The New Social Code: Five Relational Edges That Outperform Algorithms

Master five irreplaceable human advantages to thrive alongside AI

The New Social Code reveals the five relational edges that help professionals thrive through unforgettable stories, practical strategies and decades of social science. Written by Michael Arena and Greg Pryor, co-founders of the Connected Commons, this book draws on a decade of research across nearly 100 organizations including AWS, General Motors, and Workday to reveal how Opportunity, Trust, Attention, Insight, and Influence create human centered advantages algorithms cannot replicate.

The greatest misconception about the AI revolution is that it is primarily a technology story. It isn't, it is also a relational one. As intelligence becomes abundant, connections become the new scarcity. Computer code instructs machines on how to execute. The New Social Code instructs people on how to connect, enabling them to accomplish what machines cannot.

Readers will also find:

• The five relational edges framework, built from a decade of applied network science research across major global organizations
• Compelling stories of well-known exemplars like Harrison Ford, Billie Eilish, and even Pope Leo, alongside less known professionals
• Applied relational practices converting AI anxiety into purposeful action by leveraging irreplaceable human relational edges
• Eighteen tactical play mapped across the five relational edges to elevate success
• Authors research featured in Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes, grounded in real professional success

The New Social Code is written for professionals, leaders, and recent graduates who want to position themselves for success and their organizations to lead through technological disruption. It provides a proven framework for anyone seeking to build lasting competitive advantage through human connection rather than competing against machines through endless reskilling.

Michael Arena is an organizational researcher, author, and network scientist focused on the future of work. He is a faculty member in Penn's Master's in Organizational Dynamics program and the chief science officer at Connected Commons. Previously, he was the chief talent officer at AWS and General Motors, where he led large-scale innovation and transformation initiatives. He also served as a visiting scientist at the MIT Media Lab. Arena is the author of Adaptive Space and a leading voice on how organizational networks drive innovation, performance, and transformation.

Greg Pryor is a talent management leader and co-founder of Connected Commons. His HBR article How to Succeed in a New Role was one of the 10 definitive management ideas of 2023. Pryor was a senior vice president at Workday, where the Great Place to Work Institute recognized him as Innovator of the Year. Pryor co-edited The Social Capital Imperative, the field's definitive volume on applying academically accredited network science at work. He served as a head of talent management at Merrill Lynch and a partner at Accenture.