295: How to Decode People: What Humans and AI Get Right – and Wrong. Blake Eastman, Founder of Nonverbal Group

What if machines could read us better than people can? Blake
Eastman is on a mission to make that a reality – and to ensure it
serves humanity, not replaces it.


Blake is the founder of The Nonverbal Group, a former poker pro
and psychology professor, and now a pioneering builder at the
intersection of human behavior and AI. 


Blake pulls back the curtain on his decades-long obsession with
decoding people, from micro-reactions and smiles to power
dynamics and unspoken expectations.


He also previews his upcoming book, a science-backed reimagining
of How to Win Friends and Influence People. It will break down
the underlying psychological forces – like hierarchy, status, and
value orientation – that shape how we communicate. His goal? To
create a foundational guide for truly understanding human
behavior at its most nuanced level.


Blake explains why the popular ideas of “reading people” and
“taking baselines” are misleading, and how even experts often
misinterpret the subtle signals that govern human
connection. 


He dives into the challenge of building machines that can
identify social friction, coach people in real-time, and even
outperform humans in behavioral prediction – without losing the
ethical thread of care and responsibility.


Throughout the episode, you'll learn how AI can supercharge your
social intelligence, why most communication advice fails without
context, and how to develop the kind of communication range that
makes leaders truly effective. 


Blake also shares actionable insight into how anyone – especially
those with cross-disciplinary skills – can leverage AI to gain a
massive edge in business and life.


Find out more about Blake Eastman:
https://www.nonverbalgroup.com/


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