We Exist…
To fight back at a world that is clawing for your attention, that is trying to form you in it’s own image.
Trying to win you over.
Trying to manipulate you.
Sell to you.
Control you
Many tools available for leaders, organizations, and individuals attempt to reduce the human experience to something that can be programmed, a set of inputs and outputs.
But you are not a machine.
You have agency.
Others have agency.
Whether you are running a company, a town, an online community, or a house of worship, the temptation can be to coerce, manipulate, or otherwise treat our humanity as the problem.
Cogent Gray exists to give you the tools to build dynamic, functional systems which are about collaboration and cooperation in community. Without sacrificing a human-centric approach.
We are developing a comprehensive theory of influence that merges psychology, system dynamic theory, philosophy, and neuroscience, to create system design principles that enable influence of human behavior, integration of the natural environment, and incorporation of digital tools without being coercive, manipulative, or unethical.
Our Founder
Wes has spent his career navigating the complexities of influence—seeking balance between technology and humanity, security and freedom, innovation and ethics. His journey began working with local communities in East Africa. That curiosity led him to study Strategic Intelligence and research (then) emergent digital cryptographic financial networks and to to the world of psychological operations and information warfare for the US Army where understanding human behavior was just as important as tactical precision.
His work has taken him across the Indo-Pacific, Africa, and Eastern Europe, where he developed strategies to support local communities, counteract disinformation, and strengthen vulnerable populations, and plan large scale influence campaigns.
After his military service, Wes transitioned into technology-driven influence, working with the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict to develop AI tools for detecting and diverting malicious influence campaigns. At Motive International, he led efforts to modernize influence training, helping U.S. Special Operations Forces adapt to an evolving information environment.
All of this work has led Wes to the conclusion that resources required to combat deception and manipulation need to be applied at the individual and community level. The best way to build resilience is to prioritize positive impact and human flourishing.
Over the past few years, Wes has been developing theories of influence that prioritize ethical engagement, human agency, and long-term human flourishing. His goal is to build tools, frameworks, and strategies that are accessible to the very people that are the targets of malicious influence.
This vision led him to found Cogent Gray, an initiative dedicated to rethinking influence for the better—shaping strategies that work with communities, rather than against them.
