Thinking Like a Human: The Power of Your Mind in the Age of AI

by David Weitzner

A bright and timely book that celebrates the value of the human mind

AI is at the forefront of everyone's from students and artists, to CEO's and service workers. But what exactly is AI, and how does it influence our everyday lives? And more than that, what does it mean for our future? Is there a way for us to retain our "humanness" in a world ever-reliant on tech?

This groundbreaking book argues that the key technology we use to make strategic, political, and ethical decisions is flawed. As we race headlong into a future where we outsource all of our problem solving to artificial intelligence, the greatest threat to humanity is not superintelligent machinery, but a lack of trust in the power of our own minds. This book offers a new way forward—what Dr. Weitzner calls "artful intelligence"—a philosophy that celebrates our humanness and can help each of us make better decisions and create a healthier relationship with the world around us.

In these pages, the author walks us through how AI often fails and how that affects our lives. But readers will also meet the rockstars, inventors, and business leaders who embody artful intelligence and are changing our world for the better in an era rampant with AI malpractic—while being taught how to do the same.

Genres: Artificial Intelligence

320 pages, Hardcover

Published May 13, 2025

About the author

David Weitzner is a writer, teacher, and consultant, working to uncover the best of what makes us human. He researches the science of artful thinking and creative co-creation, as well as strategies for bettering our ethical, spiritual, and business decision-making.

Dr. Weitzner is an associate professor of management at York University, with a PhD in Strategy, an MBA in Arts and Media Management and an Hon. BA in Philosophy. His paper, Harm Reduction, Solidarity, and Social Mobility as Target Functions won the R. Edward Freeman Journal of Business Ethics Philosophy in Practice Best Paper Award, and his book, Connected Capitalism, won the Bronze INDIES Book of the Year Award for Business and Economics.

David writes the Managing with Meaning blog for Psychology Today, offering strategies for a more human-centric approach to business. His research has been published in prestigious peer-reviewed outlets like the Academy of Management Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, Organization Studies, and Journal of Business Ethics. He also coedited Corporate Social Responsibility (Routledge) and coauthored Strategic Management: Creating Competitive Advantages (McGraw-Hill Ryerson).

David has presented as an invited guest at several high-profile international conferences, including Repurposing Management for the Public Good, hosted at the Møller Institute at the University of Cambridge, and Business as an Agent of World Benefit, co-sponsored by the UN Global Compact. His ideas have appeared in popular media outlets like NPR, Politico, Salon, The Globe and Mail, The Conversation, Business Insider, Tablet Magazine, The National Post, Yahoo News, and The Financial Post Business Magazine, among others.

Reviews

[Bisman · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading a hundred books on AI, this one was actually refreshing. The author has a point of view and actually sticks to it throughout. His perspectives are genuinely interesting and gave me many arguments, which is a compliment. I like writing that makes me think rather than skim.
Detailed review on Fable.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I agreed with the author's take of Sam Altman, the author was more interested in talking about Jewish culture and how nationalists are the bane of society. the author would have beebetter served laying out the problem, focusing on love and human connection as the path forward to keep humans human rather than programmed automations.

Another oddity is the author's position against UBI thinking that the downward slope of automated dystopia will miraculously be fixed by someone... who?

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

AI is everywhere, but is it making us smarter? This book explores the dangers of over-reliance on artificial intelligence and offers a practical guide to reclaiming our humanness. Learn how to cultivate “artful intelligence” and make better decisions in an increasingly tech-driven world.

Smart and insightful, this book is inspirational and a pleasure to read. AI is a powerful tool, not a replacement for human intelligence. I highly recommend the book for anyone with an interest in the subject.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not expecting this book to be woo-woo but I completely loved it. The first half (approximately) was what I had expected - a discussion on how AI started and is being developed. The second half was about how to combat the encroachment of AI into everything in our lives. And the suggestions are elegant in their simplicity though challenging to execute: spend time with other humans; tap into the wisdom of our physical bodies; build communities.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an eARC of this book! This is my honest review.

[Mordecai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! A book that puts into words what so many of us feel about the new “religion” of AI.

Yes, there’s a place and purpose for tech. But why aren’t we questioning the intent and motivation behind Big Tech and the push for transhumanism that really isn’t making our lives better?

A must read, for the millions of us wondering where we fit in in this coming Industrial Revolution.

[Roo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting read that will have you truly wondering what does AI mean to our world? It was interesting to see how the author discussed the failures and shortcomings of AI and how human minds change these aspects.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. In light of all the hype concerning the good thinking that AI is doing, this book counter's that story with the thinking we can do that leverages our humanness.

Worth your time to read.