More Creative or Just Quicker?

Thought Partners S3 E4: More Creative, or Just Quicker? Is AI making us more creative, or just quicker? Dr. Lynn Austin, educator, author, and fresh DBA whose research looks at how organizations get their people ready for AI, joins Ed and Paul to talk about where AI helps, where it hurts, and why the question that matters most is "what problem am I trying to solve?" Along the way: a rescued dog who taught her to be human, a seventh-grade rap, an AI staff named Chatty, Sir Claude-a-lot, and Jimmy, and the line Ed called the quote of the episode. *Bring us the next question. *Join the Thought Partners Discord and tell us how AI is changing your creative work, or who we should talk to next. 👉   / discord   We're on X now too: https://x.com/ThoughtPtnrsPod Timestamps 00:05 Welcome, and Dr. Lynn Austin 00:54 Ed's warm-up: when did AI first surprise you? 02:14 The Newman Tales: one hour for the dog, six hours for her 05:14 "I wonder if" and the seventh-grade rap 11:28 All words are made up; connection; Newman rescued me 16:01 Vision boards, the doctorate, and a prayer and a nap 22:58 Her research: companies "invest in the word AI" 29:09 "We bought everyone a Copilot license. Now what?" 32:17 Middle managers caught in the middle 35:13 Ed's four weeks of AI 36:54 Transparent leaders and room for R&D 40:30 Will AI take my job? 46:31 Agents on strike: Chatty, Sir Claude-a-lot, and Jimmy 53:42 More creative, or just quicker? 56:54 What does Newman think about AI? Find your lane 59:52 Creativity five years from now 63:01 What doesn't change, and "2025 is historical" 66:35 Where to find Lynn Try this week Before you pick an AI tool, write down the problem you want it to solve. If you can't, start there. Ask "I wonder if" about one thing you do the same way every week. Get a second opinion from a different AI on something that matters, and see where they disagree. Stuck? Step away. Lynn's version is a prayer and a nap. Ed calls it letting your bio intelligence catch up. From the episode "Creativity looks like an opportunity to solve a new problem." Dr. Lynn Austin "AI is not going to take all jobs, but it is going to impact those who don't know AI." Lynn's AI readiness assessment is on her site (link below). Our guest Dr. Lynn Austin is an educator and researcher whose doctoral study looked at strategic workforce readiness for AI: how organizations adopt and implement it, starting with people, not tools. She has taught from seventh-grade English to higher education, writes a weekly blog on AI in higher education, and is the author of The Newman Tales, stories about her dog Newman, who was rescued from the meat trade in Taiwan. Website and AI readiness assessment: https://www.lynnfaustin.com/ The Newman Tales: on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube Coming up New episodes every Tuesday. Next week, November 3: Episode 5 with Ryan and John. Hosts Ed Buchanan & Paul Tonden Music: "Momentum," original Thought Partners theme.