I've been thinking a lot about this Inc. article that really shook me. If you haven't seen it, last week Mark Cuban warned that, within three years, AI-generated video will blur truth so thoroughly that people will crave face-to-face encounters again - what he cheekily calls the “Milli Vanilli effect.” inc.com (side note: Milli Vanilli was actually my first concert, how embarrassing). I digress.

I believe Mark. And as a #WorkplaceExperience strategist I was thrilled! But as someone who’s juggling billable work, a job search and power-of-attorney duties for my aunt in assisted living, I’m asking the question:

If authentic connection becomes the ultimate currency or measurement of success, can today’s RTO playbooks actually deliver it, or will they just create new barriers for caregivers, neurodivergent talent, and anyone living outside a corporate hub? Yesterday alone I:

arranged a cardiology consult for my aunt in Massachusetts, caught up on all 4 email accounts I have running, negotiated estate-sale logistics, and logged into a “hybrid” client workshop—all before noon.

That diversity in my day only works because flexibility and trust are baked into my schedule. If the answer to AI overload is simply “show up more,” caregivers like me (and 53 million others in the U.S.) will be forced to choose between careers and loved ones.

Look at AT&T’s five-day mandate that kicked off in January 2025. On day one in Atlanta, employees were lining up before 6AM to claim a workstation because the hub provides seats for just 70-80 percent of assigned staff. Elevators, parking, and even Teams calls in the café became competitive sports. businessinsider.com

If we can’t even guarantee a desk, how will we guarantee the trust-building moments Cuban predicts we’ll value most?

What about authenticity as an amenity? Multi-sensory, neuro-inclusive spaces that immediately signal “real human welcome.” Event-grade pop-ups and micro-hubs embedded where clients, communities, and caregivers already are. Metrics that track belonging and trust-not the dreaded badge swipes.

Ok, my Workplace Strategists (I'm talking to you Workplace Evolutionaries):

Design: How do we make “real” feel undeniable without overwhelming sensory systems or caregivers’ calendars? Policy: Could quarterly in-person residencies replace daily commutes and still satisfy Cuban’s “field” vision? Tech: What guardrails will keep authenticated spatial computing from turning into yet another digital deep-fake? Equity: How do we stop RTO mandates from punishing caregivers and geographically dispersed talent? Metrics: What should replace sq-ft efficiency when experience per sq-ft is the new KPI?

I want to talk about this more. Here. There. Anywhere. To crowdsource smarter answers. There is strength in numbers. Drop your hottest takes, prototypes, and horror stories below, or tag someone who’s solving for authenticity and equity at the same time.