The Curious Advantage Podcast 93: The AI Dilemma: Responsible AI, Bias & Human Values with Art Kleiner
Jan 28, 2026
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
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.
Autonomy Makes Explainability Vital
- AI systems act autonomously so we must anticipate unintended consequences before deployment.
- Art Kleiner argues explainability is the linchpin that enables all other responsible-AI principles.
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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Intro
00:00 • 2min
Defining Curiosity and AI's Role
02:16 • 2min
Curiosity Driving a Career in Ideas
04:09 • 2min
The AI Dilemma and Its Origin
06:14 • 1min
Seven Principles for Responsible Technology
07:28 • 5min
Misinformation: The Missing Eighth Concern
12:14 • 2min
Why Explainability Is Central
14:20 • 1min
Can We Open the Black Box?
15:27 • 5min
Empathy Types and AI's Limits
20:24 • 4min
Moral Rules, Care, and Human Judgment
24:23 • 1min
Shifts in Human Values and Their Impact
25:52 • 7min
AI, Jobs, and the Future of Work
32:55 • 6min
Provenance, Truth and Gated Communities
39:24 • 7min
Forgiveness, Accountability, and Dutch Scandal
46:33 • 7min
What People Must Become
53:36 • 2min
Outro
55:58 • 3min
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Who Really Matters
Art Kleiner
#35172
Cosmogenesis
Brian Swimme
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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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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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The Curious Advantage
Garrick Jones
Simon Brown
#58653
Shockwave Rider
John Brunner
#1366
• Mentioned in 27 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.
#94510
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.
#90835
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.
#2411
• Mentioned in 17 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.
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.