What if Design Thinking Meets the AI Revolution (with Nick Bonora)

What if the key to thriving in the AI revolution isn't learning new tools—but learning to ask better questions?

In this thought-provoking episode of AGI: Advance, Grow, Innovate with AI, host Jason sits down with Nick Bonora, Director of Purdue University's Event Design Lab, for a conversation that will change how you think about problem-solving in the age of AI.

Nick reveals the power of backward design thinking—starting with empathy for your stakeholders and engineering solutions in reverse. From a cardiology conference designed around a 40-beat-per-minute CPR improvement to custom GPTs that teach students the writing process (instead of doing it for them), this episode shows how thoughtful design beats throwing "spaghetti against the wall."

• The "Eat the Frog" moment: How one simple question—"What problem are you trying to solve?"—can transform entire partnerships
• AI in education done right: Why custom GPTs should guide students through learning, not replace their thinking
• The coming job displacement: Anthropic's CEO predicts 50% of entry-level jobs will vanish in 1-5 years—what skills will matter?
• The authenticity crisis: As deepfakes flood the internet, why we might return to face-to-face interactions
• Soft skills survival: What universities are scrambling to teach because graduates are "technically proficient but need mom to come to job interviews"

• Nick's take: "I, Robot" scenario with AI companions solving the senior care crisis
• Jason's vision: Blade Runner's dark corporate landscape where human and AI become indistinguishable

Whether you're an educator wondering how to handle ChatGPT in your classroom, a business leader trying to implement AI without throwing money at buzzwords, or someone curious about where society is heading, this conversation provides a framework for thinking clearly about complex problems.

Perfect for: Tech professionals, educators, business strategists, and anyone who wants to design solutions that actually work—not just follow the AI hype.

🔗 Connect with Nick Bonora and the Purdue University Event Design LAB℠ on LinkedIn
🛠 AI Tools Discussed: ChatGPT, Claude (Anthropic), Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, LLaMA
⚡ Bonus: Real examples of backward design in action, from medical conferences to university partnerships