Handle With Care — Spotting the Cracks in AI Built for Vulnerable Moments

Risk in Emotionally Sensitive AI: How builders can spot where products put people at risk before launch

Shannon Harvey looks at where AI products used in emotionally sensitive settings put people at risk, drawing on 15+ years building technical and creative systems that people experience first hand. Human-facing AI now reaches people at fragile moments, and most teams only find the risks after users do. Shannon explains how builders can spot those risks early, what to look for before launch, and what to change in the design when a warning sign shows up. The approach draws on a background in performance, where timing and restraint decide whether an interaction stays safe. Listeners leave with a practical way to test an emotionally sensitive AI product before it reaches the people it could hurt.

About Shannon Harvey

Shannon Harvey, podcast guest

Founder

15+ years Founding and leading studios and research initiativesApple TV+ Virtual production leadership on Silo and HijackProduction Park Established its research labReflection Labs Founder, independent governance for human-facing AI

Shannon builds ventures and innovation systems at the intersection of technology, creativity, and human experience.

Over the past 15+ years, he has founded and led studios and research initiatives, built and scaled complex technical and creative systems, and worked across industry, academia, and cultural institutions. His work focuses on translating advanced research into real-world deployment, particularly where technology shapes trust, behaviour, and lived experience.

He is currently building an early-stage venture in stealth focused on responsible human-facing technology in high-trust settings. His approach is shaped by a background in performance and embodied practice, where timing, restraint, and attunement determine whether an interaction remains safe. The work sits between applied research, venture building, and real-world delivery. Further details are available privately.

He has worked in senior roles across immersive media, real-time systems, and large-scale production environments. This includes virtual production leadership on Apple TV+ productions including Silo and Hijack with Lux Machina, early platform adoption work with disguise (d3), and research leadership at Production Park, where he established a research lab and contributed to the ERDF-funded XPLOR programme.

He supports early-stage founders and teams working at the edge of research and deployment, particularly where responsibility, risk, and operational reality matter.

He was Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Visual Production degree at Backstage Academy, now the Academy of Live Technology.

View profile →

Book Shannon Harvey for your show

Request an interview →