Steve Jobs once gave a piece of advice that feels even more relevant today: “You’ve got to start with the customer experience first and then work backwards to the technology.” That principle matters enormously in the age of AI. The temptation now is to begin with the technology. We ask: What can AI do? Where can we apply it? What market can we sell it into? Jobs’ logic runs in the opposite direction.
The Spatz Escalator Pitch
What is the future of addressing workplace psychosocial hazards? For us, and perhaps for many in this field, the answer is becoming clear: AI-assisted, real-time psychological safety. But what does that actually mean? In our view, it means every team member having a standard toolkit and process that helps make speaking up private, transparent (when required), and consistent.
Resolved or Escalate. Repeat
Make sure the issue is repeated enough times before complaining. Then: If this happens, wait 90 seconds, stay calm. Be respectful. If that fails, document privately. If they respond this way, then complain anonymously to HR. If they respond another way, involve your manager secretly. Etc. Etc. No wonder there are so many unresolved conflicts causing toxic workplaces. SpatzChat takes a simpler approach.
Observable General Intelligence 2
Maybe we've been asking the wrong question. For years, the discussion has been about Artificial General Intelligence. Can we build it? When will it arrive? How will we know? But perhaps the future of intelligence is not really about whether it is artificial. Perhaps the future of general intelligence is being observable.
It’s the behavior, stupid!
I think we often confuse criticism with course correction. Criticism usually comes after frustration has built up. "I'm sick of you always doing that." By then, several incidents may have accumulated, emotions are higher, and the discussion can easily become about the person rather than the behavior. SpatzAI takes a different approach....
I’ll Spatz You Later
Imagine if we had a chat-app and platform that enabled teams, during meetings, to address minor objectionable issues on the fly, before they were allowed to fester, compound and escalate into more intractable conflict incidents down the track.
Ignoring is Ignorant Behavior
Ignoring is one of the quietest ways minor workplace tension becomes conflict. That is: Not answering. Not acknowledging. Letting a concern hang in the air. The difficulty is that “ignoring” is hard to prove. A person can always say they missed it, were busy, misunderstood, or did not think a response was needed.
SpatzAI: Real-Time Behavioral Governance
SpatzAI is a self-managed accountability and moderation platform designed to help resolve workplace "spats" (micro-conflicts) before they escalate into major conflict resolution incidents requiring HR. Still in the concept and testing phase, Spatz focuses on improving team collaboration by protecting members from "unfair play" during difficult conversations.
Disagreements Are Not the Problem, Unresolved Micro-Conflicts Are
Disagreements in teams are not the problem; disagreements that result in unresolved micro-conflicts and misalignment are. A disagreement is often just two people modelling reality differently. It can be useful. It can surface risks, sharpen thinking, and improve decisions. Many high-performing teams disagree frequently, and still collaborate well, by addressing—quickly—any behaviors that create friction or micro-conflicts....
How to Be More Objective: From Blaming to Accountability in 3 Steps
The original idea was formed in November 2017 and called Object123. The premise was deliberately simple: if someone experiences objectionable behavior, they should be able to object, in three phases, as needed, directly, in real-time and in a structured way. The goal was not to win arguments or assign moral fault, but to interrupt unproductive dynamics while they are still live and correctable.
Object123 