ABOVE: Live scribing of patient journeys during a collaborative design session on mental health

In the last few months while Generative AI and the importance of Mental Health absorbed every conversation, I’ve witnessed important and essential breakthroughs happening in physical rooms with live humans having real conversations and sketching out bold ideas… together.

This article cites some brilliant experts whose research backs this up. They include neuroscientist Barry Scott Kaufman, who emphasizes the role of collaboration in creativity, MIT social researcher Sherry Turkle, who believes that conversation is our most human way of connecting and Nina Schick, one of the earliest GenAI experts.

The Gorilla Glue of You

First of all, let's dive into some scientific research because we all love that, don't we?

Our brains are wired for social interaction and in-person communication provides a human connection that technology (at least in its current form) can not replace.

The “social glue” that comes from in-person interactions
enhances analytical and problem-solving abilities.

When we have face-to-face conversations, we can pick up on nonverbal cues and micro-expressions and respond accordingly. It makes sense, right? A 2021 analysis illuminates the value of real-life social support when considering the relationship between problematic social media use and mental health.

“Problematic social media use” was found in a 2021 Journal of Medical Internet Research meta-analysis to significantly associated with increased depression, anxiety, and social isolation especially (no surprise) in adolescents and young adults.

But, let's be real, we're all guilty of texting, emailing, or messaging someone instead of picking up the phone or meeting up in person. Plus—as my kids have pointed out—neither of their parents are consistently reachable via phone call as we rarely remember to un-silence our phones after Zooming all day.

Personally, I am so unaccustomed to actual humans actually calling!

Burst That Bubble

It's easy to get caught up in the routine of work, checking emails, and being distracted by screens, but we have to remember how important it is to connect with others in-person to improve our well-being.

Another reason why in-person conversations are so important is that it allows us to explore different viewpoints. When we communicate through technology, we tend to surround ourselves with people who think and act like us.

And with the exponential rise of generative AI for images, text, music, and video… determining the “truthiness” of content—and whether it originated from a human—will become more challenging.

As one of the earliest GenAI experts, Nina Schick analyzes how this nascent field of artificial intelligence will change humanity. Nina the creator of The Era of Generative AI, a 100K+ strong GenAI community featuring the weekly EGAI newsletter, exclusive content, and interviews with the pioneers of this space.

In here debut 2020 book DEEPFAKES: The Coming Infopocalypse, Schick predicts:

“Over 90% of online content will be ‘created’ by AI in 2030.”

Listen to Schick’s views on the recent evolutions of GenAI and the rapidly accelerating online “infopocalypse” in this interview with Sam Harris.

In contrast, face-to-face conversations allow us—or in some cases forces us!—to hear different perspectives, which can be eye-opening, challenging, and enriching. Let's be honest; if we're surrounded by people who only agree with everything we say, we will never really grow or learn from others.

A study published in the American Psychology Association found that engaging in meaningful, in-person conversations leads to much higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction through cultivating “the right kind of empathy.”

“In general, empathy is a powerful predictor of things we consider to be positive behaviors that benefit society, individuals, and relationships,” said Karina Schumann, PhD, a professor of social psychology at the University of Pittsburgh.

“Scholars have shown across domains that empathy motivates many types of prosocial behaviors, such as forgiveness, volunteering, and helping, and that it’s negatively associated with things like aggression and bullying.”

Social norms are unwritten rules of behavior based on what is considered “normal” for or expected of members in a certain group. There are a different types of norms:

Descriptive norms: What people are actually doing.
Perceived norms: What someone thinks all or most people are doing
Injunctive norms: What someone thinks they should or should not be doing

Understanding and awareness of existing norms—both inside and outside a specific group or individual—is essential to designing products, interventions, and systems with beneficial impacts.

Creative Connections

Through face-to-face, human-to-human collaboration, we can harness our collective intelligence, build stronger bonds of trust, and push the boundaries of innovation.

Neuroscientist Barry Scott Kaufman has extensively studied intelligence, creativity, and well-being, and his work sheds light on why in-person collaboration is crucial for fostering creativity.

In his 2013 article titled The Real Neuroscience of Creativity published on the Scientific American Blog Network, Kaufman explores the depths of human potential. He emphasizes the significance of interpersonal interactions for enhancing creativity.

The research aligns with the idea that
creativity is a social process.

Kaufman asserts that social interactions and connections contribute to the development of novel ideas and creative breakthroughs. It's through face-to-face conversations and collaboration that we can truly tap into our creative potential.

In an excerpt from his book on cultivating creativity, Kaufman highlights the importance of collaboration in creative endeavors. He aptly points out (and backs up with research):

“Exchanging ideas and perspectives with others can lead to new insights, unexpected connections, and innovative solutions.”

When structured and focused, in-person meetings can provide a rich environment for such exchange, enabling individuals to bounce ideas off one another, build on each other's thoughts, and spark new pathways of thinking.

Don't Phub Me, Bro!

One thing before I go… Have you heard of the term phubbing?

Whelp. I do it. You do it. We’ve all done it and had it done to us.

It's when we ignore the person in front of us due to some reason or the other but give our phones more attention. Ironically, it's that phone on which we so often send messages to that friend we haven't spoken to in a while suggesting we catch up over coffee and chat.

There’s a bucketload of research on the impacts upon relationships, job prospects, and an increase in medical errors.

In her book Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age, Sherry Turkle offers a thought-provoking perspective on the topic at hand. She writes:

“In face-to-face conversation, we are in sync emotionally...
conversation is our most human way of connecting.”

Sherry Turkle, a professor of Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT, has spent years researching the impact of technology on our interactions. She dives deep into how our reliance on digital communication affects our ability to truly connect with others.

Simply put, face-to-face conversations allow us to synchronize emotionally, to truly understand one another in a way that technology simply can't replicate.

We can read each other's facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice, all of which contribute to a deeper level of understanding.

While technology has given us the power to connect with people across the globe, it seems we often neglect the people right in front of us. Turkle argues that we've become so absorbed in our online lives that we forget the importance of genuine human connection.

Scrolling through our phones during a coffee break, pretending to listen while secretly reading an article about the latest celebrity gossip — don't worry, your secret's safe with us ;-)

Some teenagers can expound on any fact, detail, opinion, or debate in the crossovers between the Taylor Swift and Marvel Multiverses, however, it's doubtful whether they can relate two or more details from any recent, live conversation with a grandparent.

Turkle reminds us that the power of conversation lies in its humanity.

It's about building empathy, understanding, and fostering deeper connections.

One of the most ironic scenes I've witnessed was glimpsing the laptop screen of a conference participant shopping online while attending a panel discussion at a scientific symposium of pediatric researchers titled “Clinical Solutions for Screen Addiction in Adolescents.”

So, let's put our phones down, look each other in the eye, and have some kick-ass face-to-face conversations.

Because, my friend, IRL is where the real magic happens!