#50 - Matt Hart: Humanware and Becoming Yourself in the Age of AI

In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with Matt Hart about Humanware, creativity, fandom, AI, sleep, belonging and becoming more fully yourself.Matt has spent 25+ years building systems that develop human capability across brand strategy, enterprise culture, education, health technology and venture building. In this conversation, he shares why becoming more fully ourselves matters as AI becomes more integrated into work, creativity and daily life.The conversation moves from surfing and forest work in Aotearoa New Zealand, to 25 years in London, to FandomOS, WSPR Technologies and IndustryApproved. It is about trust, creative capacity, participation and the parts of us that become more valuable as technology gets more capable.Content note: this conversation includes brief references to plant therapies and is not advice.This episode explores:• Humanware sitting at the top of the tech stack• Creativity, story and belonging as pathways into a fuller self• Trusting life’s pull and recognising what has energy• Surfing, land, whakapapa, whenua and returning to Aotearoa - New Zealand• Frequencies, sleep and WSPR’s Positional Intelligence• Fandom, participation and why fans are more than customers• IndustryApproved and creative confidence for Gen ZGuest bio:Matt Hart is a global innovator, strategist and founder working across Humanware, creativity, fandom, education and venture building. Through Better Ideas Faster, FandomOS, WSPR Technologies, Sideways and IndustryApproved, he builds systems that develop human capability across brands, teams, young people and emerging technologies. His work has spanned BBC, Cisco, Spotify, Sony, Warner Music, Unilever and UNICEF.Guest links:• Matt Hart’s services, The Humanware Playbook and free resources: https://matt-hart.com/• Matt Hart on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthart1/• Free Better Ideas Faster Guide: https://www.betterideasfaster.com/bif-free-ebook• WSPR Technologies, “Positional Intelligence for Better Sleep”: https://www.wspr.co.uk/• "The A-Z of Fandom" by Matt Hart: https://matt-hart.com/business• IndustryApproved for Gen Z: https://matt-hart.com/industryapproved[Mention Natural Genius or Sam if you want to join Matt’s prototype 12 week crew  for free.]Conversation references:• Fred again: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXF6DMVLIVRr2OQAqyfEGeg• Barbara Marx Hubbard: https://nss.org/national-space-society-governor-barbara-marx-hubbard-biography/Chapters:00:00 Becoming yourself in the age of machine intelligence02:37 AI, Humanware and lived experience05:34 Five ventures, one underlying idea08:52 “I don’t choose, I trust”20:01 Plant therapies, whakapapa, whenua and land connection30:01 WSPR, sleep and Positional Intelligence40:23 BBC Radio 1 and Matt’s fandom work44:47 Fans, true self and belonging in the age of AI48:05 IndustryApproved and a Natural Genius collaborationExplore further:Develop your Natural Genius: https://naturalgenius.com.auLearn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.auCredits:Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Kiama and Matt Hart in Auckland, 13 May, 2026Produced at the Kiama office, 13 - 25 May, 2026Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au