Team Human vs. Team Machine: Reimagining the Generative Future of Work

In a thought-provoking conversation, hosts Stela and Donna sat down with the co-founders of Andus Labs: media theorist Douglas Rushkoff and Amar Bakshi. Rushkoff, a professor at CUNY Queens and author of 20 books including Team Human, joins Bakshi - founder of Shared Studios and the "Portals" project - to discuss a critical question: Can we use the rise of AI to finally reconnect work with providing what people actually need or want?

Moving Beyond the "Clock Tower" and "Bullshit Jobs"

Historically, work has been governed by the "clock tower," a medieval tool used to impose control by trading units of time for money. Rushkoff argues that this system prioritizes capital accumulation over human flourishing. In our modern economy, where services account for nearly 73% of GDP, many people find themselves in "administrative" or "bullshit jobs".

Drawing on the work of Lewis Mumford, Rushkoff describes a divide between those doing actual production (factories and farms) and a "blue state" class that administrates how corporations exploit those resources. AI is currently poised to replace this administrative labor first, leaving us to question the purpose of our roles. Rushkoff notes that the "billionaire class" often views both workers and consumers as mere "units," indifferent to whether they are human or AI, a trend he warns is fundamentally anti-human.

Reclaiming Authenticity and Human Narrative

Amar Bakshi, whose "Portals" have connected over half a million strangers globally, suggests that our modern lives have been "instrumentalized" by algorithms. From Tinder dates to LinkedIn profiles, every interaction is optimized for an end goal, which "leeches life of meaning".

To counter this, he emphasize three essential human capacities that AI cannot replicate:

  • Authenticity: The foundational trust that a person is speaking their truth rather than following a paid script or an algorithm.
  • Narrative: Research shows it is nearly impossible to argue someone out of a perspective using facts alone; true understanding requires personal stories.
  • Play and Awe: Spaces with "no purpose" allow for beauty and creativity, which are core to both democratic citizenship and high-functioning social environments.

The Andus Labs Approach: From Efficiency to Generative Flourishing

Instead of using AI simply to make existing, brittle processes 10% more efficient, Andus Labs helps organizations adopt a "generative mindset". This design firm, which also includes co-founders Jennifer McTiernan and Chris Perry, helps leaders build new human-AI fluent systems in 90 days or less.

Their strategy involves:

  • Internal Capacity Building: Rather than creating a dependency on outside consultants, they build "learning environments" within companies to unlock untapped potential.
  • Decentralized AI: Douglas suggests using localized, "tide pool" AI stacks rather than relying on the biased models of three or four major tech companies.
  • The Civic Stack: A project exploring how AI can serve mutual aid, bioregionalism, and the circulation of natural resources.

A Collective Choice: Team Human

Being human is a "team sport," but technology often pushes us toward isolation. Rushkoff points out that we currently have "iPhones" and "iPads" but no "we-phones" or "us-phones" because an individuated consumer is easier to manipulate.

The path forward requires collective action. As Amar Bakshi notes, there is no "individual way out" of our current global instability. We must engage mindfully with technology to ensure it amplifies human rapport and solidarity rather than reifying exploitative processes.

As the conversation concludes, the message is simple but profound: "Find another." We must find other people to collaborate with to create the workplace—and the reality—we actually want to inhabit.

Resources & Mentions

Books by Douglas Rushkoff:

Other Books & Scholars Mentioned:

Companies & Projects:

  • Andus Labs: A generative design and development firm co-founded by Douglas Rushkoff, Amar Bakshi, Jennifer McTiernan, and Chris Perry.
  • Shared Studios (Portals): Connecting strangers in immersive video environments.
  • Noro: A company creating life-size, full-body video walls to enable eye contact and body language in digital connection.
  • Center for Constructive Communication at MIT: Where Amar Bakshi serves as an entrepreneur in residence.

Analogy for Understanding: Think of the current influx of AI like Mary Poppins arriving at the Banks household. She doesn't just do the work for the family; she introduces a new process of play and responsibility that opens up their untapped potential. Once they have learned to "fly their own kites" and find joy in their collective life, she moves on, leaving behind a more resilient and connected family.

Transcript and the show notes are available here: www.workestration.ai/episode-3-team-human-team-machine-and-us-p2-of-2-w-douglas-rushkoff-amar-bakshi-co-founders-of-andus-labs/

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