Leadership at the Human–AI Boundary
Leadership evolves every time our tools, our teams, and our expectations shift. As AI becomes more present in creative work, strategic decision making, and organizational design, leaders are challenged not only to adopt new technologies but to rethink how value is created and how people and intelligent systems can work together. The contributions in this issue offer thoughtful perspectives that encourage reflection on these shifts, prompting leaders to examine assumptions, explore new approaches, and navigate complexity with greater clarity and intention.
Leonie Polster, Volker Bilgram, and Sarah Görtz, in “From Potential to Practice: Insights and Actionable Approaches to Navigating AI in Human Centered Innovation Workshops,” show how generative AI can expand creativity and accelerate Design Thinking while highlighting the leadership choices needed to preserve collaboration and ownership. Sabine Baumann and Gillian Doyle, in “Why AI Cannot Steal the Show: Leadership Lessons from the Stage,” use the Performing Arts to illustrate where automation adds value and where human creativity remains essential, offering guidance on balancing efficiency with authenticity. Arjun Bali and Anshuman Guha, in “The Executive Dilemma in the Age of Agentic AI,” examine the pressure to move fast on AI adoption and argue for value driven strategies supported by strong governance so that AI initiatives deliver meaningful and responsible impact.
The TEMS Leadership BRIEFS are a free membership benefit for all TEMS members. If you would like to contribute to the IEEE TEMS Leadership BRIEFS please contact me at sabine.baumann@ieee.org. I do hope this issue of the IEEE TEMS Leadership BRIEFS provides you with new ideas and actionable insights. You as a leader are responsible to prepare your team and organization for the future!
Sabine Baumann, Editor-in-Chief
In this Issue
Leonie Polster, Volker Bilgram and Sarah Görtz – From potential to practice: Insights and actionable approaches to navigating AI in human-centered innovation workshops
In their Leadership BRIEF Leonie Polster, Volker Bilgram, and Sarah Görtz explore how generative AI tools like ChatGPT can enhance and challenge creative processes such as Design Thinking. Drawing from a real-world case, the authors highlight how AI can spark ideas, speed up research, and overcome creative blocks, while also warning of risks like diminished team interaction and reduced ownership. Their BRIEF offers practical guidance for innovation leaders on structuring collaboration, training teams, and balancing human AI interaction to ensure creativity does not get lost in automation.
Sabine Baumann and Gillian Doyle – Why AI Can’t Steal the Show: Leadership Lessons from the Stage
Sabine Baumann and Gillian Doyle use the Performing Arts as a revealing test case for understanding the limits of automation. While AI is transforming creative production and backstage operations, live performance continues to demonstrate where human presence, emotion, and expertise remain irreplaceable. Their Leadership BRIEF translates these insights into practical guidance for leaders who must decide when AI truly adds value and when it risks undermining what customers appreciate most.
Arjun Bali and Anshuman Guha – The Executive Dilemma in the Age of Agentic AI
Acrjun Bali and Anshuman Guha examine the tension leaders face between moving quickly on AI initiatives and ensuring thoughtful strategic alignment. As organizations rush to deploy agentic AI systems, the authors warn that speed without governance invites risk and wasted effort. Their Leadership BRIEF offers guidance on how executives can anchor AI decisions in real value, establish strong oversight, and build the organisational readiness needed to work effectively with increasingly autonomous AI systems.
Alexander Brem – Editor’s Picks Engineering Management Review (EMR)
This issue’s editor’s picks showcase several early access articles in IEEE Engineering Management Review that are must reads. They all offer timely insights for engineering leaders—from scaling AI and navigating human-AI dynamics to mastering roadmapping and even learning charismatic speaking. Whether you’re tackling strategy, innovation, or influence, these reads are worth your attention.
