What if AI doesn’t replace you…but amplifies exactly who you choose to become in 2026?

As we step into a future shaped by automation, algorithms, and artificial intelligence, the real question isn’t what AI will do to us, it’s how we choose to work with it.

In today’s episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with one of the world’s leading voices on human-centered AI to break through the fear, the hype, and the noise, and get practical about what actually matters.

This is a grounded, honest, future-focused conversation about how humans stay relevant, creative, and in control in an AI-powered world.

What you’ll learn:

• Why AI is an amplifier, not a replacement

• What skills will matter most as automation accelerates

• How to think critically instead of fearfully about AI

• Why soft skills, ownership, and creativity are becoming non-negotiable

• How young people can shape AI policy, ethics, and real-world impact

• What “human + machine collaboration” actually looks like

• How to prepare for a future where learning never stops

Dr. Bryan Reimer is a Research Scientist at MIT, working at both the MIT AgeLab and the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, and one of the leading global thinkers shaping the future of mobility, automation, and human-centered AI. He has authored 300+ publications, co-directs major MIT research consortia, advises governments and global companies, and was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to the Transforming Transportation Advisory Committee, serving as Vice Chair of the AI Subcommittee. Bryan is also the co-author of the upcoming book

How to Make AI Useful: Moving Beyond the Hype to Real Progress in Business, Society, and Life, where he explores how AI can genuinely improve human life, not replace it.

In this episode:

00:00 Introduction & why this conversation matters in 2026

02:50 Top 3 takeaways you shouldn’t miss

03:50 “AI is an amplifier” - what that really means

06:17 Moving beyond the AI hype

09:13 AI as an opinion, not a truth

12:16 Soft skills vs hard skills in an AI world

15:00 Regulation, ethics & guardrails

18:03 How to stop fearing AI and think critically

21:56 Jobs, education & the future of work

26:36 Skills young people must develop now

28:48 How youth can shape AI policy & impact

32:20 How to use AI without losing creativity

35:59 Advice Bryan would give his 17-year-old self

39:48 Books that shaped his thinking

43:07 Final message

If you learned something new from this episode, do me a huge favor: double-check that you’re subscribed, follow the show, and rate this episode 5 stars. It’s the single best way to help us bring you more amazing guests and tools to help you live your best life ever. Now, go out there and make this your best year yet!

📺 Watch on YouTube: The SMARTA Podcast Playlist

📖 See Sonia’s books: www.soniamarta.com/books.

📲 Follow Sonia’s Journey linktr.ee/soniamartauthor

Music by epic_musictracks on Pixabay

https://pixabay.com/music/main-title-epic-drama-113886/