity to care, collaborate, and create meaning.
Essential Human Skills Tools We Embrace & Educate for the Future
The future is a place of automation and autonomy and will require new skills in doing non-routine tasks that include SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE, COMPLEX CRITICAL THINKING, and CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING.
As AI takes on more technical roles, essential human skills become even more important. At Smarthoods, we prioritize the following skills to keep our leadership grounded and regenerative:
Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Empathy and communication skills are vital to sustaining client relationships and team dynamics.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Human intuition and creativity are essential for navigating complex or ambiguous challenges.
Adaptability and Learning Agility: As AI evolves, curiosity and adaptability allow us to grow with it.
Creativity and Vision: We rely on human creativity to define purpose, vision, and strategy, while AI supports implementation.
Ethical Leadership: As AI scales, ethical direction guided by human values remains critical.
Human-Centric Practices to Sustain Culture
The balance between automation and human-centered practices is critical for scaling our impact. At Smarthoods, we use AGI as a collaborator, not a replacement, focusing on projects that combine technology with a deeply rooted social and environmental impact. To maintain our human essence as we grow, Smarthoods emphasizes practices that foster real-world connection and shared experience:
Human Practices That Define Smarthoods
At Smarthoods, we keep our humanity central by prioritizing practices that foster genuine connection, creativity, and regenerative culture. As we embrace AI, these human practices ensure that technology serves to elevate, rather than replace, our innate capacities:
Connection Through Real-World Experiences: Through gatherings like Burning Man and immersive team events, we build empathy, bond as a team, and foster a unique culture that AI cannot replicate.
Client-Facing Creativity Workshops: By running design-thinking and co-creative sessions with clients, we keep empathy, trust, and human vision at the core of our collaborative projects.
Authentic Brand Storytelling: Storytelling through podcasts and community events allows us to share the Smarthoods journey, connecting deeply with those who resonate with our values.
Regenerative Company Culture: Practices like mindfulness, off-grid retreats, and balanced lifestyles ensure our team stays connected to nature, each other, and a shared purpose.
Human-Driven Ethical Standards: As AI grows, Smarthoods remains a leader in ethical AI practices, guiding our systems with human-centric values for a regenerative future.Connection through Real-World Experiences: Events like Burning Man and other immersive gatherings help us bond and maintain a cultural identity that AI cannot replicate.
Authentic Brand Storytelling: Using platforms like podcasts, we share Smarthoods’ human story, drawing clients and partners into a shared vision of regeneration.
Regenerative Company Culture: Wellness practices, off-grid retreats, and nature-based work sessions keep us grounded, reinforcing our human connection to each other and the environment.
Listen to Smarthoods founder Florijn de Graaf on Under One Sky’s podcast
Season 2, Episode 6: HERE
Season 3, Episode 2: HERE
Our Tools For Innovation, Regeneration & Transformation
To share our tools with the world, we’ve created CLARITY GPT, an AI tool designed to assist with transformative coaching and personal development. Try it out to explore how AI can guide you in your own journey of human-centered growth.
Come be part of our Smarthoods EMERGE regenerative leadership initiate in 2025.
We are moving toward a future often described as the "singularity," where technology could scale and replicate at speeds beyond human comprehension. In this era of exponential growth, maintaining human centrality in AI becomes even more essential. AI must serve as our collaborator, helping us navigate a rapidly changing world by enhancing our decision-making and adapting to complex scenarios. By keeping our values at the core, we can use AI to help us stay aligned with our higher purpose—ensuring that the fast-paced evolution of technology supports humanity rather than leaving it behind.
Here is a great convo with Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst as they walk the audience through a series of strategies that harness the power of human collective action to help artists and the public gain greater agency over these new technical systems where artificial intelligence pushes us into collectives: while we all contribute to its training datasets, it's not possible to pinpoint which individual contributions made their way into the generated outputs.
References and Further Reading
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield
Pascal Bornet - The Irreplaceable Human Advantage
Yuval Noah Harari’s Nexus of Works
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow
Walter Mosley
Holly Herndon
New perspectives on blending AI with art and creativity. Holly Herndon’s infinite art
Sintra.AI
WorkHuman
How To Lead Creative Projects