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As AI transforms work, the human edge—creativity, judgment, connection—matters more than ever.
In an era where artificial intelligence dominates headlines and boardroom conversations, a crucial question emerges: where do humans fit in? This was the central theme of Learnit’s November 6, 2025 panel discussion, "The HumanAdvantage," a dynamic event designed to explore the intersection of cutting-edge technology and people-first leadership.
Moderator Adam Hill set the stage with a powerful framing drawn from EOS founder Gino Wickman: the goal of modern leadership should be "systemizing the predictable so that we can humanize the exceptional." This sentiment served as the north star for the evening, challenging the audience to look beyond the fear of displacement and toward a future where technology handles the routine, freeing humans to focus on connection, creativity, and judgment.
As Hill noted, we are currently navigating a transition as significant as the Industrial or Internet revolutions. To unpack this complex landscape, the panel brought together a diverse group of experts representing the life sciences, higher education, and global enterprise technology sectors, all united by a common goal: defining the human differentiator in a digital world.
To navigate the complexities of the AI age, the event featured a lineup of distinguished thought leaders.
Stacy Solorio brings deep expertise as a Human Resources executive in the life sciences sector. Recognized for pioneering cutting-edge HR strategies from the ground up, she specializes in aligning people-driven goals with executive vision during periods of rapid growth and transformation.
Dr. Angela Stopper, the Chief Learning Officer at UC Berkeley, offers a blend of academic rigor and practical application. As an author, researcher, and expert in organizational development, she focuses on ensuring workforces are "future-ready," moving beyond traditional training to holistic development.
Minden Beach serves as a global talent executive and executive coach with over 20 years of experience across technology, banking, and energy sectors. Her current focus lies in building AI fluency, helping organizations leverage technology to amplify—rather than replace—human leadership and business impact.
Rounding out the panel was Damon Lembi, CEO of Learnit and host of the Learn-It-All ™ podcast. A former professional baseball player, Lembi brings a unique philosophy on leadership agility to the table, emphasizing that in a changing world, the ability to learn is the ultimate competitive advantage.
“AI won’t take your job, but if you refuse to learn about it, you will be forfeiting your job. These tools are here, they’re powerful, and they’re only as effective as the humans leading the change.” —Dr. Angela Stopper
The conversation opened with a paradigm shift regarding how organizations view talent pipelines. Dr. Angela Stopper challenged the traditional, often secretive approach to succession planning and proposed a new model: Developmental Succession Planning.
Stopper argued against the legacy "nine box" model, where leaders debate behind closed doors who is a "high potential" and who is a "workhorse." She described this secrecy as outdated and counterproductive. Instead, she advocates a transparent culture where every employee is viewed as having high potential. This approach democratizes growth, integrating career development into regular one-on-one meetings rather than isolating it in annual reviews. The shift requires leaders to move beyond task-focused check-ins ("What is on fire?") to development-focused conversations ("Where do you want to go?").
This mindset is critical in the context of AI. As routine tasks are automated, the value of an employee shifts to their adaptability and willingness to evolve. Stopper emphasized that the danger isn't the technology itself, but the refusal to engage with it.
“Change is an opportunity for innovation, not a threat. I can’t wait for the day someone comes to me and says, ‘Here’s my new job description that includes AI — and here’s how I’m going to use it to grow.’ That’s the mindset we need.” — Stacy Solorio
For organizations to thrive under such volatile disruption, the Human Resources function must evolve from a support role to a strategic driver.
Stacy Solorio emphasized that this transformation begins with communication. HR leaders, she argued, must stop hiding behind industry jargon (terms like "human capital") or complex workforce planning metrics and start speaking the language of the business.
Solorio shared a practical challenge she gives to her teams and interns: Can you explain our business in three minutes to a neighbor you meet at the mailbox?
If HR professionals cannot articulate the core mission and mechanics of the company clearly, they cannot effectively align talent strategies with business goals.
"Know the business as well as the business knows itself," she advised, urging HR leaders to read earnings reports, understand the specific science or technology their company produces, and be present in the rooms where critical business conversations happen.
This propels HR from being reactive and scrambling to fulfill executive requests to being responsive. A responsive leader takes a pause to analyze the rootneed and offers a strategic solution rather than a quick fix. This proactive stance transforms change from a burden into an advantage.
“The human element is deciding how to use the tool. AI is agnostic. It’s humans who must bring ethical decision-making, empathy, and understanding of the impact. AI will beat us in logic, but meaning is human-centered every time.” — Minden Beach
As AI becomes more embedded in daily workflows, the anxiety surrounding job displacement grows. However, Minden Beach offered a grounding perspective inspired by the next generation. She shared an insight from her 13-year-old son, who views AI not as a replacement, but as an assistant. It’s a tool that will solve problems alongside us rather than obliterating the workforce.
This generational optimism highlights a crucial distinction: while AI can process data, it cannot replace the human connection. When Beach asked her son what AI should never do, his answer was immediate: "Therapy."
He intuitively understood that people do not want to bare their souls to code. This boundary defines the Human-AI partnership. The technology serves as a powerful engine for efficiency, but it lacks the capacity for empathy, nuance, and genuine care.
Beach emphasized that the human advantage lies in the stewardship of these tools. It is not enough to simply use AI; leaders must build the confidence and trust necessary to use it responsibly. This involves setting boundaries and understanding that while algorithms are excellent at prediction, they are terrible at meaning-making.
No one doubts the power of AI technology, but the panel was unanimous in the belief that human skills are becoming more, not less, valuable. Damon Lembi, drawing on conversations with hundreds of diverse leaders, pinpointed the specific competencies that machines cannot replicate: critical thinking, ethical judgment, and leadership.
“Humans still matter because there are certain skills like critical thinking that you’re always going to need. When it comes to judgment—ethical judgment—AI can give you answers, but are they the right answers? Does it make sense? Also, when it comes to creativity, innovation, and leadership… you need that human connection to drive everything through.” —Damon Lembi
Lembi referenced an MIT study citing a high failure rate (up to 95%) for AI projects, noting that these failures rarely stem from the technology itself. Instead, they result from a lack of human transparency and engagement.
This is where the human element becomes the differentiator. Even as we move toward a future where humans manage teams of AI agents, human connection is required to drive initiatives forward. Lembi argues that the ultimate skill in this environment is "learning agility"—the ability to continuously adapt and learn new muscles, regardless of the specific subject matter.
The panel discussed the great responsibility leaders have in how AI is introduced to teams. The consensus was clear: responsible adoption requires psychological safety. If employees fear retribution for mistakes or displacement by algorithms, innovation stalls.
Dr. Angela Stopper highlighted that resistance to AI often manifests as perfectionism, which is ultimately a mask for fear. She categorized these resistors into two groups: "process perfectionists," who claim they are too busy optimizing current workflows to learn new tools, and "product perfectionists," who fear AI will lower the quality of their output.
To counter this, leaders must remind their teams that humans are biologically hardwired for change. "It’s in our DNA," Stopper reminded the audience, referencing human evolution. Responsible adoption means acknowledging the fearof the unknown while creating a "sandbox" environment where employees are trusted to experiment, fail, and grow without risking their careers. By shifting the conversation from "replacement" to"evolution," leaders can turn anxiety into curiosity.
The panelists offered concrete examples of how they are integrating AI into their daily workflows. The common thread was using technology to augment, rather than replace, human effort.
Stacy Solorio shared a favorite hack for digesting dense information: using NotebookLM to turn a 30-page technical newsletter into an audio podcast, making critical industry updates accessible during a commute.
Damon Lembi described using AI as a "role-play partner" to prepare for difficult conversations. By uploading a persona and practicing the dialogue, leaders can enter high-stakes meetings with greater confidence. He also uses AI to challenge his own biases, explicitly asking the tool: "Give me three reasons why my opinion might be wrong."
Minden Beach emphasized the importance of "safe containers" for learning. At her organization, they created non-mandatory AI learning paths. By making participation voluntary rather than compulsory, they sparked genuine curiosity rather than compliant resistance. This approach allows employees to experiment with tools like chatbots for HR questions or environmental scanning for data themes, in a low-stakes environment, building the "muscle" of adaptability.
During the audience Q&A, the conversation shifted to the operational realities of this transition. A key debate emerged: Who should own AI implementation: IT or HR?
While a show of hands revealed an even split in the room, Dr. Angela Stopper argued that AI is fundamentally a "human change initiative," not just a technology rollout. Therefore, it requires the expertise of Learning & Development and HR professionals who understand how to manage transition, anxiety, and growth.
The panel also addressed the future of organizational structure. While some predict the eventual merger of roles like the CHRO and CTO, Stopper advised caution. She noted that the true costs of AI compute are often obscured by subsidized pricing models. As these costs normalize, workforce strategies may shift again. Her advice was to avoid dismantling current structures based on speculation. Instead, organizations should maintain flexibility and continue experimenting.
Finally, on the topic of keeping up with the rapid pace of change, the panel's advice was simple: stay curious. Whether talking to vendors, consulting with “digital native" younger generations, or testing new tools with friends, the goal is continuous learning rather than instant mastery.
The human advantage is not about out-computing the machine, but about elevating the qualities the machine lacks.
Damon Lembi summed up the sentiment of the night:
"Humans won't be replaced. But if you stick your head in the sand and you're not engaged in AI on a daily basis, you're stacking the odds against yourself."
While technology will continue to evolve at breakneck speed, the future of work remains distinctly human. Learnit remains committed to guiding organizations through this transformation, ensuring that as we systemize the predictable, we never lose sight of the exceptional potential of our people.
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