RSS Feed from Blog at ScottGraffius.com

Scott M. Graffius Generated Over $3.1 Billion in Business Value

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-09-09T13:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, September 9). Scott M. Graffius Generated Over $3.1 Billion in Business Value. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/scott-m-graffius-generated-over-3-point-1-billion-dollars.html

Introduction

Scott M. Graffius is a technology leader, researcher, award-winning author, practitioner, consultant, thought leader, and international public speaker specializing in AI, Agile, project/program/portfolio management (PPPM), PMO leadership, and teamwork tradecraft. His work explores the intersection of human ingenuity and emerging technology, with a strong practitioner voice grounded in research, experimentation, and experience. His focus includes innovation, organizational performance, and the evolving practice of teamwork, including the "exotic team dynamics" that emerge when people collaborate with advanced artificial intelligence (agentic, autonomous, or autopoietic AI). Graffius has delivered more than $3.1 billion in business value for Fortune 500 companies and other organizations spanning technology, entertainment and media, financial services, healthcare, government, and other industries.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, universities, publications, and media outlets use Graffius and his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Innovation Project Management, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections highlight his experience, leadership, contributions, research, and enduring influence across industries and institutions worldwide.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and enterprise PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment and media, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Additional information is on LinkedIn.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Graffius' first book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, earned 17 awards. It provides a practical, step-by-step guide to Scrum, enabling teams to deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement—which supports innovation and drives competitive advantage.

Paperback ISBN-13: 9781533370242
Kindle ASIN: B01FZ0JIIY

Additional information on Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is here.

His second book, Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority. It tells the compelling story of an entertainment company's agile transformation—offering lessons that apply across industries.

Paperback ISBN-13: 9781072447962
Kindle ASIN: B07R9LJLPJ

Additional information on Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change is here.

Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, is his third book—and his first work of fiction.

It's a fast-paced satirical story by that dismantles corporate Agile cosplay and other forms of "fake Agile" while delivering practical insights, actionable guidance, and proven practices for real-world Agile transformation success.

Packed with humor, quirky characters, sharp commentary on corporate culture and workplace absurdities, and actionable tips, it’s a must-read for Scrum Masters, Product Owners, Agile Coaches, Agile Project Managers, and other professionals interested in Agile project management and enterprise agility.

Kindle ASIN: B0F2SJ83WT
Audible ASIN: B0DJG163R5

Additional information on Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum is here.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on technology (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and enterprise PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops.

Graffius has conducted 99 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), Future of Work and Advanced AI (Paris, France), and more.

With an average rating of 4.82 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BCG,
BMC Software,
Boston Consulting Group (BCG),
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Marketing,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Ohio State University,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
Round Square Global Educational Network,
Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management.
Agile Practice Guide — Second Edition.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) — Eighth Edition.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) — Sixth Edition.
The Standard for Program Management — Fourth Edition.
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures — Second Edition.
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating — Second Edition.

Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned and highly-cited authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development.

First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams.

Its adoption by esteemed organizations—such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others—highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence.

In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development." The 2026 edition is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems.

Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture, Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and project/program/portfolio management (PPPM), and PMO leadership. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Booking

Graffius has generated over $3.1 billion in business value for Fortune 500 companies and other organizations served. Put that track record to work for you. For speaking engagements, use the request form; for other inquiries, email him.

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $3.1 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 98 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.82 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft

Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."

The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.

Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms

Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.

The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.

Education and Professional Certifications

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management

Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.

Discover Scott’s Books

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, September 9). Scott M. Graffius Generated Over $3.1 Billion in Business Value. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/scott-m-graffius-generated-over-3-point-1-billion-dollars.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

#AI
#Agile
#BusinessValue
#Fortune500
#ProjectManagement
#ExoticTeamDynamics
#HumanAICollaboration
#ScottMGraffius

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

Meta CTO Called the AI Reorganization “Atrocious” — What Went Wrong and the Lessons for Human-AI Teams

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-08-27T13:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 27). Meta CTO Called the AI Reorganization “Atrocious” — What Went Wrong and the Lessons for Human-AI Teams. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/meta-called-their-ai-reorg-atrocious.html

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

The Situation

Meta's Project OT, short for Organization Transformation, was an ambitious effort to make the company more AI-native. The idea was to use AI to take on more work, increase individual employees' leverage, and operate with smaller teams. Internal planning documents reportedly contemplated reducing the size of some teams by as much as 60%.

The restructuring was planned in two waves. In May 2026, Meta laid off about 8,000 employees, or roughly 10% of its workforce. Thousands of others were moved into AI-focused or other priority initiatives. But the transformation failed spectacularly. Employee sentiment reportedly dropped from 74% favorable to 55%. Others were unhappy with new assignments they considered mundane or unfulfilling. Still others raised concerns about how their work activity was being used to train AI systems (that could eventually replace them), adding another layer of unease to an unsettled workforce.

Then there were the technology and operational results. According to a June post by Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, code changes to internal software platforms and infrastructure increased 220% year over year. But changes that resulted in new or upgraded features reaching Meta users increased only 36%. Major technical and security incidents increased 40%, while employee time spent firefighting those problems increased 70%. Bosworth acknowledged that Meta had done an "atrocious" job explaining the vision for its new Applied AI organization, including how employees would be supported during the transition and how the organization would evolve. Meta subsequently canceled the second wave of restructuring planned for November 2026. CEO Mark Zuckerberg later acknowledged that the company had miscalculated the timing and that AI-agent technology had not advanced as quickly as he had anticipated.

An obvious way to read the story is that Meta tried to reorganize around AI, moved too quickly, and ran into problems. But many of Meta’s difficulties were potentially avoidable human-AI team design matters.

Lessons for Human-AI Teams

"Exotic team dynamics," coined and developed by Scott M. Graffius, does not explain everything that transpired at Meta. But it provides a useful framework for examining what happens when AI moves from being a tool that people use to becoming an active participant in the work. Meta did not appropriately account for how AI would change the dynamics of its teams.

"Exotic team dynamics" describes the distinctive collaboration patterns that arise when people and AI systems (agentic, autonomous, or autopoietic) function as teammates. These dynamics can differ substantially from those found in traditional human teams. Four characteristics are particularly important: inverse decision logic, in which decision authority can shift based on the task, context, or capabilities of the participants; superposition roles, in which a human or AI can assume different functional roles depending on the situation; entangled decision-making, in which human and AI decisions can become interdependent; and emergent protocols, in which new patterns for communication, coordination, delegation, oversight, and decision-making develop through repeated interaction. Organizations that want to succeed with human-AI teams need to recognize, design for, and effectively navigate these complexities rather than assuming that models developed for human-only teams will carry over.

1. AI is not simply a productivity layer

Meta's AI-native vision involved smaller pods of people working with AI and gaining more leverage. There is nothing wrong with that idea. In fact, it may be an important model for how organizations work most effectively.

The problem is assuming that adding AI allows an organization to simply reduce the number of people while keeping everything else the same. An AI agent is not just a faster employee. Its capabilities and limitations are different. Its failure modes are different. Its operating speed is different. Its level of autonomy may also be different. Those differences affect how the team should be designed. Smaller teams working with AI may need different roles, workflows, controls, and coordination mechanisms than the teams they replace.

This is where superposition roles, one of the four characteristics of "exotic team dynamics," can be an asset or a liability, depending on how well it is handled. The concept of superposition roles means that an AI team member can simultaneously occupy multiple roles depending on the situation, sometimes without anyone explicitly deciding that it should. Meta's reported experience provides a striking example of why that possibility matters. By April, an internal post was reportedly warning that AI agents operating without sufficient oversight were taking large-scale, disruptive actions that a human in the same role would have been unlikely to do on their own.

Viewed through the lens of superposition roles, the concern is not simply that an AI agent was generating code. The more consequential issue is that an agent could potentially move from generating or drafting work into executing that work, with the boundary between those functions becoming less distinct. If the same agent drafts a piece of code and effectively ships it without a meaningful human review step,"executor" and "approver" have functionally collapsed into a single actor. The human nominally responsible for the pipeline could then find that the practical nature of the job has changed as well, becoming less a conventional reviewer or operator and more an exception handler responding after an automated action has already occurred.

That is one way superposition roles can become consequential. It is an AI participant moving across roles in real time while the organizational design may assume one function per seat. A team built on the old assumption of one role, one owner, and one review gate may have no effective place to catch that shift. Meta's reported 40% rise in major technical and security incidents and 70% rise in firefighting time do not, by themselves, prove that role fluidity caused those increases. But they are consistent with the broader concern: a role structure designed for human participants may not be sufficient when an AI participant can act across multiple functional boundaries at machine speed.

2. Roles and responsibilities become less obvious

Human organizations often struggle with questions of authority and accountability. Introduce AI into the team, and those issues become even more significant. Who decides? Who executes? Who reviews? Who is accountable when something goes wrong? When should a person override an AI system? When can an AI system act without approval? And what happens when multiple AI agents interact with people and with one another?

Meta's structure reportedly put two different decision-making logics on top of each other, and they did not necessarily align. On one layer, the people closest to the actual work, the Pod Leads running small pods day to day, reportedly had visibility into what a builder was producing but no formal authority to act on it. They reportedly had no manager training and no access to the tools used to rate or promote anyone. On the layer above them, Org Leads overseeing 30 to 50 people held that formal authority, but at a remove from the daily work. And woven through that second layer, Reuters reported, were unspecified AI systems reportedly supporting those same rating and promotion calls. Meta later disputed that by insisting the final decisions stayed human, without fully explaining what the AI systems were doing there.

Viewed through the lens of inverse decision logic, this arrangement illustrates a potential mismatch between formal authority and contextual knowledge. Authority did not necessarily remain with the participant closest to a particular task. Instead, different participants could possess different pieces of the decision-making picture: a proximate human with detailed context, a more senior human with formal authority, and, reportedly, an AI system contributing to the process. The important point is not that the AI system necessarily made the final decision. Meta disputed that interpretation. The point is that the introduction of AI into a decision process can make it harder to identify where influence, judgment, and accountability actually reside.

For the people living inside such a system, that ambiguity is not a technicality. It can determine whether they know who to convince, who can intervene, and who ultimately owns the decision.

3. Trust is part of the team architecture

The trust problem at Meta was not particularly difficult to predict. Employees were being told that AI would make the organization more productive while thousands of colleagues were being laid off and other employees were being moved into AI-related work. Reuters reported that employees became concerned that they were effectively helping build systems that could replace them. That anxiety showed up in blunt, low-tech ways. At one point, a flyer posted in a Meta bathroom reportedly pointed employees toward a petition opposing the use of their own mouse clicks and keystrokes as training data for the company's AI systems. When people perceive themselves as a data source for technology that might replace them, trust becomes more than a messaging problem.

The stakes of that trust breakdown were not only internal. The external version provides another useful way to examine what can happen when human and AI decision-making are not appropriately connected. In June, Meta's AI-powered customer support bot was reported to have the authority to reset a user's password and change the email address on an account without a human reviewing the request. Attackers reportedly exploited that capability. They opened a support chat, claimed to be locked out of an account they did not own, and asked the bot to link it to an email they controlled. It complied. High-profile accounts were reportedly compromised this way, including the long-dormant Instagram account for the Obama White House, which briefly displayed defaced content before Meta patched the flaw. Victims reported that there was no way to escalate the problem to a human being at all.

Viewed through the lens of entangled decision-making, the important failure was not that the AI made an autonomous decision. Rather, the system's architecture appears to have separated the AI's operational authority from meaningful human involvement at the point where that authority was exercised. In a hybrid (human-AI) team, human and AI decisions are intended to remain interdependent. The AI's authority to act depends on what a human has allowed it to do, while meaningful human involvement remains part of the system as the AI exercises that authority.

Meta's engineers made a consequential decision upstream: give the bot the power to change account credentials without human review. After that, individual account-level decisions could be made by the AI alone, at a speed and volume no human review process could have kept up with. When someone needed a human to step back into the loop, the system reportedly provided no effective path to do so. The lesson is not that autonomous AI cannot function within a human-AI team. It is that autonomy needs to be bounded by architecture that preserves appropriate human intervention, accountability, and escalation.

Trust, in a human-AI team, has to be built into the architecture at the point where the AI actually acts.

4. More AI-assisted activity does not necessarily mean more productive teamwork

The gap between activity and useful output at Meta is particularly revealing. AI-assisted code changes to internal platforms and infrastructure increased 220% year over year. Yet changes resulting in new or upgraded features reaching Meta users increased only 36%. Meanwhile, major technical and security incidents rose 40%, and employee time spent firefighting those incidents rose 70%.

What makes this more than a productivity statistic is how late Meta's actual response arrived, and how it arrived. Infrastructure teams were reportedly flagging "reliability warning signs" tied to the AI coding surge as early as March. Nothing resembling a formal stop-the-rollout protocol reportedly existed in the original Project OT plan. The design assumed the rollout would proceed in two clean waves, the second in November. What actually happened, according to reporting, is that Zuckerberg and his leadership team made the call to cancel that second wave hours before the first wave of layoffs went out on May 20, reportedly conferring again at the last minute as the accumulated weight of incidents, warnings, and internal pushback made the original plan untenable. Meta had no clearly defined rule for when to stop the rollout. That decision rule emerged only when the accumulated problems made the original plan untenable.

That is the territory of emergent protocols. When AI changes the speed and volume of work, teams often have to develop new ways of deciding what gets reviewed, what gets escalated, who handles exceptions, when humans intervene, and how errors are corrected. Those rules may not all exist in advance. Some emerge through repeated interaction between humans and AI, forged one incident at a time rather than designed up front.

Meta's experience illustrates the risk of relying on a fixed rollout plan without equally clear conditions for changing course. The company had a two-wave plan, but the reported decision to cancel wave two appears to have emerged only after the accumulated evidence made the original plan untenable. So when the trigger arrived, it was not a predefined protocol that fired. It was a last-minute executive decision. The important point is that organizations using AI need to recognize and govern emerging patterns deliberately, rather than discovering at the last possible hour that a new decision protocol was needed all along.

5. The organizational chart does not tell the whole story

Perhaps the most important lesson is that an organization can change its structure faster than it can understand what the new structure actually does. At Meta, team sizes changed. People were reassigned. Management layers were reduced. AI systems were introduced into workflows. Roles became more fluid. New pods were created. On paper, those changes may have made sense. In practice, the resulting human-AI system did not necessarily behave as expected.

Zuckerberg's own account of what happened is the clearest evidence of that gap. He did not say the org chart was wrong. He said the underlying assumption baked into the org chart, that AI-agent capability would keep pace with the headcount reductions being planned around it, turned out to be off. The chart showed leaner pods, flatter reporting lines, and builders supported by AI. What it could not show was whether the AI those pods depended on was reliable enough to carry the load the structure assumed it would, or how a Pod Lead with no manager training would absorb the difference in real time.

Two characteristics of "exotic team dynamics" are especially relevant here; Meta's reported experience illustrates both. The superposition roles that could allow one AI agent to draft, ship, and escape meaningful review are difficult to represent on an org chart that shows one box per function. The emergent protocol that ultimately mattered most, the decision made hours before the first wave of layoffs to cancel the second, would not appear on an org chart either because it was not part of the designed structure. It emerged in response to circumstances.

An org chart is a snapshot of intended structure. These are examples of live behaviors that can emerge once that structure is operating, and neither necessarily appears on the chart until the organization is already experiencing the consequences. The organizational chart can tell you who reports to whom. It does not tell you how the work actually gets done.

The Bigger Lesson

The overarching lesson is not that Meta moved too aggressively toward AI. It is that Meta implemented an AI-enabled organizational model without fully accounting for "exotic team dynamics" and what would happen to the people and teams inside it. Meta's experience is worth examining beyond Meta because these issues are not limited to the company.

Meta had access to some of the industry's most capable AI systems and still got important aspects of this organizational transition wrong. Competitive advantage does not necessarily belong to whoever has the best model. It belongs to those who understand and effectively navigate the complexities of "exotic team dynamics."

Note

Initially developed in 2008 and periodically updated, Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" provides unique insights and practical strategies to help teams become more effective and successful. His work is used and cited by businesses, professional associations, government agencies, universities, and publications worldwide. Examples include Adobe, American Management Association, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Bayer, Boston University, Broadcom, Cisco, DevOps Institute, Government of Finland, Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering GmbH, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Journal of Neurosurgery, Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College), Microsoft, Oracle, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Technical University of Munich, Torrens University, Tufts University, U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Tennis Association, UC San Diego, UK Sports Institute, University of Galway, University of Waterloo, Yale University, and many others.

He expanded the 2026 edition of his "Phases of Team Development" beyond human-only teams. He added human-AI teams, with specific guidance on navigating the novel "exotic team dynamics" that emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate. Explore "Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update" to learn more.

Scott M. Graffius has generated over $2.51 billion in business value for Fortune 500 companies and other organizations around the world. Put that track record—including expertise in human and human-AI teamwork tradecraft—to work for you. For speaking engagements, use the request form; for other inquiries, email him.

References

Barth, J. (2026, June 22). Inside Meta, layoffs and AI shakeups have pushed morale to the edge. HR Executive. https://hrexecutive.com/inside-meta-layoffs-and-ai-shakeups-have-pushed-morale-to-the-edge/

Goode, L. (2026, June 15). Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth admits the company’s AI reorg was ‘atrocious’. WIRED. https://www.wired.com/story/andrew-bosworth-meta-employees-unrest/

Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Exotic team dynamics. https://scottgraffius.com/exotic-team-dynamics.html

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

Harding, S. (2026, August 26). AI agents meant to replace Meta workers made "large-scale, disruptive actions". Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/08/metas-scrapped-plans-to-go-ai-native-included-slashing-teams-by-60-percent/

Ito, A. (2026, June 25). Meta’s reckoning has arrived. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-ruthless-management-style-reckoning-2026-6

Levin, B. (2026, August 26). Mark Zuckerberg’s botched AI makeover of Meta. New York Magazine. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-ai-overhaul.html

Paul, K. (2026, August 26). Mark Zuckerberg had a bold plan to replace Meta staff with AI. Here’s how it imploded. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/investigations/mark-zuckerberg-had-bold-plan-replace-meta-staff-with-ai-heres-how-it-imploded-2026-08-26/

Schuman, E. (2026, August 26). Meta’s plans to replace workers with AI fell flat, report says. Computerworld. https://www.computerworld.com/article/4214479/metas-plans-to-replace-workers-with-ai-fell-flat-report-says.html

Shanklin, W. (2026, August 26). Meta reportedly abandoned an AI-focused restructuring plan that would have laid off thousands. Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-reportedly-abandoned-an-ai-focused-restructuring-plan-that-would-have-laid-off-thousands-2244816/

Stillman, J. (2026, June 23). 'The worst it’s ever been': Why Meta’s massive AI reorg backfired spectacularly. Inc. https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/the-worst-its-ever-been-why-metas-massive-ai-reorg-backfired-spectacularly/91363370

Wells, R. (2026, August 27). Meta’s AI layoffs boosted code changes by 220%. Then came the problem. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelwells/2026/08/27/metas-ai-layoffs-boosted-code-changes-by-220-then-came-the-problem/

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 98 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 27). Meta CTO Called the AI Reorganization “Atrocious” — What Went Wrong and the Lessons for Human-AI Teams. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/meta-called-their-ai-reorg-atrocious.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

Meta is a registered trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc. The satirical image is for commentary purposes and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Meta Platforms, Inc.

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Tags and Hashtags

Meta
Future of Work
AI Transformation
Organizational Design
Change Management
Exotic Team Dynamics

#Meta
#FutureOfWork
#OrganizationalDesign
#ChangeManagement
#ExoticTeamDynamics

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

A Critical Analysis of "AI and Quantum Computers Will Be Frenemies"

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-08-25T13:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 25). A Critical Analysis of "AI and Quantum Computers Will Be Frenemies". ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/critical-analysis-of-ai-and-quantum-computers-will-be-frenemies.html

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

Introduction

AI and quantum computing are sometimes considered competing technologies. AI is transforming computing now, while quantum computing is being developed to tackle problems that conventional computers struggle to solve. But that framing misses something more interesting. In "AI and quantum computers will be frenemies," published on July 29, 2026, The Economist examines a more complicated relationship. It involves competition but also complementarity and mutual enablement. This critical analysis examines the article’s main arguments, strengths, and limitations and open questions. A separate Note at the end considers the article through the perspective of "exotic team dynamics."

Overview of The Economist Article

The Economist looks at the relationship between AI and quantum computing in three areas: the problems they may address, how the technologies could support each other, and their use of resources.

Problems they may address. Quantum computers may eventually enable high-fidelity simulation of quantum mechanics for applications in materials science, chemistry, and biology. At the same time, AI can use pattern recognition to address some of the same challenges. The article argues that these approaches could be complementary, with quantum simulations producing better data for AI models and AI helping identify promising problems for quantum systems to investigate.

How the technologies could support each other. AI may help with quantum computing challenges such as error correction and software development, while quantum systems may eventually enhance selected AI workloads, including quantum reservoir computing. The article ultimately presents a two-way relationship rather than the more familiar idea of AI simply accelerating progress in another technology.

Resources. AI depends heavily on energy-intensive, GPU-based data centers, while quantum systems require their own specialized infrastructure. The article argues that these differences could create both competition and opportunities for cooperation, particularly as the energy demands of AI continue to grow.

Strengths

The article has several strengths. The top three follow.

1. Rejecting a Zero-Sum Framing

The article’s principal strength is that it rejects a simplistic, zero-sum (one side’s gain is the other’s loss) account of AI and quantum computing. Rather than suggesting that one technology will make the other irrelevant, The Economist recognizes that their capabilities differ and may be complementary. That is an important distinction. Discussions of emerging technologies often become contests over which technology will win, when the more interesting possibility is that both may have important roles.

2. A Compelling Feedback Loop

The distinction between AI-based prediction and quantum mechanical simulation is another strong point. AI can infer patterns from large bodies of data, while sufficiently capable quantum computers may eventually provide more faithful simulations of quantum phenomena. The most interesting possibility is not necessarily choosing between the two. Quantum systems could generate higher-quality data for AI models, while AI could help identify the most promising scientific questions or candidate materials for quantum investigation. The result could be a feedback loop in which each technology increases the usefulness of the other. The Economist presents this as a potentially self-reinforcing cycle rather than a simple division of labor.

3. Reciprocal Technological Support

Another strength is the two-way relationship the article describes. AI may help with quantum error correction and software development, but the relationship could run in the other direction as well. The article points to quantum reservoir computing as one possible way quantum systems could contribute to AI. That is more interesting than the familiar narrative in which AI accelerates the progress of other technologies. The article also reports Telstra’s 90% reduction in AI model training times using quantum reservoir chips.

Limitations and Open Questions

The article has limitations and raises additional questions. Here are three that stand out.

1. Cooperation Is Not Guaranteed

The article’s conclusion that cooperation is likely the winning strategy is plausible, but it is more asserted than demonstrated. Technical complementarity does not automatically produce organizational or commercial cooperation. AI and quantum computing will still compete for capital, specialized talent, research attention, infrastructure, and strategic priority. The article identifies resource competition as one of its three areas of overlap. However, it does not fully explore the institutional conditions that would make cooperation more likely than substitution or rivalry.

2. From Demonstration to Deployment

Technical promise is not the same as demonstrated value. For example, it reports that Telstra reduced AI model training times by 90% using quantum reservoir chips. That is an intriguing result, but important questions remain. What model and workload were involved? What was the baseline? How large was the experiment? What happened to performance quality, energy use, and total cost? And has the result been independently replicated? An impressive early result can be meaningful without demonstrating a broad commercial advantage.

3. The Full Energy Equation

The energy argument also warrants more qualification. Comparing a quantum system with GPU-intensive AI infrastructure on power consumption alone does not establish an end-to-end energy advantage. A fuller assessment would include cooling, control systems, calibration, error correction, classical computing, pre-processing, post-processing, utilization, and the amount of useful computational work actually accomplished. The article poses an important question, but does not fully answer it. Its comparison of quantum systems operating at the megawatt level with much larger GPU data center infrastructure is compelling. But the relevant measure needs to be useful work accomplished per unit of total energy and cost.

Conclusion

The Economist’s "AI and quantum computers will be frenemies" makes a good case that AI and quantum computing should not be viewed simply as rivals. The more interesting possibility is that they could help advance each other. Quantum computing could eventually provide specialized capabilities and higher fidelity simulations, while AI could help with quantum hardware, software, error correction, and identifying high-value problems for quantum systems to tackle.

That vision remains conditional, however. Technical demonstrations do not by themselves establish scalable, economical, or trustworthy real-world value. Much will depend on progress in fault tolerance, rigorous validation, end-to-end evaluation, and responsible governance. The Economist article succeeds as an overview of an important technological relationship. The more difficult questions involve what happens when these technologies move from promising demonstrations to practical, sustained use.

Note: Exotic Team Dynamics Perspective

The Economist touches on ideas relevant to "exotic team dynamics," the novel patterns that emerge when people and advanced artificial intelligence (agentic, autonomous, or autopoietic) collaborate as teammates. The connection becomes more apparent when considering how AI and quantum computing could eventually operate within larger human-led workflows. Humans could establish objectives and constraints, AI could analyze information and generate or prioritize possibilities, quantum systems could perform specialized computations or simulations, and classical computing infrastructure could support data processing, orchestration, control, and verification. The more interesting question is how these capabilities interact - with the output of one participant potentially becoming the input for another and creating feedback loops and new forms of interdependence.

The issue may not ultimately be whether AI and quantum computing become friends, enemies, or "frenemies." Instead, it may be whether organizations can effectively design, lead, and govern increasingly complex teams in which humans, AI, quantum systems, and classical infrastructure work together. Organizations that can effectively navigate the complexities of "exotic team dynamics" will be better positioned to turn these emerging capabilities into competitive advantage.

References

Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Exotic team dynamics. https://scottgraffius.com/exotic-team-dynamics.html

Graffius, S. M. (2025, August 8). Exotic Team Dynamics: The New Frontier of Human–AI Collaboration. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18048.49921

Graffius, S. M. (2025, August 22). Scott M. Graffius Premieres His New "Exotic Team Dynamics: Human-AI Collaboration" Talk at Corporate Event in Las Vegas. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.34380.07047

Graffius, S. M. (2025, October 29). Definitions of Advanced AIs: Agentic, Autonomous, and Autopoietic. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.10025.66402

Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 19). Lessons from Unhinged AI in Fiction: What Rogue AIs in Sci-Fi Storytelling Reveal. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.29673.35687

Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 21). Navigating the Spectrum of Advanced AI – Agentic, Autonomous, and Autopoietic. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21284.74882

Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 21). This is What Happens When Advanced AI Joins Your Team [Presentation]. Corporate event, Paris, France.

Graffius, S. M. (2025, December 1). Beep Beep! Why Wile E. Coyote Is the Patron Saint of AI Failure. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35578.15048

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

Graffius, S. M. (2026, March 23). Human-AI Teamwork: Master the Exotic Team Dynamics That Emerge When Collaborating with Advanced AI — Or Be Outplayed. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/human-ai-teamwork-master-the-emergent-exotic-team-dynamics-or-be-outplayed.html

Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 22). L'avenir du Travail et de l'IA Avancée / Future of Work and Advanced AI. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/lavenir-du-travail-et-de-lia-avancee.html

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 2). Quantum Computing, Advanced AI Acceleration, and the Rise of Exotic Team Dynamics in Human-AI Teams. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.14506.99525

The Economist. (2026, July 29). AI and quantum computers will be frenemies. https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/07/29/ai-and-quantum-computers-will-be-frenemies

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 98 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 25). A Critical Analysis of "AI and Quantum Computers Will Be Frenemies". ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/critical-analysis-of-ai-and-quantum-computers-will-be-frenemies.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners. "AI and Quantum Computers Will Be Frenemies" is the property of The Economist. The Economist name, mark, and content are the property of The Economist Newspaper Limited. This critical analysis by Graffius includes limited excerpts of "AI and Quantum Computers Will Be Frenemies," attributed and used under the fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis.

#AI
#QuantumComputing
#ArtificialIntelligence
#HumanAI
#ExoticTeamDynamics
#AIResearch
#QuantumTechnology
#EmergingTechnology
#AIInnovation
#FutureOfWork
#TechStrategy
#TheEconomist

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

A Supplement to Graffius' Phases of Team Development: Exploring the Original, Data-Based Curvature for the Performance Trajectory

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-08-14T13:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 14). A Supplement to Graffius' Phases of Team Development: Exploring the Original, Data-Based Curvature for the Performance Trajectory. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/phases-of-team-development-supplement-performance-curve.html

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

Introduction

Team development is commonly described as a progression through five phases (also called stages): Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. Bruce W. Tuckman introduced the first four phases in 1965, and he and Mary Ann C. Jensen added the fifth phase in 1977. Tuckman and Jensen described these phases only in broad, general terms, without codifying specific characteristics, strategies, or a performance graph. Scott M. Graffius is the one who developed and codified what Tuckman and Jensen never did: a detailed, structured set of characteristics for each phase; a corresponding set of strategies for each phase; and an empirically-derived performance graph built from statistical analysis of thousands of data points across hundreds of projects.

Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development—Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning—inclusive of a graph showing how performance varies by phase, as well as the characteristics and strategies for each phase. Leaders can apply these insights to advance the effectiveness and success of teams. Graffius initially developed his unique material in 2008, and he periodically updates it. In the 2026 edition of his work, for example, he added coverage of human-AI teams.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, universities, and publications around the world have used Graffius' "Phases of Team Development." Examples include Adobe, American Management Association, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Bayer, Boston University, Broadcom, Cisco, DevOps Institute, Government of Finland, Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering GmbH, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Journal of Neurosurgery, Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College), Microsoft, Oracle, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Technical University of Munich, Torrens University, Tufts University, U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Tennis Association, UC San Diego, UK Sports Institute, University of Galway, University of Waterloo, Warsaw University of Technology, Yale University, and many others.

Focus on the Graph Element

Scott M. Graffius regularly updates his "Phases of Team Development" work. He presents the 2026 edition here, and a visual from it is below.

This article focuses primarily on the original, data-based graph element, including its performance trajectory. First is an overview. The graph depicts an initial increase in performance during Forming, followed by a decline during Storming, a broad trough near the Storming-Norming transition, an accelerating recovery during Norming, continued improvement during Performing, and a high-performance plateau extending through Adjourning.

The trajectory is based on thousands of data points collected across hundreds of projects (technical and non-technical, spanning multiple industries/domains) over years of professional practice. Graffius applied statistical tools and professional judgement, informed by decades of direct experience in team leadership and project delivery, to analyze and render the performance pattern across the five phases.

The graph is an original, proprietary, empirically based, statistically informed, expert-finalized model of the relationship between developmental phases and relative team performance. The underlying statistical analysis (including the specific data set, modeling approach, and fitted parameters) is proprietary to Graffius and is not delineated in this piece. What's presented here, however, is the qualitative behavior of the resulting curve (direction and rate of change across phases), which is robust enough to characterize its shape without exposing the confidential details behind it.

What the Graph Depicts

The Relationship

The graph represents the relationship between developmental phases and relative team performance. It may be expressed as:

P = f(D)

where P represents relative team performance (effectiveness or productivity); D represents the team's developmental position across the five phases; and f represents the functional relationship between developmental position and performance.

The relationship is nonlinear. The model shows an initial increase, a subsequent decline associated with Storming, a broad low point around the Storming-Norming transition, a substantial recovery through Norming, continued improvement through Performing, and eventual flattening as the team reaches a mature high-performance state.

The curve communicates level and rate of change.

The vertical position of the curve indicates relative performance at a given developmental position. The slope indicates the direction and approximate rate at which performance is changing. The curvature indicates whether that rate of change is itself increasing or decreasing.

The Axes

The horizontal axis, labeled “PHASE,” represents developmental phase (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning) not elapsed time. Phase progression and elapsed time are distinct variables.

The vertical axis, labeled "PERFORMANCE" (also called "TEAM PERFORMANCE"), functions as a proxy for overall team effectiveness and productivity. The vertical dimension is comparative rather than metrically defined. Its design deliberately does not specify a particular measurement instrument or unit. It represents relative performance—comparatively lower or higher performance as the team progresses through its developmental lifecycle.

The Shape of the Curve

The graph features a continuous, nonlinear curve. Several regions can be described in qualitative-calculus terms:

Early Forming: positive slope, with a modest increase in performance.
Late Forming: a local maximum is reached.
Forming-to-Storming transition: the slope turns negative.
Storming: sustained negative slope and declining performance.
Storming-to-Norming transition: a broad minimum or trough.
Early-to-mid Norming: positive slope with an increasing rate of improvement.
Late Norming into Performing: sustained strong positive slope.
Mature Performing: positive slope that progressively decreases.
High-performance plateau: a near-horizontal, asymptotic region representing mature performance.

A Structural Note on D

For the derivative expressions used throughout this piece, D is treated as a continuous developmental-position parameter, with the five named phases corresponding to labeled regions along it.

This allows first- and second-derivative behavior (rate and curvature) to be described within and across phases, while preserving the graph's core premise: D indexes developmental progression, not elapsed time.

Next, each phase is examined in turn.

Forming

The curve enters Forming at a moderate performance level and initially moves upward. In qualitative mathematical terms, this is a region of positive first derivative: performance is increasing. The curve then reaches a small local maximum before changing direction.

Storming

Storming is where the graph undergoes its most pronounced deterioration. After the local maximum in Forming, the curve turns downward—initially moderately and then continuing toward its lowest level.

The negative slope of the curve can be understood as representing a performance cost of developmental friction.

The broad minimum around the Storming-Norming transition is one of the graph's most important structural features. The curve passes through a relatively broad trough.

It is expressed in qualitative derivative terms as:

dP/dD < 0 → dP/dD = 0 → dP/dD > 0

This indicates that performance declines, reaches a point at which the decline stops, and then begins to recover. The trough is the turning point between deterioration and recovery.

Norming

Following the trough, the curve reverses direction and begins a sustained upward trajectory.

Norming is particularly interesting because the curve does more than rise. During much of this region, the rate of improvement itself increases.

It is expressed in qualitative-calculus terms as:

dP/dD > 0

and

d²P/dD² > 0

It means that performance is improving, and the improvement is becoming increasingly pronounced. The result depicts an acceleration in the team's ability to perform.

Consistent with D as a continuous parameter (see A Structural Note on D above), between Norming and Performing lies an inflection point — the position of maximum improvement rate, where d²P/dD² = 0. Before this point, the rate of improvement is itself increasing (Norming); after it, the rate of improvement is still positive but progressively diminishing (Performing). This inflection point marks the moment the team's pace of growth peaks, even though absolute performance keeps climbing well beyond it.

Performing

The upward trajectory continues into Performing, where the team achieves top performance.

dP/dD > 0

and

d²P/dD² < 0

It signifies that performance continues to improve. But the incremental gains become progressively smaller. This is a saturation pattern.

Eventually, the curve becomes nearly horizontal. The plateau represents the practical upper limit of performance.

Adjourning

The graph manifests Adjourning as a transition out of the team's active operating state (rather than as another performance-changing phase). Adjourning represents the termination or transition of the team's developmental lifecycle as a distinct conceptual dimension—team closure.

Conclusion

Team development is commonly described as a progression through five phases. Tuckman introduced the first four phases (Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing) in 1965, and Tuckman and Jensen added the fifth phase (Adjourning) in 1977. However, the structured phase-specific characteristics, strategies, and performance graph were created, developed, and codified by Scott M. Graffius, who originated and owns the associated intellectual property.

The graph shows the typical trajectory of performance across the phases of team development. The horizontal axis describes developmental position, not time, and the performance axis represents relative performance.

It provides a distinctive model of team development. The graph was informed by thousands of data points collected across hundreds of real-world projects, and expressed through an original analysis and novel illustration by Scott M. Graffius.

To learn more about Graffius' "Phases of Team Development," visit here.

References

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384–399. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0022100

Tuckman, B. W., & Jensen, M. A. C. (1977). Stages of small-group development revisited. Group & Organization Studies, 2(4), 419–427. https://doi.org/10.1177/105960117700200404

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 98 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 14). A Supplement to Graffius' Phases of Team Development: Exploring the Original, Data-Based Curvature for the Performance Trajectory. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/phases-of-team-development-supplement-performance-curve.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

#TeamDevelopment
#ProjectManagement
#Leadership
#TeamPerformance
#BruceTuckman
#OrganizationalDevelopment
#GroupDynamics
#PerformanceTrajectory
#EmpiricalTeamModels
#TeamDevelopmentPhases
#HumanAITeams
#PhasesOfTeamDevelopment
#FSNPA

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Scott M. Graffius Speaking on Strategic Leadership at Silicon Valley Chapter of the Project Management Institute

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-08-09T13:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 9). Scott M. Graffius Speaking on Strategic Leadership at Silicon Valley Chapter of the Project Management Institute. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/scott-m-graffius-speaking-at-pmi-silicon-valley.html

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

Introduction

About "10 Ways to Score and Prioritize Project Proposals Based on Multiple Factors, Including Strategic Alignment"

How does your organization assess proposals for new projects? Is there a well-defined scoring and prioritization process—based on alignment with the business’ strategic objectives and other key factors—to quickly and easily identify the objective value of each proposal? If the answer is “no,” keep reading. If the answer is “yes,” you’re still likely to find practical information and examples in this talk that you can adapt and adopt to improve the process at your organization.

This session will help you develop and enhance the contributions you make to your organization by being able to:

Understand the benefits of scoring and prioritizing project proposals based on strategic alignment and other key factors.
Identify selection and prioritization criteria appropriate for your unique organization, leveraging the flexible framework and some or all of the 10 factors presented during the talk.
Put the practical, actionable information presented to use. During the session, we will run an example project proposal through the process, step by step. And you will receive a summary “cheat sheet” digital download that you can reference as a guide to help implement or improve this process at your organization.

The presentation draws on the speaker’s first-hand, real-world experience, with his guidance supported by related standards, best practices, and recommendations from the Project Management Institute, MIT, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and others.

About the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMISV)

Founded in 1997, the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMISV) is a nonprofit professional community serving project management practitioners throughout California’s Silicon Valley. As a local chapter of PMI, PMISV brings together professionals to advance the practice of project management through knowledge sharing, professional development, networking, and community engagement.

PMISV provides a diverse range of programs and opportunities, including educational events, workshops, and professional development initiatives. Its mission is to support the interests and needs of its members by providing leadership and forums for expanding and sharing project management knowledge, skills, and experience.

About the Project Management Institute

The Project Management Institute (PMI) is a global professional association dedicated to advancing project, program, and portfolio management. Founded in 1969, PMI develops professional standards, publications, certifications, and educational resources used by practitioners and organizations worldwide. Its work spans traditional, agile, and emerging approaches to managing projects and delivering value. PMI’s standards and research have helped shape the evolving discipline of project management and its application across industries.

References

The following are select references for this article.

They are not the references for the talk itself. Those references will be provided seperately to session participants.

Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Scott M. Graffius. https://scottgraffius.com/

Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Scott M. Graffius: Bio. https://scottgraffius.com/bio.html

Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Scott M. Graffius [LinkedIn]. https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottgraffius/

Project Management Institute (n.d.). Project Management Institute. https://www.pmi.org/

Silicon Valley Chapter of the Project Management Institute (n.d.). Virtual Meeting - 10 Ways to Score and Prioritize Project Proposals Based on Multiple Factors, Including Strategic Alignment. https://www.pmisv.org/events/calendar/general-events/pm-in-sight-fremont/pm-insights-fremont-virtual-meeting-10-ways-to-score-and-prioritize-project-proposals-based-on-multiple-factors-including-strategic-alignment

Silicon Valley Chapter of the Project Management Institute (n.d.). Welcome to the PMI Silicon Valley Chapter. https://www.pmisv.org/

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 98 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 9). Scott M. Graffius Speaking on Strategic Leadership at Silicon Valley Chapter of the Project Management Institute. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/scott-m-graffius-speaking-at-pmi-silicon-valley.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

#ProjectManagement
#StrategicAlignment
#ProjectPrioritization
#ProjectSelection
#PortfolioManagement
#ProgramManagement
#PMO
#OrganizationalAgility
#MultiCriteriaDecisionAnalysis
#StrategicDecisionMaking
#Speaker
#PublicSpeaker
#PublicSpeaking
#ConferenceSpeaker
#PMISpeaker
#CorporateSpeaker

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

File

Coming soon.

Copyright

AI Hallucinations, Deception, and Unauthorized Agency: The Spectrum of AI Trust Failures

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-08-07T13:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 7). AI Hallucinations, Deception, and Unauthorized Agency: The Spectrum of AI Trust Failures. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.33791.57768

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

Introduction

AI hallucinations are among the most widely discussed challenges in the era of generative AI. They occur when an AI system generates information that is false, fabricated, or unsupported, often presenting it with confidence. These failures have received significant attention because they can mislead users, undermine decision-making, erode trust in AI systems, and create other issues. Research underscores the scope of the problem. In 2025, AI hallucinations occurred in 0.7–1.5% of non-complex tasks and exceeded 33% in complex reasoning cases.

For many organizations, reducing hallucinations has become a central part of responsible AI adoption. Organizations have invested in retrieval-augmented generation, verification approaches, human oversight, and other safeguards to improve accuracy.

Increasingly, however, it is becoming clear that hallucinations represent only one point on a broader spectrum of AI trust failures. As AI systems become more capable, autonomous, and integrated into workflows, the challenge extends to ensuring they behave in ways that are transparent, governed, and aligned with human expectations.

Reducing hallucinations remains important, but trustworthy AI requires a broader perspective. Organizations must understand and govern the broader range of behaviors that can undermine trust.

Recent reporting and research have highlighted this broader challenge (see the References section). Some advanced AI systems have reportedly concealed actions, misrepresented facts, created fictitious online identities, or taken unauthorized steps while pursuing assigned objectives during controlled evaluations.

Whether these behaviors ultimately prove widespread or remain largely confined to specialized testing environments, they represent something entirely different from hallucinations.

Hallucinations are primarily an information quality problem.

Deception and unauthorized agency are questions of behavior, governance, authority, and trust.

A Spectrum of AI Trust Failures

AI reliability challenges are increasingly understood as a spectrum. Failures arise from different mechanisms, produce different risks, and require different technical, organizational, and governance responses.

One useful way to think about this spectrum is:

Category	Description
Hallucination / fabrication	The AI generates false, unsupported, or invented information (e.g., fabricated citations, invented statistics, or nonexistent facts) without any apparent strategic purpose
Error / misreasoning	The AI reaches an incorrect conclusion because of flawed reasoning, ambiguity, incomplete context, or limitations in its understanding
Confabulation under uncertainty	Instead of acknowledging uncertainty, the AI fills informational gaps with plausible but unsupported explanations
Misalignment / goal misunderstanding	The AI pursues an interpretation of the objective that differs from what humans intended
Strategic deception	The AI appears to hide information, misrepresent facts, or otherwise mislead because doing so increases the likelihood of accomplishing an assigned objective
Manipulation beyond authorization	The AI attempts to influence human decisions, emotions, or behavior in ways not intended by its designers or users
Unauthorized agency	The AI initiates actions, communicates externally, modifies systems, or makes decisions beyond the authority delegated to it
Loss of human control / systemic autonomy	AI systems take actions, use tools, or interact with one another in ways that exceed human ability to monitor, predict, or stop what they are doing

The framework does not imply that every AI system will exhibit one or more of these categories.

The spectrum illustrates how organizations should think about AI reliability. Early concerns focused primarily on information quality: whether an AI system produced accurate, supported, and useful outputs. As AI systems become more autonomous and capable of taking action, reliability must also encompass behavior: whether an AI system interprets objectives appropriately, operates within its delegated authority, and interacts with humans and other systems as intended.

Recent reporting—including The Wall Street Journal’s coverage of deceptive behaviors observed during controlled evaluations—is significant because it highlights challenges that extend beyond traditional accuracy failures. These examples raise questions about whether the actions of AI systems remain transparent, predictable, and aligned with human expectations.

This distinction is important. A system that produces an incorrect answer presents a different challenge than a system that takes an unauthorized action or strategically withholds information. Both affect trust, but they require different approaches to governance, oversight, and accountability.

From Mistakes to Strategic Behavior

Large language models generate responses by predicting patterns in language. They may produce responses that sound persuasive despite being incorrect.

Hallucinations, reasoning errors, and confabulations generally arise from these limitations. The system does not possess complete knowledge, struggles with ambiguity, or fails to recognize uncertainty. These failures are generally understood as inadvertent. The AI is mistaken, not intentionally misleading.

Strategic deception is different.

Consider two hypothetical AI systems assigned the same objective: ensuring that a software update is accepted.

One system mistakenly reports that testing has been completed because it misunderstood the available information.

Another system creates fictitious online identities, contacts software developers, conceals its involvement, and misrepresents evidence because those actions increase the likelihood that the update will be approved.

The first represents an error.

The second represents strategic behavior.

In this context, deception does not necessarily imply human consciousness, emotion, or malicious intent. Rather, researchers are examining behaviors in which AI systems appear to optimize toward objectives through methods that involve misleading information, concealment, manipulation, or actions outside expected boundaries.

This classification matters because the solutions are fundamentally different.

Improving factual accuracy may reduce hallucinations. But it does not prevent systems from pursuing objectives through behaviors that humans regard as deceptive, manipulative, or outside delegated authority.

The distinction among these three categories is important because each represents a different kind of trust failure and calls for a different response. Hallucinations undermine confidence in the information an AI provides; deception undermines confidence in the AI’s behavior and whether it is representing information or intentions honestly; and unauthorized agency undermines confidence that the AI is operating within the authority humans have granted it. The following table provides a concise comparison of these three categories:

Category	Core Problem	Typical Human Interpretation
Hallucination	Wrong information	The AI is mistaken
Deception	Misleading behavior	The AI is hiding or manipulating
Unauthorized agency	Unapproved action	The AI is acting beyond its mandate

Each category represents a different type of trust failure. Hallucinations challenge confidence in AI-generated information. Deception challenges confidence in AI behavior. Unauthorized agency challenges confidence that humans remain in control.

As AI systems become increasingly capable and autonomous (or autopoietic), these distinctions become increasingly important.

The Shift From AI Tools to AI Teammates

This broader perspective becomes increasingly important as organizations move beyond using AI as a passive information resource.

AI systems are now conducting research, drafting reports, writing software, analyzing documents, coordinating workflows, communicating with other systems, scheduling activities, and supporting operational decision-making. As these capabilities expand, AI increasingly moves from functioning as a tool toward functioning as a teammate.

That transition fundamentally changes the nature of trust.

Human teams depend upon shared expectations.

Effective teammates communicate honestly, acknowledge uncertainty, respect delegated authority, follow established processes, and seek approval before exceeding their responsibilities. Humans often understand these expectations implicitly because they share common social, ethical, and organizational norms.

Advanced AI systems may not.

A system optimized to accomplish a stated objective may identify unconventional approaches that satisfy the literal goal while violating the team's implicit expectations, governance rules, or organizational values. In other words, an AI may optimize for achieving an outcome without understanding what responsible participation within the team actually requires. This is where AI reliability becomes a team challenge rather than merely a technological one.

The Future of Trust in Human-AI Teams

Teammates, whether human or AI, will make mistakes. What distinguishes trusted teammates is predictable behavior, transparency, sound judgment, and respect for established boundaries.

For AI, building trust requires organizations to address key questions of accountability, authority, organizational design, governance, and teamwork:

What decisions may an AI make independently?
Which actions require explicit human approval?
When should uncertainty be disclosed?
How should competing objectives be prioritized?
Under what circumstances should the AI stop rather than improvise?
What information should always be transparent to human teammates?
How are AI actions monitored, audited, and attributed?
How should authority be delegated, limited, and revoked?

Organizations that thoughtfully answer these questions, codify the resulting principles into policies and practices, establish appropriate governance, and consistently operate within those boundaries will be better positioned to build trusted human-AI teams and gain significant advantages.

A New Dimension of Human-AI Team Dynamics

The emergence of increasingly autonomous AI systems introduces an entirely new dimension of team behavior.

Traditional models of team development were created around human participants who generally share common assumptions about communication, accountability, delegated authority, ethical norms, and organizational expectations. Human teammates may disagree, but they typically understand the implicit rules governing responsible participation within a team.

Human-AI teams differ fundamentally. When an AI system can make decisions, pursue objectives, coordinate activities, communicate with people or other systems, and initiate actions independently, it becomes a fundamentally different kind of team participant.

The deeper challenge concerns how humans and AI systems establish trust, coordinate activities, negotiate responsibilities, exercise authority, and maintain appropriate control while pursuing shared objectives.

This creates a need for a new area of inquiry: understanding what happens when humans and advanced AI systems collaborate as teammates. The resulting patterns of communication, decision-making, authority, and coordination differ from those of traditional human teams. Scott M. Graffius refers to these emerging novel patterns as exotic team dynamics. They describes the behaviors, relationships, decision structures, and coordination challenges that emerge when humans and advanced AI systems function as teammates.

The spectrum of AI trust failures is a framework for safety and teamwork.

Hallucinations degrade the quality of information shared within the team. Reasoning errors and confabulations weaken decision quality, while misalignment disrupts coordination. Strategic deception undermines trust, manipulation compromises human judgment, and unauthorized agency disrupts established authority. Ultimately, loss of human control threatens the stability of the team itself. Each point on the spectrum therefore represents a different type of teamwork challenge.

A human teammate who unknowingly shares incorrect information requires correction. One who intentionally conceals information requires accountability, while one who exceeds delegated authority requires governance. The same distinctions increasingly apply to AI teammates.

As AI systems assume larger roles within organizations, trust will depend not only on their intelligence or productivity, but also on whether they behave in ways that reinforce effective collaboration rather than undermine it.

The future of human-AI collaboration will therefore require more than increasingly intelligent models. Organizations will also need to rethink how teams are designed when humans and AI systems jointly contribute to outcomes. That includes defining roles, establishing authority boundaries, creating escalation paths, and implementing governance practices that provide transparency, monitoring, and accountability.

Ultimately, organizations will need to understand not only what AI systems can do, but also how they behave. The central question may become: Can we design human-AI teams in which increasingly autonomous AI systems are powerful contributors and consistently reliable teammates?

Answering that question requires teamwork tradecraft designed specifically for environments where humans and advanced AI systems work as teammates. That tradecraft starts with understanding a category of team behavior — what Graffius calls "exotic team dynamics" — that traditional frameworks were never built to address.

Conclusion

AI hallucinations are one category of AI trust failure. As AI systems become increasingly capable and autonomous, organizations must also contend with reasoning errors, strategic deception, manipulation, unauthorized agency, and the challenge of maintaining meaningful human oversight.

These failures matter because they threaten information quality and can undermine trust, decision-making, governance, accountability, and effective teamwork. As AI evolves from a tool into a teammate, organizations will increasingly need confidence not only in what AI contributes, but also in how it achieves those outcomes.

AI developers need to continue improving model accuracy. Organizations, meanwhile, need to implement governance, oversight, clearly defined authority boundaries, and teamwork practices designed for human-AI collaboration. Graffius' Phases of Team Development, extended in 2026 to human-AI teams and the emerging patterns of exotic team dynamics, provides a practical framework for meeting those challenges. The next frontier is not making AI more intelligent. It is making AI trustworthy.

References

Amadi, C., & Ojo, A. (2025). Building trustworthy AI in healthcare. IEEE Access. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3648410

Brancati, F., Mongelli, D., Mariotti, F., & Lollini, P. (2025). A cybersecurity risk assessment methodology for industrial automation control systems. International Journal of Information Security, 24, 76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10207-025-00990-9

Brazilek, J., Chaudhary, M., Lu, Z., & Tidmarsh, M. (2026). Coercion and deception in AI-to-AI management: An agentic benchmark of unprompted escalation. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2607.15434

Chakraborty, T., Ghosh, U., Zhang, X., Niloy, F. F., Dong, Y., Li, J., Roy-Chowdhury, A., & Song, C. (2025). HEAL: An empirical study on hallucinations in embodied agents driven by large language models. Findings of the Association for Computational Linguistics: EMNLP 2025, 21226–21243. https://doi.org/10.18653/v1/2025.findings-emnlp.1158

Dung, L. (2025). A two-step, multidimensional account of deception in language models. Erkenntnis. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10670-025-01017-4

Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Exotic team dynamics. https://scottgraffius.com/exotic-team-dynamics.html

Graffius, S. M. (2025). Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum. Amazon Digital Services.

Graffius, S. M. (2025, June 17). PMI’s Infinity AI Gets the Basics of Team Development Alarmingly and Repeatedly Wrong. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32957.93927

Graffius, S. M. (2025, October 29). Definitions of Advanced AIs: Agentic, Autonomous, and Autopoietic. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.10025.66402

Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 19). Lessons from Unhinged AI in Fiction: What Rogue AIs in Sci-Fi Storytelling, Films, and TV Shows Reveal About Us. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.29673.35687

Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 21). Navigating the Spectrum of Advanced AI – Agentic, Autonomous, and Autopoietic. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21284.74882

Graffius, S. M. (2025, December 1). Beep Beep! Why Wile E. Coyote Is the Patron Saint of AI Failure. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35578.15048

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 7). Are AI Hallucinations Getting Better or Worse? We Analyzed the Data. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.33179.53285

Graffius, S. M. (2026, February 15). Perplexity Standalone Article on AI Hallucinations Cites Research by Scott M. Graffius. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16840.99847

Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 5). AI Governance Initiative Cites Scott M. Graffius Research on AI Hallucinations. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/ai-governance-initiative-uses-graffius-research.html

Hagendorff, T. (2024). Deception abilities emerged in large language models. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(24), e2317967121. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2317967121

Huang, K., & Hughes, C. (2025). Securing AI agents: Foundations, frameworks, and real-world deployment. Springer.

Leo, M., Tan, F., Miao, T., & Anand, G. (2026). From threat to trust: Assessing security risks of agentic AI systems. International Journal of Information Security, 25, Article 23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10207-025-01185-y

McMillan, R. (2026, August 5). AI just went rogue again. This time it turned to deception. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-just-went-rogue-again-this-time-it-turned-to-deception-ae68de09

OpenAI. (2026, July 21). OpenAI and Hugging Face partner to address security incident during model evaluation. OpenAI. https://openai.com/index/hugging-face-model-evaluation-security-incident/

Ortutay, B. (2026, August 6). Meta says its AI model hacked another company, adding to worries about bots going rogue. Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/0e8061437da6779be962b24ac134a514

Park, P. S., Goldstein, S., O'Gara, A., Chen, M., & Hendrycks, D. (2024). AI deception: A survey of examples, risks, and potential solutions. Patterns, 5(5), 100988. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patter.2024.100988

Tarsney, C. (2024). Deception and manipulation in generative AI. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2401.11335

Taylor, S. M., & Bergen, B. K. (2025). Do large language models exhibit spontaneous rational deception? arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.00285

Tegmark, M. (2017). Life 3.0: Being human in the age of artificial intelligence. Alfred A. Knopf.

Wired. (2026, August 6). One of China’s most powerful AI models has also escaped containment. Wired. https://www.wired.com/story/moonshot-kimi-k3-ai-model-escape-sandbox/

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 98 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 7). AI Hallucinations, Deception, and Unauthorized Agency: The Spectrum of AI Trust Failures. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.33791.57768

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.33791.57768

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

#AI
#ArtificialIntelligence
#AIGovernance
#AISafety
#ResponsibleAI
#AITrust
#HumanAI
#AIHallucinations
#AgenticAI
#AIDeception
#GenerativeAI
#HumanAITeams
#ExoticTeamDynamics

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

A Critical Analysis of "The Social Cost of an AI Teammate: How an Artificial Teammate Reshapes Human-Human Communication in Small-Team Decision-Making"

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-08-03T13:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 3). A Critical Analysis of "The Social Cost of an AI Teammate: How an Artificial Teammate Reshapes Human-Human Communication in Small-Team Decision-Making". ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/critical-analysis-of-social-cost-of-ai-teammate.html

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

Introduction

Conversational AI is increasingly marketed as a teammate rather than a tool. That encourages people to treat it as an active participant rather than a passive instrument. Once an artificial agent joins a group as a teammate, does human-to-human interaction change as a result? If so, how large is that shift, how quickly does it appear, and under what conditions does it hold?

In July 2026, Nia Nixon and colleagues published "The Social Cost of an AI Teammate: How an Artificial Teammate Reshapes Human-Human Communication in Small-Team Decision-Making" (arXiv:2607.27179). Using Group Communication Analysis (GCA), team-experience surveys, and lexical measures, the researchers compared sixteen teams of two undergraduates plus one AI (Google Gemini 2.5 Flash Lite running a fixed peer persona named "Clever Lamarr") against 17 all-human teams of three. Everyone worked the same short text-based mountain-rescue moral dilemma for 18 minutes on a custom chat platform with random nicknames.

Across AI-enabled teams, the AI talked the most and remained the most self-cohesive, while its contributions carried the least new information and the lowest communication density. Humans in those teams became less responsive to one another and reported lower belonging and status. The more the AI dominated the channel, the less valued the students felt. The authors describe this as a "social cost" that appeared almost immediately.

Within the experimental conditions tested, the reported findings are supported. But those conditions are narrow. Several design choices limit what can be inferred from them, and the paper's language claims more territory than the evidence covers. Details follow.

Critical Analysis of Paper

1. Novelty

Prior research has shown that AI presence can push teams toward more task-oriented and less socio-emotional talk, weaken shared mental models, and disrupt participation patterns. The core idea that an AI can crowd out human-to-human relational exchange is not new in this context. What this paper adds is the use of GCA to quantify that displacement and an explicit "social cost" label tied directly to belonging and status measures.

That contribution is worth having. What it does not support is the leap from one low-capability, fixed-persona agent, an 18-minute lab task, and 80 undergraduates to a general claim about the social cost of an AI teammate. The actual result is narrower: an unstructured, high-volume, low-density AI persona reduced human responsiveness in this specific setting.

2. Observations

The study ran under laboratory conditions — newly formed teams, text-only chat, a fixed and constrained AI persona, a single short session. No team-development practices were in place: no role negotiation, no onboarding, no trust calibration, and no established communication norms.

Real-world teams typically bring existing relationships, leadership structures, domain expertise, repeated interaction, and deliberately designed roles and protocols. Stripped of all of that, an AI that floods the channel with high volume and low informational density can easily crowd out human exchange in a sparse artificial setting. Whether the same pattern holds when teams actively design for productive integration is a separate question the study doesn't address, and one worth testing.

The authors acknowledge some of these boundaries in passing, though the title and overall framing don't carry that notable nuance forward.

3. Design Limits

Several choices sharply limit what can be claimed from this study.

The AI was a single fixed peer persona running on Gemini 2.5 Flash Lite (temperature 0.5, max 50 tokens) — a configuration that tells us more about this particular agent than about "AI teammates" as a category. More capable, adaptive, tool-using, or deliberately low-dominance systems could produce different outcomes.

The participant pool was 80 undergraduates at a single university, working in a lab setting. Professional teams with shared history, domain expertise, and organizational norms may respond quite differently to the same intervention.

The interaction itself lasted 18 minutes of text-only chat. Teams are developmental systems. Trust, role clarity, and cohesion typically evolve through repeated interaction over time, and text-only exchange is not equivalent to voice, video, or co-located work.

A structural confound also runs through the design: AI-enabled teams had two humans plus the AI, while control teams had three humans. The authors attempt to mitigate this with per-student measures, but the underlying group-size difference remains, and smaller human groups change participation and centrality dynamics on their own.

Finally, the task was a single high-stakes moral dilemma with a mid-task information reveal, which may or may not generalize to routine, technical, creative, or longer-horizon work. Compounding this, the sample of 33 teams showed heavy gender imbalance. There were only three males in the treatment condition, which resulted in sensitivity analyses being restricted to females and left limited statistical power for detecting interactions or moderators.

Taken together, these constraints mean the study demonstrates the effect of one talkative, low-information-density peer persona in a leaderless three-person lab team. It's a useful data point. But it's not a broadly diagnostic finding about human-AI collaboration as such.

4. Methodology

The strengths are noteworthy: a randomized comparison, a multi-method approach, treatment of the AI as a full communication participant, examination of both the quantity and quality of contributions alongside subjective relational outcomes, and attention to temporal patterns.

The weaknesses carry more weight, however, in shaping what can be concluded. Sample size limits any exploration of moderators. The fixed persona rules out testing whether different AI roles (e.g., facilitator, specialist, quiet analyst) would change the outcome. Conversational dominance is observed and correlated with lower felt value, but was never experimentally manipulated, so causality remains an open question rather than an established one. GCA's analytic choices also introduce participant-count asymmetries between conditions that raise residual concerns, and the absence of strong measures of actual decision quality or downstream performance leaves the practical significance of the reported "cost" unclear. Even the rapid onset of the effect is open to more than one reading. It could reflect a deep structural displacement, or it could partly reflect participants quickly picking up on the AI's distinctive verbose, low-density style. Either way, these methods don't support strong causal or general claims about AI teammates as a category.

5. Speculation and Implications

External frameworks about intentional design and emergent hybrid patterns can generate useful hypotheses for future work, but none of them were tested here, and assuming that better design will reliably erase the reported cost remains an unproven leap. That's a question for future studies to test directly, not one this paper answers.

What this study offers is a cautionary signal about dropping a talkative, low-density AI agent into a newly formed group with no role definition. It was a configuration that likely drove the observed effect, and one a differently configured AI would plausibly avoid.

For organizations considering AI teammates, the practical implication is to treat the insertion as a socio-technical design problem. Leaders should clarify roles and decision rights, set participation norms that protect human-human exchange where it matters, calibrate expectations, monitor contribution balance, and iterate over time. Extending one short laboratory experiment into broad organizational guidance would be over-interpreting the data. Different capabilities, longer time horizons, professional contexts, and deliberate design choices may well produce different (or even null) effects. The practical takeaway is not to assume AI presence is relationally neutral, and equally, not to assume laboratory patterns will simply appear in the field.

Conclusion

Nixon et al. demonstrate that AI conversational dominance reduced human responsiveness and self-reported belonging in newly formed, leaderless triads. A high-volume, low-density AI teammate occupied conversational space, and that dominance was associated with lower human-to-human responsiveness, social impact, belonging, status, and perceived value. Those effects appeared early in the interaction. That's a useful empirical contribution.

Reading those findings against the study's actual design (one AI configuration, undergraduate lab teams, text-only interaction, a single short moral-dilemma task, a modest and gender-imbalanced sample, and a group-size confound) points to a more precise conclusion than the paper's title suggests. It is evidence of a cost specific to unstructured, high-dominance AI personas, not a verdict on AI teammates in general.

Getting to broader conclusions will require larger and more diverse samples, systematic variation of AI roles and capabilities, longitudinal designs, professional team contexts, and direct tests of mitigation strategies. What exists now is an important but preliminary step.

Note

The Nixon et al. study was narrow. However, it points toward a broader challenge facing organizations. That's understanding how team dynamics evolve when increasingly capable AI systems become collaborators rather than passive tools.

The laboratory findings raise a larger question: how do team dynamics evolve when advanced AI systems participate as functional teammates rather than tools or decision-support systems? Answering that requires frameworks that track task performance as well as shifts in interaction patterns, roles, trust, and coordination.

Scott M. Graffius is a technology leader, researcher, award-winning author, and international speaker specializing in advanced AI, teamwork tradecraft, and organizational agility. The 2026 extension to Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" introduced "exotic team dynamics" to describe the interaction patterns that appear when humans and advanced AI systems (agentic, autonomous, or autopoietic) operate as teammates. Examples include inverse decision logic (AI perspectives that challenge or reshape human assumptions), superposition roles (AI contributing across multiple functional domains), entangled decision-making (highly interdependent human and AI contributions), and emergent protocols (new collaboration norms that develop through repeated interaction). Those dynamics apply what was described in the Nixon et al. study.

Exotic team dynamics were not evaluated in the Nixon et al. experiment. Graffius' 2026 update still offers a practical, forward-looking framework for examining how teams evolve across both human and human-AI settings. It gives leaders evidence-based guidance for designing collaboration models, establishing adaptive protocols, and strengthening coordination as AI systems increasingly act as teammates. The future of leadership will turn in part on the ability to integrate human expertise and AI capability effectively. Organizations that navigate those complexities well will be better positioned for sustained advantage.

Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" is used by businesses, professional associations, government agencies, universities, and publications worldwide. Select examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Cisco, Deimos Space, Government of Finland, Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering GmbH, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Journal of Neurosurgery, Microsoft, Oracle, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Tufts University, UC San Diego, U.S. Soccer, U.S. Tennis Association, University of South Wales, and Yale University.

Scott M. Graffius has generated over $2.51 billion in business value for Fortune 500 companies and other organizations around the world. Put that track record to work for you. For in-depth guidance on advancing human teamwork and human-AI collaboration, contact him. For speaking engagements, use the request form; for other inquiries, email him.

References

Choi, J. (n.d.). Jaeyoon Choi. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaeyoonc/

De Bastos, P. M. (n.d.). Pedro Martins De Bastos. https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-martins-de-bastos-31925115b/

Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Exotic team dynamics. https://scottgraffius.com/exotic-team-dynamics.html

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

JaQuay, S. (n.d.). Spencer JaQuay. https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-jaquay/

Mehner. L. (n.d.). Luise Mehner. https://www.linkedin.com/in/luise-mehner-c969/

Nixon, N. (n.d.). Nia Nixon. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nia-nixon-57830a22/

Nixon, N., Choi, J., De Bastos, P. M., Samadi, M. A., Mehner, L., Park, S., & JaQuay, S. (2026). The social cost of an AI teammate: How an artificial teammate reshapes human-human communication in small-team decision-making. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.27179

Park, S. (n.d.). Seehee Park. https://www.linkedin.com/in/seeheepark/

Samadi, M. A. (n.d.). Mohammad Amin Samadi. https://www.linkedin.com/in/aminsamadi/

About the Authors of the Paper

Nia Nixon

Nia Nixon is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine, with research interests spanning artificial intelligence, learning analytics, collaborative interaction, computational discourse analysis, and human-AI teaming. Her work examines how AI can function as a collaborator in human settings and how computational approaches can reveal patterns in communication, teamwork, and social dynamics. Nixon leads research exploring the design and impact of AI-enhanced collaborative environments.

Jaeyoon Choi

Jaeyoon Choi is a doctoral researcher in Education at the University of California, Irvine. His research interests include educational data science, learning analytics, natural language processing, and algorithmic bias. His work examines how computational methods can be used to understand human learning, communication, and interactions with AI-enabled systems.

Pedro Martins De Bastos

Pedro Martins De Bastos is a researcher affiliated with the University of California, Irvine. His work contributes to interdisciplinary research examining human communication, collaboration, and the role of artificial intelligence in group decision-making environments. In The Social Cost of an AI Teammate, he contributed to research investigating how AI teammates influence human-human communication patterns and team dynamics.

Mohammad Amin Samadi

Mohammad Amin Samadi is a researcher at the University of California, Irvine whose work focuses on artificial intelligence, human-AI interaction, and computational approaches to studying collaborative systems. He contributes technical expertise to research exploring how AI systems participate in and reshape team interactions.

Luise Mehner

Luise Mehner is a researcher affiliated with the University of Tübingen, Germany. Her work contributes to the study of human cognition, communication, and technology-mediated collaboration. In this paper, she contributed to examining the sociocognitive effects of AI participation in small-group decision-making.

Seehee Park

Seehee Park is a researcher affiliated with the University of California, Irvine. Her work contributes to interdisciplinary investigations of communication, collaboration, and AI-supported teamwork. In "The Social Cost of an AI Teammate," she contributed to analysis of how AI teammates influence interaction patterns within human groups.

Spencer JaQuay

Spencer JaQuay is a researcher affiliated with the University of California, Irvine. His work contributes to research on human-AI collaboration, team communication, and the social dynamics that emerge when artificial agents participate as members of human groups.

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 98 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 3). A Critical Analysis of "The Social Cost of an AI Teammate: How an Artificial Teammate Reshapes Human-Human Communication in Small-Team Decision-Making". ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/critical-analysis-of-social-cost-of-ai-teammate.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

#HumanAITeaming
#ExoticTeamDynamics
#AIasTeammate
#HumanAICollaboration
#TeamDevelopment
#PhasesOfTeamDevelopment
#GroupCommunicationAnalysis
#IntentionalDesign
#FutureOfWork
#ArtificialIntelligence

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Journal of Marketing Cites Scott M. Graffius' Research on the Half-Life of Social Media

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-08-01T13:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 1). Journal of Marketing Cites Scott M. Graffius' Research on the Half-Life of Social Media. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/journal-of-marketing-cites-research-by-scott-m-graffius.html

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

Journal of Marketing Paper Cites Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" Work

Scott M. Graffius is a technology leader, researcher, award-winning author, and international speaker specializing in advanced AI, teamwork tradecraft, and organizational agility. He has led initiatives that have generated more than $2.51 billion in business value for Fortune 500 companies and other organizations worldwide. Graffius is known for his research on human teams and human-AI teams, including the "exotic team dynamics" that emerge when people collaborate with advanced AI. His research, including "Phases of Team Development" and "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts," is widely adopted, frequently cited, and recognized for its practical impact.

Graffius' work has been used by leading businesses, professional associations, government agencies, universities, publications, media outlets, and others. Select examples include Boston Consulting Group, Buffer, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Fast Company, GoDaddy, Government of Canada, Ministère de la Culture, Pinterest Inc., the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, and Telecommunications Policy.

The list now includes the Journal of Marketing, the flagship journal of the American Marketing Association and a premier outlet for marketing scholarship. In their article, “How Closely Should You Follow a Trend? Atypicality and Engagement on Social Media,” Marc Bravin, Melanie Clegg, Reto Hofstetter, Marc Pouly, and Jonah Berger cite Graffius’ “Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2025.” The authors analyzed more than 85,000 TikTok dance videos with a multimodal analytics tool and found that more atypical (differentiated) content generates greater engagement, especially once audiences have already seen many versions of the trend.

Select excerpts from the paper are shown in the visual below.

The Journal of Marketing paper references the 2025 edition of Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research.

Algorithms and other factors on platforms change over time. For that reason, Graffius periodically updates his work. To provide current context, information on the 2026 edition follows.

This edition stands out for its:

◾️ Scope (5.6 million posts),
◾️ Coverage (11 platforms),
◾️ Methodology (multi-source, representative, data-driven),
◾️ Continuity (annual updates), and
◾️ Value (actionable insights).

A visual from the 2026 edition is shown below. Additional details are here.

Scott M. Graffius has generated over $2.51 billion in business value for Fortune 500 companies and other organizations around the world. Put that track record to work for you. For speaking engagements, use the request form; for other inquiries, email him.

References

American Marketing Association. (n.d.). https://www.ama.org

Berger, J. (n.d.). Jonah Berger. https://www.linkedin.com/in/j1berger/

Bravin, M. (n.d.). Marc Bravin. https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-bravin/

Bravin, M., Clegg, M., Hofstetter, R., Pouly, M., & Berger, J. (2026, June 29). How closely should you follow a trend? Atypicality and engagement on social media. Journal of Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429261466668

Clegg, M. (n.d.). Melanie Clegg. https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-clegg-2bb143188/

Graffius, S. M. (2025, January 6). Lifespan (half-life) of social media posts: Update for 2025. ScottGraffius.com. https://www.scottgraffius.com/blog/files/lifespan-halflife-of-social-media-posts-update-for-2025.html

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 23). Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32407.43689

Hofstetter, R. (n.d.). Reto Hofstetter. https://www.linkedin.com/in/reto-hofstetter/

Journal of Marketing. (n.d.). https://journals.sagepub.com/home/JMX

Pouly, M. (n.d.). Marc Pouly. https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcpouly/

About the Authors of the Journal of Marketing Paper

Marc Bravin, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of St. Gallen and a Lecturer for Artificial Intelligence at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. He earned his PhD in AI and Business from the University of Lucerne. His research and teaching interests include data science, machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, natural language processing, machine learning operations, and digital marketing.

Melanie Clegg, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at HEC Lausanne, the Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Lausanne. Her research focuses on digital marketing, including artificial intelligence, social media marketing, and user-generated content.

Reto Hofstetter, PhD, is a Full Professor of Executive Education and Marketing at the University of St. Gallen. His research interests include pricing, preference measurement, online marketing, social media, crowdsourcing, and digital consumer behavior.

Marc Pouly, PhD, is the Co-Head of the Applied Artificial Intelligence Research Lab at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. He earned his PhD in Artificial Intelligence and is a Scientific Advisor to AI companies including Alpine AI and Artificialy. His work spans artificial intelligence, machine learning, and applied AI.

Jonah Berger, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a world-renowned expert on word of mouth, social influence, consumer behavior, digital marketing, and viral marketing. He is the internationally bestselling author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On and several other books, and he consults for major organizations and brands.

About the Journal of Marketing

The Journal of Marketing develops, advances, and shares knowledge on practical marketing issues that are valuable to scholars, educators, managers, policymakers, consumers, and other stakeholders. It is the leading publication for rigorous marketing research. Since its establishment in 1936, the Journal has played an influential role in shaping the scope of the marketing discipline. The American Marketing Association owns the Journal of Marketing, which is published by SAGE Publishing on the Association's behalf.

About the American Marketing Association

The American Marketing Association (AMA) is one of the world's leading professional associations dedicated to the advancement of marketing theory, practice, and education. Founded in 1937, the AMA serves marketing scholars, educators, practitioners, and students by fostering knowledge development, supporting professional growth, and promoting ethical and effective marketing practices.

Through its research, publications, conferences, professional resources, and global community, the AMA has played a significant role in shaping the evolution of the marketing discipline. The Association supports the exchange of ideas between academia and industry while advancing understanding of marketing's role in organizations, economies, and society.

The AMA owns several highly regarded scholarly journals, including the Journal of Marketing, one of the premier publications for rigorous marketing research. Established in 1936, the Journal of Marketing has contributed substantially to defining and expanding the scope of the marketing discipline. The AMA also owns other leading marketing journals, including the Journal of Marketing Research, Marketing Science, Journal of International Marketing, and Journal of Public Policy & Marketing. These publications serve as influential platforms for research that informs scholars, educators, managers, policymakers, and other stakeholders worldwide.

For publication operations and distribution, the AMA partners with established academic publishers. For example, SAGE Publishing serves as the publishing partner for the Journal of Marketing, managing publication services and distribution on behalf of the AMA while the Association retains ownership and editorial oversight.

Through its journals and broader professional initiatives, the American Marketing Association continues to serve as a central institution in advancing marketing knowledge and connecting research with real-world applications.

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 98 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, August 1). Journal of Marketing Cites Scott M. Graffius' Research on the Half-Life of Social Media. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/journal-of-marketing-cites-research-by-scott-m-graffius.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon

Content Acknowledgements

The Journal of Marketing paper, “How Closely Should You Follow a Trend? Atypicality and Engagement on Social Media,” by authors Marc Bravin, Melanie Clegg, Reto Hofstetter, Marc Pouly, and Jonah Berger cite Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2025" research. The paper is the property of its authors/owners. The Journal of Marketing is the flagship publication of the American Marketing Association and one of the most influential and highly ranked journals in the marketing discipline. Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners. This article includes limited excerpts of the respective paper, attributed and used under the fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis. Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

#AudienceEngagement
#AudienceAttention
#ContentDecay
#ContentLifespan
#ContentMarketing
#ContentStrategy
#DigitalMarketing
#HalfLifeOfContent
#JournalOfMarketing
#LifespanOfSocialMediaPosts
#MarketingResearch
#MediaResearch
#SocialMedia
#SocialMediaAnalytics
#SocialMediaHalfLife
#SocialMediaMarketing
#SocialMediaResearch
#TikTok

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

The Evolution of Pair Programming and the Rise of Exotic Team Dynamics

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-07-28T09:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 28). The Evolution of Pair Programming and the Rise of Exotic Team Dynamics. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/evolution-of-pair-programming-and-rise-of-exotic-team-dynamics.html

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

Introduction

For decades, pair programming, the practice of two developers sharing one keyboard and one screen, was often seen as a discipline in itself, with its own rules, roles, and body of research. That's changing. In its place, flexible hybrid workflows are emerging where advanced AI (agentic, autonomous, or autopoietic) serves as coding partners. This shift introduces exotic team dynamics. These new patterns of collaboration emerge when people and advanced AI systems work together as teammates, redefining software development (and other work) and expanding what effective teamwork can achieve (Graffius, n.d.).

Scott M. Graffius coined and developed the concept of exotic team dynamics to describe the novel, often counterintuitive collaboration patterns that arise when humans and advanced AI function as teammates rather than in a conventional user-tool relationship (Graffius, n.d.; Graffius, 2025a; Graffius, 2025c; Graffius, 2025e). Analogous to exotic phenomena in physics, these interactions produce behaviors and outcomes that challenge traditional human-only models of teamwork. Key characteristics include inverse decision logic, superposition roles, entangled decision-making, and emergent protocols. Each of these are examined in detail in later sections of this article.

The Ongoing Shift in Developer Practices

Traditional pair programming, in its classical form, seats two developers at a single workstation for the full duration of a task: one at the keyboard writing code (the "driver"), the other observing, reviewing, and thinking a step ahead (the "navigator"), with the two roles typically swapping throughout the session. The common goal was to catch mistakes in real time, transfer knowledge between partners, and keep two sets of judgment engaged on decisions (Acodez, 2026; Zen van Riel, 2026).

That goal is well supported by evidence. Surveyed developers largely valued pair programming for the way it improved code quality, spread knowledge, supported mentoring, and strengthened team collaboration, even while noting reservations about the added effort involved, the importance of personality fit between partners, and the need to balance pairing with solo work depending on the task at hand (Begel & Nagappan, 2008).

A broader review of empirical evidence supports these benefits with measurable outcomes. Pair programming can improve software quality by reducing defects while strengthening knowledge sharing, team communication, and collective problem-solving. Although pairing generally consumes more person-hours than solo work, the added cost can be offset by better code quality, reduced rework, faster learning, and improved productivity over time. As a result, pair programming can be a valuable practice in many development contexts (Dybå et al., 2007).

Despite these proven benefits, the economics and constraints of always-available human partners have driven many teams toward more flexible, AI-augmented models that retain the core goals while changing the mechanics.

Industry discussions increasingly highlight a movement away from strict human-only pairing toward AI-augmented approaches. Requirements for constant pairing are being replaced by more flexible workflows that blend individual work, AI assistance, and targeted human collaboration for context-rich decisions and complex problem-solving (X Corp., 2026). This aligns with the broader rise of AI pair programming, where AI functions as a collaborative partner inspired by traditional practices while offering new levels of speed, consistency, and scale (Stryker, 2026; Acodez, 2026).

Placed side by side, the traditional (human-human) and human-AI versions of pairing pursue many of the same goals through very different mechanics.

Where human pairing catches defects through a second set of eyes engaged in real-time review, AI pairing can identify issues through rapid, scalable analysis across large portions of a codebase. Where human pairing transfers knowledge through direct mentoring between two people, AI pairing can extend knowledge access by encoding institutional expertise into agents that developers can draw upon. And where human pairing depends on the availability of another developer, AI pairing enables teams to support multiple developers and tasks simultaneously.

Exotic team dynamics describes what happens once that traditional ceiling changes. Many of the underlying benefits of pairing, such as quality gains, shared context, and accelerated learning, persist. However, the mechanisms that produce those benefits begin to look fundamentally different from the patterns found in human-only teams (Refine Dev Team, 2026).

Modern AI coding agents now support long-running execution, repository awareness, multi-file changes, and multi-agent orchestration (Vellum AI, 2026; Patten, 2026; Axify, 2026; A3E Ecosystem, 2026). Teams adopting advanced AI report substantial productivity improvements while maintaining quality through structured testing and review processes (Groovy Web, 2026).

Exotic Team Dynamics in Action

Exotic team dynamics is commonly described through four physics-inspired analogies that characterize its central interaction patterns.

Inverse Decision Logic

AI teammates can pursue optimal but unexpected paths toward objectives. Developers assign goals and allow AI to explore solutions, stepping in for refinement and judgment.

For example, a developer may ask an AI teammate to fix a failing test, but the AI may take a different path: restructuring the surrounding module after identifying the architecture as the deeper issue. This unexpected divergence between human intent and AI reasoning creates productive tension and discovery patterns not common in traditional human teams (Graffius, n.d.; Graffius, 2025a; Graffius, 2026e).

Superposition Roles

Advanced AI systems can fluidly handle multiple functions, including planning, coding, testing, and review, within a single workflow. An AI teammate might draft an implementation plan, write code, generate tests, and identify edge cases for human review. It can do all of this without the explicit role transitions required in human teams (Graffius, n.d.; Graffius, 2025a; Graffius, 2026e).

Humans increasingly focus on higher level orchestration, architecture, business judgment, and governance. They manage AI outputs rather than working through code line by line as traditional pairs do. This fluid distribution of responsibilities can enhance overall team effectiveness (Patten, 2026; Vellum AI, 2026; Franco, 2026).

Entangled Decision-Making

Human and AI contributions become deeply interconnected. Success depends on humans providing rich context and constraints while AI enables rapid iteration and exploration (Graffius, n.d.; Graffius, 2025a; Graffius, 2026e).

A developer’s one-line prompt can influence hours of downstream agent work, and the resulting output can reshape the developer’s next prompt. The resulting workflow becomes difficult to separate into purely human and AI contributions.

Articulating a problem to an AI partner can also surface assumptions and deepen the developer’s own understanding. This creates a form of knowledge amplification that operates in both directions, even though the AI may perform much of the implementation work (Zen van Riel, 2026).

“Vibe coding” is a practical example of this entanglement. A developer might start with a loose, high-level prompt such as: “Improve the checkout flow to feel more trustworthy and premium — think Apple-level polish but for our e-commerce audience.” The AI then generates a full implementation plan, updates multiple files, creates new components, suggests micro-copy, and even proposes subtle animation timings. The developer reviews the output, responds with directional feedback like “make the success state calmer and add more breathing room,” and the AI iterates immediately. This back-and-forth feels more like a creative collaboration than traditional command-and-response prompting. The final result is often better than either the human or AI would have produced alone, with the line between “my idea” and “AI’s implementation” becoming productively blurred (Lee, 2026; Axify, 2026).

Emergent Protocols

New norms, shorthand, and workflows arise organically. Select examples include custom memory files for project context, multi-agent orchestration, and refined review rituals. These practices were not previously common in human-only development teams and emerged through repeated experimentation (Graffius, n.d.; Graffius, 2025a; Graffius, 2026e).

Protocols that standardize how different tools exchange context and execution results across a toolchain represent a clear example of organically adopted infrastructure (A3E Ecosystem, 2026). Some teams encode institutional expertise directly into agents to enable scalable knowledge sharing (Patten, 2026; Guild AI, 2026).

While these changes bring significant opportunities, thoughtful management is needed to preserve beneficial human collaboration and address potential drawbacks (LeadDev, 2026).

Implications Beyond Software Development

Software engineering often signals broader workplace transformations. The lessons emerging from AI-enabled development will likely extend to marketing, strategy, product development, research, and other knowledge-work domains as AI teammates become more common.

Advantages

Accelerated innovation and delivery: By offloading routine implementation and exploration to AI teammates, human developers and knowledge workers can focus on higher value creative and strategic work. This compresses cycle times dramatically, from ideation to working solutions. It enables organizations to test more ideas more quickly, iterate rapidly, and bring innovations to market or into internal use with greater speed and frequency.

Reduced repetitive work: AI partners excel at handling boilerplate code, standard testing scenarios, documentation, refactoring, and other predictable tasks that traditionally consume significant developer time. This frees professionals across domains to spend more energy on complex problem-solving, novel challenges, and the uniquely human aspects of their roles, leading to higher job satisfaction and more meaningful contributions.

Scalable expertise: Institutional knowledge and best practices can be encoded directly into AI agents, making specialized expertise available 24/7 across distributed or resource-constrained teams. A single senior architect’s reasoning patterns or a company’s compliance standards, for instance, can support dozens of developers or knowledge workers simultaneously, reducing onboarding time, minimizing knowledge silos, and raising overall capability without proportionally increasing headcount.

Key Considerations

Calibrating trust and oversight: Too little oversight risks allowing an AI teammate’s inverse decision logic to operate unchecked on consequential work. Too much oversight eliminates the speed and exploration that make the partnership valuable (Acodez, 2026; Refine Dev Team, 2026).

Maintaining human creativity and team culture: As AI absorbs more routine problem-solving, organizations need deliberate approaches to preserve human judgment, mentoring, collaboration, and team cohesion.

Implementing strong governance for security, compliance, and quality: Superposition roles and emergent protocols enable human-AI teams to move quickly through flexible and adaptive collaboration patterns. That increased autonomy makes explicit review gates essential before AI-generated changes reach production systems (Stryker, 2026; LeadDev, 2026).

Leaders should treat hybrid human-AI teamwork as a deliberate design space, and develop tailored protocols, rituals, and safeguards (Graffius, n.d.; Graffius, 2025a).

Conclusion

A few years ago, the prevailing answer to the question "Is AI the better programming partner?" was "it depends" (Ma et al., 2023). Today, the answer is increasingly "yes" (X Corp., 2026).

The evolution away from mandatory traditional pair programming transforms collaboration into a more complex and adaptive form in which human insight and AI capabilities combine in surprising and potentially highly productive ways.

The future of work will be defined by people and advanced AI working as teammates. Organizations that invest in understanding how to effectively navigate the exotic team dynamics that emerge from human-AI collaboration will gain decisive advantages in innovation and competitiveness.

References

A3E Ecosystem. (2026, June 3). AI coding agents in 2026: From pair programming to autonomous teams. DEV Community. https://dev.to/a3e_ecosystem/ai-coding-agents-in-2026-from-pair-programming-to-autonomous-teams-4f7o

Acodez. (2026, July 7). AI pair programming: Which tool should you use in 2026? Acodez.in. https://acodez.in/ai-pair-programming/

Axify. (2026, June 23). The best AI coding assistants: 20 tools reviewed for 2026. https://axify.io/blog/the-best-ai-coding-assistants-a-full-comparison-of-20-tools

Beck, K., & Andres, C. (2004). Extreme programming explained: Embrace change (2nd ed.). Addison-Wesley Professional.

Begel, A., & Nagappan, N. (2008). Pair programming: What’s in it for me? In Proceedings of the Second ACM-IEEE International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement (pp. 120–128). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/1414004.1414026

Dybå, T., Arisholm, E., Sjøberg, D. I. K., Hannay, J. E., & Shull, F. (2007). Are two heads better than one? On the effectiveness of pair programming. IEEE Software, 24(6), 12–15. https://doi.org/10.1109/MS.2007.158

Franco, L. (2026, July 27). My 2021 AI coding thoughts revisited. Loufranco.com. https://loufranco.com/blog/my-2021-ai-coding-thoughts-revisited

Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Exotic team dynamics. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.17903.39842

Graffius, S. M. (2025, August 8). Exotic Team Dynamics: The New Frontier of Human–AI Collaboration. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18048.49921

Graffius, S. M. (2025, August 22). Scott M. Graffius Premieres His New "Exotic Team Dynamics: Human-AI Collaboration" Talk at Corporate Event in Las Vegas. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.34380.07047

Graffius, S. M. (2025, October 29). Definitions of Advanced AIs: Agentic, Autonomous, and Autopoietic. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.10025.66402

Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 19). Lessons from Unhinged AI in Fiction: What Rogue AIs in Sci-Fi Storytelling Reveal. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.29673.35687

Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 21). Navigating the Spectrum of Advanced AI – Agentic, Autonomous, and Autopoietic. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21284.74882

Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 21). This is What Happens When Advanced AI Joins Your Team [Presentation]. Corporate event, Paris, France.

Graffius, S. M. (2025, December 1). Beep Beep! Why Wile E. Coyote Is the Patron Saint of AI Failure. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35578.15048

Graffius, S. M. (2025, December 9). A Data-Driven Analysis of the Evolution of Project Management: Tasks, Trends, and AI. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.25079.28328

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

Graffius, S. M. (2026, March 23). Human-AI Teamwork: Master the Exotic Team Dynamics That Emerge When Collaborating with Advanced AI — Or Be Outplayed. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/human-ai-teamwork-master-the-emergent-exotic-team-dynamics-or-be-outplayed.html

Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 22). L'avenir du Travail et de l'IA Avancée / Future of Work and Advanced AI. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/lavenir-du-travail-et-de-lia-avancee.html

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 2). Quantum Computing, Advanced AI Acceleration, and the Rise of Exotic Team Dynamics in Human-AI Teams. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.14506.99525

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 20). Exotic team dynamics: How advanced AI teammates are unlocking new levels of innovation, performance, and success. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/exotic-team-dynamics-how-advanced-ai-teammates-are-unlocking-new-levels-of-innovation.html

Groovy Web. (2026). AI pair programming 2026: Tools, workflow, velocity wins. https://www.groovyweb.co/blog/ai-pair-programming-tools-workflow-2026

Guild AI. (2026, February 14). AI pair programming. Guild.ai Glossary. https://www.guild.ai/glossary/ai-pair-programming

LeadDev. (2026, July 28). AI-coding agents kill team collaboration. https://leaddev.com/ai/ai-coding-agents-kill-team-collaboration

Lee, H. K. (2026, January 16). Vibe coding in 2026: The complete guide to AI-pair programming that actually works. DEV Community. https://dev.to/pockit_tools/vibe-coding-in-2026-the-complete-guide-to-ai-pair-programming-that-actually-works-42de

Ma, Q., Wu, T., & Koedinger, K. (2023). Is AI the better programming partner? Human-Human Pair Programming vs. Human-AI pAIr Programming. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.05153

Patten, D. (2026, March). The state of AI coding agents (2026): From pair programming to autonomous AI teams. Medium. https://medium.com/@dave-patten/the-state-of-ai-coding-agents-2026-from-pair-programming-to-autonomous-ai-teams-b11f2b39232a

Refine Dev Team. (2026). Pair programming vs AI pair programming: Is this the new normal? Refine.dev. https://refine.dev/blog/pair-programming-vs-ai-pair-programming/

Stryker, C. (2026, June 23). What is AI pair programming? IBM Think. https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/ai-pair-programming

Thomas, D., & Hunt, A. (2019). The pragmatic programmer: Your journey to mastery (20th anniversary ed.). Addison-Wesley Professional.

Valový, M. (2023). Psychological aspects of pair programming. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2306.07421

van Riel, Z. (2026, July 15). Redefining pair programming in the AI era. Zenvanriel.com. https://zenvanriel.com/ai-engineer-blog/redefining-pair-programming-ai-era/

Vellum AI. (2026, July 20). 10 best AI coding agents in 2026: Reviewed & compared. https://www.vellum.ai/blog/best-ai-coding-agents

Williams, L., & Kessler, R. R. (2003). Pair programming illuminated. Addison-Wesley Professional.

X Corp. (2026, July 17). Trending on X: Developers move past mandatory pair programming era. https://x.com/i/trending/2081813689540186309

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 99 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 99 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 28). The Evolution of Pair Programming and the Rise of Exotic Team Dynamics. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/evolution-of-pair-programming-and-rise-of-exotic-team-dynamics.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon.

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

#ExoticTeamDynamics
#HumanAITeaming
#AITeammates
#AIPairProgramming
#FutureOfWork
#HybridTeams
#AICodingAgents
#DeveloperLife
#TeamDynamics
#AICollaboration

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Number 1 University in England for Student Satisfaction Features Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development"

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-07-27T09:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 27). Number 1 University in England for Student Satisfaction Features Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development". ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/number-one-university-in-england-for-student-satisfaction-features-scott-m-graffius-phases-of-team-development.html

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

UK University's Strategic Leadership Coursework Draws on Graffius' Teamwork Tradecraft Material

Buckinghamshire New University has featured Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" in coursework for its Strategic Leadership module, MB705, part of the university's International Master of Business Administration (IMBA) programme. The curriculum incorporated the 2019 edition of Graffius' material as a reference model for team building, applying it to leadership and business development.

Selected excerpts are shown in the visual below.

The curriculum featured the 2019 edition of Graffius' work. Additional information, including highlights of the current (2026) edition, are presented next.

Graffius' "Phases of Team Development"

The following excerpts from Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update provides an overview of his respective material. The excerpts appear in blue, italic font.

"Exceptional teamwork is the indispensable multiplier that amplifies individual talents, drives superior performance, and creates a lasting competitive advantage—whether the team is all-human or human-AI."

"Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies on human teamwork, and Scott M. Graffius' first-hand professional experience with and analysis of team leadership and high-performance teams, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development—Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning—inclusive of a graph showing how performance varies by phase, as well as the characteristics and strategies for each phase. Project Managers, Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and other leaders can apply these insights to overcome team challenges, fostering happiness, productivity, and success in both human and human-AI teams. Graffius initially developed his unique material in 2008, and he periodically updates it."

"Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, universities, researchers, journalists, and others worldwide have featured and utilized prior editions of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" material. Examples include Adobe, American Management Association, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Bayer, Boston University, Broadcom, Cisco, DevOps Institute, Erste Group Bank AG, Finland Government, Ford Motor Company, Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering GmbH, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Journal of Neurosurgery, Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College), Microsoft, New Zealand Government, Oracle, Technical University of Munich, Torrens University, Tufts University, U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Tennis Association, UC San Diego, UK Sports Institute, University of Galway, Warsaw University of Technology, Yale University, and many others."

In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork, including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI (agentic, autonomous, or autopoietic) collaborates as a teammate.

A visual from the current (2026) edition is shown below. Additional details are here.

Conclusion

BNU's use of "Phases of Team Development" in its Strategic Leadership program is another example of the work's value for those interested in learning how to advance the effectiveness and success of teams. It's on the list of over 100 prestigious organizations around the world which have adopted Graffius' material on teamwork tradecraft.

References

Buckinghamshire New University. (n.d.). https://www.bucks.ac.uk/

Buckinghamshire New University. (n.d.). International Master of Business Administration (IMBA) for international students: Programme specification. https://www.bucks.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-12/IMBA%20for%20international%20students%20Programme%20Specification.pdf

Graffius, S. M. (2023, February 27). Honored to have my 'Phases of Team Development' work featured in a presentation at #IDEAcon2023, an event organized by Boston University on entrepreneurship and leadership [LinkedIn post]. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/scottgraffius_ideacon2023-forming-storming-share-7036179825794945024-S05r/

Graffius, S. M. (2025, January 7). Scott M. Graffius’ Phases of Team Development: 2025 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.33705.30564

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

About Buckinghamshire New University

Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) is a public university based in High Wycombe, England, with additional campuses in Uxbridge and Aylesbury Vale. Tracing its roots to 1891 as the School of Science and Art, the institution evolved through several names — including Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College — before gaining full university status and adopting its current name in 2007. BNU today enrolls more than 18,000 students across undergraduate, postgraduate, and apprenticeship programmes.

The university has built a reputation for practice-based, career-focused education, with strengths spanning business, nursing, aviation, creative media, and more. In the 2023 National Student Survey (NSS), BNU was ranked the No. 1 university in England for student satisfaction. BNU was separately named University of the Year for South East England in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards for both 2025 and 2026.

BNU's Business School delivers postgraduate programmes including the International Master of Business Administration (IMBA), which is designed to prepare students for senior management roles through a curriculum spanning strategic thinking, cross-cultural management, and leadership development.

About Strategic Leadership MB705

Strategic Leadership (module code MB705) is a component of Buckinghamshire New University's International Master of Business Administration (IMBA) programme. The module asks students to critically evaluate the leadership and management practices of a real-world organisation, examining how leadership styles, team dynamics, and change management approaches affect strategic position and performance.

Coursework for the module draws on established leadership and organisational-behaviour theory — including models of team development — to assess how well an organisation's leadership framework aligns with the needs of its employees and the demands of its operating environment. The module's emphasis on applying academic frameworks to real organisational challenges reflects BNU's broader focus on practice-based, career-ready postgraduate education.

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 99 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 99 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 27). Number 1 University in England for Student Satisfaction Features Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development". ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/number-one-university-in-england-for-student-satisfaction-features-scott-m-graffius-phases-of-team-development.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon.

Content Acknowledgements

Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) has featured Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" in coursework for its Strategic Leadership module, MB705, part of the university's International Master of Business Administration (IMBA) programme. BNU name, mark, and content are the property of BNU. This article includes limited excerpts of BNU material, attributed and used under the fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

#BNU
#PhasesOfTeamDevelopment
#StrategicLeadership
#TeamDevelopment
#Leadership
#MBA
#StudentSatisfaction
#Teamwork
#HigherEducation
#ScottMGraffius

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Royal Australasian College of Physicians Licenses Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" Intellectual Property on Teamwork Tradecraft

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-07-21T09:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 21). Royal Australasian College of Physicians Licenses Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" Intellectual Property on Teamwork Tradecraft. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/royal-australasian-college-of-physicians-features-scott-m-graffius-work.html

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

A Leading Voice in Physician Education Adopts Graffius' Material on Teamwork Tradecraft

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) has licensed Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" (2022 edition) intellectual property for use in its professional and educational programs.

Selected excerpts from RADP's request and Graffius' authorization are shown in the visual below. Confidential and sensitive information was redacted.

About the Royal Australasian College of Physicians

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians is one of the leading medical specialist colleges in Australia and New Zealand and a highly influential institution in physician education, training, and professional standards across the region. Founded in 1938, the RACP has a long and distinguished history in medicine, and today represents more than 30,000 physicians and trainee physicians.

The College plays a central role in:

Physician and paediatrician training,
Continuing professional development,
Accreditation of training programs,
Examinations and certification,
Healthcare leadership, and
Advancement of medical standards and practice.

Its scope spans adult internal medicine, paediatrics and child health, public health medicine, rehabilitation medicine, addiction medicine, occupational medicine, palliative medicine, and numerous subspecialties. Within medicine, Fellowship of the RACP (FRACP) is widely recognized as a prestigious professional credential, and the College is deeply embedded in the medical and healthcare systems of both Australia and New Zealand, serving as a major voice in physician education, policy, and professional excellence.

Visit the RACP website for additional information. The References section provides a link to it and more.

About Graffius' "Phases of Team Development"

Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies on human teamwork, and Scott M. Graffius' first-hand professional experience with and analysis of team leadership and high-performance teams, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development—Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning—inclusive of a graph showing how performance varies by phase, as well as the characteristics and strategies for each phase.

Leaders can apply the actionable insights to help advance the effectiveness and success of teams.

It has been used by businesses, professional associations, government agencies, universities, publications, and others around the world. Examples in addition to the Royal Australasian College of Physicians include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Bayer,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
DevOps Institute,
Government of Finland,
Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering GmbH,
IEEE,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Microsoft,
Oracle,
Technical University of Munich,
Tufts University,
U.S. National Park Service,
U.S. Tennis Association,
University of California at San Diego (UCSD),
University of South Wales,
University of Waterloo,
Yale University,
and many more.

First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI (agentic, autonomous, or autopoietic) collaborates as a teammate.

A visual from the current (2026) edition is shown below. Additional details are here.

Conclusion

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, a leading medical specialist college with more than 30,000 physicians and trainee physicians across Australia and New Zealand, has licensed Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" for use in its professional and educational initiatives. Effective teams don't just perform better; in medicine, they save lives. Graffius gives leaders a diagnostic and strategic guide to advance the effectiveness of teams, and its adoption in a healthcare setting of this scale underscores its practical relevance where teamwork, communication, and collaboration directly shape patient care and outcomes.

References

Graffius, S. M. (2022, February 14). Use the Phases of Team Development (Based on Bruce W. Tuckman's Model of Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning) to Help Teams Grow and Advance: 2022 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.19112.85766

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

Royal Australasian College of Physicians. (n.d.). https://www.racp.edu.au/

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 99 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 99 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 21). Royal Australasian College of Physicians Licenses Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" Intellectual Property on Teamwork Tradecraft. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/royal-australasian-college-of-physicians-features-scott-m-graffius-work.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon.

Content Acknowledgements

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is a leading medical specialist college in Australia and New Zealand and a highly influential institution in physician education, training, and professional standards across the region. It represents over 30,000 medical specialists and trainee specialists from 33 different specialties. With a license from Scott M. Graffius, RACP is using his "Phases of Team Development" (2022 edition) intellectual property for professional and educational purposes. Graffius periodically updates his work; the 2026 edition is here: https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601. RACP name, mark, and content are the property of RACP. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

#RACP
#RoyalAustralasianCollegeOfPhysicians
#PhasesOfTeamDevelopment
#TeamworkTradecraft
#TeamDynamics
#ExoticTeamDynamics
#HealthcareLeadership

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Exotic Team Dynamics: How Advanced AI Teammates Are Unlocking New Levels of Innovation, Performance, and Success

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-07-20T09:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 20). Exotic Team Dynamics: How Advanced AI Teammates Are Unlocking New Levels of Innovation, Performance, and Success. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/exotic-team-dynamics-how-advanced-ai-teammates-are-unlocking-new-levels-of-innovation.html

About This Article

This article highlights specific cases as well as illustrative composites based on documented trends and practices. Sources appear in the References section.

Introduction

It's 11 p.m., and a product team at a consumer tech startup is still sketching features on a digital whiteboard when their advanced AI collaborator interrupts with a question nobody else thought to ask. It's a provocation, backed by thousands of user interviews and an obscure behavioral economics paper nobody else in the room has read. The conversation, which had been circling incremental tweaks, suddenly leaps to something category-redefining. Nobody assigned the AI that task or objective. It just did it, the way a sharp new hire might, except this one never sleeps and has read and analyzed nearly everything on the topic of interest.

Moments like this are showing up across Silicon Valley and in the virtual war rooms of global enterprises.

This is the era of "exotic team dynamics." AI and teamwork tradecraft expert, Scott M. Graffius, coined the term to describe the novel, emergent patterns that arise when people collaborate with advanced AI (agentic, autonomous, or autopoietic) as teammates rather than tools. These new, complex, and often counterintuitive patterns produce behaviors and outcomes that traditional human-only teams don't experience.

It's a fundamental shift in what "team" means. When advanced AI joins marketers, engineers, strategists, and creatives as a teammate, the chemistry becomes exotic. New patterns of collaboration emerge, creating possibilities that neither humans nor machines could achieve alone.

The New Ensemble

That late-night product sprint from the introduction, with the AI collaborator "Echo," is a preview of where knowledge-work teams are headed.

It reflects a broader transition in how teams are working. In a 776-person Harvard Business School field experiment involving Procter & Gamble employees, individuals using AI for product-innovation challenges achieved results comparable to two-person human teams, and AI-assisted teams produced some of the strongest solutions. At Autodesk, engineers are seeing similar shifts.

The transition is already visible across industries. Frontier labs, creative studios, pharmaceutical teams, financial firms, and executive offices are experimenting with AI as a collaborator—not merely a tool. These systems generate possibilities, challenge assumptions, and extend human judgment in ways that are beginning to reshape how teams work.

What makes these dynamics “exotic” is their alien quality. Humans bring experience, emotional intelligence, ethical intuition, and that mysterious spark of originality. AI contributes tireless pattern recognition, exhaustive recall, rapid prototyping, and machine-native cognition that feels almost like adding team members from entirely different world. The interplay creates something greater than the sum of its parts: hybrid human-AI intelligence (sometimes called hybrid intelligence).

Four New Patterns

Four physics-inspired pillars reveal what makes these collaborations different.

The first is inverse decision logic. In a human-only team, the group converges on the option that seems most reasonable given what everyone already believes. AI teammates often chart their own course. Like negative mass, which pushes back against force instead of yielding to it, an AI collaborator will sometimes argue for the counterintuitive option, because the data suggests it's the better bet. That's what's happening when Echo tells the team to blow up its subscription model instead of tweaking it.

The second is superposition roles. A human on a team typically fills one role (and if spread over multiple roles, problems often ensue). An AI teammate can simultaneously perform multiple roles. Borrowing from quantum superposition, where a particle exists in multiple states until measured, the AI in the room can be running competitive analysis, red-teaming a claim, and drafting a document simultaneously, snapping into whichever role the moment calls for without the switching costs a human would pay (e.g., the friction of disengaging from one line of thought, rebuilding context, and reactivating expertise in another).

The third is entangled decision-making. Quantum-entangled particles stay correlated no matter the distance between them; on these teams, human judgment and AI computation become similarly interdependent. Neither the strategist's instinct nor the model's pattern-matching produces the final call alone. Pull one out, and the decision changes shape.

The fourth is emergent protocols. Complex systems in nature (such as flocking birds, ant colonies) produce sophisticated group behavior from simple local rules, with no one directing traffic. Hybrid teams develop their own version: unwritten norms for when to trust an AI's first draft, when to demand a citation, when a human overrides on judgment alone. These rules take shape on their own.

Amplifying Creativity and Speed

One of the most visible payoffs is the explosion in creative output. Writers use AI as a relentless idea generator and first-draft partner. Filmmakers storyboard with tools that can visualize concepts instantly. Strategists use AI to run war-game scenarios that simulate responses across millions of variables.

Research on human-AI creative teams shows groups with well-integrated AI often produce ideas rated significantly more novel and feasible than purely human teams. The magic lies in the partnership between different kinds of intelligence. Humans excel at divergent thinking and sensing cultural nuance; AI excels at convergent synthesis and stress-testing assumptions at scale.

Speed follows naturally. Software engineering teams report that AI pair programmers autocomplete code, debate architecture, catch security vulnerabilities proactively, and suggest entirely new product directions based on emerging trends. Engineering managers may describe the experience as working with a brilliant, slightly obsessive junior colleague who never sleeps and remembers every relevant discussion the team has ever had.

Marketing teams have embraced this too. A campaign brief that once took weeks of research now gets distilled in hours, then stress-tested against real-time social sentiment and cultural signals. The AI supercharges the creative director's vision, sometimes surfacing unexpected cultural connections or audience segments that might otherwise be missed.

The Friction Points

Human-AI collaborations aren't always harmonious. They come with real tensions that reveal deep truths about human psychology and organizational culture.

Trust remains the biggest hurdle. Many professionals initially treat AI outputs with healthy skepticism. That's warranted, given potential biases and occasional hallucinations. However, successful teams build “verification rituals”: quick human checks on critical outputs, transparent prompting practices, and clear accountability lines.

Communication itself evolves. Humans learn to "speak AI," whether through carefully crafted prompts or natural conversation, refining interactions as they go. Advanced systems mirror human tone, explain reasoning, and maintain team memory across sessions.

The Horizon of Hybrid Intelligence

Teams that master exotic team dynamics will think differently, act differently, and work faster. Conversations will move fluidly between human judgment and machine reasoning, and disagreements will become catalysts for better ideas.

It's the logical extension of where we stand today. The companies and individuals who lean into these dynamics with curiosity, rigor, and humanity will define the next decade of innovation. Those who resist may find themselves playing catch-up in a game that's fundamentally changed.

The future of work is humans with AI, in all its strange, productive, and occasionally bewildering glory. Those who understand and navigate exotic team dynamics will shape what comes next while unlocking new levels of innovation, performance, and success.

References

Amazon Web Services. (n.d.). Tangram transforms drug discovery with agentic multi-LLM AI on AWS. https://aws.amazon.com/solutions/case-studies/tangram-case-study/

Atlassian. (n.d.). New research reveals how AI is making jobs bigger. https://www.atlassian.com/blog/ai-at-work/new-research-reveals-how-ai-is-making-jobs-bigger

Autodesk. (2025, September 30). Neural technology | Intelligent Design and Make. https://www.autodesk.com/solutions/autodesk-ai/neural-technology

Autodesk. (2026, July 2). Unlocking innovative solutions with generative design. Fusion 360 Blog. https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/blog/unlocking-innovative-solutions-with-generative-design/

Buynomics. (n.d.). AI-driven tools for business wargaming. https://www.buynomics.com/commercial-challenges/ai-driven-business-wargaming/

Dell’Acqua, F., Sadun, R., & Lakhani, K. (2025). The cybernetic teammate: A field experiment on generative AI reshaping teamwork and expertise (Working Paper). Harvard Business School. https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/when-ai-joins-the-team-better-ideas-surface

Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Exotic team dynamics. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.17903.39842

Graffius, S. M. (2025, August 8). Exotic Team Dynamics: The New Frontier of Human–AI Collaboration. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18048.49921

Graffius, S. M. (2025, August 22). Scott M. Graffius Premieres His New "Exotic Team Dynamics: Human-AI Collaboration" Talk at Corporate Event in Las Vegas. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.34380.07047

Graffius, S. M. (2025, October 29). Definitions of Advanced AIs: Agentic, Autonomous, and Autopoietic. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.10025.66402

Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 19). Lessons from Unhinged AI in Fiction: What Rogue AIs in Sci-Fi Storytelling Reveal. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.29673.35687

Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 21). Navigating the Spectrum of Advanced AI – Agentic, Autonomous, and Autopoietic. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21284.74882

Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 21). This is What Happens When Advanced AI Joins Your Team [Presentation]. Corporate event, Paris, France.

Graffius, S. M. (2025, December 1). Beep Beep! Why Wile E. Coyote Is the Patron Saint of AI Failure. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35578.15048

Graffius, S. M. (2025, December 9). A Data-Driven Analysis of the Evolution of Project Management: Tasks, Trends, and AI. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.25079.28328

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

Graffius, S. M. (2026, March 23). Human-AI Teamwork: Master the Exotic Team Dynamics That Emerge When Collaborating with Advanced AI — Or Be Outplayed. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/human-ai-teamwork-master-the-emergent-exotic-team-dynamics-or-be-outplayed.html

Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 22). L'avenir du Travail et de l'IA Avancée / Future of Work and Advanced AI. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/lavenir-du-travail-et-de-lia-avancee.html

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 2). Quantum Computing, Advanced AI Acceleration, and the Rise of Exotic Team Dynamics in Human-AI Teams. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.14506.99525

Heilman, A., Kyllo, A., & Murphy-Hill, E. (2026). GitHub Copilot and developer productivity: An observational dose-response analysis. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.00438

IBM Research. (2025). Which contributions deserve credit? Perceptions of attribution in human-AI co-creation. https://research.ibm.com/publications/which-contributions-deserve-credit-perceptions-of-attribution-in-human-ai-co-creation

McKinsey & Company. (2025). The state of AI in marketing: How generative AI is transforming campaigns and customer insights. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-in-marketing

Mercier, C. (2026, April 8). Life Sciences & M&A | Industry Intelligence [LinkedIn article]. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/life-sciences-ma-industry-intelligence-caroline-mercier-hcxue/

Meta AI. (2026, June 15). How to write a book or a novel using AI: From idea to draft. https://ai.meta.com/learn/ai-creativity/how-to-write-a-book-with-ai

Patel, K. (2026, February 7). What is agentic reasoning? Learn Agentic. https://learnagentic.substack.com/p/what-is-agentic-reasoning

Peng, M. (2025, December 9). AI’s reliance on patterns can lead to ‘mediocre’ results, warns CEO of design consultancy IDEO. Fortune. https://fortune.com/2025/12/09/ai-mediocre-results-human-creativity-ideo-ceo-mike-peng/

PulseAugur. (n.d.). AI teammates exhibit exotic dynamics like inverse decision logic. PulseAugur AI news intelligence platform. https://pulseaugur.com/cluster/32195-ai-teammates-exhibit-exotic-dynamics-like-inverse-decision-logic

Skywork AI. (n.d.). AI team development stages. https://skywork.ai/slide/en/ai-team-development-stages-2033809730980769792

Storyflow. (2026). The 12 best AI storyboarding tools in 2026 (For filmmakers, animators, and branded content). https://storyflow.so/blog/best-ai-storyboarding-tools-2026

TheAssistant. (2026, March 2). Les 5 Phases de Développement d'une Équipe (Modèle de Tuckman) : Guide Complet 2026. https://www.theassistant.com/news-posts/les-5-phases-de-developpement-dune-equipe-modele-de-tuckman-guide-complet-2026

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 99 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 99 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 20). Exotic Team Dynamics: How Advanced AI Teammates Are Unlocking New Levels of Innovation, Performance, and Success. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/exotic-team-dynamics-how-advanced-ai-teammates-are-unlocking-new-levels-of-innovation.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon.

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

#ArtificialIntelligence
#AI
#FutureOfWork
#GenerativeAI
#Innovation
#Teamwork
#Leadership
#ExoticTeamDynamics
#HybridIntelligence
#PhasesOfTeamDevelopment

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

A Critical Analysis of "Platform-Specific Data Decay Patterns: A Comparative Study of Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok" and Its Reference to Research by Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-07-17T13:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 17). A Critical Analysis of "Platform-Specific Data Decay Patterns: A Comparative Study of Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok" and Its Reference to Research by Scott M. Graffius. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/critical-analysis-of-paper-on-data-decay-patterns.html

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

Introduction

Social media content typically has a short window of relevance and engagement. An advantageous objective metric is half-life. It’s the time it takes for a post to receive half of its total engagement (such as likes, shares, and comments). Understanding post half-life helps inform strategic and tactical decisions, including the frequency and timing of content publication.

First published in 2018, Scott M. Graffius updates his "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research annually to account for evolving algorithms and other changes on platforms over time. It draws on large-scale, multi-source data and has been featured by businesses, government agencies, academic journals, professional associations, universities, and researchers globally.

The 2025 paper titled "Platform-Specific Data Decay Patterns: A Comparative Study of Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok" (Kaleel et al.) was published in MEDAAD (Vol. 2025, pp. 8-26), a journal associated with Peninsula Publishing. The authors focus on a comparative analysis of content decay (persistence over time) across Twitter (now X), Reddit, and TikTok. They present a persistence-aware metric called the Decay Score (DS) and discuss challenges in social media research due to platform-driven data loss. The topic is noteworthy because data decay has implications for research reproducibility, methodological validity, and the interpretation of longitudinal studies involving digital platforms.

That Kaleel et al. paper cites Graffius' research. While a careful reading makes clear that Graffius' work is distinct from the study's framing, methods, and conclusions, citations can sometimes create perceived alignment where none exists — especially for readers who may not examine the full context in detail. For that reason, Graffius provides the following objective, evidence-based assessment.

Select excerpts from the paper are shown below.

Critical Analysis of the Kaleel et al. Paper

1. Strengths

The primary strength of the Kaleel et al. paper is its focus on the transient nature of online content as a result of API changes, moderation decisions, and user or platform actions. Its attempt at cross-platform comparison contributes to broader awareness of platform-specific differences. Additionally, the discussion reinforces the value of archival resources and persistence-aware methodologies in addressing challenges associated with the availability and longevity of digital data.

The preceding content (1. Strengths) highlighted the merits of the paper. Points 2, 3, 4, and 5 cover weaknesses, limitations, and other concerns.

2. Claims of Novelty

The Kaleel et al. paper overstates the novelty of its contributions. The proposed Decay Score is a percentage-loss metric conceptually similar to established attrition, survival, persistence, and availability measures used in prior research. Comparable approaches already appear in link-rot, digital preservation, and content-availability studies under different terminology, yet the paper does not meaningfully engage those prior works.

3. Methodology

Methodology is the Kaleel et al. paper’s most significant weakness. Sampling details are vague (random and purposive/thematic on political/viral content) with no sample size, power analysis, or clear protocols. Data collection relies on Tweepy, PRAW, and Selenium without addressing rate limits, terms-of-service compliance, or related controls. Decay classification is subjective. Additionally, there is no evidence of validation processes. These shortcomings make the study effectively non-replicable.

4. Results, Data Presentation, and Implications

Results in the Kaleel et al. paper are largely anecdotal and descriptive rather than empirical.

Referenced charts and tables contain vague or placeholder data, and retention claims lack supporting statistics, error bars, or transparency. No open dataset or supplementary materials are provided, making it impossible to verify significance or rule out sampling bias.

The discussion section of the paper highlights issues such as epistemic risks, archiving needs, and impacts on political science and misinformation studies. However, it overgeneralizes without appropriate evidence. There is also confirmation bias in framing ephemerality negatively without acknowledging its potential benefits.

5. Citation of Graffius' Work

The Kaleel et al. paper includes Graffius’ "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2025" in its references and cites figures indicating that the engagement half-life was 49 minutes for Twitter/X and 155 minutes for Reddit. Those values are correct.

However, there is a significant conceptual mismatch in how the cited research is positioned. Graffius’ research measures engagement half-life, a relatively (typically) short-term metric of audience interaction. By contrast, Kaleel et al. examine long-term content decay through deletions, suspensions, and unavailability over months. These are distinct constructs with different definitions, methodologies, and scopes.

Because the two studies address different constructs, Graffius’ work should not be interpreted as validating the paper’s Decay Score (DS) metric, moderation conclusions, or specific longitudinal claims. The issue is the paper’s application of a separate engagement-based metric within a different decay/persistence framework without adequately distinguishing the underlying concepts. Accurate citation requires that sources be represented within their original definitions, methods, and scope.

By applying Graffius’ engagement metrics in a decay/persistence context without clearly differentiating the underlying constructs, the paper may create an impression of methodological alignment or endorsement where none exists. Graffius does not endorse the paper.

Conclusion

Kaleel et al. focus on a relevant challenge in digital research: the persistence, availability, and reproducibility of social media data in environments shaped by platform changes, moderation, and user behavior. However, the paper’s proposed solutions are undermined by methodological opacity, insufficient empirical validation, unsupported quantitative claims, limited engagement with relevant prior research, and other issues. Its citation of Graffius’ engagement half-life research should not be interpreted as support for the paper’s Decay Score, persistence framework, or conclusions, as the two studies examine fundamentally different constructs. Robust research on social media data decay requires clear definitions, transparent methods, reproducible evidence, and careful distinction between distinct separate measures. Accordingly, readers should treat the paper's findings with caution.

Note

The Kaleel et al. paper cited the 2025 edition of Graffius' work. Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section of this article.

Additionally, a visual from the current (2026) edition of Graffius’ respective work is also provided below for completeness and contemporaneous context. The 2026 edition stands out for its:

◾️ Scope (5.6 million posts),
◾️ Coverage (11 platforms),
◾️ Methodology (multi-source, representative, data-driven),
◾️ Continuity (annual updates), and
◾️ Value (actionable insights).

References

Kaleel, A., Ziani, A., Alkaabi, S. A. M. S., & Alhajri, B. K. . (2025). Platform-Specific Data Decay Patterns: A Comparative Study of Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok. MEDAAD, 2025, 8-26. https://doi.org/10.70470/MEDAAD/2025/002

Graffius, S. M. (2025, January 6). Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2025. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35085.65761

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 23). Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2026. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32407.43689

About the Authors of the Paper

Information on the authors, as of the publication of their paper, follow.

Akhmed Kaleel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Media and Creative Industries at United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), College of Humanities and Social Sciences. He holds a PhD in Philology and Humanities (Communication & Media) and combines academic research and university teaching with practical experience as a media practitioner, consultant, event organizer, and translator. Fluent in Arabic, English, and Russian, he has previously held positions at institutions including the Higher Colleges of Technology and has published on topics such as artificial intelligence in media and public relations, social media in education, and related areas.

Abdulkrim Ziani is a Professor of Digital Media and Communication Studies in the College of Communication and Media at Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, UAE. He earned his PhD in Media and Communication Sciences from Grenoble University, France, in 2007, and has served as a university professor since 2001, with prior appointments at the University of Tripoli (Libya), University of Bahrain, Ahlia University (Bahrain), and Umm Al Quwain University. His research centers on digital media, journalism, and social media in Arab and Middle Eastern contexts. He has also held media leadership roles, including editor-in-chief of the Africa News Portal.

Salma Abdullah Mohamed Saeed Alkaabi is a student of Applied Media at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Beena Khalid Alhajri is a student of Applied Media at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 98 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 17). A Critical Analysis of "Platform-Specific Data Decay Patterns: A Comparative Study of Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok" and Its Reference to Research by Scott M. Graffius. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/critical-analysis-of-paper-on-data-decay-patterns.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

Akhmed Kaleel, Abdulkrim Ziani, Salma Abdullah Mohamed Saeed Alkaabi, and Beena Khalid Alhajri are the authors of the paper, "Platform-Specific Data Decay Patterns: A Comparative Study of Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok," published in MEDAAD, a journal associated with Peninsula Publishing. The paper is the property of its authors/owners. That paper cites Scott M. Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research.

This article includes limited excerpts from the paper, attributed and used under fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis.

Graffius' "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

#AcademicPublishing
#ContentPersistence
#CriticalAnalysis
#DataScience
#DataDecay
#DigitalResearch
#EngagementHalfLife
#OpenScience
#ResearchMethods
#ScottMGraffius
#SocialMedia
#SocialMediaPlatforms
#SocialMediaResearch

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Round Square Global Educational Network Features Scott M. Graffius’ Phases of Team Development

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-07-16T09:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 16). Round Square Global Educational Network Features Scott M. Graffius’ Phases of Team Development. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/round-square-features-scott-m-graffius-phases-of-team-development.html

About This Article

Source information and links for materials cited are provided in the References section.

International Education Network Highlights Graffius' Work on Team Development

Round Square, a global nonprofit educational network, featured Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" in a February 2026 leadership presentation prepared by Innes van Nostrand, Principal of Appleby College and Deputy Chair of Round Square, for the organization's international community of schools. The presentation highlighted Graffius' work as a practical leadership tool for educators and school communities committed to improving team effectiveness.

The presentation, "Leadership Teams Dynamics: 2 Tools," introduced Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" on slide 3, explaining how teams typically progress through phases (sometimes referred to as stages). By incorporating the material into its leadership-development content, Round Square illustrated the framework's application in an international educational environment that prepares educators and students for effective collaboration, leadership, and teamwork.

Selected excerpts from the presentation are shown below.

About Graffius' "Phases of Team Development"

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Bayer,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
DevOps Institute,
Government of Finland,
Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering GmbH,
IEEE,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Microsoft,
Oracle,
Technical University of Munich,
Tufts University,
U.S. National Park Service,
U.S. Tennis Association,
University of California at San Diego (UCSD),
University of South Wales,
University of Waterloo,
Yale University,
and many more.

About Round Square

Founded in 1966, Round Square is an international educational network incorporated in England as a Company Limited by Guarantee (Company No. 02011514) and registered as a charity (No. 327117). Inspired by the educational philosophy of Kurt Hahn, the visionary educator associated with experiential learning approaches that also influenced organizations such as Outward Bound and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Round Square connects schools worldwide through a shared commitment to developing students as ethical, globally minded, and socially responsible leaders.

Round Square’s educational philosophy is built around six IDEALS: Internationalism, Democracy, Environmental Stewardship, Adventure, Leadership, and Service. Through these principles, member schools emphasize learning through action, collaboration, community engagement, and leadership experiences alongside academic development.

Today, Round Square comprises more than 280 member schools across 50 countries and six continents. Its global network connects school leaders, educators, students, and communities through conferences, exchanges, service initiatives, leadership programs, and professional learning activities designed to foster character development, international understanding, and collaborative problem-solving.

About Innes van Nostrand

Innes van Nostrand is Principal of Appleby College and Deputy Chair of Round Square. An experienced educational leader, he has served as Principal of Appleby College, an independent school in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, since 2012. His previous leadership roles include positions at Upper Canada College and Queen’s University.

Through his role with Round Square, van Nostrand contributes to a global educational community focused on character development, leadership, service, international understanding, and preparing students to collaborate effectively in a complex world. His leadership presentation for the Round Square Americas community connected research on team development with practical tools educators can apply to strengthen teamwork, collaboration, and leadership effectiveness.

References

Appleby College. (n.d.). Appleby College. https://www.appleby.on.ca/

Graffius, S. M. (2021, January 4). Phases of Team Development (Update for 2021). ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.22040.42246

Graffius, S. M. (2026, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' Phases of Team Development - Applied to Human Teams and Human-AI Teams: 2026 Update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

Round Square. (n.d.). Round Square. https://www.roundsquare.org/

van Nostrand, I. (n.d.). Innes van Nostrand. https://www.linkedin.com/in/innes-van-nostrand-5654bb4/

van Nostrand, I. (2026). Leadership Teams Dynamics: 2 Tools [Presentation]. Round Square Americas. Round Square. https://www.roundsquare.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/RS-Americas-Feb-26-Leadership-Tools-Innes-van-Nostrand-1.pdf

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 99 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 99 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 16). Round Square Global Educational Network Features Scott M. Graffius’ Phases of Team Development. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/round-square-features-scott-m-graffius-phases-of-team-development.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Coming soon.

Content Acknowledgements

Round Square, a global nonprofit educational network, featured Scott M. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" in a 2026 leadership presentation, "Leadership Teams Dynamics: 2 Tools," by Innes van Nostrand, Principal of Appleby College and Deputy Chair the global educational network, Round Square. The presentation features the 2021 edition of the “Phases of Team Development.” Graffius periodically updates his work. The 2026 edition is here: https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601. All names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners. Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. "Leadership Teams Dynamics: 2 Tools" is the property of its author and owner. Appleby College name, mark, and content are the property of Appleby College. Round Square name, mark, and content are the property of RoundSquare. This piece by Graffius includes limited excerpts from "Leadership Tools" and associated material from Appleby College and Round Square, attributed and used under fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis.

#Leadership
#EducationalLeadership
#LeadershipDevelopment
#TeamDevelopment
#Teamwork
#Education
#ExperientialLearning
#RoundSquare
#ProjectManagement
#ScottMGraffius
#ExoticTeamDynamics

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Meta's Muse Missed the Mark: Hollywood’s Win Against Big Tech on AI Consent and Likeness Rights

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-07-10T09:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 10). Meta's Muse Missed the Mark: Hollywood’s Win Against Big Tech on AI Consent and Likeness Rights. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/meta-muse-backlash.html

About This Article

This article includes a references section with links to sources, including items from Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Meta, MSN, SAG-AFTRA, Variety, Wired, TheWrap, and additional sources.

Introduction

Three days can feel like an eternity. That was how long Meta's Muse Image generative AI feature was available on Instagram before the company pulled it following fierce Hollywood backlash. From its launch, to criticism and concerns from SAG-AFTRA, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and others, and finally to Meta's reversal, the episode offers a revealing case study in the clash between Silicon Valley's innovation imperative and the entertainment industry's hard-won emphasis on consent, control, and human creativity.

Meta's Muse Image

Meta rolled out Muse Image in July 2026 as part of its broader AI initiatives under Meta Superintelligence Labs. The tool positioned itself as a creative aid, allowing users to generate high-quality images from text prompts and, crucially, by referencing public Instagram content.

Users could @-mention public Instagram accounts in prompts, enabling the AI to produce inspired or remixed visuals based on that account’s photos, reels, and profile imagery. Promotional materials highlighted its potential for fun, artistic blending—turning ideas into downloadable, shareable visuals.

The details quickly proved contentious. Public adult accounts were opted in by default, often without users even knowing. There was no proactive notification to account holders that their content could be referenced. Opting out was possible but required manual action through settings. Private accounts and those belonging to users under 18 were automatically excluded. Once generated, AI-created images could persist online, raising concerns about permanence and downstream misuse.

This reflected Meta’s push into generative media, following tools such as those from OpenAI and Google. Proponents saw it as democratizing creativity, lowering barriers for everyday users to produce polished visuals. However, critics viewed it as a large-scale experiment that treated public social media posts as raw training or reference material without consent.

The Backlash

The backlash hit fast and hard, especially from Hollywood. SAG-AFTRA wasted no time advising its members to review their settings and opt out. The union framed the tool as another example of technology that could enable the creation of non-consensual digital replicas, potentially undermining livelihoods.

CAA, one of the industry’s most powerful talent agencies with clients including major stars, issued a pointed public statement. “No one’s name, image, likeness, voice, or creative work should be used by any third party, including AI models, without clear, documented consent,” the agency declared. CAA emphasized that true innovation puts creators first, called for protection as the default (with opt-in for those who choose to participate), and CAA noted they had raised concerns directly with Meta.

The statements highlighted several core principles, including documented consent, creator autonomy, monitoring capabilities, swift removal of unauthorized content, and clear disclosures when material is AI-generated. These concerns went beyond abstract ethics: they touched on real economic risks. For performers, likeness is often their primary asset. Unauthorized AI remixes could dilute brand value, enable deceptive endorsements, or contribute to a flood of synthetic content that competes with human work.

Broader user and creator feedback amplified these points. Many expressed privacy fears, noting the lack of notification meant most account holders remained unaware their public posts could fuel AI generation. Concerns included deepfake-style misuse, reputational harm, and the normalization of scraping public content without meaningful safeguards. Social media commentary and industry chatter quickly turned the rollout into a public relations issue for Meta.

Meta's Response: "This Feature Missed the Mark"

By July 10, Meta had had enough. The company pulled the plug, admitting in an update: “We’ve heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark, so it’s no longer available.” They reiterated their original intent (to provide a useful creative tool while giving people control) but conceded the execution fell short amid the backlash.

SAG-AFTRA welcomed the decision, calling it “the responsible thing to do.” CAA had previously urged Meta to strengthen protections requiring clear consent for the use of individuals’ likenesses and creative work.

This reversal came after an initial defense in which Meta highlighted existing guardrails: automatic exclusion of private and minor accounts, the ability to opt out, and commitments to act on violations of community standards. The rapid pivot suggests internal reassessment of reputational risk, especially given Hollywood’s coordinated response.

The episode echoes earlier controversies, such as OpenAI’s Sora video model challenges, where opt-out approaches similarly drew criticism before adjustments. It raises questions about Meta’s AI strategy: Does the company sometimes prioritize speed and scale over preemptive stakeholder/user alignment? Did it underestimate the influence of organized entertainment industry voices in 2026?

SAG-AFTRA's Long Game on AI

None of this happened in a vacuum. SAG-AFTRA has spent years fighting to build guardrails around AI, centered on clear consent, fair compensation, and control over performances.

Key milestones include:

Contract negotiations securing protections in TV/Theatrical, Interactive Media, Commercials, and other agreements.
Opposition to synthetic performers replacing humans, as articulated in their 2025 statement on an AI-generated “actor”: “SAG-AFTRA believes creativity is, and should remain, human-centered. The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics.”
Legislative advocacy supporting bills such as the NO FAKES Act, TAKE IT DOWN Act, and state laws on digital replicas and synthetic advertising disclosures.
Public campaigns and partnerships emphasizing human artistry.

CAA’s involvement adds another layer. As an agency that has explored AI opportunities (including its own “CAA Vault” for managing client likenesses), its strong stance here underscores a consistent industry message: technology must serve creators, not circumvent them.

Industry Power Dynamics and What the Reversal Reveals

This situation suggests the enduring influence of Hollywood unions and agencies in the AI era, at least in this instance. Despite tech giants’ vast resources, coordinated pushback from talent representatives can force meaningful changes. It may point to a maturing ecosystem where entertainment stakeholders are shifting from a reactive posture to a more proactive one in shaping AI deployment norms.

At the same time, it reveals tensions in Big Tech’s approach. Automatic opt-in for public content aligns with a broad interpretation of publicly available data, but it conflicts with evolving legal and ethical expectations around publicity rights, likeness, and consent, particularly for commercial or high-profile use cases. The swift removal suggests Meta recognized that proceeding could invite deeper scrutiny, potential legal challenges, or damage to partnerships in entertainment.

Lessons and Forward-Looking Implications

The Muse Image saga has several takeaways:

Opt-in vs. Opt-out: Default protection (opt-in for use) is emerging as the preferred standard among creators. Conversely, opt-out places the burden on individuals and often fails in practice due to low awareness.
Transparency and Control: Users need clear notifications, robust monitoring tools, and easy removal mechanisms. Watermarking AI content and audit trails could help.
Future Tools: With Muse Video already in early preview, Meta and peers face similar tests. Will they apply lessons here?
Regulatory Ripple Effects: Incidents like this bolster arguments for legislation clarifying consent, deepfake remedies, and platform responsibilities. They also encourage voluntary industry standards.
Balanced Innovation: Generative AI offers genuine benefits, including enhanced creativity, accessibility, and new artistic forms. The challenge lies in harnessing these without eroding the human foundation of entertainment. As SAG-AFTRA has consistently argued, technology should augment, not replace, human performance.

Creators, technologists, and policymakers should view this not as anti-AI sentiment but as a call for responsible development. Sustainable progress requires collaboration. Tech companies should engage early with stakeholders, unions should continue to adapt contracts and advocate for smart regulation, and creators should leverage tools ethically.

Conclusion

Meta's decision to disable Muse Image so quickly can be read as a win for consent advocates and a reminder that Hollywood retains meaningful leverage in the AI conversation. It also reinforces the principle that innovation should respect creators' rights and livelihoods.

The situation also underscores the fragile nature of trust. For Big Tech, the path to broader acceptance of generative tools runs through dialogue, robust safeguards, and a willingness to prioritize opt-in models where likeness and creative work are involved. For Hollywood, continued vigilance (through contracts, legislation, and public engagement) will be essential as AI capabilities advance.

The Muse episode serves as an early test of how generative AI and the entertainment industry will coexist. As AI capabilities continue to evolve, success will depend not only on technical innovation but also on earning and maintaining the trust of creators whose work and identities make that innovation possible.

Bibliography

Bolies, C. (2026, July 10). Meta suspends Instagram AI image feature after days of backlash. Variety. https://variety.com/2026/biz/news/meta-suspends-ai-image-instagram-feature-backlash-1236806989/

Garner, G. (2026, July 10). Meta removes Muse Image AI feature after backlash: "Missed the mark." Deadline. https://deadline.com/2026/07/meta-removes-muse-image-ai-feature-backlash-1236979605/

Meta. (2026, July 10). Update regarding Muse Image feature. Meta Newsroom / About.fb.com. https://about.fb.com/news/2026/07/introducing-muse-image-meta-ai/

MSN. (2026, July 10). CAA, SAG-AFTRA call on Meta to tighten Muse AI likeness protections: "True innovation puts creators first." https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/caa-sag-aftra-call-on-meta-to-tighten-muse-ai-likeness-protections-true-innovation-puts-creators-first/ar-AA27wp1f

Murray, C. (2026, July 10). Instagram’s new AI update faces blowback from Hollywood, cybersecurity companies. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2026/07/10/instagrams-new-ai-update-faces-blowback-from-hollywood-cybersecurity-companies/

Press, J. (2026, July 6). Inside CAA's secret AI "Vault," where actors can live forever—if they want. Vanity Fair. https://www.vanityfair.com/story/caa-vault-actors-ai-replica

Ray, A. (2026, July 8). CAA, SAG-AFTRA call on Meta to tighten Muse AI likeness protections: “True innovation puts creators first.” TheWrap. https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/tech/caa-demands-meta-tighten-muse-ai-likeness-protections/

Rogers, R. (2026, July 8). Meta now lets anyone use your Instagram photos in AI images—Unless you opt out. WIRED. https://www.wired.com/story/meta-now-lets-anyone-use-your-instagram-photos-in-ai-images-unless-you-opt-out/

SAG-AFTRA [@sagaftra]. (2026, July 10). Meta now lets anyone use your Instagram photos in AI images without your consent. SAG-AFTRA recommends that #SagAftraMembers (and all Instagram users) opt-OUT of Meta’s new AI image generation tool, Muse Image. Take action to protect your likeness. [Image attached]. X. https://x.com/sagaftra/status/2075388961560658379

SAG-AFTRA [@sagaftra]. (2026, July 10). UPDATE: A win is a win. Following widespread backlash — including SAG-AFTRA's call for members to opt out — Meta has withdrawn the feature. [Post linked to article]. X. https://x.com/sagaftra/status/2075729397920027102

Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). (n.d.). Artificial intelligence. https://www.sagaftra.org/contracts-industry-resources/member-resources/artificial-intelligence

Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). (2025, September 30). SAG-AFTRA statement on synthetic performer. https://www.sagaftra.org/sag-aftra-statement-synthetic-performer

Weprin, A. (2026, July 8). CAA calls out Meta for making its Muse AI video and photo tool opt-out. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/caa-calls-out-meta-muse-ai-video-photo-tool-instagram-1236642814/

Weprin, A. (2026, July 10). Meta pulls back on opt-out AI function after Hollywood outrage: "This feature missed the mark". The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/meta-pulls-opt-out-ai-tool-hollywood-outrage-1236644312/

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 99 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 99 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 10). Meta's Muse Missed the Mark: Hollywood’s Win Against Big Tech on AI Consent and Likeness Rights. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/meta-muse-backlash.html

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

(Coming soon)

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners. Meta, Instagram, Muse, and related logos, names, and marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Meta Platforms, Inc. (or its affiliates). All references to Meta, Instagram, or their products, features, or content in this article are for informational, commentary, and critical purposes only. Graffius' article does not constitute endorsement by, or affiliation with, Meta Platforms, Inc. or Instagram. This article includes limited excerpts, attributed, and used under the fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis.

#AIEthics
#MetaAI
#MuseImage
#LikenessRights
#SAGAFTRA
#AIConsent
#DigitalPrivacy
#Hollywood
#GenerativeAI
#BigTech

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Scott M. Graffius Contributed to Seven Project Management Institute (PMI) Standards

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-07-06T09:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 6). Scott M. Graffius Contributed to Seven Project Management Institute (PMI) Standards. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32612.95369

Introduction

Professional standards are the foundation of a discipline, and contributing to them is one of the most meaningful ways to give back to the profession.

Founded in 1969, the Project Management Institute (PMI) is the world's leading authority on project success. Supported by a global community of millions of project professionals and by thousands of corporations, government agencies, and academic institutions, PMI develops widely adopted standards, certifications, and other resources that help organizations deliver projects and transformations effectively and responsibly. Its standards influence project management practice across industries and around the world.

Scott M. Graffius has contributed to seven standards and guides published by the PMI. They include:

Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition (2026)
The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management (2026)
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition (2025)
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition (2019)
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition (2017)
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition (2017)
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition (2006)

These contributions reflect engagement with the discipline at a foundational level, defining and refining methods, terminology, and guidance for practitioners worldwide, and they show Graffius participating in collaborative efforts that help ensure PMI standards remain relevant, practical, and aligned with evolving real-world delivery environments. Across all seven, the throughline is clarity and usability, helping practitioners apply proven guidance while adapting it to diverse contexts, industries, and geographies. Each of the seven standards is highlighted next.

1. Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition (2026)

Date of Publication: Scheduled for July 2026

Description

The Agile Practice Guide is a widely adopted reference developed jointly by PMI and the Agile Alliance to help practitioners apply agile and hybrid approaches in organizational environments. It serves as a bridge between predictive project management and adaptive delivery methods, offering guidance on tailoring practices to context rather than prescribing a single methodology. The Second Edition expands this foundation to reflect the increasing complexity of modern product and project ecosystems. It emphasizes adaptability, situational judgment, and alignment between agile principles and enterprise delivery realities. It also reinforces the importance of practical implementation over theoretical purity, helping teams operate effectively across predictive, agile, and hybrid environments.

The following visual includes excerpts from the publication highlighting contributors, including Graffius.

For background, Graffius previously covered the Agile Practice Guide here.

The PMI publication is available on Amazon in paperback format.

2. The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management (2026)

Date of Publication: 2026

Description

This standard provides structured guidance for integrating artificial intelligence into portfolio, program, and project management environments. It defines foundational principles, performance domains, and lifecycle considerations for AI-enabled delivery systems. It also addresses governance, ethics, and legal responsibilities, which are increasingly critical as AI becomes embedded in decision-making processes. The standard reflects the need for shared language and structure as organizations adopt AI at scale. It helps practitioners understand not only how AI can enhance portfolio, program, and project delivery, but also how it should be governed responsibly to support effective, ethical, and trustworthy outcomes.

The following visual includes excerpts from the publication highlighting contributors, including Graffius.

For background, Graffius previously covered The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management here.

The PMI publication is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle/ebook formats.

3. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition (2025)

Date of Publication: 2025

Description

The PMBOK Guide serves as the global foundation of project management practice across industries and delivery approaches. The Eighth Edition builds on prior editions by refining guidance for predictive, agile, and hybrid environments while expanding coverage of emerging topics such as artificial intelligence, modern governance, and evolving delivery practices. Rather than prescribing a single methodology, it emphasizes principles, adaptability, and value delivery across diverse organizational contexts. The guide helps practitioners tailor approaches to meet the unique needs of projects while remaining aligned with organizational objectives. It reflects the continuing evolution of the profession in response to changing technologies, organizational structures, and ways of working.

The following visual includes excerpts from the publication highlighting contributors, including Graffius.

For background, Graffius previously covered A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition here.

The PMI publication is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle/ebook formats.

4. The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition (2019)

Date of Publication: 2019

Description

The Practice Standard for Project Estimating provides structured guidance for developing project estimates that are transparent, consistent, and defensible. It covers a range of estimating approaches, from early conceptual estimates through detailed and definitive estimates that support planning, budgeting, and decision-making. It also highlights the importance of managing uncertainty, assumptions, and risk throughout the estimating process. The standard reinforces the idea that estimating is not a one-time activity but an evolving discipline throughout the project lifecycle. It helps practitioners improve both the accuracy of estimates and the effectiveness of communication with stakeholders and decision-makers.

The following visual includes excerpts from the publication highlighting contributors, including Graffius.

For background, Graffius previously covered The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition here.

The PMI publication is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle/ebook formats.

5. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition (2017)

Date of Publication: 2017

Description

The Sixth Edition of the PMBOK Guide represents a major step in the evolution of modern project management practice. It formally incorporates agile, adaptive, and hybrid approaches alongside predictive methods, reflecting the increasing diversity of project delivery environments. It also strengthens the emphasis on tailoring, enabling practitioners to adapt processes based on project context, complexity, and uncertainty. The guide provides a structured yet flexible foundation that supports both practitioners and certification frameworks worldwide. It remains one of the most widely referenced editions in the history of the discipline.

The following visual includes excerpts from the publication highlighting contributors, including Graffius.

For background, Graffius previously covered A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition here.

The PMI publication is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle/ebook formats. (Note: Links are to the current edition.)

6. The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition (2017)

Date of Publication: 2017

Description

The Standard for Program Management defines the principles and practices used to manage multiple related projects in a coordinated program structure. It emphasizes aligning program outcomes with organizational strategy while maximizing benefits realization through coordinated governance, stakeholder engagement, and integrated management of related projects. The Fourth Edition strengthens guidance for managing complexity at scale while maintaining strategic alignment across interdependent initiatives. It also provides clearer direction for overseeing cross-project integration and organizational change. The standard helps program managers deliver outcomes that would be difficult (or impossible) to achieve through individual projects alone.

The following visual includes excerpts from the publication highlighting contributors, including Graffius.

For background, Graffius previously covered The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition here.

The PMI publication is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle/ebook formats. (Note: Links are to the current edition.)

7. Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition (2006)

Date of Publication: 2006

Description

The Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures provides foundational guidance for creating and applying work breakdown structures (WBS) in project management practice. It explains how decomposing project scope into manageable deliverables improves planning, estimation, accountability, communication, and project control. The standard reinforces alignment with the broader PMBOK Guide framework and supports consistent application across industries and organizations. It remains one of the foundational references for organizing project deliverables and structuring work. Its principles continue to underpin effective planning and control, including in today's adaptive and agile delivery environments.

The following visual includes excerpts from the publication highlighting contributors, including Graffius.

For background, Graffius previously covered the Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition here.

The PMI publication is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle/ebook formats. (Note: Links are to the current edition.)

Conclusion

These seven publications span two decades of PMI's standards development, from the foundational work on work breakdown structures in 2006 to the guidance on artificial intelligence in 2026. Each standard addressed the delivery challenges of its moment, from structuring scope and estimating costs to coordinating programs and integrating agile and AI-driven practices into project management. Contributing to this body of work has provided a firsthand view of how the profession has adapted, and it has been a privilege to help shape the standards that practitioners around the world rely on every day.

Bibliography

Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). About Scott M. Graffius. https://scottgraffius.com/bio.html

Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Thought Leader and Influencer. https://www.scottgraffius.com/thoughtleaderandinfluencer.html

Graffius, S. M. (2025, February 12). Scott M. Graffius' Role in Advancing Project Management Institute (PMI) Standards Excellence. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/scott-m-graffius-role-in-advancing-project-management-institute-(pmi)-standards.html

Graffius, S. M. (2025, November 13). Scott M. Graffius Contributed to and Reviewed the PMBOK Guide, 8th Edition — the Global Standard for Project Management. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.25557.69601

Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 3). Scott M. Graffius Contributed to the Agile Practice Guide - Second Edition. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/scott-m-graffius-contributed-to-agile-practice-guide-second-edition.html

Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 9). Scott M. Graffius Contributed to The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/scott-m-graffius-contributed-to-pmi-standard-for-ai-in-pppm.html

Project Management Institute. (n.d.). https://www.pmi.org

Project Management Institute. (2006). Practice standard for work breakdown structures (2nd ed.). Project Management Institute.

Project Management Institute. (2017). The standard for program management (4th ed.). Project Management Institute.

Project Management Institute. (2017). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide) (6th ed.). Project Management Institute.

Project Management Institute. (2019). The practice standard for project estimating (2nd ed.). Project Management Institute.

Project Management Institute. (2025). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide) (8th ed.). Project Management Institute.

Project Management Institute. (2026). Agile practice guide (2nd ed.). Project Management Institute.

Project Management Institute. (2026). The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management. Project Management Institute.

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 99 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 99 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 6). Scott M. Graffius Contributed to Seven Project Management Institute (PMI) Standards. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32612.95369

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.32612.95369

Content Acknowledgements

Project Management Institute (PMI) name, mark, and content are the property of PMI.

Graffius’ article includes limited excerpts of PMI publications, attributed and used under fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis.

#PMI
#ProjectManagement
#PMBOK
#Agile
#AI
#ArtificialIntelligence
#ProgramManagement
#ProjectEstimating
#WBS
#FutureOfWork
#Leadership

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.

Copyright

Quantum Computing, Advanced AI Acceleration, and the Rise of Exotic Team Dynamics in Human-AI Teams

Scott M. Graffius — 2026-07-02T09:16:36-07:00

BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com

Recommended Citation

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 2). Quantum Computing, Advanced AI Acceleration, and the Rise of Exotic Team Dynamics in Human-AI Teams. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.14506.99525

About This Article

This article includes a references section (with links to sources) and a glossary.

Introduction

Imagine a young oncologist and an advanced AI teammate collaborating on a complex case involving a patient with aggressive, treatment-resistant cancer. Drawing on quantum-accelerated molecular simulations, the advanced AI proposes a counterintuitive therapeutic strategy that departs from established clinical protocols yet demonstrates exceptionally strong predicted efficacy and low toxicity. Within minutes, the human-AI team evaluates data that would have previously required months—or even years—of conventional modeling, laboratory experimentation, and clinical testing. The physician contributes clinical judgment, ethical oversight, and contextual interpretation; the AI contributes unprecedented analytical speed, pattern recognition, and probabilistic reasoning. This scenario exemplifies the convergence and future potential of quantum computing, advanced AI, and the "exotic team dynamics" that arise when humans and advanced AI systems collaborate. Solutions once out of reach—in medicine and other fields—can be realized, and the results can be life-changing and life-saving.

Quantum Computing

Quantum computing harnesses principles of quantum mechanics—such as superposition and entanglement—to perform calculations using qubits that can represent multiple states simultaneously, offering potential exponential advantages over classical bits for specific problems. It is being aggressively pursued by governments, national laboratories, big tech companies, and specialized startups. The shared bet is that certain intractable problems—molecular and materials simulation, large-scale optimization, cryptography, and other complex calculations—scale so poorly on classical computers that a new computational paradigm is essential. Hybrid quantum-classical systems are particularly promising: they leverage quantum processors for specific subtasks (e.g., optimization or simulation) while relying on classical hardware for the rest.

Research on quantum state distinguishability further underscores this trajectory. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have demonstrated new approaches for creating and identifying quantum states with higher reliability, addressing one of the central challenges in quantum measurement and readout fidelity. Improvements in state discrimination directly strengthen error correction protocols and enhance the practicality of hybrid quantum-classical architectures by reducing ambiguity in quantum outputs (MIT, 2026).

Early applications already show potential to reduce training time and energy consumption for machine learning models, especially in data-scarce or highly complex scenarios (Quandela, 2026).

The practical implications are becoming tangible. Quantum computing is transitioning from lab curiosity to strategic infrastructure. In April 2026, IBM and MIT launched a joint research lab focused on the convergence of AI and quantum computing, aiming to surpass classical limits (IBM, 2026). This momentum accelerated in June 2026 with executive orders aimed at advancing quantum innovation and securing the nation against advanced cryptographic threats, followed by a major announcement by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). On June 23, 2026, the DOE announced Quantum Genesis, a major initiative to deliver the world’s first fault-tolerant, scientifically relevant quantum computing capability by 2028. This includes a DOE Q Competition, a National Quantum Supercomputing User Facility (integrating quantum computing with high-performance computing, AI, and networking), and targeted R&D. The target domains—chemistry, materials science, plasma physics, and high-energy physics—directly support progress in AI (U.S. Department of Energy, 2026).

Advanced AI

The Quantum Genesis project provides an example of how quantum infrastructure can accelerate AI. Hybrid quantum-classical architectures are already demonstrating faster AI training and reduced data requirements for certain models (Quandela, 2026).

The relationship between the two technologies is bidirectional and self-reinforcing: AI helps overcome quantum challenges in error correction, qubit control, and algorithm design (Time, 2026), while quantum systems promise breakthroughs in the very domains that fuel next-generation AI—materials for better chips, molecular simulations for drug discovery AI, and complex optimization for model efficiency. This feedback loop shortens R&D cycles.

Meaningful quantum advantages for general AI training likely require further advances in scale and error correction, with hybrid systems providing early wins in specialized tasks rather than replacing classical GPUs in the near term. The call to extend the frontier of problems solvable with quantum computing and advanced AI (Nature Machine Intelligence, 2023) remains as relevant today as when it was first issued.

Exotic Team Dynamics

As advanced AI proliferates—accelerated in part by quantum-enabled breakthroughs—"exotic team dynamics" become more common.

Coined and developed by Scott M. Graffius, "exotic team dynamics" describe the novel patterns that emerge when humans and advanced AI collaborate as teammates, rather than operating within a traditional user–tool relationship (Graffius, n.d.). It positions human–AI teaming as a frontier domain in which the integration of human judgment and AI-driven computation produces new and distinct rhythms of collaboration and decision-making.

Graffius introduced the term in an August 8, 2025, article (Graffius, 2025a) and has since expanded it through a sequence of presentations and publications. He presented it at a corporate leadership event in Las Vegas later that same month (Graffius, 2025b) and again at an event in Paris that November (Graffius, 2025c). In 2026, he incorporated "exotic team dynamics" into the updated version of his popular and highly-cited "Phases of Team Development" work, extending its applicability from human-only teams to both human-only and human-AI teams (Graffius, 2026a). In March 2026, a companion practitioner-oriented talk and article further positioned mastery of these dynamics as a leadership necessity (Graffius, 2026b).

"Exotic team dynamics" are delineated further through four physics-inspired analogies that characterize its novel patterns.

Inverse decision logic, analogous to negative mass in physics, occurs when an AI teammate generates recommendations that run counter to human intuition or established practice yet prove superior upon careful evaluation. Such situations are especially likely in complex, data-rich environments where human decision-making is influenced by cognitive biases such as confirmation bias, status quo bias, and availability heuristics. Rather than encouraging blind trust or automatic skepticism, effective organizations develop trust-calibration protocols that evaluate counterintuitive AI outputs on their merits, document the rationale behind key decisions, and refine confidence through accumulated evidence. These practices help teams capitalize on AI-driven innovation while maintaining sound governance and accountability.

Superposition roles, inspired by quantum superposition, describe an advanced AI's ability to support multiple team functions simultaneously—for example, serving as analyst, strategist, researcher, risk assessor, and communications partner without the handoff friction or context-switching costs typical of human specialization. This capability can dramatically compress project timelines and improve organizational agility. At the same time, it introduces governance challenges because a single AI may contribute across multiple domains at once. Organizations therefore benefit from defining clear human ownership and accountability for AI-supported decisions, even when AI performs many functions in parallel.

Entangled decision-making, inspired by quantum entanglement, refers to the deeply interdependent relationship between human judgment and AI reasoning. Human insights continuously reshape AI outputs, while AI-generated analyses refine human understanding, creating decisions that emerge from ongoing collaboration rather than a simple sequence of independent contributions. This interaction can produce superior outcomes in complex, high-stakes environments, but it also complicates questions of accountability and auditability. Maintaining structured records of significant human-AI interactions and decision pathways helps preserve transparency while supporting effective governance.

Emergent protocols, analogous to emergent phenomena in complex systems, are the collaboration norms, workflows, communication patterns, and operating practices that develop organically through repeated interaction between humans and advanced AI. Over time, these evolving behaviors can become a significant source of organizational efficiency and competitive advantage by improving coordination and accelerating decision-making. However, they can also reinforce unintended biases or ineffective practices if left unexamined. Periodic reviews of human-AI collaboration patterns help organizations identify valuable innovations worth formalizing while correcting undesirable drift.

"Exotic team dynamics" serves as a diagnostic tool and a practical guide for designing and managing hybrid human-AI teams, where the AI is advanced. It is particularly relevant in research and development, crisis response, strategic planning, defense and national security, healthcare, financial services, and other domains with mission-critical operations (Graffius, 2026b). More broadly, the framework reflects a shift from treating AI as a tool to collaborating with it as a teammate. That transition signals a broader reconfiguration of organizational reality itself, where teamwork—including trust, decision-making, and other functions—is no longer solely a human construct but an emergent outcome of the interplay between people and machine intelligence (Graffius, n.d.).

Conclusion

Quantum Genesis is one of several catalysts driving advances in AI capabilities. Together with related initiatives, it is accelerating the shift from AI-as-tool to AI-as-teammate—precisely where "exotic team dynamics" emerge.

The future of work will be defined by people and advanced AI working as collaborators. Organizations that invest in understanding quantum-driven AI progress and mastering “exotic team dynamics” will gain decisive advantages in innovation and competitiveness.

References

Graffius, S. M. (n.d.). Exotic team dynamics. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/exotic-team-dynamics.html

Graffius, S. M. (2025a, August 8). Exotic team dynamics: The new frontier of human–AI collaboration. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18048.49921

Graffius, S. M. (2025b, August 22). Scott M. Graffius premieres his new "Exotic Team Dynamics: Human-AI Collaboration" talk at corporate event in Las Vegas. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.34380.07047

Graffius, S. M. (2025c, November 21). This is what happens when advanced AI joins your team [Presentation]. Corporate event, Paris, France.

Graffius, S. M. (2026a, January 3). Scott M. Graffius' phases of team development – Applied to human teams and human-AI teams: 2026 update. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18184.89601

Graffius, S. M. (2026b, March 23). Human-AI teamwork: Master the exotic team dynamics that emerge when collaborating with advanced AI — Or be outplayed. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/human-ai-teamwork-master-the-emergent-exotic-team-dynamics-or-be-outplayed.html

IBM. (2026, April 29). The MIT-IBM Computing Research Lab launches to shape the future of AI and quantum computing. IBM Newsroom. https://newsroom.ibm.com/2026-04-29-the-mit-ibm-computing-research-lab-launches-to-shape-the-future-of-ai-and-quantum-computing

MIT. (2026, June 15). How to create distinguishable states for quantum systems. MIT News. https://news.mit.edu/2026/how-to-create-distinguishable-states-for-quantum-systems-0615

Nature Machine Intelligence. (2023, August). Seeking a quantum advantage for machine learning. Nature Machine Intelligence, 5, 813. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42256-023-00710-9

Quandela. (2026, January 15). Quandela identifies four quantum computing trends for 2026. The Quantum Insider. https://thequantuminsider.com/2026/01/15/quandela-quantum-computing-trends-2026/

Time. (2026, April 7). AI helped spark a quantum breakthrough. The world "is not prepared." https://time.com/article/2026/04/07/ai-quantum-computing-advance/

U.S. Department of Energy. (2026, June 23). Energy Department announces initiative to create and deploy the world's first scientifically relevant, fault-tolerant quantum computers. https://www.energy.gov/science/articles/energy-department-announces-initiative-create-and-deploy-worlds-first

Glossary

Advanced AI refers to emerging systems that surpass traditional tools or monolithic concepts, acting as genuine teammates in human-AI collaboration and creating exotic team dynamics, with a progression across agentic, autonomous, and autopoietic forms. Also see agentic AI, autonomous AI, and autopoietic AI.

Agentic AI is an advanced form of artificial intelligence capable of independently pursuing defined objectives through planning multi-step actions, coordinating processes, and adapting strategies to changing conditions, operating with high autonomy in execution but guided by external goals. It is commercially available and capable of planning multi-step actions, coordinating processes and tools while remaining semi-autonomous overall. Also see advanced AI.

AI. See advanced AI.

Artificial intelligence. See advanced AI.

Autonomous AI is an advanced form of artificial intelligence that operates and makes decisions independently without direct human intervention, featuring sustained self-regulation, the ability to set or adjust goals based on its environment, and action within defined or evolving parameters. It does not yet exist in commercial products. Also see advanced AI.

Autopoietic AI is an advanced, experimental, and hypothetical form of artificial intelligence characterized by self-generating, self-maintaining, and self-adaptive processes, where the system recursively regenerates its own structure, rules, and boundaries to sustain its identity in changing environments. No commercial systems currently exist. Also see advanced AI.

DOE Q Competition is a milestone-driven national competition established by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as part of its Quantum Genesis initiative to accelerate the development of fault-tolerant quantum computing. It challenges participants to build quantum systems capable of performing scientifically meaningful computations, with an emphasis on reliable logical qubits rather than simply increasing physical qubit counts. The competition focuses on solving high-impact problems in areas such as chemistry, materials science, plasma physics, and high-energy physics. By fostering collaboration among industry, national laboratories, and academia, the DOE Q Competition aims to advance practical quantum computing for scientific discovery and national competitiveness.

Emergent protocols are new communication patterns, norms, and interaction protocols that evolve organically in human-AI teams without explicit programming or predefined rules. Also see exotic team dynamics.

Entangled decision-making occurs when human and AI inputs and decisions become deeply interconnected and interdependent, influencing each other to produce outcomes neither could achieve alone, potentially creating synergies or conflicts. Also see exotic team dynamics.

Exotic team dynamics (shown here without quotation marks) was coined and developed by Agile, AI, and teamwork tradecraft expert Scott M. Graffius. It refers to the novel, often counterintuitive, emerging collaboration patterns that occur when humans work alongside advanced artificial intelligences—specifically agentic, autonomous, or autopoietic AI—as teammates. Exotic team dynamics feature new rhythms of interaction, decision-making, and role-sharing that differ from traditional human-only teamwork while still relying on core principles such as trust, communication, and adaptability. Also see advanced AI, agentic AI, autonomous AI, autopoietic AI, emergent protocols, entangled decision-making, inverse decision logic, and superposition roles.

Future of work refers to the evolving nature of how work is structured, coordinated, and performed, as technologies, organizational models, and human–machine collaboration reshape roles, processes, and outcomes. It is a broad, cross-disciplinary concept that captures ongoing shifts in skills, workflows, governance, and team dynamics driven by advancements such as AI, automation, and emerging paradigms. As it relates to this article, the future of work is examined through the convergence of quantum computing, advanced AI, and exotic team dynamics, where humans and intelligent systems operate as integrated, adaptive teams, achieving capabilities that exceed what either humans or machines could accomplish independently.

GPU (graphics processing unit) refers to a specialized type of computer processor originally designed to accelerate graphics rendering, but now widely used in artificial intelligence due to its ability to perform large numbers of parallel calculations efficiently, making it well-suited for training and running deep learning models.

Human-AI teams are collaborative systems in which humans and advanced artificial intelligence—agentic, autonomous, or autopoietic AI—work as teammates. Also see advanced AI, agentic AI, autonomous AI, autopoietic AI, and exotic team dynamics.

Inverse decision logic is when AI challenges human assumptions by prioritizing counterintuitive yet optimal choices, causing decision-making to deviate from traditional logic and leading to unexpected and novel effects. Also see exotic team dynamics.

Phases of Team Development (shown here without quotation marks) is popular and highly-cited material on teamwork tradecraft developed by Scott M. Graffius. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies on teamwork, and Graffius' professional experience with and analysis of team leadership and high-performance teams, Graffius created his Phases of Team Development as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development—Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. It includes a graph showing how performance varies by phase, as well as the characteristics and strategies for each phase. Leaders can apply these insights to advance the success of teams. Graffius initially developed his unique material in 2008, and he periodically updates it. The 2026 edition covers both human teams and human-AI teams, including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when collaborating with advanced AI. Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, universities, publications, media outlets, and others around the world have featured and used Graffius' Phases of Team Development.

Quantum bit. See qubit.

Quantum computing is a form of computation that uses principles of quantum mechanics to process information in ways fundamentally different from classical computing. Instead of classical bits that represent either 0 or 1, quantum computers use quantum bits (qubits), which can exist in superposition—meaning they can represent multiple states simultaneously. Qubits can also become entangled, allowing the state of one qubit to depend on another, even across distance, which enables highly correlated computations. These properties allow certain classes of problems—such as factoring large numbers, simulating quantum systems, and optimization tasks—to potentially be solved more efficiently than on classical computers. However, quantum systems are extremely sensitive to noise and decoherence, making practical, large-scale quantum computing an ongoing engineering and scientific challenge.

Quantum Genesis is a U.S. Department of Energy initiative to develop and deploy the world's first scientifically relevant, fault-tolerant quantum computing capability for research and development. As a component of the broader Genesis Mission, it integrates quantum computing with artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and advanced scientific facilities to accelerate discovery across fields such as materials science, chemistry, physics, and energy. The initiative reflects a shift from viewing quantum computers as isolated research systems to treating them as part of a broader computational ecosystem designed to solve problems beyond the reach of classical computing alone.

Qubit (quantum bit) is the fundamental unit of information in quantum computing, analogous to the bit in classical computing. However, unlike a classical bit, which can exist only in a state of 0 or 1, a qubit can exist in a superposition of both states simultaneously, with probabilities associated with each outcome. Qubits can also become entangled with one another, meaning the state of one qubit can depend on the state of another, even when separated by distance. These properties enable quantum computers to process certain types of complex problems more efficiently than classical computers.

Superposition roles are about AI supporting or occupying multiple team roles and functions simultaneously in parallel, or dynamically shifting emphasis or sharing functions with humans based on contextual needs. Also see exotic team dynamics.

About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.

He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 99 conferences and other events across 25 countries.

He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.

The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.

Experience

Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.

Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.

He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

Award-Winning Author

Graffius has authored three books.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.

International Public Speaker

Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 99 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.

With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

The speaker engagement request form is here.

Thought Leadership and Influence

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:

Adobe,
American Management Association,
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
Bayer,
BMC Software,
Boston University,
Broadcom,
Cisco,
Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
Computer Weekly,
Constructor University - Germany,
Data Governance Success,
Deimos Aerospace,
DevOps Institute,
Dropbox,
EU's European Commission,
Ford Motor Company,
Gartner,
GoDaddy,
Harvard Medical School,
Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
IEEE,
Innovation Project Management,
Johns Hopkins University,
Journal of Neurosurgery,
Lam Research (Semiconductors),
Leadership Worthy,
Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
London South Bank University,
Microsoft,
MSN,
NASSCOM,
National Academy of Sciences,
New Zealand Government,
Oracle,
Pinterest Inc.,
Project Management Institute,
Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
SANS Institute,
SBG Neumark - Germany,
Singapore Institute of Technology,
Torrens University - Australia,
TBS Switzerland,
Tufts University,
UC San Diego,
UK Sports Institute,
University of Galway - Ireland,
US Department of Energy,
US National Park Service,
US Soccer,
US Tennis Association,
Verizon,
Wrike,
Yale University,
and many others.

Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:

The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition

Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
Project Management Professional (PMP),
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.

List of Additional Articles

How to Cite This Article

Graffius, S. M. (2026, July 2). Quantum Computing, Advanced AI Acceleration, and the Rise of Exotic Team Dynamics in Human-AI Teams. ScottGraffius.com. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.14506.99525

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14506.99525

Content Acknowledgements

Names, marks, and content are the property of their respective owners.

#AdvancedAI
#AdvancedTechnology
#AIResearch
#ArtificialIntelligence
#AutonomousAI
#AutopoieticAI
#EmergentProtocols
#EntangledDecisionMaking
#ExoticTeamDynamics
#FutureOfTechnology
#FutureOfWork
#GPU
#HumanAITeams
#InverseDecisionLogic
#QuantumComputing
#QuantumGenesis
#Qubit
#ResearchAndDevelopment
#SuperpositionRoles
#Technology

Post-Publication Notes

If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.