What we gain and what we grieve when AI enters the workplace ft. Debora Gallo

AI is changing a lot more than the way we work - at an essential level, it’s changing the way we see ourselves. In this episode of The Future Is Human by Mews, host Ella McCann-Tomlin sits down with Debora Gallo, VP of Talent Development at Mews, to talk about what it really feels like to lead people through the AI era; a moment that is reshaping expertise, identity, connection and confidence at work. From her own experience of reinvention across Argentina, Australia and the Netherlands to the emotional shock of feeling “heard” by a machine, Debora offers candid and deeply human insights about agency, grief, optimism, leadership and the courage it takes to keep people at the centre when the pressure to move fast is everywhere.

To many, AI seems like the gift that keeps on giving. But the truth is, with AI in our lives, we stand to grieve just as much as we stand to gain, if not more. In this episode of The Future Is Human by Mews, host Ella McCann-Tomlin speaks with Debora Gallo, VP of Talent Development at Mews, about what it means to lead through this strange tension of fast work vs. human work, without pretending the emotional cost is not real.

She reflects candidly on the first time AI felt personal, not because of what it could do, but because of what it made her feel, the fear of losing mastery, the risk of becoming too self-reliant and the quiet grief that comes when parts of your expertise become suddenly available to everyone.

What You’ll Learn:

Why reinvention is becoming one of the most important skills for the future of work
How leaders can help people move towards agency without ignoring what is being lost in the process
Why AI can feel emotionally powerful even when we know it is not human
How to protect your voice, judgment and mastery when using AI tools
Why the pressure to be “all in” on AI can make people feel ashamed of asking hard questions
How remote-first work and AI-enabled self-reliance can increase isolation if leaders are not intentional
Why the best leaders in this moment will offer more than task direction - they will offer honesty, presence and human connection

Tune in for a conversation about staying human when the ground is shifting and why the organisations that keep their heart through this moment may be the most successful ones.