Episode 15: What Does EI Look Like in a World Shaped by AI?  

That’s the question at the heart of this conversation with Ben Palmer, CEO of Genos International, who has spent over two decades helping organisations develop emotional intelligence – the ability to recognise, understand, manage and respond effectively to emotions in ourselves and others.  

In this episode, Ben suggests that, today, EI is more relevant than ever. At a time when we are increasingly operating in what he describes as a BANI world – a term coined by futurist Jamais Cascio to describe a reality that is brittle, anxious, non-linear and often incomprehensible, emotional intelligence becomes less of a “nice to have” and more of a stabilising force.  

While technology can support how we think and what we produce, it can’t replicate or replace how people experience us. Ben’s argument is simple but maybe uncomfortable: if we rely too heavily on tools to communicate for us, we risk losing the very things that make people want to listen in the first place – authenticity, empathy, trust and presence – all of which Ben wraps up in the single word ‘grace’ – small, deliberate acts of human care, grounded in empathy and genuine connection. 

For Ben, organisations that navigate this well will be deliberate about maintaining real human interaction and creating space for connection.  

As AI continues to evolve, the question is not whether we use it – but how we ensure we don’t lose what makes us human in the process.