Peggy Johnson: Leading a Human-Centric Future of AI and Robotics

In this first episode of our special AI series, I have the pleasure of welcoming Peggy Johnson — a remarkable leader whose career spans mobile innovation, augmented reality, and now humanoid robotics. 

What struck me in our conversation is how deeply human her approach to technology has always been. 

Peggy grew up as one of fifteen children, in a family where every voice mattered. Later, she became one of the very few women studying engineering in the 1980s. These early experiences shaped her belief that inclusion is not optional — it is the foundation of innovation. 

Throughout her journey — from Qualcomm and Microsoft to Magic Leap and now Agility Robotics — Peggy has championed a simple but powerful idea: 

👉 Technology must enhance human life, not replace it. 

In this episode, we explore: 
• how her upbringing and early career forged her inclusive leadership style 
• what she learned from AR, mixed reality, and the hype cycles around emerging technology 
• why humanoid robotics should serve society by addressing painful labour gaps 
• how responsible leaders can build human-centric, safe, and trustworthy technologies 
• what it will take to design a positive future for human–machine collaboration 

Peggy’s clarity, integrity, and optimism make this a fascinating conversation on the future of tech — grounded in humanity and purpose. 

At the end of the day, the question she leaves us with is essential:
Will we lead AI and robotics toward a future that makes life better for everyone?
Or will we let the technology lead us? 

I hope this episode inspires you as much as it inspired me.

🎧 If you enjoyed this conversation, you may also like these episodes: 

• Kevin Scott — Empowering people with AI: https://www.jpcourtois.com/podcast/empowering-people-with-ai-with-kevin-scott  
• Laurence Tubiana – Le courage du changement 
• : https://www.jpcourtois.com/podcast/fr-le-courage-du-changement-avec-laurence-tubiana  
• Dorie Clark — Reinventing yourself: https://www.jpcourtois.com/podcast/reinventing-yourself-with-dorie-clark  

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