What AI Can't Replace – How The Atlantic Deals with Disruption

In this episode, Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, offers a sweeping and deeply personal exploration of how AI is reshaping creativity, leadership, and human connection. From his daily video series The Most Interesting Thing in Tech to his marathon training powered by ChatGPT, Nicholas shares how he integrates AI into both work and life—not just as a tool, but as a thought partner. He reflects on the emotional complexity of AI relationships, the tension between cognitive augmentation and cognitive offloading, and what it means to preserve our “unwired” intelligence in an increasingly automated world. The conversation ventures into leadership during disruption, the ethics of AI-generated content, and the future of journalism in a world where agents may consume your content on your behalf. Nicholas also shares how he's cultivating third spaces, building muscle memory for analog thinking, and encouraging experimentation across his team—all while preparing for an uncertain future where imagination, not automation, might be our greatest asset. Whether you're a tech-savvy leader, a content creator, or just trying to stay grounded in the age of generative AI, this episode is full of honest reflections and hard-earned insights on how to navigate what’s next.