Episode 97: Curiosity in the Age of AI — How Carla Johnson Redefines Innovation for the Modern Business

Digital Velocity

In Episode 97 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez welcomes back Carla Johnson, globally recognized innovation architect, keynote speaker, and author of Rethink Innovation. Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping creativity, collaboration, and business innovation — and why human curiosity remains the ultimate competitive advantage.

Carla introduces her framework, the "Curiosity Compass," which helps leaders and teams shift from using AI solely for efficiency to harnessing it as a catalyst for imagination and strategic thinking. As she explains, "If innovation and creative thinking is all about connecting the dots, AI gives us the opportunity to collect an exponentially larger pool of dots to help us prompt that process." By distinguishing between the Efficiency Zone (tactical and logistical use) and the Imagination Zone (strategic and exploratory thinking), she reveals how AI can spark deeper creative inquiry rather than replace it.

The conversation explores how AI is reshaping the innovation process by helping people think more broadly, test ideas more confidently. Rather than relying on AI only for efficiency, Carla explains that the real opportunity lies in using it within the "imagination zone," where more strategic and exploratory questions unlock deeper insights.

Listeners will learn: • How to use AI to move beyond tactical efficiency into strategic innovation • Why creativity and curiosity are essential to human-AI collaboration • How to apply the Curiosity Compass to everyday business challenges • Why the next wave of AI will accelerate prototyping, entrepreneurship, and creative thinking across all industries

For business leaders, sales & marketing professionals, and operational teams, this episode offers a roadmap for building curiosity-driven cultures that leverage AI to expand — not limit — imagination. As Carla reminds us, "It's not that AI that will replace your job, but somebody who knows AI absolutely will." Whether you're leading a marketing team, launching new products, or designing smarter systems, this episode is a must-listen for anyone eager to redefine what innovation means in the AI era.