The Digital Executive — Episode 1161

Guest: Colin Cooper — Human-Centered AI

Release Date: December 2, 2025
Host: Coruzant Technologies

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the intersection of technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and human behavior, as explored by Colin MB Cooper, a technologist, educator, and futurist. The discussion delves into how AI perceptions have shifted over decades, the importance of immersive and human-centered tech, and practical frameworks for organizations navigating rapid technological change. The conversation wraps with future-looking insights on what emerging technologies could have the biggest impact on human learning, collaboration, and performance.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Shifting Perceptions of AI

[01:38]

• Colin began working in AI and VR technologies 17 years ago, before their mainstream adoption.

• Misconception: Most people underestimate how embedded AI has been in daily life for over a decade (e.g., smartphones, smart speakers).

• Major Shift: The rise of large language models has democratized access to AI, making it broadly usable.

• Concern: Overreliance on technology risks fostering laziness in certain sectors of human behavior.

  "Probably for about 12 years most people have been using AI. If you've had a smartphone, you've had remnants AI on that or speakers that we have in our home... The biggest shift is obviously large language models and it's made it accessible to everybody... we're becoming very reliant on the tech. And in some respects I think it's making the human race or could in sectors make the human race quite lazy."
  — Colin Cooper [01:38]

2. Immersive Intelligence & Human-Centered Learning

[03:09]

• Colin explains IXR’s approach, blending AI, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) to create "immersive intelligence."

• Real-World Gap: Current education fails to prepare students with real-world skills such as creativity and critical thinking.

• Solution: Immersive intelligence customizes curriculum in real time to each learner’s needs and abilities.

• Human at the Core: Prioritizing a human-centered approach ensures technology augments, rather than replaces, human skills.

  "Most people in their daily lives are only using about 5% of what the AI technologies is capable of... So what we've done is, is that we've looked at education worldwide and okay, we aren't preparing students for the real world, if you will... What we've been able to do is use technologies like artificial intelligence, combining that with XR technologies like augmented reality and virtual reality. But the most important thing is making sure that the tech is human centered."
  — Colin Cooper [03:09]

  "It's creating this immersive intelligence that's customizing, creating customized curriculum on the fly to every single student based on where they're at, likes, their needs. And that's essentially what immersive intelligence is."
  — Colin Cooper [04:51]

3. The Future Framework: Preparing Organizations for Technological Change

[05:39]

• Organizations typically lag in tech adoption due to resistance and a lack of readiness.

• Colin introduces the Future Framework, a model developed to increase adoption rates and readiness for new tech changes:

  • F: Foundations in digital literacy
  • U: Understanding emerging tech
  • T: Tool integration and workflows
  • U: Upskilling through immersive learning
  • R: Real-world application and innovation
  • E: Evolution mindset and culture

• The framework significantly boosts adoption rates—from roughly 22% pre-framework to over 70% post-implementation.

  "When new technology comes out, often the adoption rate in businesses is often quite low... The Future Framework was designed around... F stands for foundations in digital literacy. U is understanding emerging tech. T is the tool integration and workflows... R is the real world application and innovation. And E stands for evolution, mindset and culture."
  — Colin Cooper [05:39]

  "Instead of adoption rates, say being in an example organization, there was one recently, the adoption rate of new tech within AI was sitting at around 22, 23%... After the Future Framework, we are sitting at over 70%. It's not perfect, but it's a huge jump."
  — Colin Cooper [06:54]

4. The Next Decade: Defining the Age of Humanity

[08:25]

• The next 24 months will critically shape the impact of emerging technologies for the coming decade.

• Areas to Watch:

  • Advanced AI agents
  • Quantum computing
  • More accessible, lightweight XR devices (e.g., next-gen glasses)
  • Holographic technologies

• Impact: AI will become prevalent in every home, democratizing healthcare and government services.

• Caution: With every positive technological advance, there are negatives—necessitating ethical guardrails and a human-first approach.

  "The next decade, that's a challenging one because I think my belief is in the next 24 months will then set the tone for the next 10 years following that."
  — Colin Cooper [08:25]

  "I do believe that we are standing on what I call the age of humanity. So we've got the age of AI that we're currently in, and we also have this opportunity for the age of humanity."
  — Colin Cooper [08:52]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On AI’s Underused Power:
  "Most people in their daily lives are only using about 5% of what the AI technologies is capable of."
  — Colin Cooper [03:18]

• On Education's Shortcomings:
  "There's this gap which I've personally seen over the last 26, 27 years in hiring between kids coming out of school to what there's real world skill sets that you need like creativity, curiosity, critical thinking."
  — Colin Cooper [03:39]

• On Defining the Future:
  "We are standing on what I call the age of humanity... I think the next two years are going to be very, very defining of what we see next."
  — Colin Cooper [08:52]

Key Timestamps

• 00:08 – Host introduction and Colin Cooper’s background
• 01:38 – How AI perceptions and reliance have evolved
• 03:09 – Immersive intelligence and human-centered learning explained
• 05:39 – The Future Framework for organizational tech adoption
• 08:25 – 10-year outlook: transformative technologies and what’s next

Summary Tone and Takeaways

Colin Cooper offers a balanced, optimistic, and practical take on how technology should empower rather than supplant human strengths. He encourages a proactive approach to AI and immersive tech, advocating for education and organizations to become more adaptive and future-focused while always keeping human needs, creativity, and ethical considerations at the core. The conversation is honest, forward-looking, and grounded in real-world experience.