Co-founder
Ares Boira Lopez (Ph.D.) is an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist and Assistant Research Professor at the University of Nebraska, where she applies her expertise in I-O psychology, creativity and innovation, and artificial intelligence to the study of counterterrorism and national security. Her research examines the role of AI in prosocial and neutral creativity, as well as its darker side, malevolent creativity, particularly among terrorist and other malign actors. More broadly, she studies how national security adversaries innovate and whether the counter-network workforce is prepared to respond to an adversary that is constantly evolving. In this work, she applies traditional I-O psychology approaches, including job analysis, needs assessment, and training evaluation, to complex national security challenges. Her work has been presented to DHS, the FBI, and law enforcement audiences and she has demonstrated before members of Congress how AI can be misused to support malign innovation. Ares is also the co-founder and writer of Leading for Innovation, alongside Samantha. Across these efforts, Ares is passionate about using science to make a positive societal contribution, whether by producing novel research, equipping leaders to shape the future, or helping strengthen the fight against terrorism. Her work illustrates how I-O psychology and the science of creativity and innovation can be applied to address societal challenges. Outside of the office, Ares is always finding new ways to practice her own creativity, whether through painting, writing, or cooking. She reads everything from biographies to fantasy novels, is constantly planning her next trip to somewhere in nature or back home to see family in Spain, and is a devoted mum to her orange, chubby, old cat, Toni.
Ares on LinkedInWritten by Ares
AI can match or exceed average human creativity. But can AI, on its own, produce the kind of creativity that drives meaningful innovation? Research reveals surprising limitations, from its struggles with breakthrough ideas to its tendency to generate similar solutions, raising important questions about whether AI alone can deliver a competitive advantage.
We think we’re pretty good at spotting great ideas, but research suggests otherwise. The most novel ideas can be the easiest to dismiss, especially when they’re still rough and uncertain. This post presents five ways to avoid killing a promising idea before it has a chance to prove itself.
This blog post explains the difference between creativity and innovation and why that distinction matters for leaders. It shows how creative thinking can be strengthened through a clear process and how teams, leadership, and organizational climate shape whether ideas become real innovation.
