Rana el Kaliouby: Culture, not tech, softens AI’s impact

The AI scientist, entrepreneur, and investor explains why emotional intelligence and trust are the keys to sustainable progress.

Picture of Aneesh Raman, LinkedIn’s Chief Economic Opportunity Officer

Aneesh Raman: AI won’t decide the future of work—unless you let it

The LinkedIn executive and coauthor of Open to Work reframes the AI moment as a question of human choice, not automated inevitability.

Economist Tyler Cowen, featured on the WorkLab podcast, discussing the positive side of AI negativity.

WorkLab guest Tyler Cowen

Economist Tyler Cowen on the positive side of AI negativity

The influential public thinker shares insights on how discomfort over technological disruption can signal real progress toward harnessing the full potential of AI to transform business.

AI’s promise is real. But the challenge to realizing its value isn’t technology—it’s people. AI scientist, entrepreneur, and investor Rana el Kaliouby joins host Molly Wood to explore what can stall progress. The conversation explores how emotional intelligence, empathy, and communication are essential for human–AI teams to thrive. Rana makes the case that leaders must foster trust and readiness, rethink workflows, and keep humans at the center to unlock AI’s full potential and ensure sustainable adoption.

WorkLab is a place for experts to share their insights and opinions. As students of the future of work, Microsoft values input from a diverse set of voices. That said, the opinions and findings of the experts we interview are their own and do not reflect Microsoft’s own research or opinions.

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WorkLab is hosted by Molly Wood, who has more than two decades of experience reporting on technology and business for CNET/CBS, the New York Times, Marketplace, Wired, and The Atlantic.

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Rana el Kaliouby: Culture, not tech, softens AI’s impact

The AI scientist, entrepreneur, and investor explains why emotional intelligence and trust are the keys to sustainable progress.

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Aneesh Raman: AI won’t decide the future of work—unless you let it

Economist Tyler Cowen on the positive side of AI negativity