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Mindvista Anniversary Edition: From Mountain Ranges to Valley of Flowers – An Explorer’s Map of Six Vistas For Your Journey

Being Human in the Age of AI’ series.

  • July 11, 2025
  • 52nd Edition
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Welcome to the 52nd and Anniversary edition of the Mindvista newsletter,a capstone of summary and reflections on the journey that began a year ago and next.

I want to start of with a big thank you to your readership (22K readers) and new global connections/subscriptions (500+) and a thousand comments and likes with no marketing. It is said that when you do what you love, then reactions should not matter but we are all human and your readership and engagement made it worthwhile.

As a Linkedin newsletter the editions are presented one at time and in linear sequence of publishing for subscribers . However this is not how the editions were wriiten. This 52 nd Anniversary edition is to address this limitation and present the thematic /vistas as summaries and navigable reference guide to give a collective sense of all of the editions.

Let’s begin from the beginning.

Why Mindvista: A Journey From Mountain Ranges To A Valley of Flowers

The first edition of Mindvista was published in June 24. Looking back, Mindvista was not part of a plan but it just emerged from circumstance and our ability to look beyond it.

In May 2024 I stepped back from full time work to pay attention to things that matter like health, family and friends and journey of self learning and development. From a corporate executive climbing never ending range of mountains , life and time seemed like a long walk in a valley of plains

Then three things that triggered the change the walk in a valley of plains to an explorer in a valley of flowers and gave birth to the Mindvista newsletter

1. Study and personal use of AI in learning and research opened a whole new word of thinking about beneficial AI in life , at work and for society. It was almost lke sitting beneath a Peepul tree for meditation.

2.Naval Ravikant Almanack and then more of ‘Navalisms’ showed the power of clarity of thought and writing to influence thought and action

3.Acknowledgment of an advice I gave to a senior leader as something useful triggered the conversion from a comment to the first Mindvista edition to explore in depth and reach a larger Linkedin Audience. ( 1st Edition- Why do you work? The answer does not matter but the questioning process may help)

Thus began Mindvista. A newsletter shaped around a singular theme of – Being human for a better tomorrow- Explorations about work, well-being, leadership, society and technology in Age of AI .

Mindvista Editions : Six Themes Being Human and Better Humanity in the Age of AI

The Mindvista editions are written as a set of six themes or vistas that concern all of us to do more and be more at work, in life, for enterprise adoption, innovation, for society and civilisation.

Across these themes, every edition, aims to answer a question with context, provide perspective using metaphors and frameworks (from history, philosophy or original) and a recommended actions for readers to take. The intent is to leverage human knowledge to focus on a topic and provide clarity and action for readers.

A summary of context and questions is as below. While presented together as a whole, feel free to jump directly to the theme(s) and editions that calls to you most.

For easy navigation, Sidebar 2 has the theme wise links.

These editions are not newsy or time sensitive and readers will find relevance any time they review and In the Age of Intelligence it is more important than ever to be human for beneficial use of AI.

Vista 1: Work (13 editions)

How do we find meaning, agency, and growth in our professional lives?

Before getting into AI or even regardless of it, we need to be grounded on what defines and motivates us to be us at work, why do you work, how well is that going (indicators), what makes you unique and become your best self, what is your learning model at work, investing in yourself and mindful leisure like silence between notes.

We don’t work alone but are part of team /structure and and have to be good at managing a hierarchy (up and down) .How do you manage duality and special edition for founders on how to stand for today AND lean in for a future.

With these fundamentals in place, how we should view and take five actions to take to do well and be well in the Age of AI? What specifcially can be a good framework for individual contributors, managers and leaders to leverage AI to do more and be more?

In a way these are 101 and 102 thinking of your work, meaning and future in the Age of AI.

Vista 2: Life (8 editions)

Beyond our careers, how do we cultivate a reflective and purposeful life?

We are more than workers or managers or leaders. We aspire for a good life and that requires self development more than ever. Editions in this theme address questions about reflection, development and growth in life.

In the18th century, Jeremy Bentham conceived a prison design called ‘Panoptican’ where every prison cell can be seen by a single watchman in a watchtower to assess prisoner’s behavioral impact from constant surveillance. Can this Panoptican idea be adapted as an ‘Inner Watchman’ for self development and not surveillance? Can AI be such an Inner Watchman for you ?

Time is our biggest ally for us to mark progress.Though written for 2024 year ending and on the anvil 2025, these editions would be of relevance in future for how can we use time markers to reflect on progress and also give hope and purpose to overcome our own and societal challenges.

The Sapir Whorf hypotheses suggests language afftects cognition and worldview.Likewise how does AI change our thinking and what are essential literacy skills in this world?

Aristiotle observed that ‘Man is a social animal’. Unfortunately current AI designs and research give a disturbing picture of reduced and diminishing quality of human connections on AI usage. Can this be changed ? How can AI help build and not destroy human connections?

There is an overload of writing and opinions about AI from humans. What if we flip this? As co creators what does AI think of human collaboration? What are its ideas for taking human collaboration forward?This edition is written by AI and shared for readers to assess its capabilities and reflect on their own AI collaboration.

AI if designed and used well is not just a work tool but can be a private companion and also deepen our human connections

Vista 3: Efficient Enterprise with AI (6 editions)

How can enterprises move beyond hype to scale AI with agency and safety?

The ChatGPT’s public launch in November 22 was an epochal moment in the field of AI . It made AI real for consumers (like me) and pushed enterprise to explore this game defining technology. As we all know, implementing AI in the enterprise is more than mere technology availability- organization, skill, data security , ethics and conducive environment for investment are all needed to.

Traditionally organizations were driven by Zeusian order of rules, tasks and workflows while in the Age of Intelligence thrives Promeathean way of adaptability, innovation and evoluation. What are the five aids for enterprises to change the paradigm? How can Employee First approach enable AI adoption?

Successful AI adoption requires business context and tech know how. How can an Apprenticeship for AI Allyship pairing tech interns with business leaders create business value, bridge intergenerational gap and create future leaders? We can learn and adapt from 19th century Igabo apprenticeshiip model in Nigeria.

The ultimate test of value is how much will enterprise be willing to pay. What will $1000 per user per months subscription (50x pro rate) look like as value?

How can Sun Tzu’s Art of Warfare principles be applied d to win the batte of data security in AI?How can the Five Fold Path be a new principled way of enterprises to follow and disclose for Ethical AI?

On-going tariff wars have created a chill in investments and funding. Yet as in a car race, winners are made in the bends not in the straights. What is the way forward for business to negotiate uncertainty and perhaps gain advantage even in exploring for supply chain risk and price/demand elasticity?

While there are technology solutions for AI adoption a new humanities philosophy and human asset based approach can be a guide to find simplicity and clarity in designing solutions even amidst business uncertainties and risks.

Vista 4 : Innovative Enterprise with AI Accelerated Innovation 15 editions

How does an enterprise move beyond efficiency gains to create entirely new revenue bearing products and services?

Two big infuences both in the beginning of the year, shaped the most expansive cross industry Mindvista theme of 15 editions on AI led innovation.

Ironically or perhaps not , the influence was the public launch of DeepSeek in January 25 where I read and experienced first hand a disruptive innovation on AI Tech . DeepSeek cut a new a path in LLM Architecture and engineering that delivered stunning results at a fractional cost. They also redemonstrated what we had seen before – disruptive innovation from unconstrained, purposed and frugal thinking, the antithesis of established LLM vendors . A modern day David that slingshots Goliath.

At the same time, in January 25, I read a Mckinsey report – Titled – “Superagency in the workplace: Empowering people to unlock AI’s full potential “ The Mckinsey research 47% of the C-suite say their companies are developing gen AI tools too slowly,80% of companies have seen < 5% revenue impact; 40% have seen increase in costs by 20% The report also mentions that the C – suite of 92% of companies plan to increase their investment in the next 3 years but also expect “ Super Agency” and that AI should deliver more than 5% revenue growth in next three years .

Synthesizing these, accelerated Innovation using AI is all about how can AI led/based innovation create new markets, products/services as opposed to AI adoption for efficiency gains from reducing human effort, costs and optimizing processes.

What is the industry context to evaluate AI innovation? Where are the opportunties ? What are real examples of AI led innovators with new services and products? What do each of them and how do they use AI ? What can we learn and adapt from industry context?

There are 11 Mindvista editions that cover 8 industries and 3 common enterprise functions feature 43 AI led innovations as below

  • 1. Financial Services
  • 2. Pharmaceutical
  • 3. Healthcare
  • 4. Software
  • 5. Hardware and Software (Physical AI)
  • 6. Retail
  • 7. Media and Entertainment
  • 8. Education
  • 9. Sales and Marketing
  • 10. HR
  • 11. Finance

How can Sales and Marketing, HR, Finance use AI to enable and realize business value? What can Apple, Marriott, LinkedIn, Amazon do that is AI led and innovative?

AI innovation is not only products or services but creates whole new business model. . What is Service As A Software? What are the six principles that define this ? How to scorecard and evaluate with innovator examples?

What can enterprise destroy to create funding and what new execution models can help share risk and capture value?

There is value to read if this relates to your industry. There is also value to see what other industries are doing and how are they innovating know hard problems are being solved? Who are these innovators and how AI is used to creare new ? How are they executing?

The real benefit of AI happens when we create new and augment business and humans and AI and it is happening for those wanting to see and do.

Vista 5 Society and Equity (7 editions)

How can we leverage AI to address society’s most persistent and difficult challenges

The possibiilities of AI and its impact go beyond individuals and businesses to address tough challenges we face as society. Here are some telling and persistent challenges in public finance and health

  • Soaring public debt troubled by need and rising welfare spend, funded by concerned tax payers
  • Severe staffing, financial crisis, straining healthcare costs-
  • Lack of trust and transparency in disease information, treatments, outcomes and costs for citizens
  • Global medical debit crisis with families across the world facing bankruptcy from health costs
  • Stalling spending and infrastructure for Public Health Care Coverage.

AI presents a new opportunity to start addressing these challenges with new ideas using models and metaphors that we know so well (Karl Marx, Florence Nightingale, Alice in Wonderland Looking Glass and John Rawls the 20th century philosopher) , covered in the Mindvista Society and Equity editions,

Side bar 1 summarizes the challenge for everyone to see and new ideas enabled by AI to solve these persistent and hard problems.

Humans never had it easy and even in this Age we have serious suffering and inequality. We can continue to apply band aids but then we will miss an opportunity if we don’t use technology and new ways of thinking to solve these very important , tough and persistent problems.

We will be the ultimate losers if we do so if we are not aware and in our way in our lives push stakeholders and powers to find answers.

Vista 6: Civilization (2 editions)

As AI becomes globally integrated, how do we preserve our Civilizational DNA and build trust?”

While all the five themes make the case for proliferation of AI for being human and better humanity, there are some fundamental dangers and obstacles to overcome that has implications for civilization and future.

Every minute 250 humans are born in this world and every one of them have unique not just biological DNA but a civilizational DNA of values, culture, language and connect that they inherit. Yet today local cultures are in danger of global homogenization, How can AI Preserving Culture and Diversity to Enrich Our Future With the Past? There are good initiatives that dont get talked about as much and there are actions every business or individudal to consider preserving for they need to carry even when we no longer are.

The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer shows distressing increase in distrust with government, business and institutions. AI makes it worse automating ethical concerns , bias and but there is also an opportunity to rearchitect AI so that we can rebuild trust. How can AI be rearchitected for bridging the trust deficit in Institutions, Business, and Ourselves ?

AI for society, equity and civilisation is a much needed discourse today before we miss or it becomes too late given the rate of progress in AI. Now is good to start as any other time.

Walking in the Valley of Flowers- Where Next?

Started off on.a trigger, now a year and 52 editions later, I am filled with gratitude for

  • To you readers, to your likes and comments which I get to see this is the only external reward for all the efforts
  • To my partners - Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and Grok for hundreds of iterations and hours for research and dialog.
  • To the Intelligence above all of us that give me the opportunity and ability to follow my own advice and rewrite a stage in life

Reflection and what lies ahead?

There was an outpouring of excitement and build up on AI over the last year. A year ago I was encouraging everyone to see and expore AI. Now that is by and large no longer the case. Everyone I speak to uses AI in their daily lives, Enterprises are pushing use cases into production, IT service provider are buzzing with AI now featured as part of all contracts and funding and investments by technology vendors continues despite all the brittleness and anxieties in the world. There is no stopping AI advancement.

My own sense however is that we are maturing in the use of technology in some areas at work and enterprise adoption and innovation. However there is not much trustworthy and well understood information on the challenges, resolution and outcomes. We need a new set of lights to see through the fog of hype and political correctness to see the truth. The truth that is not only about employees becoming more productive, companies becoming more efficient but about how has it built trust and value not just for today but prepare for tomorrow.

On the society, equity and civilizational vistas we have barely begun. The problems are massive, it needs new vision, direction and energy to solve. As these edition show there are some good discrete initiatives ( they have nothing to do with AI though) but the AI for society or preserving connections and civilization have not seen a holistc approach, discourse and debate . But I am optimistic that awareness and support starting with you readers, the support on these from responsible leadership at LLMs and inspiring problem solvers the likes of whom we have not seen in our lives.

So while we covered the panorama of six vistas holistically, at this time I think future editions are likely to be more than updates and assessing what we said and what happened with new possibilities.

1. It could be that LLMs mature to help translate ideas to models, story telling to move action proposed ideas in enterprise adoption, innovation and most so in society and civilization.

2. With rising sophistication of tools in a BANI world ( Brittle Anxious, Non Linear, Incomprehensible) there is perhaps a need to focus more intensely personal actions to become more resilient, empathetic and optimistic of our lives and think about the millenials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha who literally have their whole lives ahead of them.

3. It could be a combination of both going from ‘ Being Human in the Age of AI’ to ‘ Better Human and Humanity in the Age of AI’

But I would love to have your thoughts and comments on

  • Mindvista themes and editions - Do you find it relevant? Interesting? Helpful for your progress ?
  • Future editions- Which of these three paths forward for Mindvista resonates most with you, and why? Your guidance is invaluable as we shape the journey

Please take a moment and give your thoughts. It is invaluable guide to make sure I am engaged correctly and add value!!

If you have read the editions, see more than a passing interest, please do subscribe/follow. It is a great encouragement !!

Thanks once again for the exploration and support.

I look forward to your reactions,

Best wishes

“AI is a language. Treat it like one: practice, iterate, and mind your grammar prompts, assumptions, and verification.”

II. Questioning / Asking

Good conversations flow from well‑sequenced questions—topical, simple, coherent, cohesive.
LLM Conversation Example 1
Q: What are empirical judgments?

A: Empirical judgments are based on observation, experience, or experimentation.
Q: What are moral judgments?

A: Moral judgments are based on ethical principles and values.

IV. Judgment

“The structure of a language affects its speakers’ worldview and cognition.”
— Henry Hazlitt
“The art of questioning is the source of all knowledge.”
— Thomas Berger
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