If/Then

“Humans manage to do so much with surprisingly little,” says Douglas Guilbeault, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “Whereas AI, by comparison, is doing relatively little, but with so much power, so much compute, so many resources, and by comparison, relatively fewer constraints.”On a bonus episode of the If/Then podcast, Guilbeault describes the implications of his recent work. Although he readily acknowledges that AI is “increasingly able to do quite a lot,” Guilbeault and his colleagues believe they have identified a key principle that distinguishes human intelligence from machine intelligence — and one which illuminates the limitations of machine thinking. Although some researchers and AI boosters believe both humans and AI learn via optimization, Guilbeault and his colleagues have shown that another process more accurately captures how people distill the seemingly infinite complexity of the world and act based on limited information. “You encounter a lot of noise, a lot of chaos, a lot of randomness,” Guilbeault says. “We somehow figure out how to make meaning and establish strong understandings from within that.”What limitations have you encountered in your work with AI? Share your story with us at ifthenpod@stanford.edu.Related Content:Douglas Guilbeault faculty profileRead "A Simple Threshold Captures the Social Learning of Conventions" hereChapters:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:40 Why human learning matters for AI00:05:03 Satisficing and the limits of optimization00:06:41 Why LLMs learn differently from humans00:09:58 The stakes of AI hype00:13:11 “Humanity has had a good run”00:15:19 Intuition, insight, & conceptual leaps00:17:38 Beyond statistics: metaphor, vibes, & reasoning00:19:39 A simple rule for social learning00:21:18 Is there a ceiling for AI?00:23:00 Randomness, disorder, & the path to insight00:25:00 What an optimization mindset leaves out00:27:54 Conclusion If/Then, from Stanford GSB, features conversations with faculty that explore how their research deepens our understanding of business and leadership.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on If/Then, we’re sharing an episode of View From The Top: The Podcast, an audio series featuring leaders from around the world in conversation with MBA students. Recorded live at the CEMEX Auditorium at Stanford Graduate School of Business, episodes feature insights on effective leadership, the values that guide it, and lessons learned along the way.Lisa Su, the chair and CEO of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), leads one of the world’s most influential technology companies, a pioneer in high-performance computing and designer of chips that power everything from cellphones to supercomputers.Su joins Michael Liu, MBA ’25, to talk about what it takes to stay on the cutting edge of technology, the tremendous potential of artificial intelligence, and why her superpower may be her commitment to learning.“Careers are very much by chance,” Su says. “The nice thing about my early career is I was lucky enough to have bosses who asked me all the time, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ And I was like, ‘I don't know. Let me think about [it]...what I like to believe is the ability to learn at each step was what really helped me in my career.”This conversation was recorded on February 24, 2025. More Resources:    •  Lisa Su    •  GSB Insights     •  View From The Top If/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society.Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Kevin Cool introduces a summer spotlight on other podcasts, featuring View from the Top.(00:00:59) Meet Lisa Su Michael Liu introduces Lisa Su, AMD CEO, and highlights her career transformation.(00:04:13) Growing Up & MIT Years Lisa reflects on her immigrant upbringing and her journey through three degrees at MIT.(00:05:43) Discovering Semiconductors A part-time lab job at MIT ignites Lisa’s passion for chip technology.(00:07:21) From Engineer to Leader Lisa describes her transition from technical work to managing people and projects.(00:11:19) Tackling Hard Problems How curiosity and teamwork help Lisa embrace high-stakes technical challenges.(00:13:40) Betting on Talent Lisa recounts moments when she was given a chance—and how she now pays that forward.(00:17:03) Becoming CEO at AMDWhat brought Lisa to AMD and the unexpected call to lead the company.(00:21:51) Strategy in a TurnaroundHow AMD focused on high-performance computing and long-term bets.(00:25:41) Cultural Shift at AMD Lisa outlines how AMD’s culture became collaborative, ambitious, and learning-driven.(00:27:19) AI & Global Tech PoliticsThe complex intersection of AI innovation and geopolitical regulation.(00:32:37) Open vs. Closed AI PlatformsAMD’s open-source AI approach with NVIDIA’s more vertical model.(00:38:54) Future Vision & Final ReflectionsLisa offers advice to MBAs and shares what she wants her legacy at AMD to be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on If/Then, we’re sharing an episode of The Future of Everything, a podcast hosted by Stanford School of Engineering professor and friend of the show Russ Altman.Everyone has goals — some are monumental, others modest — but every goal matters. Szu-chi Huang, an associate professor of marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business, is an expert on sustaining enthusiasm for individuals, customers, and employees across global corporations and organizations.On this episode, Huang shares what it takes to stay motivated over time — not just at the beginning of a goal, when energy runs high, or at the end, when the finish line is in sight, but through the toughest part: the middle. She explains why motivation is a dynamic process that requires different tools at different stages, and offers practical advice drawn from her research on everything from retirement savings and loyalty programs to children’s health and social apps. Along the way, she and Altman explore how purpose, progress, and even a little social pressure can help us keep going — and how AI might someday coach us through.More Resources: Szu-chi Huang, faculty profile & If/Then episode Russ Altman, faculty profile The Future of EverythingIf/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society.Chapters:(00:00:00) IntroductionRuss Altman introduces Szu-Chi Huang, professor of marketing at Stanford GSB.(00:03:31) Studying MotivationSzu-chi shares what led her to study motivational science(00:04:03) Defining MotivationMotivation as the drive to close the gap between current and ideal self.(00:04:57) The Science of MotivationStudying motivation through behavioral and neurological data.(00:05:48) Why It Matters in BusinessHow motivation science applies to leaders, teams, and customers.(00:06:39) Motivation FrameworkThe strategies needed in order to stay motivated over time.(00:07:42) The Mindset of MotivationThe different mindsets needed throughout the stages of motivation.(00:09:21) Motivating Kids to Choose HealthyA Collaboration with UNICEF to study what motivates children.(00:10:55) Gamified Coupons in PanamaA study using gamified coupons to influence children's food choices.(00:14:26) Loyalty Programs as MotivationHow customer reward programs act as structured goal journeys.(00:16:47) Progress Versus PurposeThe different incentives needed in each stage of loyalty programs.(00:18:29) Retirement Saving LessonsHow financial institutions apply motivational science to long-term goals.(00:21:12) Motivation in Social ContextThe role of social connections in goal pursuit and sustaining motivation.(00:26:10) Designing Apps for MotivationHow redesigning user interfaces can help users stay motivated.(00:27:20) AI as a Motivation CoachUsing AI to personalize feedback across all stages of goal pursuit.(00:30:09) Starting and Sustaining a GoalPractical strategies for launching and sustaining a goal.(00:31:57) ConclusionSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you stick to the rules or do you roll through stop signs? Whether you’re “tight” or “loose” — how closely you adhere to social norms — has major implications for your life at home and at work. “To be effective, we want to be ambidextrous,” says Michele Gelfand, the John H. Scully Professor in Cross-Cultural Management and Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “Even if we might lean tight or loose, we want to be able to create a context where we can have both tight and loose elements.”Sophisticated strategies will fail if they don’t account for deeply embedded norms, and Gelfand breaks down why the adage that “culture eats strategy for breakfast” is more than just a management cliché. “From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep, [culture is] affecting everything from our politics to our parenting,” Gelfand says. “But we take it for granted — we don’t even think about it. So it’s kind of invisible. And that’s a pretty profound puzzle.”   What’s the biggest cultural adjustment you’ve made? Share your story at ifthenpod@stanford.edu.This episode was recorded on January 28, 2025.Related Content:Faculty profilePsst — Wanna Know Why Gossip Has Evolved in Every Human Society?Class Takeaways — The Art of NegotiationWhy the Pandemic Slammed “Loose” Countries Like the U.S.If/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society. Each episode features an interview with a Stanford GSB faculty member.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“The way I think about trying to anticipate and shape the AI future requires us to take a step back and ask ourselves first, ‘What does this technology do? What does it enable?’” reflects Amir Goldberg, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “That’s very different from asking ourselves, ‘How is the technology implemented?’” From locating the origins of innovation to identifying hidden barriers blocking new ideas, Goldberg presents a framework for harnessing novel technological capabilities like AI — capabilities that are essential for staying ahead of the competition.  “The data/AI train is leaving the station,” he says. “The problem is, there are many trains — and some are going off a cliff.”   Is your organization exploring how to transform its experience into data? Tell us your story at ifthenpod@stanford.edu.This episode was recorded on February 5, 2025.Related Content:Amir Goldberg faculty profileTo Discover Breakthrough Ideas, Look to the OutsidersIs Your Business Ready to Jump Into A.I.? Read This First.Why Investors Throw Money at Eccentric CEOIf/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society. Each episode features an interview with a Stanford GSB faculty member.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sridhar Narayanan, a professor of marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business, studies how small businesses operate and why they’re so important, especially in the developing world. “Modernizing small businesses will have a profound impact on economies worldwide in many ways,” he says. In this episode of If/Then, Narayanan explains why so many retailers still rely on cash, how modernization can boost revenue, and what these patterns reveal about credit access, trust in institutions, and global economic development.Have you modernized a small business or did you choose to stick with what was already working? Tell us your story at ifthenpod@stanford.edu.This episode was recorded on November 5, 2024.Related Content:Sridhar Narayanan faculty profileUpgrades Can Help Mom-and-Pop Stores Compete with Big RetailFrom Instinct to Insight: Crafting an Intentional Sales StrategyWith “Retargeted” Advertising, Sooner Is Better Than LaterIf/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society. Each episode features an interview with a Stanford GSB faculty member.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Susan Athey, the Economics of Technology Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business and founding director of the Golub Capital Social Impact Lab, studies the impact of technological innovations on workers, businesses, and society. Will the world’s economies successfully adapt to a future defined by artificial intelligence? On this episode, Athey shares what the stories of 22,000 laid-off workers in Sweden can tell us about who recovers from economic turmoil, how small design changes and product features can have outsize societal impact, and how AI could transform the way we work, from hiring to healthcare. What’s the best way to build a future that effectively integrates AI and supports workers? Tell us more at ifthenpod@stanford.edu.This episode was recorded on December 16, 2024. Related Content:Susan Athey faculty profileA Low-Cost, Scalable Way to Get More Women Into TechA.I. Can Help “Personalize” Policies to Reach the Right PeopleA/B Testing Gets an Upgrade for the Digital AgeEast Brother Light StationChapters(00:00:00) - Modernizing a 150 Year Old Lighthouse(00:03:05) - Adapting to Advancing Technology(00:04:20) - Impact of Mass Layoffs(00:06:16) - Low-Cost Scalable Solutions(00:13:37) - AI’s Role in the Future of Work(00:19:45) - Managing Transitions in the Job MarketIf/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society. Each episode features an interview with a Stanford GSB faculty member.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.