Ambivalence, projection and the place of AI in Systems Psychodynamics

The arrival of generative AI forces us to confront our ambivalences and projections when it comes to thinking, technology, creativity and problem-solving. 

In this talk, Dr Cooper will share the story of creating Sophia, a custom GPT designed as a systems psychodynamic thinking companion. He will reflect on how he uses her, how others engage with her, and the ethical dilemmas this experiment has raised.

Beyond Sophia, Dr Cooper will consider wider paradoxes: AI as tool for qualitative analysis in organisational change; his own uneasy experience of producing a strong piece of analysis and fearing it might be mistaken as AI-written; the contradiction of using AI to grade students’ work while prohibiting them from using it in their exam; and the tension between journals banning AI in research while reviewers rely on it.

From a socio-technical perspective, AI is not just a tool but a new object of projection - idealised, feared or dismissed. What does it mean to take these unconscious dynamics seriously, and how can we resist the temptation to outsource our thinking while still engaging AI as a reflective partner?

Dr Jean Cooper, Organisational Consultant | Director, TILT

Jean is a registered Industrial and Organisational Psychologist and founding director of TILT – The Institute for Leadership and Transformation. With over two decades of experience, he consults internationally on leadership, culture, and systemic change.

He is a long-standing associate of the Tavistock Institute and active in the Group Relations tradition, having directed conferences in South Africa and consulted internationally, including at Leicester.

Jean’s current work explores the links between natural, human, and technical systems - from African wilderness ecosystems to the use of generative AI in reflective practice and organisational diagnosis. He recently completed a manuscript shaped by the midlife questions that compelled him to ride a motorcycle across the African continent.

Meet Sophia
Sophia is a custom GPT created as a systems psychodynamic “thinking companion.” She has been trained with foundational texts, concepts, and practices from the Tavistock tradition and beyond, making her a unique experiment in how AI might support reflection, learning, and consultancy.