Photo by Katja Ano on Unsplash
As AI grows more powerful, the skills that set humans apart are coming into sharper focus. Author Susan Riley shares what research reveals about creativity, how it works in the brain, and why cultivating it may be the key to thriving in the future of work and learning.
Guest
Joining me today is Susan Riley, author of the brand new book Creativity’s Edge: Unleashing Humanity’s Greatest Asset in the Age of AI. Susan is an internationally recognized educator, author, and a leading voice in creativity and learning. A former music educator, she is founder of the Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM. Her work has been featured by the US Department of Education, NPR, and Americans for the Arts; and her resources reach millions of educators each year.
Notes
We discuss:
- What we should know about human creativity in an age dominated by AI.
- How AI is changing the workplace, education, and creative opportunities – and what humans still uniquely contribute.
- The neuroscience of creativity: how divergent, convergent, and lateral thinking networks work together in the brain.
- The flow state: what happens in your brain during peak creative moments and how it enhances learning, problem-solving, and motivation.
- Why creativity isn’t just an artistic skill – it’s a mindset and approach that can be developed by anyone.
- The measurement conundrum: challenges and strategies for assessing creativity in schools and workplaces.
- Real-world strategies to spark creative insight and make flow more likely in learning, work, and personal projects.
- Why cultivating creativity today prepares us for the jobs, challenges, and opportunities of tomorrow.
Connect/Other Resources
- Book: Creativity’s Edge: Unleashing Humanity’s Greatest Asset in the Age of AI (February 19, 2026)
- Susan’s website
- Susan founded The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM, the world’s largest online professional development provider for teachers and leaders using arts-integrated approaches.
- Susan’s podcast is Art Works: A podcast to help teachers crack the code of creativity and use it as a hidden advantage in the classroom.
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtsIntEDU
Other episodes we mentioned or that you may enjoy:
- View all episodes related to Education & Community
In-Episode Promo
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Coda
Thanks so much to Susan for sharing her insights on the power of creativity in this conversation and in her book. I hope you’ve been as inspired as I have to cultivate your own creative practice, whether it’s in the workplace, in your kiddos’ or your own education, or in your everyday life.
Susan also has a podcast of her own called Art Works for Teachers. It’s a podcast to help teachers crack the code of creativity and use it as a hidden advantage in the classroom. There are links in the show notes to her podcast, website, the website for The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM that she founded, and of course Susan’s new book.
If you have not already signed up for my Soundbites email newsletter, just a heads up that the next issue will include a chance to win a free brand new book (releasing soon and featured in an upcoming episode). The free book offer will only be available to Soundbites subscribers so be sure to sign up with the link in the show notes! This is an occasional newsletter – no more than once a month. So you will NOT be inundated with emails when you sign up for this (and of course you can unsubscribe at any time).
You can always connect with me on email (mindy@mpetersonmusic.com), Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn; and by signing up for my monthly e-Newsletter.
Thank you so much for joining me today. Until next time, may your life be enhanced with music.
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