Welcome to the next lifelong learners Podcast!
Today's episode explores territory rarely covered in tech discussions - the relationship between our stress physiology and our ability to thrive alongside artificial intelligence. My guest Bethlyn Gerard brings decades of experience in systems thinking and team performance, offering a fresh perspective on what it truly means to be human in an age where machines are handling more of our thinking.
To wet your appetite, here are some quotes from the interview that I think help set the stage and resonated with me:
"K plus E equals W, which is, it takes knowledge plus experience to mature into wisdom." Shared by Bethlyn Gerard
"We need to hone larger, intuitive, sensing, right-brain skills, because the machine's gonna do the rest of it." Bethlyn Gerard
"The level of human physiology dysregulation and the need for skills that take coherent regulation [are in] an inverse relationship." Bethlyn Gerard
"There's no excuse for less safe work to save a human job... There's no excuse to compromise the quality of care because we don't want AI to do it better for us." Bethlyn Gerard
"One of the principles of AI for lifelong learning is that you need to be what the machines can't be." Podcast Host
About this episode:
In this thought-provoking conversation, Bethlyn shares insights from her recent experience in Vietnam, where she leveraged AI tools to rapidly develop and cross-reference 38 lesson plans in just hours. Work that would have traditionally taken days. However, this episode goes far beyond efficiency gains to explore a critical question: as AI increasingly handles analytical and computational tasks, how must humans evolve their uniquely human capabilities?
Why this matters for Lifelong Learners:
This discussion connects directly to the core principle of AI for Lifelong Learning and you’ve heard me say this often, “what’s on offer now in life is for you to be more human”. We’re discovering that our lived experiences make us uniquely human—something machines can never replicate.
Bethlyn makes a compelling case that as AI handles more routine cognitive tasks, our focus must shift toward strengthening our physiological foundations for expanded intuition, sensing, and right-brain skills. She explains why understanding stress regulation is as fundamental as learning photosynthesis, especially when our dysregulated physiology directly conflicts with the coherent regulation needed for the enhanced critical thinking our AI-assisted world demands.
Join me now in this inspiring and enlightening conversation with Bethlyn Gerad.
About Bethlyn Gerard:
Bethlyn Gerard is the Founder and Principal of Generativity Solutions, where she has spent over two decades strengthening organizations across various growth stages from startups to large health systems. As an innovative strategist and proven leader in healthcare models, Bethlyn specializes in outcomes assessment, protocol design, and turning complex data into high-value insights. Her expertise lies at the intersection of systems thinking, stress physiology, and team wellness, making her uniquely qualified to discuss how our rapidly changing technological landscape impacts human performance.
Bethlyn Gerad can be reached at https://www.generativity.solutions or on Linkedin.
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