Leading in the Age of AI: Staying Human at the Core

At the Science of Leadership conference in Armenia, our co-founder Dr Vanessa Pozzali delivered a keynote exploring a critical question: What happens when leaders start outsourcing their judgment to AI?

Vanessa argued that while AI is a powerful tool, it cannot replace the qualities that make leadership distinctly human. She highlighted four essential cognitive skills that leaders must strengthen to remain effective in the AI era:

• Deep reflective thinking

• Emotional awareness

• Adaptive judgement

• Ethical decision-making

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Her message was clear: AI can process data, but it’s human leaders who bring wisdom, empathy, and responsibility to the table.

Takeaway: Leaders who anchor themselves in human-centred skills won’t be left behind by AI—they’ll set the standard for the future.