AI and the Future of Work: Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace, Business, Ethics, HR, and IT for AI Enthusiasts, Leaders and Academics – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Send us Fan Mail

Kimberly Williams is CEO of Absorb Software, where she helps over 3,000 organizations deliver smarter learning experiences to 34 million employees. She brings decades of leadership in enterprise tech and now sits at the center of how AI is changing the way people grow at work. In this episode, Kimberly shares how learning becomes more powerful when it’s personalized, embedded in daily workflows, and led by curious teams who treat culture as a competitive advantage.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• How AI is shifting corporate learning from generic training programs to personalized, in-the-flow development tailored to each employee’s needs.
• Why in-context learning matters more than traditional courses, and how AI coaching inside tools like Slack, Salesforce, or ServiceNow changes how people actually learn at work.
• What it means to turn L&D teams into AI model trainers who encode company culture, values, and knowledge into coaching experiences.
• How Absorb Software tracks AI usage across teams and uses dashboards and leaderboards to drive internal adoption.
• The role of outcome data in modern learning systems, and how tying learning directly to performance metrics changes what training gets delivered.
• The advice Kimberly gives early-career talent, especially women, about finding roles where their contributions are measurable and their growth is supported by culture, not just credentials.

Resources:

• Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work Newsletter
• Connect with Kimberly on LinkedIn
• AI fun fact article
• On how Robert Plotkin addresses LLM regulation and legal advice for entrepreneurs
• Other episodes mentioned on the show:
  • AI as a Liberating Technology: Josh Bersin on Turning Routine Tasks into Superworkers Driving Trust, Creativity, and Growth
  • Dr. John Boudreau, future of work pioneer and former Cornell professor, discusses the new definition of work

Send us Fan Mail

Henrik Werdelin is a founder and investor who has spent more than a decade building companies at the intersection of culture, technology, and consumer behavior. He co-founded BARK, the public company that redefined how millions of dog parents connect with their pets, and Prehype, the startup studio behind brands like Ro and Audos.

In this episode, Henrik explores how founders can embrace AI without losing human connection, drawing from his experience as co-host of Beyond the Prompt and co-author of Me, My Customer and AI.

Recognized by Fast Company and Business Insider for his creative impact, Henrik shares a practical perspective on building companies that scale while staying deeply human.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Why Henrik believes founders must stay close to users and how AI can deepen (not dilute) human connection.
• What “building companies at the edge of culture” means and why authenticity beats scale when designing for trust.
• How Henrik and his team use AI to speed up product development without compromising on creativity or purpose.
• The shift from storytelling to “storylistening” and how paying attention to customer behavior shapes better products.
• What the best founders get wrong about generative AI and why Henrik advocates for a more mindful approach to adoption.
• How roles inside companies are evolving in response to AI and what leaders can do to support creative experimentation.

Resources:

• Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work Newsletter
• Connect with Henrik on LinkedIn
• AI fun fact article
• How to Use Generative AI to Get Ahead In Your Career

Send us Fan Mail

Faraj Aalaei is the Founder and CEO of Cognichip, an AI company building the world’s first Artificial Chip Intelligence (ACI) platform to design semiconductors using AI. He brings four decades of experience in communications and networking, having led two companies (Centillium and Aquantia)through IPOs. Aquantia was later acquired by Marvell, where he also held an executive role. 

Prior to that, Faraj was Co-Founder and CEO of Centillium, which went public on NASDAQ just three years after its founding, the fastest IPO ever for a semiconductor company. 

He holds an honorary Doctor of Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology, where he also earned his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, along with an MSEE from the University of Massachusetts and an MBA from the University of New Hampshire.

In this conversation we discussed:

• Why chip development cycles are trailing AI applications by years and how that disconnect leads to inefficient infrastructure and higher energy costs
• How AI could help democratize chip design by enabling smaller teams outside traditional hubs to build customized, application-specific hardware
• What Faraj sees as the real barrier to innovation: the time and cost of chip development, and how Cognichip is reducing both through compute-led design
• How AI can augment, not replace, engineers by offering transparent, explainable design suggestions while keeping humans in the loop
• The coming talent shortage in semiconductor engineering and how AI might close the skills gap and unlock new opportunities for nontraditional builders
• Why every major technological shift creates more opportunity than it destroys, and how Faraj sees AI enabling people to work on more meaningful problems

Resources:

• Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work Newsletter
• Connect with Faraj on LinkedIn
• AI fun fact article
• On How To Drive Compelling Narratives in Youtube Videos.

Send us Fan Mail

Steve Truitt is an award-winning science fiction author, actor, producer, and musician. He received the prestigious Golden Eagle Award for his documentary series on Discovery. Steve's a space enthusiast and NASA history buff. He holds the unique record of having met five moonwalkers. Beyond his creative endeavors, Steve is also a coach and motivational speaker, recognized for his impactful work with the Best Motivational Book of the Year award for "Stop Waiting for Permission". Steve brings a wealth of experience and insight to discussions on AI and the future of work.

In this conversation, we discuss 

• How Steve got started in media and entertainment before branching out to other industries
• Industries being most impacted by AI
• The tricky ethics of AI and how to harness it as a tool that does more good than harm
• Why humanity is so fickle and prone to conflict 
• How leaders can stop the spread of misinformation with AI and what prevents them from doing so 
• Much more

Resources

Get Steve’s book, Mindset Chronicles

Additional episode you’ll enjoy 

AI fun fact 

Send us Fan Mail

Chris Herringshaw is the Chief Technology Officer at Janus Henderson Investors, overseeing all technology aspects and serving on the Executive Committee. With over 15 years at Citadel Investment Group, he led Global Infrastructure Technology as Managing Director. Chris founded Quova, now part of NuStar, and held roles including Vice President of Engineering and CTO. He holds a BS in computer systems engineering from the University of Michigan, and actively contributes to shaping technology's future through advisory roles and industry forums. 

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Venturing from entrepreneur to an established company.
• Chris Herringshaw's background in technology, including his experience at Janus Henderson Investors and as a CTO at venture-backed startups.
• How FinTech companies leverage the power of AI while mitigating risks associated with its unpredictable nature.
• Why human decision making still trumps AI and algorithmic based trading decisions in certain contexts.
• Predictions on where AI is headed in the next 12 months.
• The role of AI governance in ensuring the responsible and effective use of artificial intelligence.

Resource

Previous episode about an AI app platform that’s growing faster than OpenAI 

Learn more about Janus Henderson 

AI fun fact article

Send us Fan Mail

Dmitry Shapiro  is a serial entrepreneur who most recently founded and is the CEO of YouAi and the popular AI app-builder MindStudio. He has a bold vision to help you index your mind which we unpack in today's conversation. Previously, Dmitry founded and led GoMeta and  created the video sharing site Veoh in 2005 which  launched a few months after YouTube. Dmitry served as the CTO at MySpace before moving on to Google where was a Group Product Manager working on social graph, identity, and content discovery. Dmitry received his BS in EE from Georgia Tech.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The New York Times versus OpenAI and Microsoft copyright lawsuit and its implications for AI.
• The challenges and stakes for publishers when facing AI applications using copyrighted material.
• Dmitry Shapiro's entrepreneurial journey and the vision behind MindStudio.
• The impact of generative AI on computing and its potential for revolutionizing work and home environments.
• Legal and ethical considerations surrounding AI, copyright, and fair use.
• The intersection of technology, venture capital, and innovation in shaping the future of AI applications.

Additional resources 

• Another episode to enjoy 
• Fun fact article 

Send us Fan Mail

As the Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, Suresh leads the product, engineering, design, and development teams that deliver innovative and scalable solutions for data science and analytics. He is also responsible for product pricing, packaging, and PLG strategies. Over the past 3 years, Alteryx has transformed into an analytics platform with market-leading end-to-end analytics solutions, covering the entire gamut of users from analysts to data engineers, developers, and data scientists.

With over 20 years of experience in the SaaS industry, Suresh has a proven track record of driving growth, customer satisfaction, and market leadership for cloud-based platforms and products.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The ongoing debate between AI guardrails and user autonomy, referencing Mark Gimein's "spicy mayo problem" as a case study.
• Suresh Vittal's background, journey through analytics and AI, and his role as Chief Product Officer at Alteryx.
• Alteryx's mission of "analytics for all" and their focus on empowering users across technical and non-technical roles in data analytics.
• The integration of generative AI features into Alteryx's platform to simplify complex workflows and enhance collaboration among data professionals.
• Insights into AI-first data management strategies and the evolving landscape of AI-driven tools in the future of work.
• The importance of governance and transparency in AI-powered analytics, ensuring clarity and understanding across complex data workflows for improved decision-making.

Additional resources: 

Suresh’s LinkedIn page

Related episode you might enjoy about responsible AI use

AI fun fact article in the Atlantic 

Send us Fan Mail

Ben Kus is the chief technology officer at Box, where he’s responsible for developing Box's technology vision and strategy.  Previously, Ben was the VP of product management at Box. Before joining Box, he was the co founder and CTO of Subspace, an enterprise security solution that was acquired by Box. 

Ben’s held various leadership positions, including chief architect for IBM and senior director of technology for BigFix.  

What we discuss:

• The role of generative AI in enhancing productivity and unlocking new use cases within enterprises, focusing on content management.
• Ben shares insights into Box's innovative culture and compares it to other companies like IBM, highlighting the company's approach to technology and innovation.
• The discussion touches on responsible AI use, regulatory considerations, and Box's commitment to transparency and compliance.
• Ben addresses concerns about AI's impact on jobs, emphasizing AI's role in augmenting productivity rather than replacing human jobs.
• Future trends in AI, including personalized AI assistance and potential advancements in AI capabilities, are explored.
• The conversation ends with a fun anecdote about Box's CEO, Aaron Levie, known for his magic tricks and the company's unique culture of bringing your own self to work.

Additional resources

• Ben’s LinkedIn 
• Other episodes you might enjoy about the future of Media & AI
• Fun fact: how much energy is required to create an image with generative AI? 

Send us Fan Mail

Neil Mandt is a Hollywood entrepreneur, a five-time Emmy winner, and producer of the 2022 Golden Globes.  A pioneer in AR and VR technology, and a pro sports owner, since getting his start in Hollywood at age 10, there's almost no award he hasn't received, and almost no new form of media he hasn't tested and improved. 

What we cover

• In this conversation, Neil shares insights into the evolving landscape of Hollywood and the role of AI in content creation and consumption.
• Neil discusses the potential of AI to democratize content creation, enabling individuals to produce high-quality movies and TV series with minimal resources.
• We delve into the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in the entertainment industry, including the gamification of user engagement and personalized content experiences.
• Neil emphasizes the importance of embracing AI tools for content creators to stay competitive and adapt to changing consumer preferences.
• Neil highlights the transformative potential of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies in enhancing the content consumption experience.
• Neil provides valuable insights into the skills required for content producers to thrive in a future where AI-driven, interactive storytelling becomes the norm.
• And much more.

Additional resources

• Neil’s site — Neilmandt.com 
• Course on making it in media and entertainment — https://neilmandt.com/course
• Other episodes you might enjoy — https://aiandthefutureofwork.buzzsprout.com/520474/14689727-babak-hodjat-cto-of-ai-at-cognizant-on-creating-siri-and-the-evolution-of-ai

Send us Fan Mail

Babak is the CTO of AI at Cognizant, the 34 billion market cap provider of tech services with more than 350, 000 global employees. He's the former co-founder and CEO of Sentient, a business responsible for the core technology behind the world's largest distributed artificial intelligence system. Before co-founding Sentient, Babak co-founded and was the CTO and a board member of Dejima where he developed the foundational technology that ultimately became Apple's Siri. 

He's the primary inventor of Dejima's patented technology. Babak has 31 granted or pending patents, is a published author, and is one of the most respected thought leaders in AI.  He holds a PhD in machine intelligence from Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. 

In our conversation, we discuss: 

• The recent executive order on AI regulation issued by the Biden administration, exploring its key themes such as the development of a national registry for foundational large language models and safety test result sharing by vendors.
• Babak shares insights into the challenges and engineering intricacies involved in developing and scaling AI systems, emphasizing the importance of understanding the fundamental differences between large language models and human intelligence.
• The concept of responsible AI and the urgent need for defining unambiguous ethical standards, with Babak expressing concerns about AI potentially being used for destructive or malicious purposes in the wrong hands.
• Babak's experience as a pioneer in developing foundational technologies for Siri
• The limitations and expectations surrounding large language models shed light on the challenges of fine-tuning and reinforcing these models, as well as the misconceptions related to their learning capabilities during interactions.
• The concept of active ontology and its role in the early development of Siri, highlights the revolutionary approach that focused on modeling functionality and ontology first, offering insights into the evolution of natural language technology over the past 25 years.

Additional resources

• Babak's LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/babakhodjat/
• Another episode you might enjoy — https://aiandthefutureofwork.buzzsprout.com/520474/14341487-navrina-singh-founder-ceo-of-credo-ai-discusses-ai-governance-ethics