Introducing my new book "Wired for Work"

Why I wrote this book about autism, modern work, and artificial intelligence — and who it’s for

Audio summary: https://youtu.be/BjoX9z2xpz8

Get the book here on Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GDCQ252Q

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Get the book here on Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GDCQ252Q

Today I want to share something personal: I have published a new book, Wired for Work: My Journey with Autism and Artificial Intelligence. It is not a clinical manual, and it is not a motivational poster. It is a frank account of what it feels like to move through the working world with a brain that processes noise, pressure, ambiguity and change differently, and how my understanding of that has evolved over time. I wrote it for people on the spectrum, for people who suspect they might be, and for the parents, loved ones, colleagues and managers who want to support them better.

I also wrote it because AI is reshaping work at speed, and we need to talk honestly about who benefits, who struggles, and what a more humane workplace could look like.

CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND

For years, “high-functioning” has been used as a convenient label. It reassures everyone else that you are fine, while quietly ignoring the hidden costs: the energy it takes to mask, to constantly self-monitor, to cope with sensory overload, to decode social expectations, and to recover after a day that looked normal from the outside. In South Africa, where many people are already operating under pressure, with long commutes, noisy environments, unreliable infrastructure, and financial stress, that hidden cost can become an everyday tax on wellbeing and performance.

At the same time, the world of work is undergoing another shift. AI tools can summarise meetings, draft emails, sort information, and handle routine admin.

For some people, this feels like relief. For others, it introduces new complexity, new expectations, and new forms of surveillance. Organisations are racing to adopt these tools, but many still struggle with basic questions: what good work looks like, how to measure it fairly, and how to support people who do not fit the “one size fits all” template.

INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS

The central tension I explore in Wired for Work is simple: we keep designing workplaces for an imaginary average person, and then we act surprised when real humans burn out. Neurodiversity is not a niche HR topic. It is a reality of every team, every classroom, every family, and every community. When we ignore it, we waste talent, and we normalise suffering.

AI can either deepen that problem or help solve it. Used well, it can reduce the cognitive load that drains people: the administrative clutter, the endless switching between tasks, the pressure to respond instantly, and the mountain of written communication that many jobs now demand. It can help structure thoughts, create first drafts, and turn messy information into something workable. For someone who experiences overload, that can be the difference between coping and collapsing.

But there is a darker side too. AI can accelerate the pace of work, raise expectations around output, and create environments where being constantly “on” becomes the norm. It can be used to monitor performance in ways that punish difference rather than enabling it. And it can reinforce the idea that the human should adapt to the system, rather than the system adapting to humans.

That is why the book is not just a story. It is an argument for better design. Better meetings. Better communication. Better role clarity. Better leadership. And a more mature relationship with AI that prioritises dignity, not just productivity.

IMPLICATIONS

For business leaders, the practical message is this: if your AI strategy does not include neurodiversity, it is incomplete. The same is true for your talent strategy, your wellbeing initiatives, and your leadership training. People do not leave companies only because of pay; they leave because the daily way of working is unnecessarily exhausting and emotionally unsafe.

For educators and parents, the AI age raises the stakes. Our children are growing up in a world of constant stimulation and constant comparison. If we want them to thrive, we must normalise different ways of thinking and learning, and we must teach them how to use technology as a support, not as a replacement for self-understanding.

For policymakers and society more broadly, we should stop treating inclusion as a slogan. We need clearer norms around the responsible use of AI in workplaces, and a stronger expectation that employers create environments where difference is not punished. Progress will not come only from regulation, but it will not come without accountability either.

CLOSING TAKEAWAY

I did not write Wired for Work to seek sympathy, and I did not write it to romanticise autism. I wrote it because clarity changes everything. When you understand your wiring, you can build a life and a career that fits, rather than constantly forcing yourself into shapes that hurt.

And as AI transforms work, we have a rare opportunity to rethink how work is designed in the first place. My hope is that this book starts better conversations: in families, in teams, in schools, and in boardrooms. Not about labels, but about people, potential, and the kind of future we are building together.

Author Bio: Johan Steyn is a prominent AI thought leader, speaker, and author with a deep understanding of artificial intelligence’s impact on business and society. He is passionate about ethical AI development and its role in shaping a better future. Find out more about Johan’s work at https://www.aiforbusiness.net