Is AI Shrinking Human Agency? — Jacob Ward
From The Weekend University by Insights for Evolving Consciousness.
June 4, 2026 · 1h 5m
About this episode
Niall interviews Jacob Ward about the impact of AI on human decision-making and agency.
In this interview, Niall speaks with Jacob Ward, former editor-in-chief of Popular Science and technology correspondent for Al Jazeera and NBC News. Jacob is the author of “The Loop”, and creator of the “Hacking Your Mind”. In this conversation, they explore: — How AI may shape our decisions in the same way tools like Google Maps changed how we navigate — How behavioural science is used to make digital products more addictive — The parallels between tech design and older systems of exploitation — Why legal accountability for behavioural harm may help limit manipulation at scale — The human skills needed to protect complex thinking in an AI-driven world And more. You can learn more about Jacob's work at https://www.jacobward.com. --- Jacob Ward is an American science and technology journalist, television correspondent, and author. He is best known as the former editor-in-chief of Popular Science, a technology correspondent for NBC News, and for his book examining artificial intelligence and human behavior. --- Interview Links: — Jacob’s website: https://www.jacobward.com
People in this episode
Host: Niall
Guest: Jacob Ward
Topics covered
- AI and human agency
- behavioral science
- digital product design
- manipulation and accountability
- complex thinking
- technology and exploitation
Keywords
- artificial intelligence
- human behavior
- digital addiction
- technology design
- legal accountability
- complex thinking
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Popular Science, Al Jazeera, NBC News
Books & works: The Loop, Hacking Your Mind
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