I’m Alastair McDermott, founder of HumanSpark. After two decades in the technology sector, I’ve witnessed firsthand how AI is transforming our world – sometimes in ways that lift us up, and sometimes in ways that challenge us. My journey from software development to strategic AI consulting has been driven by a simple question: How can we harness this extraordinary technology while keeping humans at the centre of the equation?
My BHAG
What’s a BHAG? It stands for Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal!
My BHAG is: enable 1 million experts and 1,000 expertise-based businesses to achieve Human-First super-productivity by integrating AI ethically and strategically, liberating them from tedious tasks, enhancing their capabilities, so they can focus on work that truly matters, and so that AI benefits humanity instead of dooming us all.
(Audacious, right?)
Mission
My mission is to guide business leaders in implementing Human-First AI strategies that amplify team effectiveness whilst preserving workforce stability and value.
I help expertise-based organisations create systems where AI handles repetitive tasks, allowing their expert teams to focus on higher-value, fulfilling work and reach unprecedented levels of super-productivity. By doing so, I aim to deliver remarkable efficiency gains – like the 92% processing time reduction and 12X capacity increase demonstrated in my client work – without eliminating valuable roles.
I am committed to contributing to a broader understanding and implementation of ethical and responsible AI, ensuring its development serves humanity’s best interests and moves us towards a future where technology and human expertise work in synergy.
I prepare leaders and their teams to use AI confidently, strategically, and responsibly, ensuring it becomes a force for good in their organisations and the wider world.
Vision
I envision a future where expertise-based organisations thrive in partnership with Artificial Intelligence, achieving unprecedented levels of productivity and innovation whilst simultaneously enhancing the value and fulfilment of their human teams.
This is a world where AI serves as a powerful tool for collective progress and human flourishing, not simply for cost reduction. In this Human-First AI future, organisations implement AI with both strategic intelligence and deep ethical responsibility.
We can leverage AI to unlock remarkable productivity gains and create new opportunities, all whilst maintaining robust career pathways and ensuring meaningful work for humans.
AI becomes instrumental in solving pressing societal challenges and driving innovation that benefits everyone, without creating new inequalities or diminishing human agency.
Ultimately, my vision is of a society where technology amplifies our unique human potential, creativity, and collaborative spirit, fostering a brighter, more equitable, and more fulfilling future for all.
Values
Our Values: Led by Empathy
Our core values flow from a central commitment to empathy. It is the lens through which we see our clients, their teams, and our work.
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Empathy-Driven Strategy (Our Primary Value)
This is our starting point for everything. We strive to understand the human experience before we even discuss technology. This means listening to the concerns of you and your team, respecting your expertise, and designing AI solutions that solve real-world frustrations and create genuine opportunities. It is about putting people first, not as a slogan, but as a core operating principle.
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Human-First Approach
Because we lead with empathy, a human-first approach is the only possible outcome. We prioritise human well-being, dignity, and career development in all strategies. We are dedicated to creating AI systems that promote equality and augment human capabilities, rather than reinforcing bias or focusing solely on workforce replacement.
Note: I am not for you if you want to use AI to fire 90% of your staff just to save costs. An empathetic approach understands this is not only wrong, but a short-sighted strategy that destroys value as you watch institutional knowledge walk out the door.
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Integrity
Empathy demands integrity. It requires us to balance operational goals with ethical responsibility and to put our clients’ long-term interests – and the interests of their people – first. This means providing honest assessments of AI’s capabilities and limitations, ensuring you understand both the potential benefits and the risks.
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Transparent Excellence
Empathy for teams undergoing change requires radical transparency. We measure success through concrete outcomes that include staff satisfaction and well-being alongside efficiency metrics. We communicate openly about how AI systems work and their impact on roles, building the trust needed to reduce anxiety and build collaboration.
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Approachable Professionalism
Empathy in action is about connection. We bring warmth, humanity, and kindness to the complex world of AI. Our “no dickheads” rule is a direct reflection of this – it’s a commitment to ensuring every interaction is grounded in respect and compassion, making complex concepts accessible to everyone.
A Personal Note
My work with AI isn’t just professional, it’s personal.
I’ve seen too many conversations about artificial intelligence focus exclusively on either utopian promises or dystopian warnings, with little practical guidance for those caught in between.
The “no dickheads” rule mentioned above isn’t just colourful language – it’s fundamental to how I operate. Whether in business or technology implementation, I believe that kindness and ethical consideration aren’t optional extras but essential foundations for meaningful progress.
I’m certainly not claiming to be perfect in living these values – ask anyone who’s met me before my morning coffee, but I’m committed to the journey.
My hope is that by working together, we can build AI systems that genuinely enhance what makes us human rather than diminishing it.
If you’re facing the challenge of implementing AI in your organisation and want to do it in a way that strengthens rather than weakens your team, I’d welcome a conversation.
And thanks for reading a page that starts with “Mission” and “Vision” 🙂