As hype surrounding ChatGPT and GPT4 takes hold, it’s refreshing to read a book like this one.

Science Writer Annie Murphy Paul has charted the many ways in which we humans garner intelligence. And guess what? It turns out we’re infinitely more sophisticated in our sensemaking capacities than AI evangelists would have us believe.

The Extended Mind explores the latest scientific research into how humans learn, collaborate, and think. A wide range of extra-neural inputs have far more bearing on how we make sense of the world and go about solving complex problems. We’re not solitary brains-on-legs creatures after all; social interaction is a primary way in which we make sense of the world.

This has a huge bearing on all conversations about the future of work. Now more than ever we need to hold urgent, open dialogue to better understand the uniquely human skills that underpin effective collaboration, teamwork, creativity and innovation. 

As we re-evaluate the way we continuously learn, develop and grow in the course of our daily work, ponder the impact of AI on work and of course continue to consider the future of where of work, educating ourselves to understand the wider complexity of how we think is fast becoming a moral imperative. The future of business depends on it.