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August 21, 2025•keynote

The Humanity Multiplier: Co-Creating the AI Future

DePaul University Training Day • DePaul University

In-person session at DePaul’s Training Day on AI strategy, use cases, and co-creating the future of higher education with agentic AI.

Applied Data, Analytics & AIRevOps & Data SystemsCollaboration & Alignment SystemsChange Leadership & Culture
higher-ed

Summary

At DePaul University’s Training Day, I delivered a session titled “The Humanity Multiplier: Co-Creating the AI Future.” The goal was to help higher education leaders and staff cut through hype, understand AI in concrete terms, and brainstorm practical, high-leverage use cases.

The agenda moved from the AI landscape (predictive, generative, agentic) into agentic behaviors that drive value — anticipate, deflect, and engage. I introduced Agentforce, Salesforce's autonomous digital workforce framework, and facilitated an interactive brainstorming exercise where staff mapped AI capabilities to their own institutional challenges.

Main Takeaways

  1. Great AI starts with a real problem. Technology should follow clearly defined pain points and outcomes.
  2. Agentic AI unlocks scale. Beyond prediction and content creation, AI can act — reducing staff workload and personalizing engagement.
  3. Frameworks create clarity. Using “Defend, Extend, Upend,” participants categorized AI use cases by value horizon and risk/reward.
  4. Discovery drives ROI. Teams worked through structured prompts to define success metrics, expected outcomes, and data needs.

Examples Discussed

  • Financial Aid Agent: AI synthesizing fast-changing regulations, knowledge bases, and student records to reduce errors and speed resolution.
  • Virtual Assistants for FAQs: Offloading repetitive inquiries to AI, freeing staff to focus on higher-value work.
  • Data Quality Agents: Scanning proactively for anomalies and inconsistencies before reports are published.
  • Predictive Forecasting: Moving beyond spreadsheets to AI-driven demand and enrollment projections.

Reflection

The energy in the room was palpable — staff at DePaul were eager to engage, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. What resonated most was the shift from AI as an abstract trend to AI as a humanity multiplier: a set of tools that reduce friction, unlock capacity, and let people do more meaningful work.

For me, this session reinforced the importance of combining education, facilitation, and co-creation. When institutions see that AI isn’t about replacing people but empowering them, the conversation shifts from fear to possibility. That’s the future I want to help co-create.