AI can replicate your product, your code, and your pricing model. But it can’t replicate your Why.

Last week, we gathered for the Mans International February session to tackle the “AI Paradox.” We explored why storytelling isn’t a soft skill — it’s the only defensible moat left for tech founders. Here is the recap of our deep dive into the Strategic Storytelling Matrix.

“Why should anyone believe in this?”

In an attention-scarce world, feature lists are noise. Features explain function; stories ignite belief. The breakthrough lies in Strategic Narrative Architecture — the deliberate alignment of technology with human aspiration.

This isn’t a “soft skill.” It is your sharpest competitive weapon.

Three Strategic Frameworks Every Founder Must Master

Framework 1: From Industry Player to Meaning Architect

Pantone didn’t win by cataloging colours. They won by owning the narrative of colour. They transformed a technical spec into a universal language.

The Founder’s Pivot: Stop describing what you build. Start shaping how the world interprets your category.

• Engineer Cultural Rhythm: The “Colour of the Year” isn’t a press release; it’s a nine-month cultural cadence.
• Decode the Emotional Climate: “Mocha Mousse” (2025) isn’t a shade — it’s a diagnosis of a collective longing for balance.
• Embed via Ecosystems: By partnering with companies like Microsoft and Huawei, Pantone makes colour a strategic infrastructure rather than a decoration.

The Insight: When your storytelling becomes the lens through which others interpret reality, you command influence far beyond functionality.

Framework 2: Shift the Battlefield — from Features to Values

In crowded markets, competing on specs is a surrender. Left Field (the dating app) refused the algorithm arms race and built a defensible moat through shared values.

• Reframe the Core Question: Shift from “How do we optimize matches?” to “How do we rebuild a trustworthy connection?”
• Cultivate Identity, Not Interaction: Through rituals (hiking circles, book clubs), the product facilitates who the user becomes. Retention becomes identity.
• Magnetize Mission-Aligned Capital: Investors fund conviction. Left Field didn’t just show metrics; they articulated a generational truth.

The Insight: When using your product becomes an act of self-definition, you’ve built a movement, not just a marketplace.

Framework 3: Where AI Meets Human Truth

Petco Love Lost: Giving AI a Human Heartbeat

Technology without empathy is just noise. Petco Love Lost shows AI’s highest purpose: acting as a vessel for human devotion. With 170,000+ reunions, they prove that data can heal.

• Complexity → Intimacy: AI analyzes 512 pet characteristics. The technical depth exists solely to keep a promise: “We see you.”
• Platform → Purpose: A tapestry across 3,100+ shelters, neighbours and cameras united under one covenant.
• Metrics → Meaning: “170,000” isn’t a KPI. It’s 170,000 restored hearts.

The Insight: AI does not replace humanity; it amplifies it. When your AI serves the deepest human truths — loss, hope, belonging — it becomes unforgettable.

From Narrative to Leverage

Feeling the gap between what you’ve built and how it’s felt? 

❌ Your pitch is clear — but not compelling.

❌ Your product works — but isn’t felt.

❌ AI accelerates execution — but your human truth remains unheard.

This is not a creativity problem. It’s a strategic storytelling gap.

Claim Your Strategic Storytelling Audit

We begin with a 90-Minute Storytelling Capability Audit, designed to:

1. Identify the three breakpoints weakening your narrative
2. Isolate the emotional anchor that truly moves your market
3. Architect a three-layer system: product narrative × brand mythos × growth strategy

This is not storytelling added on. This is storytelling embedded into your operating system.

Your technology changes markets. Your story changes minds.

Claim your strategic storytelling audit now.

一、当AI能写代码、做PPT，创始人的真正护城河是什么？

AI可以复制你的产品、代码和定价模型，却无法复制你的初心与使命。

上周，我们齐聚 Mans International 二月专场，深入探讨了“AI 悖论”：在技术极易被模仿的时代，讲故事不再是软技能——而是科技创始人唯一可防御的护城河。以下是本次关于「战略叙事矩阵」深度研讨的精华回顾。

“为什么要相信你？”——这是每一位技术创始人都需直面的灵魂拷问。在注意力稀缺的当下，功能清单只是噪音：功能说明“是什么”，而故事才能点燃信任。真正的突破，在于搭建战略叙事体系——将技术与人类深层渴望精准对齐。

这绝非所谓的“软技能”，而是你最锋利的竞争武器。

二、构建故事力的三大战略框架

框架一：定义范式——从行业标准制定者到文化符号创造者

案例深度解构：潘通的色彩影响力

色彩解决方案公司潘通的真正智慧，不在于发布了多少种颜色，而在于它将色彩这一通用语言，成功私有化为自己的叙事体系。

策略拆解：

• 创造仪式感：年度色的发布不是产品更新，而是一场持续9个月的行业预言
• 连接时代情绪：2025年的“摩卡慕斯”不只是颜色，更是对后疫情时代“舒适感”、“平衡感”的精准捕捉
• 构建意义网络：与微软、华为等巨头的合作，让颜色成为品牌战略的组成部分

潘通将自己的解决方案，升维为行业的解释框架。当你能定义他人用于表达的工具时，你就掌握了无形的话语权。

框架二：重构战场——从功能竞争到意义竞争

案例深度解构：Left Field 约会APP —— 在红海中开辟蓝海

在拥挤的社交应用市场，Left Field 没有陷入“更好算法”的军备竞赛，而是进行了一次精准的叙事跃迁。

策略拆解：

1. 重新定义问题：从“如何更高效匹配”转向“如何重建深度联结”
2. 塑造文化身份：产品不再只是工具，而是“基于真实兴趣的社区重建运动”
3. 吸引信念投资：精准击中了当代人“孤独、渴望真诚联结”的情绪，让投资人看到了其差异化的市场潜力

当功能陷入内卷，Left Field 将竞争维度拉升至价值观层面。最有力的产品定位，是让用户通过使用你，完成自我身份的构建。

框架三：技术人性化——让AI拥有温度的故事艺术

案例深度解构：Petco Love Lost 用AI找回17万只走失宠物的“回家故事”

技术上，它用AI识别512种宠物特征，整合3100家收容所、门铃摄像头、邻里社交平台的数据。但打动人的，是像Cora这样的故事：

她搬家那天丢了猫，贴传单无果，直到上传照片到平台，两天后在收容所重逢。猫咪蹭她那一刻，她哭了。

这个故事之所以有效，是因为它回答了用户最深的恐惧：“我的爱会被世界忽略吗？”而Petco的回答是：“不会，我们看见你了，也看见你的毛孩子。”

策略拆解：

1. 从痛点中提炼共情原点：不止于“找宠物”，而是“修复破碎的情感联结”
2. 技术细节的故事化包装：将512种特征识别的复杂性，转化为“像老朋友一样认识你的毛孩子”
3. 构建生态叙事：平台不是单一工具，而是连接收容所、志愿者、社区的“团圆网络”
4. 数据成就的情感升华：“17万次团圆”不是冷冰冰的KPI，而是17万个家庭重获完整的故事

最先进的技术，需要最朴素的情感入口。Petco Love Lost 用技术解决情感问题，再将解决方案通过一个一个温暖的故事扩大影响力，反哺整个生态。

三、从故事到战略：可执行的构建路径

如果你正在：

• 为融资路演找不到打动人的表达；
• 明明产品好，却难以引发用户共鸣；
• 困惑于如何在AI浪潮中凸显“人”的价值……

那么，是时候系统构建你的故事力了。

故事力不是天赋，而是可通过方法论构建的战略能力。

我们已帮助多家科技初创公司重构叙事框架，实现估值跃升与品牌破圈。技术决定你能走多快，故事决定你能走多远。

现在行动，预约专属您的「叙事竞争力」深度诊断，帮助您：

1. 识别当前叙事中的三大断裂点
2. 找到您技术中最具共鸣潜力的情感内核
3. 制定差异化的三层叙事策略

视频版

引言：健康，是未来科技最深刻的文明对话

每年开年的 CES 国际消费电子展向来是洞察人类健康未来的核心棱镜。当全球顶尖科技于此交汇碰撞，我们看见的不仅是传感器与算法的持续迭代与进阶，更是东西方文明基因在健康命题下的深层共鸣与对话 —— 科技为健康构筑起坚实的防护屏障，古典智慧则为身心校准内在节奏与前行航向，二者相辅相成，方能破解当代人群的健康困境。

一、CES 2026 健康类产品趋势：从“数据监测”到“身心闭环干预”

过去五年，CES健康类产品的演进路径清晰可见：

• 2021年：聚焦单一生物指标（如心率、血氧）；
• 2023年：开始整合行为数据，提供初步干预建议；
• 2026年：全面进入“多模态融合 + 主动干预 + 慢病风险预防”新阶段。

今年最突出的趋势，是“失眠-抑郁共病”成为健康科技的核心赛道。这并非偶然——全球高压人群的心理健康危机，正催生一场非药物干预的技术革命。以下两款CES首发产品，正是典型代表。

（一）零重力心理舱：航天科技赋能身心舒缓

法国Reconcept公司推出的集成式健康系统，采用了最初为宇航员开发的零重力体态技术。该技术将体重均匀分布至全身，显著减轻局部压力与肌肉紧张，配合头盔提供的多频音乐与振动疗法，旨在系统性改善睡眠、舒缓压力。其已通过法国军队场景验证，正迈向高端民用及企业健康管理市场。

（二）非侵入式神经调控眼镜：AI驱动的无创认知干预

这款形似普通眼镜的AI可穿戴设备，采用40Hz伽马频段光刺激技术，旨在提升记忆、专注力与情绪调节能力。其原理基于麻省理工学院（MIT）及美国国立卫生研究院（NIH）多项研究——伽马振荡可能促进脑内β淀粉样蛋白清除并改善脑血流。需强调的是，该产品目前定位为“认知支持工具”，尚处临床验证阶段，并非医疗设备，但代表了消费级神经科技的重要突破。

值得注意的是，此次CES展示的健康类产品都在指向同一个方向：用科技构建“预防-干预-恢复”的健康闭环。

二、创业者的隐痛：成功背后的健康“三角风暴”

在“高压闭环”的侵袭下，创业者群体成为高危重灾区。长期昼夜颠倒、决策高压、电子屏幕过度暴露，让这一群体深陷“抑郁-失眠-视疲劳”的三角风暴，即便手握世俗意义上的成功，也难以逃脱身心耗竭的困境。

华为创始人任正非曾公开提及自身严重抑郁症经历，坦言“常常在梦中哭醒”；搜狐创始人张朝阳也曾受抑郁症困扰，一度淡出公众视野调整状态。

而TOMS鞋创始人布莱克·麦考斯基的经历更具警示意义——2006年，他以“买一捐一”的使命驱动模式创立TOMS，累计为70多个国家的数百万儿童捐赠鞋子，重塑了使命型企业的商业逻辑，2014年更是以6.25亿美元出售公司50%股份，达成世俗意义上的巅峰成就。但与此同时，他陷入了严重的抑郁、焦虑与长期失眠，他的困境揭示了一个残酷真相：使命驱动若缺乏身心承载力，终将难以为继。

即便AI技术已深度融入工作生活，创业者的健康困境仍未缓解。《华尔街日报》调研显示，部分AI初创企业创始人沉迷“无假期、无睡眠”的高强度工作状态，过度透支身心，导致心理压力与睡眠障碍发生率显著高于其他群体。

三、“知止”：AI时代创业者最稀缺的智慧

面对高压闭环与身心失衡，东方古典哲学提供了超越工具的元智慧——“知止”。对创业者而言，“止”绝非退缩，而是一种关键的战略性资源配置和系统复位能力。

“知止”的三层商业内涵：

1. 身体系统的周期性维护
   《道德经》：“名与身孰亲？身与货孰多？” ——名声与生命，哪个更亲近？财富与身体，哪个更珍贵？甚爱必大费，过度追逐，必致耗损。

2. 认知资源的主动管理
庄子言：“吾生也有涯，而知也无涯。”在信息爆炸的AI时代，比持续输入更重要的，是主动的认知断离与心智留白。这决定了决策质量与创新灵感的来源。

3. 商业节奏的战略校准
“一阴一阳之谓道”。纯粹的“加速”违背系统规律。将修复性暂停（阴）纳入增长计划（阳），是构建反脆弱性组织文化的起点。那些持续狂奔而不知止的团队，往往是系统性崩盘的前兆。

CES上的科技产品，是人类用工具延展能力的证明；而“知止”的智慧，则是防止能力反噬生命的护栏。真正的创新者，不是燃烧自己照亮赛道的人，而是让身心与自然节律、商业周期和谐共振的持续成长者。

创业之路常伴孤独与高压，但每一份压力与坚守都值得被看见。欢迎私信分享你的创业故事，让我们彼此陪伴，在逐梦路上兼顾远方与心安。

视频版

What we see at CES 2026 is not merely the evolution of sensors, algorithms, or devices. We are witnessing a deeper dialogue between civilizations around one fundamental question: how humans sustain themselves under accelerating pressure.

I. CES 2026 Health Tech Trends:

From Data Tracking to Closed-Loop Intervention

Over the past five years, the evolution of health technology at CES has followed a clear trajectory:

• 2021: Single metrics such as heart rate and blood oxygen
• 2023: Behavioural data integration with basic recommendations
• 2026: Multi-modal fusion, proactive intervention, and chronic risk prevention

The most striking shift this year is the rise of insomnia–depression comorbidity as a core focus of health technology. This is no coincidence. High-pressure populations worldwide are experiencing a mental health crisis — and it is catalyzing a non-pharmaceutical intervention revolution.

Two CES-launched products illustrate this shift.

Zero-Gravity Mental Recovery Pods

Originally developed for astronauts, zero-gravity posture technology redistributes body weight evenly, significantly reducing muscular tension and physical stress. When integrated with a specialized helmet for immersive audio and cranial vibration therapy, these systems aim to improve sleep quality and emotional regulation. Already validated in French military settings, this technology is moving rapidly into premium consumer and enterprise wellness markets — signalling a future where recovery becomes infrastructure, not a luxury.

Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Glasses

These AI-powered wearable glasses apply 40Hz gamma-frequency light stimulation, inspired by neuroscience research exploring its potential role in supporting cognitive performance and neural regulation. Foundational studies from MIT and NIH-funded research suggest that gamma oscillations may enhance cerebral blood flow and activate brain mechanisms associated with beta-amyloid clearance — primarily demonstrated in preclinical models.

Positioned as cognitive support rather than a medical device, it represents a new wave of accessible, non-invasive consumer neurotechnology.

The unifying direction is clear: health technology is evolving toward a prevent–intervene–restore closed loop.

II. The Founder’s Blind Spot: Success Inside a Three-Way Health Storm

Founders are among the most exposed populations in this new reality.

Chronic sleep deprivation, decision overload, relentless screen exposure, and emotional isolation create a perfect storm of depression, insomnia, and visual fatigue. External success often masks internal collapse.

Perhaps most instructive is Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes. After building one of the most iconic mission-driven companies of the 2000s — donating millions of shoes worldwide and selling half the company for $625 million — he fell into profound depression, anxiety, and chronic insomnia.

His experience reveals a hard truth: a mission without the physiological and psychological capacity to sustain it is unsustainable.

Even as AI becomes embedded in daily workflows, founder health is not improving. A Wall Street Journal investigation found that AI startup founders exhibit significantly higher rates of sleep disorders and psychological stress due to extreme work patterns and the myth of infinite productivity.

III. “Knowing When to Stop”: The Rarest Strategic Wisdom in the AI Era

At this point, Eastern philosophy offers something technology alone cannot: meta-wisdom.

The concept of 知止 (knowing when to stop) is not about retreat. It is about strategic throttling — the ability to reset systems before they collapse.

This wisdom operates on three levels.

1. Periodic Maintenance of the Physical System

As the Dao De Jing asks:
 “Fame or life — which is more precious? Wealth or the body — which matters more?”
 Over-optimization inevitably leads to depletion.

2. Active Management of Cognitive Resources

Zhuangzi, the 4th-century BCE Chinese Daoist philosopher, warned:
 “Life is finite, but knowledge is infinite.”
 In an AI-driven information explosion, deliberate cognitive disengagement — not constant input — determines decision quality and creative insight.

3. Strategic Calibration of Business Rhythm

“One yin, one yang — this is the Dao.”

Pure acceleration violates system laws. Sustainable growth requires embedding restorative pauses (yin) into expansion and execution (yang). This balance is the foundation of anti-fragile organizations.

CES shows how tools can extend human capability — but knowing when to pause keeps those capabilities from turning against us.

The most sustainable innovators are not those who burn the brightest, but those who align body, mind, business cycles, and natural rhythms into long-term coherence.

The entrepreneurial journey can be lonely and high-pressure, and every ounce of stress and perseverance deserves to be seen. If this resonates, I invite you to share your entrepreneurial story with me via private message. Let’s accompany each other — balancing ambition with peace of mind — as we build what truly lasts.

一、你的生意，正在被“够用就好”杀死

如果你的核心收入来自 “交付内容”——无论是配乐、文案、设计还是短视频——那么2026年对你而言，不是技术升级，而是一场生存危机。

客户不再需要“精品”，只需要“够用”。过去，一首定制化的游戏背景音乐（BGM），从需求对接到成品交付可能需要数天时间，费用在数百元到数千元不等。而现在，甲方只需在Suno这类AI工具中输入提示词，几分钟内就能获得一首可用作demo或氛围背景的完整歌曲，而其经济成本极低。

这并非简单的效率竞赛，而是价值重心的迁移：当AI能以极低成本覆盖大量基础需求，“专业服务”的默认必要性正在消失。

二、音乐人给出的答案：跳出“生产”，升级“定义”

AI与音乐的融合，已催生出全新的行业现象。国内，AI翻唱版《大东北》全网走红，流传度甚至超过原版，倒逼原唱袁娅维等艺人“反向翻唱”AI改编旋律；海外，AI虚拟歌手 Breaking Rust 创作的《Walk My Walk》，登顶 Billboard 乡村数字单曲销售榜，歌词传递的“不屈灵魂”打动无数听众。

知名游戏音乐制作公司小旭音乐也经历了AI的冲击。降价突围行不通——甲方直接用AI零成本生成即可；拓展音乐视频业务也碰壁——AI同样能完成基础剪辑。

团队最终的破局点，在于跳出“单一内容输出”的思维：客户要的不是音乐或视频本身，而是特定场景的氛围体验。

基于此，公司转型为“线下场景氛围解决方案服务商”，覆盖游乐园主题活动、文旅项目展演、商场开业庆典等场景，整合AI生成内容（背景音乐、主题视频）与真人表演（乐队、舞蹈）、现场布置等环节，提供一站式氛围体验服务。

三、真正的危险，不是AI太强，而是你还在原地交付

许多决策者误以为“学会AI工具”就能破局。但工具只是杠杆，方向才是支点。

如果你仍在比拼“更快出图”“更便宜配音”或“更多模板”，本质上只是在为AI提供训练数据，而非构建竞争壁垒。真正的机会，属于那些用现成AI能力重构自身价值的人。

正如《易经》所言：“时乘六龙以御天”——真正的智者，不与天争力，而是顺势御之。

这一逻辑已被前沿实践验证：2025年年末，Meta以超20亿美元收购AI智能体公司Manus，创下国内AI团队最快被并购纪录。而Manus的成功，恰恰不在自研大模型，而在其“最佳体验整合者”的定位——通过多模型架构，灵活调用包括阿里通义千问（Qwen）在内的先进基座，构建出能理解意图、自主规划并执行复杂任务的智能体系统。

他们的护城河，从来不是算力，而是对用户痛点和场景的理解，以及将技术转化为价值的能力。

四、下一步：别独自摸索，先厘清你的“AI融合层”

在AI成为基础设施的今天，理清AI融合方案的关键，早已不止是找到“AI高效替代”与“人的不可替代”的平衡点，更要深入思考：你最不可替代的那一层，究竟是什么？

真正的升维，始于清醒认知：AI不会直接取代你，但会加速淘汰那些拒绝重新定义自身角色的人。与其对抗浪潮，不如驾驭它——打不过，就骑上去，然后带它去从未抵达的地方。

如果你仍在探索行业中的AI融合路径，尚未理清自己的高价值锚点，欢迎交流。我们一起梳理：在人机协同的新范式下，你该如何构建无法被自动化替代的护城河。

视频版

I. The “Good Enough” Trap is Killing Your Margins.

If your core revenue comes from “deliverables” — code, copy, design, or scoring — 2026 isn’t just another year of tech updates. It’s a survival crisis. Not because AI is extraordinary. But because “good enough” is now almost free.

II. How Musicians Responded: Stop Producing. Start Defining.

The music industry was one of the first to feel this shock. We saw AI-generated tracks, such as Breaking Rust’s “Walk My Walk,” top the Billboard charts by tapping into raw human sentiment. We saw icons like Yuan Yawei “reverse-cover” AI versions of their own songs to reclaim the narrative.

But the most instructive response wasn’t about competing with AI on output.

It came from a pioneering Chinese game-audio studio, Xiaoxu Music, which asked a far more uncomfortable question: Why do clients hire us at all? The answer was clarifying. Clients weren’t buying music. They were buying atmosphere.

The Shift: They transformed from a content shop into an Experience Architect.

They began delivering end-to-end immersive solutions for theme parks, cultural tourism projects, shopping centres, and live events — integrating:

• AI-generated music and visual content
• Live performers and musicians
• Physical staging, lighting, and spatial design

AI didn’t replace them; it became the invisible engine inside a new, higher-value layer.

III. The “Manus” Signal: Leverage vs. Fulcrum

Many leaders still believe the solution is simple: “Teach the team AI tools.” That’s necessary — but insufficient. Tools are leverage. Direction is the fulcrum.

In late 2025, Meta acquired Manus for over $2 billion. Manus didn’t win by building the biggest LLM. They won by being the Ultimate Orchestrator. By layering models (like Alibaba’s Qwen) and focusing on the Agentic Layer — the ability to understand intent, plan complex tasks, and execute across silos — they proved that the “Moat” is no longer in the math, but in the integration of the human problem.

As the I Ching, or Book of Changes, suggests: “Ride the six dragons to steer the heavens.” The wise don’t fight the storm; they harness the wind to go where others cannot.

IV. The Question Every Decision-Maker Must Answer

In an AI-saturated world, the strategic challenge is no longer: “What can AI replace?”

The real question is: “What layer of value am I uniquely qualified to own?” Call it your “AI Fusion Layer.” AI will rapidly eliminate roles, products, and companies that refuse to redefine themselves. So don’t wait for the rules to settle. They won’t.

If you can’t beat the wave — ride it. And take it somewhere it has never been.

Are you still figuring out your AI Fusion Layer? Let’s connect to discuss where your moat lies in the age of the Agent.

We’ve reached the final days of 2025. A familiar question comes up: “If you had to summarize this year in one word, what would it be?”

In the ancient wisdom of the I Ching, the word of the year is “Ge” (革). It translates to “Revolution,” but its etymology is far more profound for decision-makers: It means stripping the fur from rawhide to create leather.

Layoffs at major tech firms, the once-unthinkable automation of elite consulting and legal work, and long-standing AI warnings suddenly becoming lived reality — what used to feel abstract now feels personal. For decision makers, this year wasn’t about curiosity. It was about survival.

In moments like this, we need perspective — one that cuts through fear, respects human nature, and helps us act with clarity.

I. The Pivot: From “Inertia” to “Architecture”

There is a line from the 2025 blockbuster De Xian Jin Zhi that haunted many executives this year: “It is what it is, and it’s already like this.”

It is the mantra of survival inertia. It is the sound of a decision-maker acknowledging that market logic has failed and deciding to simply weather the storm. But in the era of AI rule-rewriting, inertia is fatal.

In the ancient wisdom of the I Ching, each year is associated with a guiding hexagram. 2025 corresponds to the 49th hexagram, Ge (Revolution) — a symbol of profound transformation through the deliberate removal of what no longer fits.

The Strategic Pattern Behind AI Winners

Look at where real breakthroughs happened this year:

• The Hardware contrarians: While the world fought for GPU allocation in a brute-force arms race, Lightelligence went back to first principles. They ignored the silicon rules and bet on optical computing (photonics). They didn’t try to run faster in the old race; they changed the physics of the track.

• The Service Architects: Legal AI unicorn Harvey didn’t just build a “chatbot for lawyers.” Knowing a faster horse won’t fix a broken cart, they redesigned high-stakes legal workflows — freeing attorneys from document drudgery to focus on judgment, strategy, and client trust.

Different industries. Same pattern:

Stop chasing optimization inside a collapsing framework. Start defining a new one.

II. The Anchor: Emotional Sovereignty in a “Mocha” World

Innovation requires adrenaline, but endurance requires calm.

It is no coincidence that amidst this technological velocity, Pantone selected “Mocha Mousse” (17–1230) as the Colour of the Year for 2025, a warm, grounded, unassuming brown.

Why does this matter to a tech executive? Because the greatest risk to your company right now isn’t a competitor’s algorithm; it is your own burnout.

The cognitive load of 2025 — managing AI integration, calming investor nerves, navigating geopolitical shifts — requires a psychological anchor. “Mocha Mousse” is a reminder that high-tech requires high-touch.

The most resilient founders I worked with this year were those who protected their “offline sovereignty.” Share unhurried dinners with family. Go for walks with no purpose. These are not distractions from the work; they are the fuel for the high-stakes decision-making required.

For leaders navigating AI-driven change, emotional sustainability is now a strategic asset.

III. The Structure: The Era of the “Leaderless Dragon”

At the end of 2025, there is no need to dwell on past instability, nor to be overwhelmed by future uncertainty. Use your willpower to adapt to change.

Use your hands of creation to build new rules.

In the I Ching, Qian Gua offers a powerful image: “A group of dragons without a leader — auspicious.” When centralized authority dissolves, and old power structures fade, the roots of certainty may blur — but in that ambiguity, everyone gains the chance to rise. The true good omen is not waiting for instructions, but awakening the initiative within each person — calmly observing the situation, then acting with clarity and resolve.

2025 is a year of revolution — and also the beginning of a new order. In this once-in-a-century transformation, may you and I choose not to become floating objects carried by the waves, but architects who lay the first stones ourselves.

Let us use wisdom to break through.

Let us use warmth to protect our hearts.

Let us use creativity to keep moving forward.

History has never been written by observers. It is written by those who walk through the darkness — and still choose to light the way.

Step by step.

Ready to Shape Your 2026?

As we move from the year of “Disruption” to the year of “Reinvention,” the window for strategic positioning is narrowing. Let’s turn these insights into your competitive advantage.

For Our Valued Clients & Partners: It’s time to activate your roadmap. Please use your 2025 Value Code to schedule your exclusive 2025/2026 Year-End Strategy Session. We will dive deep into your specific “tanning process” and calibrate your operations for the distributed agency of the coming year.

For New Visionaries & Prospective Partners: If you are ready to move beyond the “raw hide” of AI and into market-ready leadership, we invite you to connect. We are currently opening a limited number of briefings on:

1. The 2025 Winners’ Ledger: Deconstructing the most successful case studies of the year.
2. The China Frontier: Vital policy updates and navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.
3. Strategic Collaboration Sessions: Identifying high-alpha partnerships for the 2026 cycle.
4. The “Mocha” Moment: An exclusive New Year’s Eve online meditation to sharpen your executive focus for the year ahead.

Contact Us

2025年即将合上最后一页。每到岁末，圈内朋友总问：“若用一个字总结这一年，会是什么？”今年的答案，不约而同地指向同一个字：革。

这一年，AI浪潮席卷而来，大厂裁员的消息与咨询行业金领被智能工具替代的案例交织，曾经被视作遥远警示的图灵奖得主辛顿的AI警告，正在化作每个创业者切身可感的生存压力。

低迷的气氛里，我们需要一种穿透迷雾的视角——或许可以从千百年来的东方智慧、一部年度电影的精神内核，以及一抹年度色彩的隐喻中，找到前行的底气。

一、 破局：从“惯性生存”到“主动制革”

“应该是这样，已经是这样了。”电影《得闲谨制》中，肖战饰演的莫得闲这句口头禅，像一面镜子照见了动荡年代里许多人的生存惯性。这个原本只想在战火中苟全性命的工匠，栖身于名为“戈止镇”的避世村落，却终究逃不过时代洪流的裹挟，从被动求生走向主动抗争。恰如今年我们所处的商业环境，许多人习惯了既定的商业模式与增长路径，直到AI重构行业规则、市场逻辑发生剧变，才猛然发现“已经是这样了”的惯性，早已成为前行的桎梏。

这份时代的剧变，与《皇极经世》所推演的2025年值年卦——革卦，形成了跨越时空的呼应。《周易》第四十九卦革卦，以“水火相息”为象，象征两种根本力量的对峙与转化。变革从来不是灾难，而是新生的前奏。

《说文解字》释“革”为“兽皮治去其毛，革更之”——将生皮转化为可用之革，靠的不是天赐，而是人的主动作为。真正的变革，是剔除不再适配的部分，以智慧重建价值体系。

这一点，在2025年的人工智能应用元年尤为清晰。面对大模型的算力瓶颈，中国曦智科技没有卷入GPU的军备竞赛，而是回归物理原理，以光子芯片这一底层范式革新寻求突破，其宣称在特定计算任务上实现了能效的跨越式提升，并已在金融仿真、药物发现等前沿领域展开探索。

无独有偶，法律AI先锋 Harvey 面对顶级律所的谨慎，并未停留在工具替代，而是致力于重构律师的工作流——通过将AI深度融入研究、审阅与推理环节，帮助律师从海量文档中解放出来，将精力聚焦于真正需要高阶判断与战略决策的领域。

二者路径迥异，但内核相通：它们都放弃了在旧规则下的苦苦追随，转而成为新规则的定义者。

二、守心：以内在定力滋养持久创造

我们再也回不到没有AI的从前。但历史从无回头路，只有一代代人以血肉与智慧铺就的前行轨道。我们的祖先曾“做的事没人晓得，拿血和着，写在泥巴里”，才换来今日我们站在牌桌上的资格。恐惧未知是人之常情，但创业者之贵，在于明知不可为而为之的勇气。毛泽东曾言：“困难是纸老虎。”此语今日听来，并非轻慢现实，而是提醒我们：办法永远生长在行动的土壤里。

九层之台，起于累土。真正的变革从不靠一夕顿悟，而在日复一日的微小坚持。“人心不死，灯芯不灭”——只要初心尚在，心力未竭，便始终握有翻盘的筹码。

而这份在变革中坚守的心力，需要温暖的滋养与内在的平静作为支撑。值得玩味的是，潘通（Pantone）将2025年度代表色定为 “摩卡慕斯”（PANTONE 17-1230） —— 一种温润、沉静、略带甜意的棕调。它不张扬，却深具包容；不炽烈，却持久温暖。

在全球震荡的背景下，这一选择仿佛是一声温柔的提醒：在追求颠覆的同时，勿忘回归内在的平静与人际的温度。与家人共度的晚餐、与挚友深夜的长谈、一次不带功利目的的散步……这些看似“无用”的时刻，恰是滋养创造力的隐秘源泉。

三、开路：群龙无首，人人皆可为光

岁末之际，无需为过往的动荡焦虑，也不必为未来的未知惶恐。革卦的智慧早已告诉我们：变革之时，顺天应人则大亨贞；《得闲谨制》的故事也在提醒，每个平凡人都能在绝境中完成蜕变；而摩卡慕斯的温暖，则为我们在变革中守住了心灵的锚点。

《易经·乾卦》有云：“现群龙无首，吉。” 当权威消解、路径模糊，反而人人皆可成为光。真正的吉兆，不在于被动的等待指引，而在于每个个体觉醒自身的能动性——以清醒之眼观势，以坚韧之心应变，以创造之手立新。

2025年，是革故之年，亦是鼎新之始。

愿你我在这场百年未有之大变局中，不做被浪潮裹挟的浮萍，而为亲手制革的匠人——以智破局，以温守心，以创开路。毕竟，历史从不由旁观者书写，而由那些在黑暗中仍敢点灯的人，一笔一划，得闲谨制。

视频版

一、最优解的困境：为何 “为你好” 换不来认同？

你一定遇过这样的困境：苦口婆心劝父母按时吃药、用健康设备，他们却敷衍、回避，甚至抵触。明明是 “为你好” 的最优选择，为何换来沉默或反抗？科技的进步似乎给了我们所有解决方案 ——AI 答疑、远程监控、数据监测，但我们恰恰忽略了最核心的变量：人。

直到读到《李飞飞传》中那个扎心的故事，我才读懂这道困境背后的人性密码。

二、一场本可避免的手术：李飞飞母亲的 “尊严反抗”

人工智能教母李飞飞的母亲心脏欠佳，经历过多次手术。一次术后，医生强调康复关键是用 “诱导性肺量计” 训练肺部，方法简单、益处明确。可无论是医生叮嘱还是李飞飞劝说，母亲始终阳奉阴违 —— 有人监督时吸一口气，人一走仪器就被弃置一旁。

最终，左肺积液引发感染，她不得不承受额外的引流手术，一场本可避免的创伤。

回家后，李飞飞终于等到母亲的心声：

“当病人太可怕了。不是痛，而是失控。病房里，我的身体甚至念头都不属于自己。医生、护士，连你都在给我下指令，那种失去尊严的感觉，我忍不了。我不是拒绝仪器，是在抵抗失控。那一刻，健康都没有尊严重要。”

三、抗拒的本质：人不是系统，是需要自主的 “生命体”

这段话如同一道闪电，照亮了长久以来的认知盲区：人抗拒的从来不是 “好处”，而是 “被安排” 的感觉。

随着年岁增长，父母逐渐失去体力、记忆、社会角色，唯一能紧握的，只剩“还能为自己做主”的尊严。而我们脱口而出的“最优解”——哪怕裹着爱的外衣——在他们听来，却是“你不行了，得听我的”。这不是沟通失效，而是人性深处对自主权的本能捍卫。

科技加速的时代，这种认知偏差被无限放大。AI 自动化任务、算法预测行为、数据优化习惯，我们渐渐相信所有问题都有 “最优解”，所有人都该遵循 “最优路径”。这种思维不仅支配着我们自己的生活，更被投射到他人身上 —— 我们试图用数据优化父母的行为，用流程规范团队的习惯，用效率标准要求伴侣的选择，却忘了人从来不是可以被编程的系统。

四、商业镜像：AI 管理的 “人性反弹” 与 30% 效率提升启示

这股 “抵抗失控” 的暗流，正从家庭蔓延至整个商业社会。某互联网大厂曾推出一套精密的 AI 管理系统，能实时量化评估员工效率，自动优化工作流。工具的初衷无疑是提升效能，结果却引发强烈抵触。员工感到自己不再是创造者，而是被观测、被校准的‘系统组件’。

直到产品迭代，引入员工自主设定目标与弹性调整流程的模块，将一部分控制权归还，团队效率反而实现了超过 30% 的真实提升。

这恰是一个时代的隐喻：当科技试图消除一切 “不确定性”，人性中那股对 “自主定义” 的渴望，便成了最顽固的 “系统误差”。

五、温度大于最优解：从家庭到团队的 “自主赋能” 实践

真正推动人改变的，从来不是冰冷的最优解，而是带着温度的理解与尊重。父母不是拒绝健康，而是拒绝 “被安排”。我给父母推广呼吸练习时，没有下指令，而是每天抽出半小时陪他们一起练，把健康任务变成家庭互动；出差时，我录制了呼吸跟练版，让他们能自主选择练习时间。

正如《掌控习惯》中詹姆斯・克利尔所言：

习惯养成的核心是重复，但重复的前提是自愿与愉悦。

这一逻辑在团队管理、创业决策中同样适用。我们追求效率、规模与可复制性，但真正的组织凝聚力，源于让每个成员感受到 “我的选择被尊重，我的价值被看见”。创始人若只强调 “最优路径” 而忽略团队的情感认同，再完美的计划也难以落地；高管若只追求 “效率提升” 而无视员工的适应节奏，反而会引发抵触。

六、估值新维度： “人性系数” 如何定义价值？

拉高视角，这一洞察甚至能重塑我们评估科技公司的维度。一个产品的真正价值，不仅在于算法多精准、数据多庞大，更在于它是否增强而非削弱使用者的主体性 —— 是让人更依赖、更被动，还是在赋能的同时，让人感受到更多的掌控与尊严？

这将是未来区分伟大产品与平庸工具的关键准绳，是商业的胜负手，也是投资人亟需纳入考量的 “人性系数”。

在这个算法试图规划人生的时代，请谨记：人之所以为人，不在于追求最优解的理性，而在于保有恐惧、情绪与尊严的温度。

无论是对待父母、团队还是伴侣，真正的关心，从来不是 “我为你安排了最好的路”，而是“我理解你的选择，也愿意陪你同行。” 这，才是科技洪流中最值得守护的人性底线。

视频版

We’ve all felt this frustration: you lay out the perfect health plan for your parents — take the medication on time, use the monitor, follow the doctor’s instructions. The solution is clear, the reasoning is airtight. Yet what comes back is all too familiar: silence, avoidance, a gentle “I know, I know…,” or a quiet refusal.

We live in an age where AI seems to have an answer for every problem. Models analyze our decisions, devices track our vitals from miles away, and remote systems flag warning signs before symptoms arrive.

But there’s one dimension no algorithm can fully account for: the human response. People don’t move on logic alone — they move on emotion, identity, and the need to feel in control. And that’s often where the “best solution” meets quiet resistance.

Fei-Fei Li, a globally recognized AI pioneer, shares a powerful personal story about her mother that reveals this truth with heartbreaking clarity.

Part I: A Surgery That Didn’t Need to Happen

Her mother had long suffered heart issues and endured multiple surgeries. After a recent operation, the doctor emphasized one essential step for recovery: using an incentive spirometer, a simple device that helps patients strengthen their lungs and avoid complications.

The instructions were simple, the benefit clear — “Just use it. It’s good for you,” everyone said. Yet she resisted: lifting the device only when watched, setting it aside the moment she was alone. As a result, she endured a second surgery that never should have happened.

After returning home, the mother finally revealed her truth:

“In that hospital room, my body, even my thoughts, no longer belonged to me. Doctors, nurses, even you — you were all giving me orders. I felt stripped of my dignity. I wasn’t refusing the device. I was refusing that feeling of being powerless.”

In that moment, dignity mattered more than health. She was pushing back not against the practice, but against the feeling of being arranged.

Part II: The Business Mirror — This Isn’t Just Personal — It’s Strategic

The same dynamic we see in families echoes through organizations. 

A major tech company rolled out an AI management system to track productivity, optimize workflows, and automate task assignments — all in the name of “ruthless efficiency.” 

The system worked, but the results were catastrophic for morale.

Employees felt they were no longer creators, but components inside a transparent, ever-watchful machine. They feared becoming adjustable, measurable, and replaceable parts.

In version 2.0, they flipped the script: AI became a co-pilot, not a commander. Teams set their own goals, shaped their workflows, and retained meaningful control. Result? A 30% sustained boost in efficiency — plus faster innovation.

Part III: Why the “Best Solution” Isn’t Enough

Across every context — health, leadership, innovation — the same principle holds:

People don’t change because a solution is brilliant.
 They change when they feel seen, respected, and included.

My parents weren’t rejecting breathing exercises. They were rejecting being instructed. So instead of teaching them, I practiced with them —  half an hour every day. When I travelled, I recorded an audio guide so they could choose their own pace.

James Clear writes in Atomic Habits: “Repetition is the foundation of change.” But repetition requires desire, not pressure.

This applies universally:

• Teams adopt AI when they feel part of the design.
• Employees innovate when their pace is respected.
• Partners collaborate when their autonomy is protected.
• Families accept guidance when dignity is intact.

Part IV: The New Altitude of Value — Introducing the Human Quotient (HQ)

For founders and investors, this is not “soft philosophy.” It is a hard valuation principle that determines the longevity and success of your venture. We need a new metric to evaluate technology: The Human Quotient (HQ).

Traditional technology assessment focuses on precision, scale, and data: How accurate is the model? How fast is the computation?

The HQ asks the deeper question:

Does this technology expand human autonomy or shrink it?

This distinction will define the difference between enduring companies and disposable tools. The next generation of trillion-dollar companies will be those that build systems where humans feel amplified, not arranged.

Part V: What We Cannot Automate

As AI becomes more predictive and prescriptive, it’s tempting to believe the “best solution” will always win.

But humans don’t operate like code. We carry pride, fear, intuition, and dignity.

Real care — whether in families, teams, or organizations — is never: “I’ve already planned the best route for you.”

Real care is: “I understand your choices, and I’m willing to walk with you.”

In an era defined by AI and automation, the most powerful force isn’t processing speed, predictive accuracy, or algorithmic efficiency — it’s the irreducible core that no machine can replicate:

• Human autonomy.
• Human dignity.
• Human connection.

As technology reshapes everything, remember: the future won’t be won by the smartest system, but by the one that best serves the human spirit.