The Curious Advantage Podcast

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93: The AI Dilemma: Responsible AI, Bias & Human Values with Art Kleiner

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Jan 28, 2026

Guest

Art Kleiner

Art Kleiner, writer and strategist on organizational learning and responsible technology, offers a compact guide to building humane AI. He discusses tensions between rapid innovation and accountability. Short, clear takes cover bias, misinformation and explainability. He highlights why empathy, forgiveness and human judgment must shape governance as AI embeds into everyday work.

59:04

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INSIGHT

AI As A Curiosity Amplifier

Generative AI amplifies human curiosity by providing quick context and launching pads for further inquiry.
Kleiner cautions that AI's speed doesn't guarantee accuracy, so users must verify outputs.

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ADVICE

Demand Audits And Data Rights

Open the closed box: require systems and companies to be queryable and auditable.
Reclaim data rights and confront bias proactively when building and deploying AI.

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ANECDOTE

Image Generator Can't Flip Gender Height Bias

An NYU student repeatedly prompted an image generator to show a woman taller than a man and failed due to ingrained dataset bias.
Kleiner uses this to illustrate how deeply bias can be embedded in generative models.

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Defining Curiosity and AI's Role

02:16 • 2min

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Curiosity Driving a Career in Ideas

04:09 • 2min

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The AI Dilemma and Its Origin

06:14 • 1min

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Seven Principles for Responsible Technology

07:28 • 5min

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Misinformation: The Missing Eighth Concern

12:14 • 2min

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Why Explainability Is Central

14:20 • 1min

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Can We Open the Black Box?

15:27 • 5min

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Empathy Types and AI's Limits

20:24 • 4min

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Moral Rules, Care, and Human Judgment

24:23 • 1min

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Shifts in Human Values and Their Impact

25:52 • 7min

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AI, Jobs, and the Future of Work

32:55 • 6min

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Provenance, Truth and Gated Communities

39:24 • 7min

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Forgiveness, Accountability, and Dutch Scandal

46:33 • 7min

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What People Must Become

• Mentioned in 19 episodes

Player piano

Kurt Vonnegut

Published in 1952, 'Player Piano' is Kurt Vonnegut's debut novel, set in a near-future society that is almost totally mechanized. The story follows Dr. Paul Proteus, an engineer who begins to question the ethics and consequences of a society where machines have supplanted human labor. The novel explores themes of job displacement, the value of human work, and the ethical implications of technological advancements. It critiques a society that values efficiency and productivity over human connection and meaningful work, highlighting the tension between the benefits and drawbacks of technological progress.

#26938

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

The age of heretics

A History of the Radical Thinkers Who Reinvented Corporate Management

Art Kleiner

In this book, Art Kleiner explores the nature of effective leadership in times of change by examining the roles of 'heretics'—visionary individuals who create change in large-scale companies. The book delves into the history of human resource management, linking ideas from various fields and tracing the evolution of corporate change back almost 2,000 years. It focuses on figures such as those involved with the National Training Laboratories, Charles Krone at Procter & Gamble, and Lyman Ketchum and Ed Dulworth at General Foods. Kleiner argues that corporations exist to provide venues for people to expand their capabilities and try new things on a large scale, thereby changing the world.

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• Mentioned in 2 episodes

The AI Dilemma

Juliette Powell

Art Kleiner

Juliette Powell and Art Kleiner present a comprehensive guide to responsible AI development, highlighting seven key principles. These principles address both AI systems and the organizations that create them, focusing on risk assessment, transparency, data protection, accountability, structural integrity, psychological safety, and creative friction. The book aims to help businesses and societies harness AI's benefits while avoiding its potential harms.

#1241

• Mentioned in 32 episodes

The Fifth Discipline

The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization

Peter Senge

The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge focuses on creating 'learning organizations' that can adapt and innovate in a rapidly changing environment. The book introduces five disciplines: personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, team learning, and systems thinking. These disciplines help organizations overcome 'learning disabilities' such as the delusion of learning from experience and the myth of teamwork. By embracing these disciplines, organizations can foster a culture of continuous learning, enhance problem-solving capabilities, and achieve long-term success. The book draws on a wide range of sources, including science, spiritual wisdom, psychology, and management thought, and has been influential in shaping modern business management practices.

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• Mentioned in 2 episodes

Shockwave Rider

John Brunner

#6021

• Mentioned in 8 episodes

The Curious Advantage

Garrick Jones

Simon Brown

#1241

• Mentioned in 32 episodes

The Fifth Discipline

The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization

Peter Senge

#2183

• Mentioned in 20 episodes

Don't Make Me Think

Steve Krug

Don't Make Me Think is a book that focuses on the principles of human–computer interaction and web usability. It argues that good software programs and websites should allow users to accomplish their tasks as easily and directly as possible. The book highlights the importance of designing for scanning rather than reading, using conventions and visual hierarchies, and conducting usability testing. It also includes updated chapters on mobile usability and practical advice on navigation structure and user-centered design. The book is known for its brevity, wit, and use of real-life examples to illustrate good and bad design practices.

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• Mentioned in 2 episodes

In this episode of The Curious Advantage, Art Kleiner — author of The AI Dilemma — joins Simon Brown & Garrick Jones for a conversation about what it really means to build Responsible AI.

Together, they explore the tensions at the heart of today’s AI landscape: rapid innovation vs accountability, efficiency vs empathy, and the risks of bias, misinformation and unintended consequences. Drawing on the “five fundamental principles” from The AI Dilemma, Art explains why responsible technology requires human judgment, transparency, and a deep understanding of our social systems.

The discussion dives into:

How AI systems amplify human behaviour — good and bad
The rising challenge of misinformation and synthetic media
Where bias enters the system and how organisations can address it
Why empathy, forgiveness and human values are essential to AI governance
What leaders must understand as AI becomes embedded in everyday work

A thoughtful, human conversation about technology, responsibility and how we navigate the future.

Lean More about Art Kleiner and his work here

About The Curious Advantage
The Curious Advantage is available on Amazon and Audible.
Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, and discover more at curiousadvantage.com.

The Curious Advantage explores curiosity and its growing importance in the digital age. From history, neuroscience, and anthropology to business and culture, it takes the widest possible view of curiosity. At its heart is the ‘Sailing the 7C’s of Curiosity’ model, a practical framework to help individuals harness curiosity as a power skill for growth and transformation.

The Curious Advantage Podcast is executive produced by Jessica Wickham and Aliki Paolinelis. Audio editing by Danny Cross | Video editing by Jessica Wickham.

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