Eric Rhodes

Flaw in the design hiring process: Speculative design challenges can easily become performative traps. A great article by Paul Strike for Fast Company, with contributions from Ryan Leffel, Brian A. Rice, Thomas W., and behind-the-scenes feedback from Ash Brown & Katja Forbes. #Design #Hiring https://lnkd.in/ghTqf9xF

27

5 Comments

Press Release: WHOOP is accelerating AI adoption. The human performance company launched the Massachusetts AI Coalition, a multi-company initiative to strengthen collaboration in artificial intelligence across the state. As founding chair, WHOOP will lead the group’s initial transformation across industries within and beyond healthtech, organizing events and networking to position Massachusetts companies at the forefront of global AI.

24

Real time update: Dan T. Rogers and Anush Kumar in conversation with Lisa Fain (she/her) about What Should AI Do and What Should Humans Do? One highlight: “AI has encouraged me to quadruple down on people. Time compression is a chance for us to be even more human. To shed the stuff we’re not supposed to do and do more of the stuff we’re supposed to do.” Another data point: “AI can be a force multiplier but don’t lose sight of human discernment and critical thinking. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done for learning loops and how AI co-creates with you.”

19

3 Comments

“Ideas are naive, but problems have wisdom in them.” Over the past three years of working with Matthew Holloway at Design Executive Council—as a board advisor and through his design leadership at SnapLogic, I’ve seen firsthand the depth he brings to our study of the design executive role. He’s no stranger to AI. With over a decade of experience working with AI, he has a great ability to articulate with the kind of relationship we need to develop with this new "material." In our latest episode, Matthew shares insights business, technology, and design leader should hear, especially on closing the gap between hype and reality. One of my favorite moments is his analogy of Charles and Ray Eames experimenting with plywood to discover how it could best be used, an exploration that led to the iconic Eames Lounge Chair. AI is no different. It’s a material we must study, test, and push to its limits before we can craft products that are useful, innovative, and human-centered. Take a listen in our latest podcast episode in the Design Executive Outlook on Enterprise AI series. https://lnkd.in/gbunZmxj

22

⚡ AI is not just another tech cycle⚡ It’s the most transformative shift we’ve seen since initial computing. Coatue held the '25 East Meets West conference and was struck by how much AI is reshaping the landscape. These folks share their exceptional content for all of us - Amazing! Thank you!!! Kevin Weil from OpenAI put it best: “The model you use today is the worst AI model you’ll ever use for the rest of your life.” Key takeaways for leaders in tech: 🔄 Iterative innovation. Rapid, incremental releases will matter more than perfection. ⚡ New productivity curve. AI will drive a new “golden age of margin expansion,” allowing us to do more with less. 🤖 Deep user engagement. AI will complete tasks and deeply integrate into daily workflows. 🚀 Bold reinvention. The playing field is resetting — incumbents and disruptors alike must embrace change. 🤝 Strategic partnerships & talent. Success will require strategic alliances and a serious commitment to nurturing an AI-capable workforce. Deep Dives ⬇️ 📊 Conference slides (100+ slides) https://lnkd.in/gHZK_Ymj 🎧 Pod 1 — EMW Summary https://lnkd.in/g8vUGi9T 🎧 Pod 2 — Kevin Weil on AI & strategy (Not Geeky) https://lnkd.in/ghHhcn8q ✅ Would love to hear your thoughts — what’s your top takeaway?

48

9 Comments

Christopher Nolan, elected DGA President in September 2025, positions the guild for June 2026 contract negotiations with a strategic approach to AI integration. His framework treats AI as a creative accelerator, comparable to how CGI expanded visual possibilities without replacing directors. The focus is to put guardrails that protect human artistry while enabling efficiency gains. Proposed protections include mandatory disclosure of AI generated elements, consent and compensation for training data use, and preservation of human only authorship for credits and awards eligibility. Nolan chairs both the AI Committee and Theatrical Creative Rights Committee, bringing technical understanding to policy development. The current three year contract expires June 30, 2026, making AI protections a stated negotiation priority alongside production job recovery. Full breakdown. Link in comments.

21

2 Comments