Can Technology Make Us More Human? Jennifer Aaker Thinks It Should

What is the legacy you hope to leave behind as a changemaker and leader in your industry?

There wasn’t one thunderclap moment where the music swelled, and I suddenly understood my life’s purpose. Instead, it was a series of smaller, quieter realizations—piling up like Sunday afternoons—the kind that crept in with a familiar weight, week after week, month after month. I didn’t know why the blues kept showing up, only that they did. Then, one day, I saw it: meaning and happiness aren’t the same. It sounds obvious now, but at the time, it was like someone handed me a missing puzzle piece. I even remember where I was – I was sitting on my couch in a Santa Monica apartment looking out a grey sky around 5pm with nothing much planned that day. I was beating myself up a bit – why did I feel this *again*. Why couldn’t I shake it? And then this aha came over me – maybe it was ok I wasn’t happy on Sundays; my life was full of meaning – the way I worked, the friendships I had, the way I could actually jujitsu my career into something that was even more meaningful. Figuring out what *was* meaningful to me was a compass. That moment has shaped the work I do today. It’s the reason I teach, the reason I write, the reason I parent in the way I do – and it’s also why I believe technology shouldn’t just optimize for efficiency but for depth, for connection, for flourishing.

Who are three women who inspire you?

Kay Aaker, Tina Fey and Angela Merkel (and absolutely utterly Gloria)

As we look to the future, what is one key change or innovation you believe is essential for advancing equality and empowerment in your field?

If we want to advance equality and empowerment in AI and leadership, we need to rethink what we’re optimizing for. The systems we build—and the cultures we create—often default to measuring success in traditional, narrow ways: efficiency, productivity, and scale. But these metrics don’t capture what makes a life beautiful—what makes it feel meaningful, expansive, or true.

One of the most essential innovations we need is a shift in how we design and evaluate technology—not just for what it can do, but for how it makes us feel. We need AI that doesn’t just maximize engagement but helps people create and recognize beautiful moments—moments that elevate, connect, and transform. Technology should be a tool that deepens human potential, not just accelerates output.

A beautiful life isn’t about accumulating achievements; it’s about cultivating presence, energy, and experiences that animate the soul. That’s why AI and leadership must move beyond the binary of efficiency vs. ethics and instead focus on a new frontier: designing for flourishing. That means reimagining systems that support autonomy, creativity, and a dynamic sense of meaning. It means prioritizing spaces—both digital and physical—where people can be fully human, not just optimized performers.

When we design for beauty instead of perfection, we create the conditions for true empowerment. We move from scarcity to expansion, from control to curiosity. And in doing so, we don’t just build better technology—we build a better world.

What is the legacy you hope to leave behind as a changemaker and leader in your industry?

I’d like to leave behind a body of research and teaching that doesn’t just sit in an archive but actively helps people navigate the increasingly tangled intersection of technology and human flourishing. My hope is to inspire a generation of leaders who don’t just optimize for success but understand that purpose, humor, and joy aren’t distractions from high performance—they’re the fuel for it. I want my work to contribute to a future where technology isn’t just efficient but humane, a tool that deepens meaning and connection rather than diluting them. Ultimately, I want to illuminate how power, grace, humor, and beauty—yes, even beauty—can shape a world where technology works in service of humanity, not the other way around. Also, if our three kids could lift others up in wildly disproportionate ways and have a decent sense of humor, I’d call that a win.