In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Professor Joel Pearson, Director of the Future Minds Lab, on Leading in uncertainty, Future-proofing for the AI revolution, and De-risking innovation.

Joel is a psychologist, neuroscientist, author and Director of the Future Minds Lab, and an ARC Future Fellow at the University of New South Wales.

He initially studied art and filmmaking at the College of Fine Arts before turning to the scientific mysteries of human consciousness and the complexities of the brain. He is now a prolific public speaker, writer, and world expert in Intuition, the psychology of AI, mental imagery, and Aphantasia, which is the inability to picture things visually.

His debut book, The Intuition Toolkit: The New Science of Knowing What, Without Knowing Why, came out in 2024 and he is now helping companies like Pixar, Google, KPMG, Macquarie Group, Lexus and Toyota prepare for the disruptive change of the AI revolution.

Joel hosted the popular ABC Sydney radio show “The Brain Box,” blowing people's minds about their minds.

In this AI Masterclass, we talk about:

✅ How he is at the forefront of accelerating innovation through agile science, rapid experimentation and minimum viable experiments

✅ Some practical tools and mental models to build resilience in an uncertain and rapidly changing AI-driven world

✅ Preparing humans and not just systems for exponential change from Artificial Intelligence, and

✅ Mind-wandering and cognitive recovery as competitive advantages for modern executives.

Connecting with Joel Pearson

You can connect with Joel via LinkedIn and his website.

Books and resources

• The Intuition Toolkit – by Professor Joel Pearson
• Future Minds Newsletters on Substack

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“Imagine any city with 50% job losses, it's a completely different place. I don't see governments getting things ready. It's going to take time.”

On thriving in uncertainty

• The next decade will bring change at a hundred to a thousand times the rate we've just seen; we’re only now hitting the hockey stick part of the curve.
• Uncertainty is now the default state of business and life; the executives who thrive will be those who evolve their response systems, not those who avoid the discomfort.
• Our brains evolved to fear uncertainty because it once meant danger; today, this same instinct can cripple innovation, leadership, and opportunity if left unchecked.
• Managing uncertainty isn’t about predicting the future; it’s about mastering how we feel about not knowing what's coming.
• Building comfort with ambiguity will be the new mental superpower for leaders and organisations alike.

On agile science and innovation

• Agile science emerged for me when I realised how wasteful traditional research methods were; if your first full-scale experiment fails, you lose years.
• I apply minimum viable experiments in my lab the same way a tech startup uses an MVP; small pilots allow fast failure and immediate learning before scaling up.
• Real discovery happens when you let go of needing certainty first; playing with ideas, failing fast, and iterating creates new possibilities you can't plan for in advance.
• Agile science is not just faster; it's more fun and creative because you can sprint, pivot, and experiment like a startup founder, but in research.
• We need to adopt these principles not only in science but in leadership teams, innovation projects, and any major change programs.

On cognitive overload and recovery

• We are living in a constant state of cognitive overload, where the brain’s RAM is maxed out all day, every day.
• Every spare moment is filled with notifications, news, podcasts, emails, and Slack messages; our brains have no room left for deep thinking or recovery.
• Mind wandering — just letting your thoughts drift without input — is as crucial for the brain as sleep; without it, we lose creativity, intuition, and emotional regulation.
• I deliberately build “mind wandering” moments into my week; saunas without devices, driving without podcasts, standing in queues without checking my phone.
• Recovery and true disconnection will become the next major source of competitive advantage for leaders in the AI era.

On exponential AI and humanoid robots

• AI is not just another industrial revolution; it's like an alien species landing on Earth — and now they work with us, think differently to us, and learn faster than us.
• Within five years, humanoid robots will be as normal as smartphones; they’ll clean our houses, work in hospitals and factories, and integrate into daily life without major infrastructure changes.
• AI will augment every sector — not just tech; it will reshape healthcare, manufacturing, education, and even government itself at a pace we can't fully comprehend yet.
• Most leaders and organisations are dangerously underestimating the speed of this change because humans are terrible at intuiting exponential growth.
• Preparing for AI is not about protecting jobs exactly as they are today; it's about radically redefining value, roles, and the very concept of “work.”

On preparing for the AI revolution

• You don't need to predict exactly what AI will do; you need to prepare yourself and your teams to adapt, learn, and respond faster than ever before.
• Reskilling will become a core life skill; being able to unlearn and relearn every 12 months could become the ultimate superpower in your career.
• AI literacy is now as fundamental as reading and writing; every executive must build it into their personal skillset.
• If you ignore AI and hope it won't affect you, you’re like a fish ignoring rising water levels.
• The first step is to use AI every day; experiment, play, fail, and build your personal agency with the tools before they leave you behind.

On the Dream BIG Framework

• The AI Dream BIG framework I developed is a simple but powerful change management model for individuals, teams, and even nations facing AI disruption.
• Start with Actionable Inspiration: know your personal and organisational why for embracing AI, or the resistance will crush you.
• Move into Discovery and Education:build real understanding of what AI is and what it isn't, so you don't lead with fear.
• Build a Roadmap for adoption: small, specific, and tailored to your unique context, not a cookie-cutter plan.
• Throughout every phase, you must monitor balance, mental health, and emotional response; otherwise, the anxiety and uncertainty will derail progress.

On balancing mental health through change

• Protecting your brain is now a strategic priority; overstimulated, exhausted minds are no longer competitive, no matter how hard they work.
• Mind wandering, disconnection from devices, and true mental recovery must become non-negotiable leadership disciplines.
• We must move beyond the toxic productivity culture and embrace new rhythms that nurture creativity, innovation, and human flourishing.
• Thriving in uncertainty requires a mental fitness plan as rigorous as any corporate growth plan.

On the future of work and life

• Within 15 years, most work will feel more like hobbies, freelancing, or passion projects than traditional employment.
• Universal Basic Income or similar models will likely emerge, changing the role of money, meaning, and contribution in society.
• AI will help solve climate change, eradicate major diseases, and unlock abundance, but only if we get through the initial disruption with our humanity intact.
• We are heading into a new Renaissance, not an apocalypse — but only if we build the mental, social, and emotional tools to handle the transition.

Final message of wisdom and hope for future leaders 

• It’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed right now; that fear is evolution talking, not failure.
• The AI future is overwhelmingly positive if we work together, manage uncertainty well, and focus on human growth.
• The next two decades can be the most prosperous, creative, and meaningful time in human history, but only if we lead with courage, not fear.

Stay epic,

Greg