Episode 7 - From Automation to Augmentation – How Good AI Actually Works

Episode 7 - From Automation to Augmentation – How Good AI Actually Works

Key Concepts

1. Replacement Thinking – Treating people as costs to remove.
2. Automation Versus Augmentation – Tasks versus capability.
3. Human-in-the-Loop – Judgement must remain present.
4. Empathy as a Design Constraint – Removing it has a cost.
5. Partnership Design – AI supporting, not competing.

Introduction to Steve

Steve Nicholls has spent his career helping organisations apply technology in ways that improve how people work, think, and make decisions. Having seen multiple waves of automation promise efficiency but deliver frustration, Steve brings a grounded perspective shaped by real-world implementation rather than theory.
Steve works with experienced professionals and business leaders to reframe artificial intelligence not as a replacement for people, but as a colleague that supports judgment, creativity, and human strengths when designed correctly.

Introduction to James
James Kilgarriff is an experienced coach known for his human-centred approach to performance, confidence, and sustainable change. He works with individuals and teams who want technology to support people rather than diminish them.
James brings balance and emotional intelligence to conversations about artificial intelligence, helping people recognise when systems support human capability and when they quietly erode it.

Together
Steve and James focus on helping organisations move from automation-led thinking to augmentation-led design. Their conversations centre on partnership, empathy, and practical examples of how artificial intelligence can strengthen human work rather than replace it.