#561: Why Storytelling Is the One Skill AI Can Never Replace, with Joe Lazer

What if the skill that made us human is the same one that will keep us relevant in the age of AI? Joe Lazauskas — CMO of Pepper, co-founder of Contently, and author of Super Skill: Why Storytelling Is the Superpower of the AI Age — spent five years inside AI companies researching exactly that question. His answer: storytelling isn't just surviving the AI revolution. It's the one skill the machines can't replicate. In this conversation with host Park Howell, Joe reveals why AI slop is flooding the web and driving up the value of authentic human voices, the four story elements — relatability, ease, novelty, and tension — that make any audience stop and listen, and how to use AI as a creative amplifier without ever letting it replace your voice. You'll also hear the science behind the vulnerability loop, why Kurt Vonnegut's rejected thesis turned out to be right all along, and how the Neanderthals — despite having bigger brains — lost to homo sapiens because they had no Wi-Fi. Joe also shares a special 20% discount offer exclusively for Business of Story listeners — including a signed copy of Super Skill, access to his Storytelling in the AI Age course, live office hours, and yes, dope socks. Guest: Joe Lazauskas | CMO, Pepper | Author, Super Skill Subscribe: storytellingedge.substack.com Connect: Joe Lazauskas on LinkedIn Podcast: The Art of the Zag with Shane Snow Test your brand story free: businessofstory.com