Richard Chataway on Designing AI for Humans

What if the biggest AI risk isn’t bias or data, but human behaviour itself? How might AI impact the people using it and what does that mean for how we design solutions and deploy the technology?

Episode Summary
On this episode, I’m joined by a returning guest.  Richard Chataway is a behavioural science expert and strategist who joins me to explore how we can design AI systems that truly work for humans. Richard brings a unique lens to the conversation, combining insights from advertising, government policy, and behavioural science to unpack the human drivers that shape how we build and interact with AI. We discuss everything from cognitive biases and persuasive tech to the ethics of design and how these hidden forces influence our relationship with intelligent machines.

During our conversation, Richard explains the importance of context and behavioural frameworks in making AI more ethical, effective, and human-centric. We explore real-world examples of effective and ineffective design, examining where intentions diverge from outcomes and what can be done to address these discrepancies. 

Richard shares fascinating insights from his book "The Behaviour Business" and his experience in both the public and private sectors, offering a practical yet thought-provoking look at what it really means to design for behaviour in the age of AI.
Whether you’re an AI sceptic, enthusiast, or simply curious about how technology intersects with human behaviour, this episode offers a compelling exploration of the invisible levers shaping our digital lives. From nudging with intent to avoiding manipulation, Richard helps us understand how behavioural science can make the future of AI more aligned with our values and less prone to unintended consequences.

Guest Biography
Richard is a Behavioural Scientist, Author and Podcaster who heads up the Behaviour Change Team at Concentrix, a Fortune 500 global technology and transformation company, working with around 2000 brands globally in over 70 different countries. He is also the founder of Communication Science Group and a former board member of the Association for Business Psychology. 

His book The Behaviour Business is a bestselling guide to deploying Behavioural Science within organisations to solve a wide range of problems. 

vAI-Generated Timestamped Summary
00:00 – Intro: Designing AI for humans
01:25 – Welcome back Richard Chataway
03:15 – Behavioural science meets AI
05:20 – Why we lie more to bots
07:05 – Judgement, distance & dishonesty
09:10 – When design invites bad behaviour
11:30 – Fraud as a design problem
13:40 – The “Computer says no” effect
15:25 – When neutrality helps disclosure
17:15 – The empathy paradox
19:05 – Data bias & unequal outcomes
21:30 – When to keep humans in the loop
23:40 – Behavioural science as AI insurance
26:00 – When efficiency erodes trust
28:20 – Friction, fairness & feedback
30:05 – AI and the frontline worker
33:00 – Redefining jobs, not removing them
36:10 – New skills for an AI world
39:00 – Beyond efficiency: meaningful work
41:45 – Leadership: ask “should we automate?”
44:10 – Practical design principles
47:30 – The myth of full automation
50:20 – Augment, don’t replace
53:00 – Case studies from Concentrix
56:40 – Making AI ethics actionable
59:20 – The next five years of human-centred AI
1:02:00 – Closing reflections
1:04:30 – Where to find Richard
1:06:00 – Outro & related episodes

Links
Richard on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-chataway/

Richard's book The Behaviour Business - https://behaviourbusiness.com/

Richard's previous appearance on the show - https://www.humanriskpodcast.com/richard-chataway-on-the-behaviour/

Concentrix - https://www.concentrix.com/

Richard at Concentrix - https://www.concentrix.com/contributor/richard-chataway/