Staying Strategic, Human, and Sane in the AI Goldrush

In this talk and live Q&A, I explored how designers can engage with AI without losing their judgment, creativity or sense of perspective. I first gave the talk at Throughline Conf 2026 in January; Loose Threads brought it back in June for a live conversation and Q&A.

I introduced three principles for navigating the shift:

• Stay human: Protect the vulnerability, mentorship and shared learning that disappear when everyone works alone with AI.
• Stay strategic: Evaluate tools against real problems rather than adopting them because of hype or pressure.
• Stay sane: Create boundaries around experimentation and reject the idea that you must constantly keep up.

The talk introduced the idea of "emotional debt": the hidden cost teams accumulate when they skip conversations about uncertainty, changing roles and the pressure to perform expertise. I argued that successful AI adoption should begin with listening and alignment, not software.

During the Q&A, we discussed preserving human connection in distributed teams, using colleagues to stress-test ideas before consulting an LLM, and avoiding "suspended judgment" in regulated industries. I also shared practical advice for creating accessible, purposeful in-person design communities.

Key themes: AI adoption, design leadership, team culture, responsible innovation, creative practice and sustainable work.