How can artistic thinking and practices foster a healthier and more effective organizational culture?

On this episode of The Culture Kit, hosts Jenny Chatman and Sameer Srivastava host a panel of four experts to discuss using art in the workplace to unleash a team’s creativity and innovation—regardless of the industry.

From Google’s art-infused Quantum AI Computing Lab to new methods of teaching, the discussion revolves around the profound impact of integrating art into business, the role of AI in creative processes, and practical advice for overcoming resistance from those who don’t understand the value of the sometimes-messy creative process.

Panelists:

Erik Lucero leads the Google AI Quantum lab. He believes in the deep relationship between art, beauty, and the ability to innovate. Erik brought art into his new lab for the sole purpose of inspiring creativity in the team.

Forest Stearns is the Principal Artist and co-founder of the Artist-in-Residence program at the Google AI Quantum project.

Nir Hindie founded The Artian, a training company committed to nurturing an artistic mindset in the business environment. He’s a relentless advocate for the connections between artistic talent and business entrepreneurship as two areas that fuel each other.

Léo Boussioux is an assistant professor of Information Systems at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. He’s passionate about the transformative power of AI in art and creativity, and believes that we all have an artist within waiting to be unleashed.

This episode is based on the CultureXChange forum “Finding the Synergy between Art, Creativity, and Innovation” held on December 2, 2024 by the Berkeley Center for Workplace Culture and Innovation. Learn more.

• Why Google transformed a quantum computing lab into an artistic oasis, by Mike Cerre, PBS News, January 10, 2024: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-google-transformed-a-quantum-computing-lab-into-an-artistic-oasis
• DRAWEVERYWHERE PRESENTS: Quantum A.I. Artist in Residence, video by Filmmaker in Residence J.D.Brynn / Cinedata (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCWTO8YX2uQ
• Quantum Computing Inches Closer to Reality with Another Google Breakthrough, The New York Times, December 9, 2024: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/technology/google-quantum-computing.html
• Forest Stearns - DRAWEVERYWHERE: https://www.draweverywhere.com/
• Léo Boussioux’s website: https://www.leobix.us/
• The Artian website: https://theartian.com/
• Full Episode Transcript

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Learn more about the podcast and the Berkeley Center for Workplace Culture and Innovation at www.haas.org/culture-kit.

*The Culture Kit with Jenny & Sameer is a production of UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and the Berkeley Center for Workplace Culture and Innovation. It is produced by University FM.*