The Future Of Less Work

What if the future of work isn’t about having all the answers but about asking the right questions?The Future Of Less Work podcast reimagines the relationships between individuals, organizations, and work. Hosted by work futurist Nirit Cohen, the podcast delves into the evolving work ecosystem through conversations with leaders, thinkers, and visionaries. Together, they explore how we are co-creating work—one puzzle piece at a time.https://workfutures.niritcohen.com/https://linktr.ee/niritcohen

The Future Of Less Work is a business podcast hosted by Nirit Cohen, with 95 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Nirit Cohen hosts The Future Of Less Work, a business show with 95 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #96

  How AI Is Changing Software Engineering Jobs with Mo Bhende

  Aug 19, 202631 minS1

  When AI can write code, what makes a software engineer great? In this episode of The Future of Less Work , host Nirit Cohen sits down with Mo Bhende, co-founder and CEO of Karat , to explore how AI is reshaping software engineering, technical hiring and the future of engineering talent. Together, they discuss why AI is not eliminating the need for engineers, but moving engineering work closer to real business problems. Mo explains why strong engineers may become even more valuable in the AI era, why companies need to rethink technical interviews, and how entry-level engineering jobs can be rebuilt around AI fluency, judgment and domain expertise. Whether you’re hiring technical talent, leading AI transformation or starting a software engineering career, this conversation offers a practical look at what changes when AI becomes part of the engineering team. https://youtu.be/vKg3EPvuqP8 Guest Information: Mo Bhende is the co-founder and CEO of Karat. Karat is the trusted standard for talent evaluation and improvement that helps leaders build more capable and competitive workforces in the Human + AI era. Before Karat, Mo held leadership roles at Microsoft, leading global strategy for Xbox and overseeing the company's China fund. He holds an MBA from Wharton, an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, and a BS with Honors from Penn State. Mo resides with his family in Seattle. Links: Karat’s 2025-2026 Workforce Transformation Report: https://connect.karat.com/hubfs/2025-2026-AI-Workforce-Transformation-Report.pdf Chapters: 00:00 What Makes a Great Software Engineer When AI Can Code? 01:25 Will AI Replace Software Engineers? 02:49 Why Engineering Jobs Are Moving Beyond Big Tech 04:30 What Is the Future of Entry-Level Software Engineering? 06:50 Why Software Engineering Is More Than Writing Code 09:10 Why Strong Engineers Become More Valuable With AI 11:45 How Companies Should Measure Engineering Value 14:45 How AI Is Changing Technical Interviews 17:04 What Skills Define the Engineer of the Future? 19:02 Why Engineering Managers Need to Become Builders 20:53 How New Software Engineers Can Build AI-Era Careers 23:53 Why Future Engineers Need More Than Computer Science 25:48 What Will Software Engineering Look Like in the Future? 28:44 How Should Companies Compensate AI-Era Talent?

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  Episode #95

  How AI Will Change Competitive Advantage with Doug Stephens

  Aug 11, 202639 minS1

  What Will Customers Pay for When Everyone Has AI? What Happens When Consumers Use AI to Make Buying Decisions? In this episode of The Future of Less Work , host Nirit Cohen sits down with retail futurist Doug Stephens, founder of Retail Prophet and author of The Future of Competitive Advantage , to explore how AI is changing business, retail, consumer behavior, and the value of human work. Together, they discuss why AI will quickly become table stakes, why creativity and critical thinking will become essential sources of competitive advantage, and why companies that replace people without understanding their unique contribution may lose what makes them different. Doug explains how AI-powered consumers and shopping agents could transform advertising, purchasing decisions, brand transparency, and the relationship between companies and customers. They also explore what happens to retail jobs when information becomes a commodity, why customers may increasingly pay for human experience rather than product knowledge, and why trust and fairness will determine whether employees support or undermine AI transformation. Whether you are leading AI strategy, rethinking customer experience, redesigning retail work, or asking what humans contribute when intelligence becomes abundant, this conversation offers a new way to understand competitive advantage in the age of AI. https://youtu.be/OB4k915AXKY Guest Information: Doug Stephens is a globally recognized futurist, keynote speaker, and advisor to major international brands. His work explores how technology, demographics, and cultural shifts are reshaping consumer behavior and business strategy. He is the author of several influential books on the future of retail and commerce including Resurrecting Retail, Reengineering Retail and The Retail Revival. https://www.retailprophet.com/ Author of The Future of Competitive Advantage: A Business Plan to Save Your Customers, Your Company, and Democracy LINK: https://www.retailprophet.com/books/ Chapters: 00:00 What Makes Companies Different When Everyone Has AI? 01:35 Where Does Competitive Advantage Come From in the AI Era? 05:12 Will AI Replace Knowledge Workers? 08:20 Why Critical Thinking and Creativity Matter More With AI? 11:07 How Human Creativity Becomes a Competitive Advantage? 13:25 Why Trust Matters for Successful AI Transformation? 17:19 Who Gets the Productivity Gains From AI? 19:54 Can AI Agents Replace Human Expertise? 22:18 What Happens When Consumers Have AI Too? 22:58 How AI Will Change Advertising and Consumer Choice? 25:17 Will AI Shopping Agents Replace Traditional Advertising? 28:03 How AI Will Change Brand Trust and Transparency? 29:45 Which Jobs Are Most Vulnerable to AI? 31:19 What Will Customers Still Pay Humans For? 32:09 Why Human Experience Becomes More Valuable in Retail? 34:55 What Should Business Leaders Ask About the Future of Work? 37:31 How Trust and Fairness Can Become Competitive Advantage?

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  Episode #93

  How to Build Trust and Human Connection at Work with Randy Lyman

  Jul 28, 202633 minS1

  What Becomes More Human as AI Takes Over Work? Why do people perform differently when they feel seen, heard, and connected at work? In this episode of The Future of Less Work , host Nirit Cohen sits down with Randy Lyman, physicist, entrepreneur, executive coach, and author of The Third Element , to explore why emotional awareness may become one of the most important leadership capabilities in the age of AI. Together, they discuss how leaders can develop emotional awareness even when it does not come naturally, and why leadership itself may become the most valuable human capability as more work is shared with non-human intelligence. Randy explains how listening, slowing down, asking better questions, and paying attention to emotional and physical cues can help leaders build trust and strengthen human connection, even across remote and digital workplaces. Whether you are leading through AI transformation, managing a distributed team, or rethinking what people uniquely contribute at work, this conversation offers a practical reminder that technology may change how work gets done, but trust, belonging, meaning, and human connection still determine whether people can do their best work. https://youtu.be/zUxxUh8IIls Guest Information: Randy Lyman is a physicist, entrepreneur, and expert in emotional intelligence and service-based leadership. He built the American Dream from humble beginnings, eventually founding multiple 8-figure businesses, including an Inc. 500 company. He discovered that lasting success requires embracing the emotional aspect of being human. His entrepreneurial journey spans four decades, earning multiple patents and growing his businesses 30x after integrating spiritual principles, he now shares through The Third Element, which offers tools for emotional healing and personal growth. His background in both physics and business gives him credibility in corporate and spiritual communities. His book, The Third Element (#1 New Release in Personal Growth), reveals how unhealed emotional patterns shape reality and how to transform them for abundance. A pivotal moment for Randy came after achieving material success but realizing emotional disconnection. This led him to focus on emotional awareness, which spurred business growth and renewed purpose. Today, Randy shares his principles to help individuals and organizations achieve clarity, connection, and authentic transformation by harnessing emotional intelligence and turning inner healing into outward success. Beyond his professional life, Randy is a craftsman who builds custom motorcycle engines and restores classic cars. His mission is to inspire others to heal, lead, and unlock their full potential by embracing "The Third Element" and their emotional truth. Links: Instagram: @iamrandylyman LinkedIn: @iamrandylyman Chapters: 00:00 What Human Skills Matter Most in the Age of AI? 01:13 Why Emotional Awareness Improves Leadership 02:49 How Human Connection Drives Business Performance 07:24 How Leaders Can Develop Emotional Awareness 08:04 How Active Listening Builds Trust at Work 10:42 Why Human Conversations Matter More in the AI Era 12:06 How Leaders Make Employees Feel Seen 13:55 The Leadership Habit That Makes People Feel Valued 16:29 How to Build Human Connection in Remote Teams 19:00 Why Small Talk Is an Important Leadership Skill 19:51 How Networking Builds Career Resilience 22:24 How Leaders Can Become More Emotionally Aware 24:06 Simple Ways to Practice Better Leadership Every Day 25:35 What Human Capability Will Matter Most in the Future? 27:41 Why Emotional Awareness Matters in a Technology-Driven World 29:19 What AI Cannot Replace About Human Work 32:28 Randy Lyman and The Third Element

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  Episode #91

  How Do You Manage AI Work You Can't See with Lexi Reese

  Jul 21, 202638 minS1

  How can leaders see what AI is actually doing inside their organization? If employees are using AI every day, why can't leaders see where work is changing, what value AI is creating, or how work is actually getting done? In this episode of The Future of Less Work , host Nirit Cohen sits down with Lexi Reese, Founder and CEO of Lanai , to explore why organizations have systems for managing people but almost none for managing AI work. Together, they discuss why AI should be treated as operating labor rather than just another software tool, why measuring prompts and licenses tells leaders almost nothing about business impact, and how organizations can gain visibility into the work AI is already performing across the business. They also explore how companies can identify the employees quietly transforming workflows, why AI forces leaders to rethink accountability and performance, and why the future of work will depend less on execution and more on human judgment. Whether you're leading AI adoption, measuring AI ROI, or trying to understand how work itself is changing, this conversation offers a new way to think about managing organizations in the age of AI. https://youtu.be/MriSEpv8Yfg Guest Information: Lexi Reese is Co-Founder and CEO of Lanai . Enterprise AI Accountability Company. Former COO of Gusto, VP of Google Advertising, and US Senate Candidate from California. Links: https://www.withlanai.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/lanai-software/posts/?feedView=all https://substack.com/@lexireese Chapters: 00:00 What AI Work Is Already Happening Inside Your Company? 01:20 How Do Humans and AI Actually Work Together? 03:08 How Do You Measure AI ROI Instead of AI Adoption? 05:04 Why Is AI Transformation Happening From the Bottom Up? 08:06 How Do You Measure AI Productivity? 09:32 Why Aren't Companies Seeing Results From AI? 12:04 How Do You Build High-Performing Human-AI Teams? 15:06 How Do You See What AI Is Actually Doing? 18:51 How Do You Scale AI Success Across the Organization? 19:52 Why Should AI Be Treated as Labor Instead of Software? 22:06 Should AI Have Performance Reviews? 24:33 How Do You Break Organizational Silos With AI? 29:02 What Skills Will Humans Need When AI Does the Work? 31:16 Is AI Eliminating the Experience Future Leaders Need? 34:15 What Makes Humans Valuable in an AI World? 36:00 What Legacy Will We Leave in the Age of AI?

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  Episode #91

  How Do You Build A Career That Lasts 100 Years with Lyndsey Simpson

  Jul 14, 202634 minS1

  What if retirement is the wrong goal? What if the future of work isn't about stopping work, but redesigning it? In this episode of The Future of Less Work , host Nirit Cohen sits down with Lyndsey Simpson, founder and CEO of 55/Redefined and author of The Age Rebellion , to explore how longer lives are forcing us to rethink careers, retirement, flexibility, and purpose. As people routinely live into their 90s and beyond, the traditional model of education, career, and retirement is breaking down. Simpson argues that many people no longer want a cliff-edge retirement. Instead, they want more control over how they work, when they work, and what they work on as they move through different stages of life. The conversation explores why flexibility means much more than remote work, why experienced workers are becoming one of the most overlooked talent pools in the economy, and how organizations are discovering the business value of experience. Simpson shares surprising examples of how older workers outperform common stereotypes around adaptability, attendance, customer service, and even AI adoption. Together, they discuss the rise of second careers, entrepreneurship after 50, age bias in hiring, the changing role of lifelong learning, and why the most important question may no longer be "When do you want to retire?" but rather "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Whether you're navigating a career transition, leading a workforce spanning multiple generations, or wondering how AI and longevity will reshape work, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on what comes next. https://youtu.be/eM9Xt5vLIVU Guest Information: Lyndsey Simpson is the Founder & CEO, 55/Redefined and a Sunday Times bestselling author, The Age Rebellion; Supercharge the Second Half of Your Life Lyndsey Simpson is a leading voice on the future of work, health and longevity. As Founder and CEO of 55/Redefined, she is enabling organizations to rethink how people live, work and stay well in an era of longer lives. Her work sits at the intersection of workforce transformation, preventive health and human performance, supporting organizations to build truly age-inclusive environments where people of every generation can thrive and perform at their best. Lyndsey is also the author of The Age Rebellion , an international bestseller challenging how individually we think about longevity, purpose and reinvention. An award-winning entrepreneur and influential media commentator, she brings an energizing, evidence-backed perspective to one of today’s defining challenges: how we create longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives for everyone. Buy The Age Rebellion here: The Age Rebellion – Amazon US Chapters: 00:00 Why Retirement No Longer Fits A 100-Year Life 01:20 What Does A Career After 50 Look Like? 03:35 What Is A Squiggly Career? 05:05 Why More People Start Businesses After 50 06:46 What Does Flexible Work Really Mean Today? 10:12 Are Older Workers Better At AI Than Younger Workers? 11:08 Why Companies Are Hiring More Experienced Workers 15:31 Why AI Needs Human Experience 17:18 What Is Return On Experience (ROE)? 20:06 Why Companies Measure Employee Performance Wrong 22:30 How Do You Stay Relevant After 30 Years In Your Career? 23:43 How Do You Reinvent Your Career After 50? 25:00 How To Change Careers Later In Life 28:52 Why Transferable Skills Matter More Than Technical Skills 31:06 How To Build A Life You Never Want To Retire From 32:07 What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

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