Hosted by MiraCosta CSIT Faculty Steve Isachsen and Rick White, Still Human is an independent conversation series grounded in a simple idea: technology starts with people.
This is not a show about tools or hype. It’s a space for thoughtful conversations about how AI is reshaping learning, work, leadership, and identity—and what remains distinctly human as that change accelerates.
Each episode brings together educators, technologists, and industry leaders to reflect on what’s changing, what’s uncertain, and how we navigate it. Themes include agency, intention, judgment, and connection.
Still Human explores how we learn, lead, and stay grounded in purpose as technology evolves.
The views expressed are those of the participants and do not represent any single institution.
💡Episode 1: What Does It Mean to Be Still Human?
Episode 1 of Still Human launches the series with a wide-ranging, reflective conversation about technology, people, and the accelerating impact of AI on learning, work, and identity. Rather than focusing on tools or hype, the discussion centers on what remains distinctly human as our technologies grow more powerful—agency, intention, judgment, and connection. Through metaphors of velocity, friction, and uncertainty, the conversation explores how we learn, adapt, and make meaning in a world defined by rapid change. Drawing on experiences from education and industry, the episode argues that the most important work in the age of AI is not technical obedience, but cultivating self-understanding, ethical awareness, and the capacity to steer technology with purpose. This opening conversation sets the tone for future episodes: thoughtful, human-centered, and grounded in the belief that even as our tools evolve, the responsibility to choose, reflect, and care remains irreducibly human.
If any of the ideas in this episode lingered with you, explore more here:
▶️ Episode 1 Notes — Ideas, Context, and Concepts We Reference: https://bit.ly/3ZYWKsY
▶️ Episode 1 Slide Deck — Concepts, Models, and Visual Anchors: https://bit.ly/4qhtGaX
💡Episode 2: Leading Through Uncertainty as AI Accelerates?
Episode 2 of Still Human: Conversations About Technology, People, and Agency in the Age of AI continues the series with a grounded, real-world exploration of what it means to lead through uncertainty as artificial intelligence rapidly transforms how we work and make decisions. In a conversation with Andy Deninger, Chief Technology Officer at IPS Group, the episode moves beyond theory to examine how AI is actively reshaping products, teams, and leadership itself. Rather than framing AI as something to fully master, the discussion highlights the growing importance of adaptability, judgment, and a willingness to experiment. As the pace of change accelerates, leadership becomes less about certainty and more about navigating complexity—asking better questions, embracing ambiguity, and creating environments where teams can learn, iterate, and evolve. Through concrete examples—from integrating conversational AI into customer-facing systems to using intelligent tools in engineering and decision-making—the episode illustrates how AI is expanding human capability while challenging long-held assumptions about expertise, control, and efficiency. At the same time, it reinforces a central idea of the series: that curiosity, humility, trust, and perspective are not diminished by these tools, but made more essential. This conversation deepens the foundation of Still Human by exploring what it looks like to lead with clarity and purpose—even when the path forward is not fully defined.
If any of the ideas in this episode lingered with you, explore more here:
▶️ Episode 2 Notes — Ideas, Context, and Concepts We Reference: http://bit.ly/3OIfY4h
▶️ Episode 2 Slide Deck — Concepts, Models, and Visual Anchors: https://bit.ly/3ON4nRp