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Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast AI and the Future of Work: Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace, Business, Ethics, HR, and IT for AI Enthusiasts, Leaders

Plongez dans la liste complète des épisodes de AI and the Future of Work: Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace, Business, Ethics, HR, and IT for AI Enthusiasts, Leaders. Chaque épisode est catalogué accompagné de descriptions détaillées, ce qui facilite la recherche et l'exploration de sujets spécifiques. Suivez tous les épisodes de votre podcast préféré et ne manquez aucun contenu pertinent.

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TitreDateDurée
358: Inside Mastercard’s AI Adoption Journey: CTO George Maddaloni on Building Trust, Detecting Fraud, and the Future of Payments20 Oct 202500:38:40

George Maddaloni is the EVP and CTO for Operations at Mastercard, where he leads the performance and modernization of technology platforms serving more than 35,000 employees worldwide. He has previously held senior IT leadership roles at AIG, UBS, AT&T, GM, and Merrill Lynch, and currently serves on the board of SustainableIT.org. George earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Fordham University.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How Mastercard’s CTO thinks about the balance between innovation, trust, and regulation in one of the world’s most complex financial networks.
  • The strategy behind modernizing Mastercard’s internal technology platforms to empower 35,000 global employees.
  • Why a decade of AI experience changed how Mastercard approaches fraud, data, and customer confidence.
  • The cultural shift that turned curiosity about AI into measurable progress across a global workforce.
  • How a 50-year-old payments company keeps competing with startups by rethinking infrastructure from the ground up.
  • George Maddaloni’s vision of the next era of payments and how technology might make transactions faster, safer, and nearly invisible.

Resources:

357: Emotional Team Intelligence Over Star Power: Behavioral Scientist Jon Levy on Culture, AI, and Leadership13 Oct 202500:45:18

Jon Levy is a behavioral scientist and New York Times bestselling author known for exploring trust, human connection, belonging, and influence. He’s the founder of The Influencers Dinner, a secret dining experience that has grown into a community of thousands of leaders, including Nobel laureates, Olympians, celebrities, executives, artists, and musicians. His book You’re Invited: The Art and Science of Connection, Trust, and Belonging was named a Wall Street Journal “Book of the Month” in 2021. He’s also the author of The 2 AM Principle: Discover the Science of Adventure and the newly released Team Intelligence: How Brilliant Leaders Unlock Collective Genius.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Why the smartest teams often fail, and how trust, belonging, and psychological safety drive collective intelligence
  • The surprising data behind team performance, including why individual IQ doesn’t predict group success
  • What makes a team “brilliant,” and how leaders can design environments that unlock group flow and faster decision-making
  • How AI changes team dynamics and why it's urgent to redefine collaboration in a hybrid, tech-driven world
  • The four principles of Team Intelligence and how they apply to both startups and global enterprises
  • Jon’s personal journey from hosting secret dinners to writing Team Intelligence, and why he believes social bonds are the future of work

Resources:

356: Can HR Build Trust in an Age of AI Uncertainty? With Tracy Layney, Former CHRO of Levi’s, Gap, and Shutterfly06 Oct 202500:43:51

Tracy Layney is a seasoned HR leader with more than 15 years of experience shaping people and culture strategies at Levi’s, Gap, and Shutterfly. She currently teaches Human Capital Strategy as an adjunct professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Tracy holds a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Tracy shares her unconventional path from English major and aspiring lawyer to CHRO at Levi’s, Gap, and Shutterfly, and how consulting shaped her approach to organizational strategy.
  • She reflects on lessons from working with iconic leaders like Eva Sage Gavin and Chip Bergh, including leading Levi’s through the early days of the pandemic.
  • She explains why excellence and heart-centered leadership must coexist to build values-driven, high-performing cultures.
  • She explores how AI and other disruptive forces are reshaping HR, from talent strategy to employee expectations, and why adaptability is critical for leaders.
  • She discusses the importance of transparency and trust-building between HR and employees during times of uncertainty, drawing parallels with past crises.
  • She shares her perspective as a professor on how future HR leaders are navigating unprecedented change, mental health challenges, and the rapid rise of AI in the workplace.

Resources:

355: Can AI Transform Proposal Writing, Bidding, and RFPs? Sean Williams on AutogenAI’s $40M Journey.29 Sep 202500:38:55

Sean Williams is the CEO and founder of AutogenAI, the world’s leading AI proposal-writing engine, launched in May 2022. Under his leadership, the company recently closed a nearly $40 million Series B round led by Salesforce Ventures. Prior to AutogenAI, Sean founded Corndel Ltd, where he served as Chief Executive and scaled the business to 350 employees before its $60 million acquisition by THI Holdings in 2020.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Why Sean believes AI will revolutionize how organizations write, win, and deliver proposals
  • How AutogenAI is reducing proposal writing time from days to hours for companies bidding on complex contracts
  • The ethical considerations of AI-written proposals and why transparency is critical in high-stakes industries
  • What Sean learned from scaling Corndel to 350 employees and how that experience shaped AutogenAI's go-to-market strategy
  • Why the biggest risk for organizations isn’t adopting AI too quickly, but failing to experiment early
  • How AutogenAI is building trust with enterprise clients through customization, compliance, and human-in-the-loop design

Resources:



354: AI as a Liberating Technology: Josh Bersin on Turning Routine Tasks into Superworkers Driving Trust, Creativity, and Growth22 Sep 202500:39:20

Josh Bersin is one of the most respected voices in HR and HRTech, known for shaping how organizations think about talent, learning, and the future of work. He began covering the space in 2001 and later sold his firm, Bersin & Associates, to Deloitte in 2012. Today, he leads The Josh Bersin Company, which produces influential research, publishes widely on workplace trends, and hosts the annual Irresistible conference. He’s also the author of Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations and the host of a podcast that explores the evolving world of work with clarity and insight.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Why fears of AI-driven job loss are overstated and how automation can unlock new opportunities for growth.

  • The rise of “superworkers” who use AI to eliminate routine tasks and focus on creativity, innovation, and more meaningful contributions.

  • How companies are rethinking organizational design, roles, and skills in response to rapid advances in AI.

  • Real-world examples of AI adoption in banking, insurance, and airlines—and what leaders can learn from them.

  • The concept of “supermanagers” and why human leadership and soft skills remain critical in an AI-powered workplace.

  • Josh’s perspective on what it means to be an “irresistible organization” in a time of massive technological and cultural change.

Resources:



Lessons from Leaders: How AI Is Redefining Work and the Human Experience (Labor Day Special Episode)18 Sep 202500:51:07

In this Labor Day Special Episode of AI and the Future of Work, host Dan Turchin sits down with three leaders for an open conversation about how AI is reshaping the workplace.

They discuss both opportunities and challenges. The focus is on building organizations where technology amplifies human potential rather than replacing it.

From rethinking the employee experience to redefining leadership in the AI era, the panel explores themes of empathy, trust, and the evolving social contract between employers and employees. Together, they share what it means to lead responsibly at a moment when the future of work is being rewritten in real time.


Featuring Guests:

🔹 Armen Berjikly (Venture Partner, Emerson Collective) – Listen to a previous conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/15520806 

 🔹 Alex Buder Shapiro (Chief People Officer, Jasper) – Listen to a previous conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/17522593 

 🔹 Anthony Moisant (CIO & Chief Security Officer, Indeed) – Listen to a previous conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/17751365 


✅ What You’ll Learn

  • How to create a culture of experimentation that builds empathy during times of change
  • Why leaders must balance speed of adoption with responsibility and trust
  • The evolving social contract between employees and employers in the AI era
  • What responsible AI policies look like in practice, and how to communicate uncertainty with honesty
  • Why the human experience must remain central as AI transforms the future of work

Watch the video version of this episode here: https://youtu.be/zJa8ASZVFYk 


💬 Inspired by this episode? Share your favorite insight on social and tag us. And don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of work.


Other special episodes:

353: Can AI Bring Back the Human Side of CRM? Jody Glidden, CEO of Postilize, on Nurturing Relationships15 Sep 202500:29:13

Jody Glidden is the CEO and founder of Postilize, a company focused on reinventing CRM through AI. Before launching Postilize, he co-founded Introhive and served as CEO until 2022, helping raise over $100 million to build the enterprise relationship management category. A serial entrepreneur, Jody previously founded icGlobal, which was acquired by Smartforce, and played a key role in scaling Chalk Media, later acquired by BlackBerry maker Research in Motion. He holds a BBA from the University of New Brunswick and a Master’s in Information Systems from Harvard.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Why traditional CRMs fail to reflect how relationships actually evolve—and how Postilize is addressing that gap
  • How Postilize handles privacy, hallucinations, and human oversight to stay useful without crossing ethical lines
  • Jody’s approach to using AI not to replace human connection, but to augment and scale authentic relationship building
  • How relationship intelligence helps sales and go-to-market teams understand who to engage, when, and why
  • Why keeping CRMs accurate is nearly impossible without automation and real-time enrichment
  • What Jody learned from building Introhive and why Postilize is taking a radically different approach
  • The future of CRM as a system of engagement rather than just a system of record

Resources:

352: Can AI Solve the Job Search Problem? Make Hiring Faster and More Human with Anthony Moisant, CIO & CSO at Indeed08 Sep 202500:34:41

Anthony Moisant is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Security Officer (CSO)  at Indeed, the world’s leading job site with over 610 million job seeker profiles. He joined Indeed nearly five years ago after serving in a similar role at sister company Glassdoor for eight years. As CIO, he leads the teams responsible for the internal technology that supports employees and drives the business. As CSO, he oversees the security team focused on protecting the data of job seekers, customers, and employees. Anthony is also a graduate of the U.S. Navy Nuclear Submarine School.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Indeed’s goal to cut time-to-hire by 50% by removing friction across systems and workflows.
  • Solving the hiring challenges so every application gets seen and answered, using AI to improve matching and follow-ups.
  • Why skills (not degrees) will define the future of hiring, and how job seekers can prepare for a skill-first economy
  • How to double team productivity with AI while keeping trust high and addressing fears about automation.
  • A values-driven approach to AI ethics: transparency, fairness testing, red-teaming models, and an “AI constitution” agent.
  • The lessons Anthony brought from the U.S. Navy and how they continue to shape his leadership approach in high-pressure environments

Resources:

351: The End of the Pre-Written Story: Nick Mehta, former Gainsight CEO, on Embracing AI’s Uncertainty01 Sep 202500:45:13

A few days ago, Nick Mehta announced his transition from CEO to Board Director and Special Advisor at Gainsight. As CEO, he spent more than a decade transforming the company into a global leader in customer success, serving over 20,000 customers and surpassing $100 million in ARR. Before Gainsight, he led LiveOffice through its acquisition by Symantec and co-founded Chipshot in the 90s. Nick serves on the boards of F5 and PubMatic and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a Master’s degree in Computer Science, both from Harvard. Known for leading with heart, humor, and humility, he’s also the voice behind the blog Mehtaphysical Musings, a rapper, and a YouTube creator with over 50 parody videos.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How Nick Mehta balances vulnerability and optimism as a leader navigating uncertainty
  • Why Gainsight’s values like “childlike joy” matter more in an AI-driven world
  • What happens to identity and purpose in a post-work economy shaped by automation
  • The growing divide between capital and labor, and why Marxist ideas are resurfacing in the AI era
  • Why we shouldn’t assume past tech cycles will repeat and how to question AI's impact on jobs
  • What Gainsight’s AI initiative “Atlas” reveals about the rise of agentic tech in customer success

Resources:

350: What Comes After AGI? A Vision for a Freedom-Based Economy with Jad Tarifi, Co-Founder of Integral AI25 Aug 202500:44:02

Dr. Jad Tarifi is the co-founder of Integral AI, a company he launched in 2021 after holding senior AI roles at Google. He earned his PhD in Computer Science and AI from the University of Florida and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Waterloo. A returning guest to the podcast, Jad is a leading thinker on world models in AI and often shares insights on the science of longevity and the future of intelligence.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Why Jad believes the goal of AGI isn't intelligence but freedom, and how that redefinition reframes both ethics and alignment
  • The role of world models in achieving AGI, and why video prediction alone isn't enough for robust, reliable reasoning
  • What it means to design AI that can autonomously learn new skills with minimal energy and data, matching or exceeding human learning efficiency
  • How Integral AI is building AGI-capable models by focusing on unsupervised abstraction and embodied, open-ended agents
  • How Jad defines superintelligence and what it reveals about the evolving relationship between humans and machines
  • A glimpse into Integral’s long-term roadmap, including recursive superfactories and post-AGI economies

Resources:

Empowering the Next Generation: Career, Leadership & Resilience Insights (International Youth Day Special Episode)21 Aug 202500:21:33

To celebrate International Youth Day (August 12), this special compilation episode of AI and the Future of Work brings together inspiring voices with wisdom for both young people starting out and the leaders, parents, and mentors guiding them.

In this episode, we revisit key moments from four remarkable guests who share timeless lessons on navigating change, finding meaning in work, embracing vulnerability, and developing the human-centered skills that will matter most in the future.

Featuring Guests:

🔹 Bruce Feiler, Bestselling Author - Listen to the full conversation: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/14158168 

🔹 Linda Rottenberg, Co-Founder & CEO, Endeavor - Listen to the full conversation: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/8356582 

🔹 Mark McCrindle, Social Researcher & Speaker -  Listen to the full conversation: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/13014260 

🔹 William Osman, Tech Creator & YouTuber - Listen to the full conversation: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/15701415-301 


💡 What You’ll Learn:

  • Why your work journey will change multiple times—and how to embrace it
  • How vulnerability can make leaders more relatable and effective
  • The enduring value of human-centered skills in a tech-driven world
  • Why experimentation and adaptability are critical for success
  • How leaders and mentors can help create opportunities for young people

Whether you’re charting your own course or helping others navigate theirs, these conversations will inspire you to take bold steps toward a meaningful future.

—

Inspired by something in this episode? Share your favorite insight on social and tag us. And don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of work.

Other special compilation episodes: 

349: Can AI Reinvent Healthcare Admin? Cutting $260B in Waste and Optimizing Revenue Cycles with William Chan, CEO of Iodine Software18 Aug 202500:33:10

William Chan is the co-founder and CEO of Iodine Software, a company he helped launch in 2010 to pioneer the use of AI in helping healthcare providers get paid. A serial entrepreneur, he previously co-founded WhisperWire, acquired by Convergys, and Crimson, acquired by The Advisory Board, and has held product leadership roles at companies including Oracle. William holds a BS in computer science from Cornell University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • The challenges hospitals face in accurately capturing patient care details for proper reimbursement.
  • How AI can address staffing shortages by assisting with clinical documentation review.
  • The importance of responsible AI that supports, rather than replaces, human decision-making in healthcare.
  • Strategies to reduce bias and improve accuracy by training AI models on diverse datasets from different hospital types and geographies.
  • Why AI must deliver clear, actionable insights that clinicians can validate, ensuring trust and accountability in healthcare decisions.
  • William’s vision for reducing the $260 billion in administrative waste and enabling providers to focus more on patient care.

Resources:




348: Will Society Evolve Fast Enough? AI Ethics, Quantum Futures, and Rethinking Humanity with Dr. Mark van Rijmenam11 Aug 202500:48:32

Dr. Mark van Rijmenam is ranked as the world's best futurists and is known globally for his trademark “Optimistic Dystopian” viewpoint. Recognized by Salesforce as a top voice shaping the future of AI, he’s a sought-after speaker on the relationship between innovation and humanity. He delivered the world’s first TEDx Talk in VR (2020) and introduced a digital twin that speaks 29 languages (2024). Mark holds a PhD in Management from the University of Technology Sydney, where he studied how organizations can use big data, blockchain, and AI. He’s also a six-time author and dedicated endurance athlete.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Why Dr. Mark van Rijmenam believes we need a paradigm shift to prepare society for the long-term consequences of AI and quantum computing
  • The critical difference between building technology for shareholders versus stakeholders and how that shapes our future
  • What the “spiral dynamics” framework reveals about humanity’s current worldview and its path toward a more interconnected mindset
  • How banning technology for kids under 16 could protect future generations and reshape digital education
  • The risks of anthropomorphizing AI and the need to preserve human agency in a world increasingly shaped by machines
  • What inspired Dr. Mark’s sixth book Now What? and how he uses fiction, philosophy, and global cultures to help readers ride the tsunami of change

Resources:


347: Will AI Agents Redefine Automation? Balancing Autonomy and Guardrails with Bhaskar Roy, Chief of AI Products and Solutions at Workato04 Aug 202500:36:19

Bhaskar Roy is the Chief of AI Products & Solutions at Workato, the workflow automation leader with more than 11,000 customers and a $5.7 billion valuation. He has been with the company for nearly 11 years, previously serving as CMO. A serial head of products, Bhaskar co-founded Qik, which was acquired by Skype in 2011 for $150 million and later by Microsoft for $8.5 billion, and later held leadership roles at Playphone. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the Birla Institute of Technology in Mesra, India.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Bhaskar’s journey from co-founding Qik to leading AI products at Workato, and why a lightbulb moment convinced him to pivot from marketing back to product innovation
  • What Bhaskar learned from building products that scale globally and how those lessons shape his view on AI’s real-world impact
  • Why Bhaskar sees AI agents as the next leap beyond low-code automation and how they orchestrate complex business processes
  • The balance between deterministic workflows and AI’s reasoning capabilities, and how to maintain human oversight
  • How enterprises can move beyond AI experiments at the fringes to transformative use cases that deliver measurable ROI
  • The cultural shift required to embrace AI in the workplace, from reducing fear of automation to unlocking new opportunities for employees

Resources:

346: Learning and teaching transformed by AI: the Future of Higher Education with Dave Treat, Pearson CTO28 Jul 202500:39:00

Dave Treat is the Chief Technology Officer of Pearson, the world’s largest education company headquartered in London, with a market cap of $11 billion and over 17,000 employees. Before joining Pearson, he spent several years at Accenture as a Senior Managing Director leading the Innovation Incubation Group. Dave has also served on multiple technology and industry boards, including the Linux Hyperledger Foundation, Linux Open Wallet Foundation, Digital Dollar Project, and the Global Business Blockchain Council. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at Deloitte and UBS. He holds a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Michigan and a degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How Pearson is evolving from a textbook publisher into a software company driving the future of learning
  • Why AI study tools are reshaping when and how students learn, meeting them at the exact moment they need help
  • The mental health and motivation challenges students face today, and how AI can support them with simpler, more personalized learning
  • How AI can simplify the administrative burden for educators and free them to focus on deeper student engagement
  • Why the traditional “slingshot model” of education is broken and how skill mapping and lifelong learning are the future
    How immersive, 3D digital learning experiences will replace today’s flat, two-dimensional interactions

Resources:

Lessons from Four Unicorn CEOs Disrupting Massive Markets with AI (Special Episode)24 Jul 202500:24:16

In this special compilation of AI and the Future of Work, we spotlight four unicorn CEOs who’ve disrupted entire industries using artificial intelligence—while building cultures of urgency, resilience, and relentless innovation.

From scrappy beginnings to billion-dollar valuations, each founder shares what it really takes to build and scale in the AI era.

Featured Guests:

You’ll learn:

  • How successful founders turn early user feedback into fast growth
  • Why operating with urgency can be a competitive advantage in tech
  • What mindset shifts are needed to scale from startup to enterprise
  • How to lead through uncertainty, doubt, and high-pressure decisions
  • The role of resilience and focus in long-term company building
  • Why empowering teams and simplifying execution drives innovation

Whether you're building the next unicorn or leading change within your team, this episode is your behind-the-scenes pass to the mindset, strategy, and grit it takes to win.

—

Inspired by something in this episode? Share your favorite insight on social and tag us. And don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of work.

Other special compilation episodes:

345: Will AI Break or Rebuild Workplace Culture? Trust, Incentives, and the Future of Teams with Alex Buder Shapiro, Chief People Officer at Jasper AI21 Jul 202500:40:16

Alex Buder Shapiro is the Chief People Officer at Jasper AI, a company with more than 100,000 customers using its AI-first marketing platform and over $125M raised. She is a forward-thinking people leader with a unique perspective on the role of HR and the future of teams, having served in the same position for six years at Flatiron Health and as an HR Business Partner Manager for nearly eight years at Google. Alex studied Political Psychology and Theatre Arts at the University of Pennsylvania.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How Alex’s early career at Google shaped her views on aligned incentives, experimentation, and building high-performing people cultures.
  • Why the employer and employee relationship has shifted dramatically in the last five years, from shared incentives to trade-offs driven by economic and social change.
  • Why AI adoption in the workplace creates both opportunities and anxieties, and how people leaders can design human-centered approaches to integrating AI.
  • The concept of “practicing at the top of your license” and how it applies to redesigning work in an AI-driven future.
  • How the next generation of employees will challenge and reshape workplace structures through their fluency with AI and new ways of learning, mentorship, and problem solving.
  • What responsible AI means for people leaders, including addressing bias, conscious adoption, and collective accountability.

Resources:

344: Can Decentralized AI Fix Banking? Crypto, Brain OS, and the Future of Finance with Paolo Ardoino, Tether CEO14 Jul 202500:44:08

Paolo Ardoino is the CEO of Tether, the company behind the ticker symbol USDT, the world’s largest stablecoin. He also serves as CTO of the cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex and co-founded Holepunch, a platform for peer-to-peer applications. Ardoino holds a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of Genoa and is one of the most visible proponents of improving the banking system with cryptocurrencies.


In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How Paolo built the infrastructure behind the world’s most used stablecoin and why he believes math, not politics, should govern money

  • Why he believes Bitcoin is the first form of money governed by math, and how that math could reshape global finance

  • How USDT became the most used digital dollar by solving practical challenges in regions with limited banking access

  • Why Paolo believes traditional finance is broken and how decentralized tech offers a more inclusive infrastructure

  • The case for brain–computer interfaces and why Paolo sees human and AI symbiosis as the next frontier of intelligence

  • Why he’s optimistic about AI’s role in society, even as he argues that long term AI safety might be an illusion


Resources:

 

343: Can AI make anyone a developer? The changing role of coders with Kyle Daigle, GitHub COO07 Jul 202500:45:52

Kyle Daigle is the Chief Operating Officer at GitHub, the world’s largest host of source code with more than 100 million developers and 420 million repositories. He joined GitHub in 2013 and later served as VP of Strategy and Chief of Staff to the CEO, playing a key role in the company’s 2018 acquisition by Microsoft. Kyle is also the public face of GitHub Copilot, the AI coding assistant launched in 2021 that now helps over 15 million users. Earlier in his career, he was a partner at Digitalworkbox and VP of Product Development at Geezeo.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Kyle’s journey from studying fine arts to leading operations at the world’s largest code platform
  • Why GitHub Copilot is about freeing developers to focus on creativity and solving meaningful problems
  • What it means to bring pragmatism into AI development and why usefulness always wins over hype
  • How AI is lowering the barriers to software creation while keeping humans at the center of accountability
  • The responsibility of platforms like GitHub to protect users from flawed code and teach safe coding by design
  • Kyle’s vision for “ambient AI” and why the future should feel personal, context-aware, and privacy-conscious

Resources:

342: From Reaction to Reflection: Philosopher Anders Indset on AI, Consciousness, and the Path to the Singularity30 Jun 202500:44:36

Anders Indset is a Norwegian philosopher, author, tech investor, and former Olympic handball player often called “the business philosopher.” He is the founder of the Global Institute of Leadership and Technology and chairman of Njordis Group, a venture firm focused on the intersection of humanity and exponential technologies. Anders has invested in deep tech companies like Terra Quantum and launched The Quantum Economy Alliance to explore the future of innovation. He brings a unique mix of philosophical insight and real-world experience to today’s conversation.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Why Anders believes our economy is society’s “operating system” and how AI might destabilize or enhance it

  • How we’ve built an economy driven by reaction rather than reflection and what it takes to shift toward more thoughtful progress

  • What the “final narcissistic injury” means for humanity as we face the rise of superintelligence

  • Why it's naive to separate economy from ecology and how the concept of the quantum economy offers a new way to align hyper-efficiency with sustainability

  • The difference between artificial general intelligence and artificial human intelligence and why Anders argues for enhancing ourselves before trying to replace us

  • What the technological singularity really is, why it's misunderstood, and how Anders thinks we should prepare for it


Resources:

AI and Safety: How Responsible Tech Leaders Build Trustworthy Systems (National Safety Month Special)26 Jun 202500:31:08

In honor of National Safety Month, this special compilation episode of AI and the Future of Work brings together powerful conversations with four thought leaders focused on designing AI systems that protect users, prevent harm, and promote trust. 

Featuring past guests:


✅ What You’ll Learn: 

  • What it means to design AI with safety, transparency, and human oversight in mind
  • How leading enterprises approach responsible AI development at scale
  • Why data privacy and permissions are critical to safe AI deployment
  • How to detect and mitigate bias in predictive models
  • Why responsible AI requires balancing speed with long-term impact
  • How trust, explainability, and compliance shape the future of enterprise AI

  

Resources

Other special compilation episodes 

341: How AI is Changing Education: The Future of Accessible Learning with Marni Baker Stein, Coursera CCO23 Jun 202500:31:32

Marni Baker Stein is the Chief Content Officer at Coursera, the global learning platform with over 175 million learners and partnerships across 6,200 campuses, businesses, and governments. She leads Coursera’s content and credential strategy and manages global partner relationships. Before joining Coursera, Marni was Chief Academic Officer and Provost at Western Governors University, where she oversaw programs for more than 135,000 students. She has also held leadership roles focused on access, student success, and program design at the University of Texas, Columbia University, and the University of Pennsylvania. Marni earned her PhD in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.


In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How AI is shifting education from one-size-fits-all to personalized, contextualized learning tailored to each student
  • Why microcredentials and stackable learning are replacing traditional degrees as the new path for lifelong learners
  • The role of educators in the AI era and why they should be part of the solution, not sidelined by automation
  • What it means for universities to stay relevant as learning becomes more modular, flexible, and job-aligned
  • Why GenAI is fueling demand for both technical skills and enduring human abilities like critical thinking and communication
  • How tools like AI tutors, instant translations, and proctoring are democratizing access and preserving integrity at scale


Resources:

340: Critical Thinking over Code: Tess Posner, AI4ALL CEO, on Raising Responsible AI Leaders16 Jun 202500:43:06

Tess Posner is the CEO and founding leader of AI4ALL, a nonprofit that works to ensure the next generation of AI leaders is diverse and well-quipped to innovate. Since joining in 2017, she has focused on embedding ethics, responsibility, and real-world impact into AI education. Her work connects students from underrepresented backgrounds to hands-on projects and mentorships that prepare them to lead in tech. Beyond her role at AI4ALL, Tess is a musician whose 2023 EP Alchemy has over 600,000 streams on Spotify. She was named a 2020 Brilliant Woman in AI Ethics Hall of Fame Honoree and holds degrees from St. John’s University and Columbia University.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Why AI literacy is becoming essential for everyone, from casual users to future developers
  • The role of project-based learning in helping students see the real-world impact of AI
  • What it takes to expand AI access for underrepresented communities
  • How AI can either reinforce bias or drive real change, depending on who’s leading its development
  • Why schools should stop penalizing AI use and instead teach students to use it with curiosity and responsibility
  • Tess’s views on balancing optimism and caution in the development of AI tools

Resources:

339: AI Anxiety and Burnout: Brian Elliott, Work Forward CEO, on Building Trust in the Workplace09 Jun 202500:36:41

Brian Elliott is one of the most recognized future of work thought leaders and the CEO of Work Forward, where he advises senior leaders on how to build better organizations. A former senior executive at Slack, Brian is also the bestselling author of How the Future Works: Leading Flexible Teams to Do the Best Work of Their Lives. His insights have been published in Harvard Business Review and Fortune, and cited in Time, Bloomberg, CNBC, The Economist, and Forbes. He holds a BA in Math and Economics from Northwestern and an MBA from Harvard.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Brian Elliott’s leadership journey from Google and Slack to founding Work Forward and advising companies on building healthier workplace cultures.
  • Why alignment, accountability, and shared purpose matter more than hustle culture in scaling organizations effectively.
  • The hidden risks of AI at work, including why employees often use it in secret out of fear of punishment or judgment.
  • The growing tension between executives and employees in an era of midnight layoffs, return-to-office mandates, and AI-induced anxiety.
  • How progressive leaders can create space for experimentation with AI and lead with fallibility instead of fear.
  • Why the future of work depends on creating space for learning, building trust, and valuing human craftsmanship in an AI-powered world.

Resources:

338: From Extraction to Understanding: Martin Goodson, CEO of Evolution AI, on Why AGI Is The Wrong Goal02 Jun 202500:35:45

Dr. Martin Goodson is the founder and CEO of Evolution AI, a company he launched in 2012 to apply deep learning to optical character recognition (OCR). The company has received one of the largest AI R&D grants ever awarded by the UK government, along with investment from First Minute Capital. A former scientific researcher at Oxford University, Martin has led AI research across several organizations and was elected Chair of the Data Science and AI Section of the Royal Statistical Society in 2019.


In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Martin Goodson’s journey from researching biological data to founding Evolution AI and pioneering deep learning for document understanding.
  • Why traditional OCR missed the mark, and how combining visual and linguistic context unlocked a new frontier in document intelligence.
  • The evolution from data extraction to true financial analysis, and why domain knowledge is essential for reading statements like income reports.
  • The risks of LLM hallucinations, especially with numerical data, and why accuracy still requires combining techniques across model types.
  • What Martin believes intelligence really is, and why language alone may be the wrong benchmark for AGI.
  • Why recreating human intelligence shouldn’t be the goal of AI research, and how we can build systems that support, not mimic, human thinking.


Resources:

337: Will AI automate legal work? The future of lawyers with Scott Stevenson, Spellbook CEO.26 May 202500:38:45

Scott Stevenson is the CEO and co-founder of Spellbook, a legal tech company transforming how attorneys review contracts with AI. Since launching in 2018, Spellbook’s AI copilot has been adopted by more than 1,700 legal teams and helps review over a million contracts annually. Scott recently led the company through a $20 million Series A backed by Inovia Capital, Thomson Reuters Ventures, The Legaltech Fund, and others. Before Spellbook, he founded Mune, a startup at the intersection of music and technology, and holds a BS in Computer Engineering from Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Scott Stevenson’s journey from building electronic instruments to launching Spellbook, the world’s first generative AI copilot for lawyers.
  • Why contracts, not court cases, were the ideal entry point for legal AI and how Spellbook now helps 3,000+ legal teams review over a million contracts a year.
  • How AI is expanding access to legal services by reducing costs and enabling lawyers to serve the 70% of clients who previously couldn’t afford help.
  • Why AI won’t replace lawyers and how tools like Spellbook enhance human judgment rather than automate legal decisions.
  • Why now may be the best time to enter the legal field as AI eliminates drudgery and creates more room for strategy and client work.
  • What product-market fit really looks like and how Scott found it after testing more than 100 hypotheses before landing on a solution that clicked.
  • Why the best AI products embrace controlled chaos over rigid structure and how leaning into complexity reflects how the real world actually works.

Resources:

Ethical AI in Hiring: How to Stay Compliant While Building a Fairer Future of Work (HR Day Special Episode)22 May 202500:30:03

To coincide with International Human Resources Day (May 20th), this special compilation episode of AI and the Future of Work explores the promises and pitfalls of AI in hiring.

HR leaders are under pressure to innovate—but how can we automate hiring ethically, avoid bias, and stay compliant with evolving laws and expectations?

In this episode, we revisit key moments from past interviews with four top voices shaping the future of ethical workforce automation:

🔹 Sean Behr (CEO, Fountain) – Listen to the full conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/14183120


 🔹 Keith Sonderling (U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor, formerly EEOC Commissioner) – Listen to the full conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/15934483


 🔹 Guillermo Corea (Former Director, SHRM Innovation Lab) – Listen to the full conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/12706119


 🔹 Josh Drean (Futurist, Co-Founder, Work3 Institute) – Listen to the full conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/16473644 


💡 What You’ll Learn:

  • How AI is already transforming the hiring process
  • What compliance really means in the age of automation
  • Why HR professionals must take the lead on responsible innovation
  • How to balance efficiency with fairness and transparency

  

Resources

336: What Comes After Code? JAMstack, AI Agents, and the Open Web with Matt Biilmann, Netlify CEO19 May 202500:37:15

Matt Biilmann is the CEO and co-founder of Netlify, a platform that has raised over $200M to reshape how websites are built and deployed. A key figure in the open source web development community, Matt helped popularize the JAMstack architecture to improve performance and streamline developer workflows. Before launching Netlify in 2014 with Christian Bach, he built several startups and earned a degree in Musicology from the University of Copenhagen.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How Matt Biilmann coined the term “JAMstack”, and how it redefined the architecture of the modern web
  • The evolution of Netlify from a bootstrapped side project to a platform used by 6M+ developers
  • Why the future of web development includes designing not just for humans but also for AI agents, with a focus on Agent Experience (AX)
  • The rise of low-code creators and “vibe coders” who build sophisticated projects by prompting instead of programming
  • Why the open web matters more than ever in the age of AI, and what’s at stake in the battle between open and closed platforms
  • Matt’s reflections on leadership, delegation, and what still drives him after more than a decade of building tools that empower other builders

Resources:

335: How AI is Changing Academia with Dave Marchick, Dean of the Kogod School of Business12 May 202500:41:58

Dave Marchick is the Dean of American University’s Kogod School of Business and a seasoned leader with experience across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. He spent over a decade as Managing Director at The Carlyle Group, where he served on the management committee and advanced the firm’s sustainability and diversity efforts. In government, he held senior roles in both the Biden and Clinton administrations, including leadership positions at the State Department, the White House, and the Development Finance Corporation. Dave directed the Center for Presidential Transition during the 2020 cycle and later launched the Transition Lab podcast and co-authored The Peaceful Transition of Power. A dedicated advocate for civil rights and historical preservation, he has served on the boards of the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the National Park Foundation. Dave holds degrees from George Washington University, the LBJ School at UT Austin, and UC San Diego.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How Dean Dave Marchick is helping to infuse AI across the curriculum at American University’s Kogod School of Business.
  • The resistance and cultural shifts required to get faculty on board with AI adoption.
  • How students are learning to prompt, critique, and collaborate with AI from their first semester (and how it’s reshaping classroom dynamics).
  • Why professionalism, communication, and negotiation are now prioritized as “skills of the future”.
  • How Kogod is thinking about measuring the real-world impact of AI education beyond the classroom.
  • Lessons from U.S. presidential transitions and what they reveal about leadership during critical moments.

Resources:

334: From Special Ops to Cyber AI Warfare: Lessons in Grit, Leadership, and AI Cybersecurity from Snehal Antani, Horizon3 CEO05 May 202500:43:44

Snehal Antani is an entrepreneur, technologist, and investor. He is the CEO and Co-founder of Horizon3, a cybersecurity company using AI to deliver Red Teaming and Penetration Testing as a Service. He also serves as a Highly Qualified Expert for the U.S. Department of Defense, supporting digital transformation and data initiatives for Special Operations. Previously, he was CTO and SVP at Splunk, held CIO roles at GE Capital, and began his career as a software engineer at IBM. Snehal holds a master’s in computer science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a bachelor’s from Purdue University, and he is the inventor on 16 patents.


In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Snehal Antani’s path from software engineer to CEO, and how his father's quiet example of grit and passion continues to shape his leadership style.
  • How a “LEGO blocks” approach to building skills prepared Snehal to lead, and why he believes leadership must be earned through experience.
  • Why Horizon3 identifies as a data company, and how running more pen tests than the Big Four creates a powerful AI advantage.
  • What “cyber-enabled economic warfare” looks like in practice, and how a small disruption in a supply chain can create massive global impact.
  • How Horizon3 built an AI engine that hacked a bank in under 60 seconds, showing what's possible when algorithms replace manual testing.
  • What the future of work looks like in the AI era, with a growing divide between those with specialized expertise and trade skills and those without.


Resources:

333: How AI Is Transforming On-Call Life — The Future of SREs and IT Ops with Gou Rao, Co-Founder of NeuBird.ai28 Apr 202500:40:47

Gou Rao is a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder of NeuBird, where he's building Hawkeye—an AI-powered site reliability engineer designed to identify, diagnose, and resolve IT infrastructure issues. He previously co-founded Portworx, which was acquired by Pure Storage for $370 million in 2020. In 2024, NeuBird raised a $22.5 million seed extension from M12, Microsoft’s venture arm, following a $22 million seed round led by Mayfield, Stepstone Group, and Prosperity7 Ventures. Gou holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Bangalore University and a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Gou Rao’s journey from late-night support calls to co-founding NeuBird and building Hawkeye, an AI-powered site reliability engineer.
  • Why diagnosing IT issues is 99% of the problem—and how Hawkeye helps SREs move from noise to actionable insight in minutes.
  • The shift from chatbots to agentic systems—and why reasoning, not just automation, is the next frontier for enterprise AI.
  • How AI can reduce burnout by eliminating repetitive incident response tasks, freeing teams to focus on creativity and automation.
  • The importance of transparency, explainability, and human oversight in deploying AI systems with agency.
  • Gou’s reflections on entrepreneurship, including why “mistakes are an asset” and how jumping into the unknown can lead to your biggest breakthroughs.


Resources:

332: Why Every Problem Doesn't Need an App: Using AI to Make Space for Creativity and Purpose with Ravi Malick, Global CIO at Box21 Apr 202500:35:33

Ravi Malick is the Global CIO at Box, where he leads IT strategy, compliance, and customer advocacy for the enterprise content management platform. Before joining Box, he served as SVP & CIO at Vistra Corp., where he oversaw the integration of three major acquisitions that more than doubled the company’s size. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at Energy Future Holdings, including VP of Business Technology at TXU Energy. Ravi earned a BA in Political Science from Brown University and remains active in philanthropic efforts outside of work.


In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Ravi Malick’s nonlinear path from investment banking and consulting to becoming Global CIO at Box—and how each chapter shaped his leadership style.
  • What makes Box’s “people-first” culture stand out in Silicon Valley and why Ravi believes authenticity and inclusion are key to long-term success.
  • The challenges of leading IT at a company with 3,000 tech-savvy employees—and how Ravi balances innovation with governance.
  • How he’s approaching AI adoption internally, from quick wins to long-term strategy, while keeping a sharp focus on business outcomes.
  • What the “agentic workforce” could mean for scalability, productivity, and the structure of tomorrow’s teams.
  • How Ravi sees the future of work: multi-role careers, voice-first workflows, and AI-powered teams built around passion and outcomes.


Resources:

331: Rethinking Legal Access, Work, and Meaning with Rafie Faruq, Co-Founder & CEO of Genie AI14 Apr 202500:30:20

Rafie Faruq is a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder of Genie, a platform launched in 2017 to make high-quality legal documents accessible through open-source tools. 

Since then, Genie has served over 100,000 users across 120 jurisdictions and recently raised an $18M Series A from Google Ventures and Khosla Ventures. Rafie holds an MSc in Machine Learning, has advised the Law Policy Commission, contributed to the Law Society, and represented the Ministry of Justice on international trade missions. 

He also teaches meditation and is a mentor to many seeking meaning and clarity in life.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Rafie Faruq’s unconventional path from bond trader to AI entrepreneur and what drove him to apply machine learning to legal access.

  • How his early research on generative models led to new ways of thinking about document creation and automation.

  • Why he believes the current definition of intelligence is outdated—and what a more human-centered version could look like.

  • The role of emotional intelligence, purpose, and social connection in a future shaped by automation.

  • What it means to build a business rooted in spiritual principles—and how Rafie applies concepts like rhythm, balance, and nature to team building.

  • His reflections on power, responsibility, and why founders should see themselves as stewards of broader societal change.

Resources:

World Health Day Special: How AI Is Making Healthcare Smarter, Cheaper, and Kinder10 Apr 202500:20:35

To mark World Health Day, we’re revisiting powerful conversations with innovators using AI to improve healthcare access, reduce costs, and return empathy to the patient experience.

In this special compilation episode, you’ll hear from five leaders at the intersection of healthcare and emerging technologies—sharing how AI is already reshaping how we deliver care and what’s next for clinical innovation.

🎧 Featuring insights from:


 🔹 Boe Hartman (Co-founder, Nomi Health) – Listen to the full conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/16185843


 🔹 Punit Soni (Founder, Suki) – Listen to the full conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/16339101


 🔹 Dr. Brigham Hyde (Co-founder, Atropos Health) & Dr. John Halamka (President, Mayo Clinic Platform) – Listen to the full conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/12797551


 🔹 Dr. Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge) – Listen to the full conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/12739445


🩺 Why It Matters:
 AI is helping solve some of healthcare’s most pressing challenges—from clinician burnout and inefficient workflows to gaps in clinical data and access to care. But real transformation depends on how we design and deploy these tools—with responsibility, empathy, and transparency. 


Resources

330: Exploring the Path to the Singularity: AI & Machine Consciousness with Prof. J. Craig Wheeler, Astronomer and Author07 Apr 202500:41:32

Dr. Craig Wheeler is Professor Emeritus of Astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin and a former department chair. He has published nearly 400 scientific papers, written books on supernovae, and authored two novels. A frequent speaker and award-winning educator, Dr. Wheeler has served on advisory committees for the NSF, NASA, and the National Research Council. His research explores topics from exploding stars and black holes to the technological future of humanity.


In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How supernovae and black holes shaped Dr. Craig Wheeler’s career—and what they reveal about the universe’s expansion.
  • The singularity debate: Will AI surpass human intelligence, and if so, what happens next?
  • Machine consciousness vs. human intelligence—why the future of AI might be more alien than we expect.
  • The rise of AI in leadership roles—could AI replace CEOs, and what does that mean for the future of work?
  • The ethics of AI-driven decision-making, from hiring to autonomous weapons, and the challenges of regulation.
  • Why exponential technological growth is inevitable—and how humanity can prepare for its accelerating impact.


Resources:

329: Dheeraj Pandey, Nutanix Founder and DevRev CEO, shares how he raised $100M to improve the customer experience with AI31 Mar 202500:43:02

Dheeraj Pandey is a visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist best known for founding and leading Nutanix from its inception to becoming a publicly traded company valued at approximately $16.5 billion on NASDAQ. In 2020, he launched DevRev, an agentic AI company focused on unifying data to enhance customer experiences, securing over $100 million in funding from Khosla Ventures. Beyond his contributions to technology, Dheeraj co-founded Param Hansa with his wife, Swapna, to advance human life through science and technology. He holds a Computer Science and Engineering degree from IIT Kanpur and a master's in Computer Science from UT Austin.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Why data is the backbone of AI and how DevRev is leveraging knowledge graphs to transform customer support and product management.
  • The evolution of enterprise AI—why businesses must integrate AI with human workflows rather than replace them.
  • The future of customer support—how DevRev combines real-time conversations with ticketing systems to improve response times and reduce inefficiencies.
  • The ethical challenges of AI adoption—how bias, security, and machine reliability shape the future of AI-driven business operations.
  • How DevRev raised over $100M, including an unconventional approach using blockchain and decentralized funding models.
  • Dheeraj’s vision for AI’s next frontier—why the real challenge isn’t intelligence, but making AI work seamlessly with human decision-making.


Resources:

 

328: Why Job Loyalty is Dead & How AI is Reshaping Work with Bryan Power, Nextdoor’s Head of People24 Mar 202500:25:00

How has the dynamic between employees and employers shifted over the past 18 months? And what does the future of work look like in a world defined by AI?

In this special live episode, recorded at Transform—the conference at the intersection of the People space and the tech industry—Dan Turchin sits down with Bryan Power, Head of People at Nextdoor. 

Bryan took the stage at Transform to share insights on "The Power Shift: Navigating the New Employer-Employee Dynamic," where he explored how evolving expectations are reshaping the workforce.

Bryan has spent his career shaping workplace culture at some of the most iconic tech companies, including Google, Square, and Yahoo. Now, as the leader of People Operations at Nextdoor, he’s at the forefront of redefining work in an era of rapid change.

In this conversation, Bryan and Dan discuss topics such as:

  • How the employee-employer relationship is evolving—why job loyalty is declining and what it means for the future of work.
  • The rise of hybrid work and its impact on company culture—how Nextdoor navigates the balance between flexibility and connection.
  • Why culture must be intentional—lessons from Google, Square, Yahoo, and Nextdoor on shaping a workplace where people thrive.
  • The role of AI in HR and leadership—how AI is disrupting traditional people operations and what leaders must do to stay ahead.
  • Bryan’s biggest leadership lessons—what he’s learned from building teams at some of the most influential tech companies.
  • The future of HR in an AI-powered world—how the Chief People Officer role is shifting as AI and automation reshape the workplace.


Resources

327: Can Solar Really Power the Future? Breaking Myths and Building the Next Energy Revolution with Scott Wharton, Tandem PV CEO17 Mar 202500:32:47

Scott Wharton is a visionary entrepreneur and CEO making waves in the solar industry as the leader of Tandem PV, where he’s developing solar cells that are about 30% more efficient than current market options. Previously, he spent eight years at Logitech as a general manager, revolutionizing how businesses use consumer tech for productivity and collaboration. Before that, he was the CEO of Vidtel, which was acquired by Fidelity Investments in 2013. A bold thinker and risk-taker, Scott is known for his leadership and innovation across industries. He holds an MBA from Yale and a bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How solar energy has become the cheapest and most scalable power source —and why most people haven’t caught up to this reality.
  • The breakthrough potential of perovskite solar cells and why they’re set to replace silicon as the industry standard.
  • Why the U.S. must invest in solar manufacturing – and how bringing production back from China strengthens energy security.
  • The evolving synergy between solar and battery storage —how new advancements are making 24/7 renewable power a reality.
  • Common myths about solar’s limitations and why concerns about cost, reliability, and land use no longer hold up.
  • Scott’s journey from leading video conferencing at Logitech to revolutionizing the solar industry – and what motivated him to take on this challenge.


Resources:

326: The Startup Survival Guide—Avoiding Costly Mistakes, Scaling Smarter, and Planning Your Exit with Mona Sabet, SVP at GCG10 Mar 202500:32:20

Mona Sabet is the co-author of Sail to Scale: Steering Startups Clear of Mistakes from Launch to Exit and currently serves as SVP, Strategy, Projects, and Operations at GCG. With a track record of driving growth and strategic transformations, she has held executive roles at VulcanForms, UserTesting, and Cadence Design Systems. At UserTesting, she played a pivotal role in securing $100M in funding, leading acquisitions, taking the company public, and negotiating its $1.3B sale to Thoma Bravo. Beyond her corporate leadership, Mona is a passionate advocate for women in tech, law, and policy, having co-founded ChIPsNetwork.org and leading HiPower, a community dedicated to empowering executive women shaping the future of technology.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • The critical mistakes startups make at different growth stages—Mona shares insights from Sail to Scale on why companies struggle to scale and how to avoid common pitfalls.
  • How founders should "fire themselves" to scale effectively—Why transitioning from founder to CEO requires a mindset shift, and the biggest mistakes leaders make in this process.
  • The AI bubble: hype vs. reality—Mona explains why overfunding in AI-first companies mirrors past tech bubbles and what it means for the future of the industry.
  • Why acquisitions should be a long-term strategy, not a last-minute decision—The importance of planning exits early and why companies that wait too long often fail to sell at the right valuation.
  • The evolving landscape of M&A and IPOs—How companies can differentiate themselves in a crowded market of late-stage startups waiting for an exit.
  • The unseen biases keeping women out of leadership—Mona’s perspective on why brand bias impacts diversity in tech and what leaders can do to create real change.

Resources:

 

The Future of AI Ethics Special: Perspectives from Women Leaders in AI on Bias, Accountability & Trust06 Mar 202500:19:27

Coinciding with International Women’s Day this week, this special episode of AI and the Future of Work highlights key conversations with women leading the way in AI ethics, governance, and accountability.

In this curated compilation, we feature four remarkable experts working to create a more equitable, trustworthy, and responsible AI future:


🔹 Navrina Singh (Founder & CEO, Credo AI) – Listen to the full conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/14341487 


🔹 Meredith Broussard (Author, Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World) – Listen to the full conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/12284213 


🔹 Juliette Powell (Co-Author, The AI Dilemma: 7 Principles for Responsible Technology) – Listen to the full conversation here:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/14435648 


🔹 Merve Hickok (Founder, AIethicist.org) – Listen to the full conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/11801221 


Bias, lack of transparency, and ethical concerns in AI are some of the most urgent issues of our time. These leaders are shaping the policies and frameworks needed to ensure AI serves everyone—fairly and equitably.


Resources

325: Unmasking Hidden Bias in AI—Who’s Really in Control? Data Ethics & Responsibility with Dr. Brandeis Marshall, DataedX Group CEO03 Mar 202500:42:37

Dr. Brandeis Marshall is a leading advocate for responsible data science and the CEO of Dataedx Group, a data ethics and learning development agency dedicated to helping teams identify and address discrimination in data. Previously, she was a professor of computer science at Spelman College and a faculty associate at Harvard. Dr. Marshall holds a master’s and Ph.D. in computer science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Why AI-powered companies should be regulated like scientific entities—and the hidden ways they optimize human behavior.
  • The role of data ethics in AI—how companies can prevent bias and why everyone in the data pipeline is responsible for ethical decision-making.
  • Why most businesses struggle with AI adoption—Brandeis explains how companies can bridge the AI gap and align data strategies with real business impact.
  • The future of healthcare data—how a patient-owned, portable medical record system could revolutionize access and transparency.
  • How AI can be leveraged to expose systemic inequalities and provide better opportunities for marginalized communities.
  • Why AI should be seen as a support tool, not a replacement—Brandeis shares how AI can help neurodivergent individuals and enhance human decision-making.


Resources:

 

324: 2025 predictions with Dave Kellogg: The Future of AI, SaaS, and Business24 Feb 202500:43:49

Dave Kellogg is a seasoned venture capitalist, serial tech executive, and one of the most respected voices in SaaS metrics. As an Entrepreneur in Residence at Balderton Capital, he brings decades of experience leading companies like Host Analytics, Salesforce, MarkLogic, and Business Objects (acquired by SAP). A sought-after speaker, Dave’s SaaStr talks consistently rank among the most watched, and he’s known for his bold predictions and sharp analysis of industry trends. He is also an advisor, director, blogger, and podcaster, sharing insights that shape the future of SaaS and enterprise software.

 

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Dave Kellogg’s bold predictions for 2025 and how he scored himself on last year’s forecasts, from AI’s continued hype cycle to the rise of PR as the new SEO.
  • Why venture capital is evolving, with AI-first companies reshaping funding strategies and a widening gap between US and European investment trends.
  • The future of search—why traditional SEO may be dying and how businesses must adapt to AI-driven content discovery.
  • The unlikely revival of branding—how companies are rediscovering brand differentiation in a "sea of sameness" where SaaS products look increasingly alike.
  • AI’s impact on SaaS metrics and go-to-market strategies—can AI-driven sales and marketing tools help companies achieve the Rule of 40?
  • The future of LinkedIn and social media in business—Dave’s concerns about LinkedIn’s engagement-driven model and why it might be entering the "social media death cycle."


Resources:

 

323: How a Tech Entrepreneur Used Product Thinking to Reinvent Venture Capital with SC Moatti, Founder of Mighty Capital17 Feb 202500:41:04

SC Moatti, founder of Mighty Capital and Products That Count, is one of the most dynamic venture capitalists and product leaders in Silicon Valley. As an early investor in PeopleReign, SC combines her investment expertise with a passion for advancing product leadership globally. She is the author of the award-winning book Mobilize and a sought-after keynote speaker and lecturer at Columbia and Stanford business schools. Before her venture capital career, SC was an instrumental product leader in the early days of mobile, driving innovation at companies like Electronic Arts, Nokia Labs, and Facebook.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • SC Moatti’s journey from studying electrical engineering in Paris to becoming a tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist in Silicon Valley.
  • Why founding Mighty Capital was the hardest challenge SC has faced and how applying product thinking helped her reshape the venture capital landscape.
  • The unique due diligence process at Mighty Capital, focusing on high-performing teams, ambitious traction, and fair, long-term partnerships.
  • How Products That Count grew from a small community into a global network of over half a million product leaders and its influence on the industry.
  • The evolving role of product managers in an AI-first world and how professionals can adapt to stay ahead in this rapidly changing environment.
  • The ethical responsibilities of product leaders, from managing unintended consequences of AI to maintaining trust and transparency in product development.

Resources:

322: How AI is Revolutionizing Finance and Decision-Making: Insights from wunderkind George Sivulka, Hebbia CEO10 Feb 202500:32:17

George Sivulka, hailed as a wunderkind by Peter Thiel, is the founder of Hebbia, a groundbreaking AI company revolutionizing financial research. Having worked at NASA as a teenager, he later earned a math degree from Stanford in just 2.5 years. George has secured $130M in funding for Hebbia at a $700M valuation, backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Index Ventures, Google Ventures, and Thiel himself. Hebbia’s AI platform, trusted by firms like Centerview Partners and Charlesbank, has driven a 15x revenue growth in 18 months by pioneering RAG techniques that ensure LLM outputs remain within company-sanctioned data.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How Hebbia is reshaping financial research with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG).
  • The leap from academia to entrepreneurship—how George Sivulka turned research into real-world impact.
  • The expanding role of AI in high-stakes industries where precision is critical.
  • The ethical challenges of AI and how transparency can make or break trust.
  • Why AI agents will change knowledge work—but not in the way you might think.
  • The future of AI-powered research and its impact on decision-making.

Resources:

Data Privacy Day Special Episode: AI, Deepfakes & The Future of Trust06 Feb 202500:28:14

In this special compilation episode of AI and the Future of Work, we celebrate Data Privacy Day by revisiting powerful conversations with industry leaders tackling some of today’s biggest AI challenges. From deepfake detection to ethical AI, this episode highlights the critical role of privacy, trust, and security in the future of AI.

Join us as we revisit insights from top experts in AI:

🔹 Vijay Balasubramaniyan (CEO, Pindrop) – Listen to his full episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/15742476
🔹 Ray Wang (Founder, Constellation Research) – Listen to his full episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/16144550  
🔹 Dr. Zohar Bronfman (CEO, Pecan AI) – Listen to his full episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/16064087
🔹 Holger Mueller (VP, Constellation Research) – Listen to his full episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/16098992 


Resources

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work Newsletter: https://aiandwork.beehiiv.com/subscribe 

Connect with Vijay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijayab 

Connect with R "Ray" Wang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwang0/ 

Connect with Dr. Zohar Bronfman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zohar-bronfman/ 

Connect with Holger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holgermueller/ 


 

321: Can AI Really Predict Startup Success? Data Ethics, Trust, and Insights from Megh Gautam, Crunchbase CPO03 Feb 202500:36:57

Megh Gautam, Chief Product Officer at Crunchbase, is one of the sharpest product minds in Silicon Valley. With a track record that includes leadership roles as Head of Product at Twilio and Director of Product Management at Dropbox and Hearsay Systems, Megh has honed his expertise in driving innovation and growth. An active angel investor, Megh combines his industry insights with a passion for supporting emerging talent and ideas. He holds a Master of Science in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University and a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology from the National Institute of Technology Durgapur in India.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How Crunchbase is leveraging AI and proprietary data to provide predictive insights for startups and investors.
  • The balance between enhancing data accuracy and maintaining ethical transparency in AI-driven decision-making.
  • The emergence of AI marketplaces that empower creators to monetize their content while preserving ownership rights.
  • Why trust and attention are the scarcest resources today, and how Crunchbase ensures both through innovation and responsibility.
  • The importance of skepticism in the age of LLMs and how to foster critical thinking in a generation growing up with AI.
  • Megh’s reflections on his journey as a product leader and how mentorship has shaped his career at top tech companies like Twilio, Dropbox, and Hearsay Systems.


Resources:

320: How Disruptive Technologies are Revolutionizing the Way We Work: A Conversation with Josh Drean, Co-Author of Employment is Dead27 Jan 202500:39:20

Josh Drean is a leading voice in the future of work community, known for his advocacy on bringing more humanness into the workplace. As Co-founder of the Work3 Institute, Josh specializes in the intersection of employment and emerging technologies, including AI, blockchain, and AR/VR. He is the co-author, along with Deborah Perry Piscione, of the forthcoming book "EMPLOYMENT IS DEAD: How Disruptive Technologies Are Revolutionizing the Way We Work", to be published by the Harvard Business Review Press. Josh holds a master's degree from Harvard and has studied I/O Psychology. His insights have appeared in renowned publications such as the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Fast Company, and he has been featured on The Today Show, NBC, and FOX Business.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • The challenges of traditional work models and why they no longer serve the needs of today’s workforce.
  • How the next generation is reshaping expectations around job security, compensation, and career fulfillment.
  • A fresh take on decentralized work and how it could change the way we collaborate and earn.
  • What contribution-based compensation could look like and how it aligns with shifting values in the workplace.
  • The evolving role of AI in our careers and why adapting to new technology is essential for staying competitive.
  • Insights on how companies can attract and retain the best talent by prioritizing employee experience in a rapidly changing world.

Resources

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work Newsletter - https://aiandwork.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Connect with Josh on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshdrean/

AI fun fact article - https://www.semafor.com/article/12/02/2024/employee-lawsuit-accuses-apple-of-spying-on-its-workers

On How to Measure the Business Impact of Machine Learning and why all AI isn't Generative AI - https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/14464391 

319: The Future of Music with AI: Marcus "Bellringer" Bell's Journey from Producing 15,000 Songs to Creating North America’s First AI Artist20 Jan 202500:43:39

Marcus "Bellringer" Bell is an award-winning music producer, songwriter, musician, singer, activist, and entrepreneur. He has marketed, promoted, produced, remixed, and written for iconic artists like Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg, and Timbaland, as well as for major brands like Sony Music, HBO, Netflix, and Amazon. As the CEO of Bellringer Productions, Marcus oversees a music sync, licensing, and production company with a catalog of over 10,000 songs and 300 recording artists. His music has been featured by brands including McDonald's and General Mills, and even performed by Beyoncé during her On the Run II tour with Jay-Z. Marcus is also the Amazon number-one bestselling author of Bellringer Branding Bible: The 5 Musician Branding Principles for Singers, Rappers, DJs, Music Producers, Composers, Writers, and Recording Artists. His contributions to music and branding make him a trailblazer in the industry.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • Marcus Bellringer's journey as a music producer and technologist, blending creativity with AI to transform the music industry.
  • How AI tools have enabled Marcus to create over 15,000 songs in just six months, surpassing a lifetime of work without AI.
  • The creation of Ravyn Lyte, North America's first AI music artist, and how it represents innovation in music creation and mental health advocacy.
  • AI's role in the entertainment industry, addressing fears and shifting the narrative from threat to opportunity.
  • The humanistic approach to AI, emphasizing the importance of emotional connection, storytelling, and compassion in the age of technology.
  • Practical advice for creatives navigating the intersection of humanity and AI, including tools and strategies for finding meaning and purpose.


Resources:

318: How AI and Sustainability are Redefining Hybrid Work and Product Design: Insights from Prakash Arunkundrum, Logitech COO13 Jan 202500:40:15

Prakash Arunkundrum is the Chief Operating Officer at Logitech, a $14 billion market cap company with over 7,300 employees globally. With a broad range of responsibilities, Prakash oversees the company’s operations, including global manufacturing, supply chain, customer experience, and quality operations. He also serves as General Manager of one of Logitech's business units and leads the strategy for the company's environmental sustainability initiatives. Prakash, who joined Logitech in 2015, has a rich background in management consulting, having held executive positions at Kearney and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is also an architect of Logitech’s AI strategy and a sought-after speaker on AI and the future of computing.


In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How Logitech is positioned at the intersection of AI and daily life, providing the input layer for AI models through audio, video, and content.
  • Logitech's commitment to sustainability, focusing on reducing the environmental impact of devices and using AI to optimize energy efficiency.
  • The potential of AI to automate repetitive tasks, allowing humans to focus on creative and intuitive work.
  • The philosophy of responsible AI, emphasizing fairness, transparency, and accountability in its development.
  • The global culture at Logitech that fosters innovation, diversity, and seamless user experiences.
  • Prakash’s leadership style as a pragmatic strategist who values data, empathy, and people-first results.

Resources

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work Newsletter: https://aiandwork.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Connect with Prakash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakasharunkundrum/

AI fun fact article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/10/29/ai-electronic-waste-recycling/  

On Generative AI Businesses That Are Getting Investor Dollars: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naomi-and-derek-investors-at-menlo-ventures-on/id1476885647?i=1000654677763

317: Dr. Brian Magerko on Revolutionizing Creativity: AI's Role in Art, Music, and Education06 Jan 202500:36:13

Dr. Brian Magerko is a professor of Digital Media at Georgia Tech, where he directs the Expressive Machinery Lab and the graduate studies program in Digital Media. With degrees in Cognitive Science from Carnegie Mellon and Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan, his research explores the intersection of human creativity and AI. Creator of EarSketch, a platform enabling music creation through code used by over a million users nationwide, Dr. Magerko’s work has earned over $20 million in federal grants and features in The New Yorker, USA Today, and NPR.


In this conversation, we discuss:

  • How Dr. Brian Magerko's work at the intersection of human creativity and AI is redefining educational tools and artistic expression.
  • The creation and impact of EarSketch, a platform that teaches coding through music and has reached over a million users.
  • The ethical considerations of AI-generated art and music, including intentionality and cultural impact.
  • How improvisational cognition and embodied computing inform the future of human-computer interaction.
  • The societal and educational implications of integrating AI tools like ChatGPT into learning environments.
  • Exciting examples of innovative AI applications in music, dance, and public interactive installations.


Resources

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work Newsletter

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn

AI fun fact article  

On entrepreneurship in emerging markets


 

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