AI should amplify human interaction, not replace it — use AI to bring more voices into problem-solving¶
Insight: AI's most valuable application in teams isn't efficiency — it's lowering the barrier to participation in early problem-solving conversations. A developer can use an AI visualizer to create a rough mock of an interaction idea; a PM can prompt a workflow improvement sketch. These artifacts aren't final — they're conversation starters. The goal is "more voices, sooner" in the ideation phase, with design practitioners guiding what makes concepts usable and accessible.
Detail: AI also helps push past the first idea — it can generate 10 variations instantly, making it harder to settle for the obvious solution. Callahan emphasizes AI should "push past the first idea" while humans provide the initial direction (since AI lacks the team's context). Innovation thrives on perspective, and AI multiplies the number of tangible starting points for discussion. David Shim (Read AI) introduces the concept of a "digital twin" — capturing institutional knowledge (meeting history, working style, context) as an AI extension that preserves knowledge when humans are unavailable. Rachana Rele (Adobe VP) emphasizes AI as collaborative partner, not replacement. Both acknowledge legitimate tensions around job anxiety and surveillance implications of work recording.