Cognitive Load, Focus, and Burnout in Technical Work And Human Machine Teaming

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Topic: Cognitive Load, Focus, and Burnout in Technical Work,
Human Machine Teaming

Topic: Cognitive Load, Focus, and Burnout in Technical Work
A practical look at how constant context-switching, information intake, and “always-on” expectations impact focus, decision-making, and energy. This session explores how cognitive overload quietly leads to burnout, and what individuals can realistically do to protect mental bandwidth while maintaining high performance.

Speaker: Ashley Rene Casey
Ashley René is the founder of Presence Over Pixels® and a keynote speaker who helps organizations solve their biggest workplace challenge: keeping humans engaged and productive in an AI-driven world. A former senior leader at Amazon and BNSF Railway, Ashley delivers actionable strategies for digital wellness, human-first leadership, and sustainable high performance.

When not on stage, Ashley performs as lead singer of rock band Bourbon Jury and champions St. Louis's vibrant arts community.

Topic: Human Machine Teaming
Artificial intelligence systems are evolving from simple automated scripts into complex, autonomous partners, which can decrease the cognitive load on IT professional.
However, using AI to decrease cognitive load requires a thoughtful approach. Evaluating an AI tool to decrease stress requires shifting focus from pure computational accuracy to overall system performance. This presentation introduces a practical evaluation methodology for technical non-AI professionals to assess AI tools through the lens of human-machine teaming (HMT). Rather than treating AI as a static software utility, we frame the human-AI unit as a joint cognitive system where the primary objective is maximizing efficiency while minimizing human cognitive load.

Speaker: Phil Milner
Phil MIlner is a Data Engineer and Data Scientist in the United States Defense community. He has over 25 years of working with and analyzing data. He has served as an data preparation engineer and business intelligence developer and architect. He currently focuses on analyzing the application, management and performance of Artificial Intelligence products for data analysis. He holds an M.B.A. from University of Missouri - St. Louis; a masters in Technology for Intelligence from the United States National Intelligence University and a doctorate in technology adoption from California Southern University. He is a former leader and now serves on the board of the Microsoft Business Intelligence Users Group.