When I first starting leading design thinking workshops over a decade ago, I learned a lot about how to bring groups together to co-create.

A decade later, I believe democratizing the design thinking process isn’t just an abstract goal to work on; it’s a necessity. When we open the doors to more people, we get more perspectives faster, break down hierarchies and foster creativity. Getting ideas from everywhere makes solutions more reflective of the diverse world we live in.

Looking back, I’ve seen so many examples of what not to do in the workplace, and it has made me want to create better environments. It also makes the business more successful. I frequently reference a study from MIT that found groups with high collective intelligence performed much better at things like problem-solving, decision-making and innovation. When everyone feels heard and valued, they are much more likely to take creative risks and innovate.

Our Founder & CEO, Paul Sears, recently had the pleasure of joining the Gloria Bailey Ray Show, to chat about The Navigator Collective’s viewpoints on AI in culture. Gloria and Paul discussed and debunked common misconceptions about AI, tackled the critical issue of bias in AI algorithms, and envisioned a world where great ideas can come from everywhere, regardless of an individual’s background or training.

In today’s blazing-fast marketplace, companies are hitting a wall when it comes to innovation. The pace of play is only accelerating, and financial markets are raising the stakes to get it right, fast. The traditional model of relying on a small group of professionally-trained creatives and innovators is starting to show its age. How can new AI-enabled approaches flood the R&D pipeline with great thinking?