Brené Brown: 3 Leadership Trades for a Future Nobody Can Predict

Researcher Brené Brown argued at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in October 2025 that the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) increases the value of human leadership. Brown stated that leaders should lean harder into their human qualities in an unpredictable future.

Brown specifically critiqued the leadership philosophy associated with Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, whose management approach shaped a generation of executives. According to Brown, "Welchian" management taught companies to view human traits as hindrances to performance.

"As AI gets better, we have to ask, are we actually getting better at being human?" Brown said. She emphasized that in an era where AI can perform more tasks better than humans, the need for human skills and connection becomes paramount.

Brown's perspective challenges traditional views on leadership, urging companies to re-evaluate how they foster and leverage their employees' human strengths. This shift is particularly relevant amidst rapid technological change.