AI Readiness Project

Epizode

• The AI Readiness Project Series Finale 29.04.2026 1h

  This week, Kyle Shannon and Anne Murphy bring past guests back to close out The AI Readiness Project together. No new topic, no single focus — just the people who shaped the show, in the same space one more time.A few guests will share where they are now and what has shifted since we last talked. The rest will be the kind of conversation that happens when people who've been paying attention finally get to compare notes.This is our last episode.
• Your AI Business Analyst Is Already Waiting, with Alice Bazdikian 22.04.2026 1h 3min

  "𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘐 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘵 — 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩: 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘐-𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘵." — Alice Bazdikian𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀Most small business owners think AI is for big companies with big budgets. Alice Bazdikian has spent 20 years — and the last several of them training hundreds of entrepreneurs — proving that wrong. The real barrier isn't technology. It's mindset.𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆Alice Bazdikian built Small Business AI Coach on one core conviction: entrepreneurs deserve to reclaim their time. With 20 years of cross-functional experience and a track record training 300+ people on SaaS tools — including 100+ participants in Ontario small business accelerator programs — she's watched firsthand what happens when someone stops fighting AI and starts using it as their personal business strategist. A published author, self-described multipassionate, digital nomad who's traveled to 45 countries and speaks five languages, Alice brings a global perspective to a very local problem: too many entrepreneurs are buried in "make work" that AI could handle in minutes. Her current focus is showing small businesses exactly how Claude can function as their on-demand analyst and strategic advisor — and why that levels the playing field in ways that weren't possible even two years ago.𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹-𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗜-𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿 — Alice's framework starts with mindset, not software, because the right mental model determines whether AI saves you hours or wastes them.• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 "𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸" 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗜 — Not all tasks are created equal; learn to spot the ones eating your time and build simple AI workflows to eliminate them.• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝘁 — Alice walks through how small businesses can leverage Claude to get strategic insights without hiring a consultant.• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 — AI tools like Cowork and Claude Code are changing what's possible for solo entrepreneurs and small teams.• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗜-𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽 — Practical steps for rewiring how you approach decisions, workflows, and growth using AI as a thinking partner. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝘁• 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗜 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: smallbusinessaicoach.com• 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲'𝘀 𝗔𝗜 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿: smallbusinessaicoach.com/webinar.html• 𝙎𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙣 𝘼𝙁 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 + 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼: https://a.co/d/05tywzAm• 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻: linkedin.com/in/alice-bazdikian• 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗲 / 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰: anthropic.com• 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗜: https://she-leads-ai.mn.co/• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻: https://thesalon.ai/• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺: https://ruready4ai.com/𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project Wednesdays at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• How AI is Changing Design Thinking, with Sumin Chou 15.04.2026 54min

  𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚'𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙣𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝘼𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣?𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆:We're going live with Sumin Chou, Managing Partner at Schema — a research and design firm working at the intersection of data, technology, and human experience. Sumin has spent decades shaping digital products for The New York Times, Neiman Marcus, Victoria's Secret, CBS Interactive, and more. Now he's turning his attention to one of the most important questions in tech: as AI takes over execution, what becomes of design thinking?In this conversation, Kyle Shannon and Anne Murphy dig into how AI is reshaping the role and value of design — and where designers have the greatest impact right now. Expect a grounded, thoughtful take from someone who's been at the forefront of digital product design for 25+ years.𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲:• How AI is changing what "design work" actually means• Where human design judgment is irreplaceable• What organizations get wrong about AI and UX• The difference between AI-generated interfaces and AI-augmented thinking• What Sumin's current work at Schema reveals about where this is all heading𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁:𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝘂 is a Managing Partner at Schema, a research and design firm that transforms complex information into clear, intelligent digital experiences. He previously co-founded Concentric, a creative studio whose clients included Neiman Marcus, West Elm, and the Council on Foreign Relations. Before that, Sumin served as Digital Design Director at The New York Times, leading creative for all of the company's online properties, and held senior roles at Time Inc. and multiple agencies. His work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, the Webby Awards, Communication Arts, and the Society of Publication Designers. He currently serves as an executive judge for the Webby Awards and is focused on how AI can augment human decision-making through thoughtful interface design, data visualization, and responsible product strategy.𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽:• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 — without losing the human judgment that drives results• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗨𝗫 in a way that goes beyond "it generates images fast"• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗜-𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 that keeps strategy, not tools, at the center• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 — what makes one responsible, useful, and actually human-centered• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿 when generative tools are changing the baseline for execution𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝘁:• 🔗 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻: https://www.schemadesign.com/• 🔗 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻: / sumin-chou• 📄 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁, 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝘂: / designing-what-comes-next-schemadesign-ajhqe• 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗜: https://she-leads-ai.mn.co/• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻: https://thesalon.ai/• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺: https://ruready4ai.com/𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project Wednesdays at 3pm (PDT), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• From Tool Sprawl to One System for Small Business with Eugina Jordan 08.04.2026 59min

  "AI is not going to be built by Big Tech or Silicon Valley, it's going to be built by people like us." — Eugina JordanWhy This Matters: Small businesses drown in disconnected tools — QuickBooks here, HubSpot there, Gmail somewhere else — and waste hours toggling between tabs instead of growing. Eugina Jordan built a patented platform to end that chaos and put real-time business intelligence into the hands of non-technical founders.The Story: After 24 years in telecom — where she created a new market category called Open RAN and rose to Chief Marketing Officer — Eugina Jordan became an empty nester and decided she had one more startup in her. She co-founded YOUnifiedAI with her former colleague, combining enterprise-grade integration patterns with a conversational AI layer so small business owners can simply ask their business how it's doing. The platform, built on five patented integration patterns, launches at Startup Grind this spring.Your Readiness Roadmap:• How to stop drowning in tabs by unifying your business tools into a single conversational interface• How to assess your own AI readiness by starting with curiosity rather than credentials• How to build a company in three months by leveraging AI tools and trusted relationships• How to hire for the AI era by prioritizing curiosity over technical checklists• How to turn telecom-grade thinking into small business advantage by abstracting complexity the way carriers unify 2G through 5GInside the Conversation:• [00:00] Open — The AI adoption gap and why now is the second-best time to start• [00:10] The content overload problem and why human connection beats artifacts• [00:17] Multiple businesses, one orchestration layer — the future of solopreneurship• [00:28] Meet Eugina Jordan — from telecom veteran to AI startup CEO• [00:33] How YOUnifiedAI unifies disconnected business tools with patented tech• [00:39] Eugina's AI journey — from predictive AI in telecom to generative AI startup• [00:45] Launching at Startup Grind, pitching at Venture Summit, and listening to users• [00:49] Eugina's TEDx talk — technology giving ordinary people superpowers• [00:57] AI Readiness = being curious, not being afraid, and just startingThe Toolkit:• YOUnifiedAI — Eugina's patented platform unifying business tools for SMBs• Eugina Jordan on LinkedIn• Claude Code — terminal-based AI development environment• Google Gemini / NotebookLM — AI workspace and research tools• The AI Salon — community of 4,000+ exploring AI• She Leads AI — women's AI education and communityWatch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrT7MsGbUKAConnect with the AI Readiness Project:• The AI Salon• She Leads AI• Wednesday LIVE — 3pm PT / 6pm ET
• She Built a University Because the Old One Couldn't Keep Up, with Sasha Thackaberry, Ph.D. 01.04.2026 1h 1min

  Most conversations about AI and education ask how traditional institutions can adapt. Sasha Thackaberry asked a different question: what if you didn't start with the old system at all? As Founder and President of Newstate University — the nation's first AI-founded, AI-focused university — she's not retrofitting a legacy model. She built something new from the ground up, and the architecture itself is the argument.𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆Sasha spent decades inside some of higher education's most respected institutions — LSU, SNHU — leading digital transformation and watching the same patterns repeat: slow curriculum cycles, credential debt that outpaced career payoff, and a growing gap between what learners needed and what institutions could deliver in time to matter. When AI started reshaping the job market faster than any traditional university could respond, she stopped trying to fix the old system and started building a new one. Newstate University launched as a fully competency-based, self-paced, stackable institution where learners can apply, enroll, and start a credit-bearing course the same day — for $300 a month, no textbook fees, no waiting for "next semester."𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆: Why stackable certificates let you solve an immediate career problem now and build toward a full degree when you're ready• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲-𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝘁: The skills and frameworks Newstate builds around so learners stay relevant through multiple role shifts• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳: From AI coaches inside courses to LinkedIn-based communities replacing traditional discussion boards• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲: What the "New State" of education looks like for the professional who feels behind• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: Why competency-based, no-elective, prescribed progressions reduce friction for learners who need outcomes, not options𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝘁• 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆: https://newstateu.com/• 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗮𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗨: https://newstateu.com/about-the-professional-development-studio-at-newstate-university• 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗜: https://she-leads-ai.mn.co/• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻: https://thesalon.ai/• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺: https://ruready4ai.com/𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• The Digital Afterlife: Why AI is Your Final Love Letter, with Niki Weiss 25.03.2026 55min

  "𝙒𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙥𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨." — Niki Weiss, Digital Thanatologist & Founder of ENDevo𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: We're all building companies, accumulating data, and leaving digital trails — but 70% of Americans have no end-of-life plan at all. Not a will. Not a legacy contact on their phone. Nothing. In a world where AI can replicate your likeness after you're gone, that's a problem worth solving now.𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: Anne sits down with Niki Weiss — hospice clinician turned project manager turned Digital Thanatologist and founder of ENDevo — to talk about the part of AI readiness nobody's discussing: what happens to everything you've built when you're no longer here to manage it. Niki lost both parents by the time she was an adult, spent years doing bedside hospice work, and now helps individuals and companies get their legal, financial, physical, and digital affairs in order before crisis hits. This episode goes from surprisingly practical (yes, you can set up your iPhone Legacy Contact in about 90 seconds) to genuinely philosophical — and Anne does both live, on air.𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽:• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 — and why skipping this means your family may need a court order to access your data• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 — passwords, social accounts, and everything living in the cloud• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝗻𝗱-𝗼𝗳-𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 — with checklists, accountability, and a realistic timeline (Niki's clients have a complete plan within 100 days)• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 — so your company doesn't collapse if something happens to you• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 — because most people aren't avoiding the plan, they're avoiding the discomfort 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:• [𝟬𝟬:𝟬𝟬] Intro & this week's format — Kyle's traveling, Anne's flying solo• [𝟬𝟰:𝟬𝟬] Anne on "Claudifying" She Leads AI — building AI agents, compound engineering, and what she learned from Beth Lyons and Sebastian Chedal• [𝟭𝟯:𝟬𝟬] Building Sheila: Anne's AI Chief of Staff and how her agentic executive leadership team works• [𝟮𝟭:𝟬𝟬] Introducing Niki Weiss — Digital Thanatologist, what that means, and why Thanos is actually the Greek god of death (not a Marvel villain)• [𝟮𝟳:𝟬𝟬] Niki's origin story — hospice work, losing both parents early, and how a will update changed everything• [𝟯𝟬:𝟬𝟬] 70% of Americans have no end-of-life plan — and the data on your phone is the new conversation starter• [𝟯𝟮:𝟬𝟬] Live demo: Anne sets up her iPhone Legacy Contact in real time• [𝟯𝟳:𝟬𝟬] Niki's program 𝘔𝘺 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 and ENDevo's employee wellness model for end-of-life planning• [𝟰𝟭:𝟬𝟬] AI, grief bots, Facebook's ghost platform, and what it means to not own your digital afterlife• [𝟰𝟳:𝟬𝟬] Can AI replace the grief process? Downloading consciousness, and what it means to be human right now• [𝟱𝟯:𝟬𝟬] Niki's definition of AI readiness — and why this is "the next level of adulting"𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝘁• Final Playbook / ENDevo: www.finalplaybook.com• Niki Weiss on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nikiweiss• She Leads AI: https://she-leads-ai.mn.co/• The AI Salon: https://thesalon.ai/• The AI Readiness Program: https://ruready4ai.com/𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• How to Trust the AI You've Built, with Sebastian Chedal 18.03.2026 57min

  Sebastian Chedal has spent 25 years guiding organizations through digital transformation. These days, the question at the center of his work is one every executive is starting to ask: how do you minimize the risks of your AI system so you can actually trust it?This week, Kyle and Anne dig into AI testing, implementation risk, and what it takes to build systems you can stand behind.'Sebastian is the CEO of Fountain City, where he leads AI transformation and digital implementation engagements, and co-founder of TestFox.ai, a platform built specifically for AI testing. Over his career he has guided organizations including Heineken, Sony, Nike, and MITCO Tires through technology strategies that produce measurable outcomes.If you're an executive or team lead who's been handed an AI initiative and told to figure it out, this conversation gives you a grounded way to think about risk, reliability, and what responsible AI implementation looks like in practice.𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽:• How to evaluate whether your AI system is ready to trust before it touches your operations• How to approach AI testing so you're not discovering problems after launch• How to reduce liability exposure without slowing down your AI adoption• How to distinguish between AI that sounds promising and AI that performs• How to build a case for leadership when the question is "how do we know this is safe?"𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝘁:• 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆: https://fountaincity.tech/• 𝗔𝗜 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺: https://testfox.ai/• 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗜: https://she-leads-ai.mn.co/• 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻: https://aisalon.mn.co/• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺: https://ruready4ai.com/𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• How to Score Better Ads Using Creative AI with Ben Jones 11.03.2026 1h

  In a world saturated with content, the difference between a global hit and a digital ghost is creative that's backed by data. We sit down with Ben Jones to explore how AI doesn’t replace the "soul" of an ad but finally gives us the tools to measure why it works.𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝗕𝗲𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀, the Founder and CEO of 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗴𝘀, is leading a shift in how brands think about creative. With a background that spans global leadership for brands like Apple and Disney, Ben now focuses on the intersection of human artistry and machine precision. Through Sundogs, he’s helping brands like L’Oréal and Google unlearn traditional advertising to embrace a creator-first model. By using AI-driven diagnostics to score video content, Ben is proving that the future of work isn't about human vs. machine—it’s about how machines can help us understand what makes us human.𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽• 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹: Combine raw human creativity with AI diagnostic scoring to reduce risk in creative decisions• 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗱 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀: Find out why the biggest brands are moving away from "polished" ads toward high-performing creator content.• 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗹: Use AI to analyze thousands of creative variables without stripping away the authentic voice of the creator.• 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀: Shift your focus from "did this work?" to "why did this work?" using Sundogs' AI-driven insights.• 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁 𝗮 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁: See why the most human content often requires the most sophisticated AI to optimize at scale.𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝘁• 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗴𝘀: https://sundogs.io/• 𝗖𝗼𝗻n𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗻: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iambenjones/• 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲: Forbes: How L’Oréal Unlearned Advertising (https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiegut...)• 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗜: https://she-leads-ai.mn.co/• 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻: https://aisalon.mn.co/• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺: https://ruready4ai.com/𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• Stop Chasing Hacks: How to Build Repeatable AI Workflows, with Kate Marshall 04.03.2026 58min

  "𝘐𝘧 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦'𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘴." That's by Derek Sivers. This speaks to where we're at right now and how knowledge and information have zero value. It is all very much how we get creative and what we do with that information. - 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀We are currently drowning in AI "news," but starving for AI 𝘦𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. Most professionals are stuck in a cycle of random experimentation that leads to "shadow AI" and organizational risk. Kate Marshall joins us to explain why the secret to AI readiness isn't more data—it's better systems.𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆Kate Marshall, Founder of 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗶 (pronounced "The Gray"), spent 20 years in the high-stakes world of cybersecurity training at the SANS Institute. She’s seen how people react to emerging threats, and she’s applying those lessons to the AI revolution. Whether she’s writing children’s books to simplify complex tech or 3D printing her own household items, Kate is obsessed with the bridge between the machine and the human. Her new book, 𝘈𝘐 𝘢𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬, is the result of that obsession—a step-by-step guide for the non-technical professional who is ready to move past the hype and start building.𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽• 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁: Stop looking for magic words and start building repeatable workflows that actually save time.• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗭𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁: Accept that knowing things is no longer a competitive advantage; doing things with AI is the new gold standard.• 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆: Use Kate’s cybersecurity-first lens to implement AI without exposing your company to unnecessary risk.• 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀: Don't buy the software until you’ve identified the specific low-joy task it’s meant to replace.• 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗘𝗿𝗮: Why thinking about 3D printed shoes and household robots helps you develop the mental flexibility needed for the next 5 years of work. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝘁• 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗶: https://thegr.ai/• 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 (𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸): https://www.amazon.com/Work-Step-Step...• 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗜: https://she-leads-ai.mn.co/• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻: https://aisalon.mn.co/• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺: https://ruready4ai.com/
• Why "Doing" is the Only AI Strategy That Matters, with Noelle Russell 25.02.2026 1h

  "AI readiness in my book is a set of principles, and those principles are pretty simple. One, you are now in a world where you can be a doer, not a talker." — 𝗡𝗼𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀As automation strips away the tasks of our jobs, we are entering a Great Repurpose where our value shifts from what we 𝘥𝘰 to who we 𝘢𝘳𝘦. Noelle Russell shows us how to use AI not just as a tool, but as an amplifier for our unique human lived experiences.𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆Noelle Russell was there at the start of Alexa, as one of the first ten employees on the Amazon team helping bring it to life. Motivated by a desire to create a kinder world for her son, who was born with Down Syndrome, Noelle has spent 25 years at tech giants like AWS and Microsoft. Today, she runs the 𝗔𝗜 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲, where she champions responsible AI and helps individuals become single-person unicorns by amplifying their work through intelligent agents.𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽• 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆: Decouple your self-worth from your daily tasks; when AI automates the doing, your value lies in your integrity, critical thinking, and empathy.• 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 "𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁" 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲: Before consuming content (doom-scrolling), commit to producing something that educates, informs, or entertains.• 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗹𝘆𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹: Use AI to handle the bane of your existence (like scheduling and inboxes) so you can focus on the high-value work only you can do.• 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Your history as a caregiver, parent, or divergent thinker is a superpower; it allows you to guide AI models with more patience and better questions.• 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 "𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄, 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹": Don't just talk about AI; build a prototype. Use tools to visualize the backlog of ideas you once thought were impossible.𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻• [𝟬𝟬:𝟬𝟭:𝟬𝟬] The Crisis of Meaning: Tying work to worth in the age of automation.• [𝟬𝟬:𝟬𝟱:𝟬𝟬] The Great Repurpose: Rediscovering who you are outside of your job description.• [𝟬𝟬:𝟮𝟱:𝟬𝟬] Crafting a Career: How Noelle’s journey as a caregiver shaped her approach to tech.• [𝟬𝟬:𝟯𝟯:𝟬𝟬] Baby Tiger Mode: The danger of falling in love with AI models without leadership.• [𝟬𝟬:𝟱𝟰:𝟬𝟬] Single-Person Unicorns: How Noelle uses 32 agents to amplify her business.𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝘁• AI Leadership Institute: https://aileadershipinstitute.com/• I Love AI: https://www.skool.com/iloveai/about• The AI Salon: https://aisalon.mn.co/• She Leads AI: https://she-leads-ai.mn.co/𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• From Principles to Practice: Daisy Thomas on the Politics of AI Readiness 18.02.2026 57min

  𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆This week on The AI Readiness Project, hosts Anne Murphy and Kyle Shannon talk with Daisy Thomas, Director of Advocacy and Policy Development at AI Salon. Fresh from a state policy fly-in in Tallahassee, Daisy brings a grounded, up-close look at how AI governance is unfolding—not just in theory, but in town halls, statehouses, and community centers.We explore how public infrastructure, not just private innovation, shapes the AI future—and what that means for leaders outside the usual tech and policy circles.𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽What everyday people are asking for in AI policy—and why it mattersHow civic infrastructure, not just software, prepares us for AIThe quiet power of cultural spaces in shaping responsible tech𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁Daisy Thomas is Director of Advocacy and Policy Development at AI Salon. She helps founders, policymakers, and communities turn abstract AI principles into governance that builds public trust. Her work spans policy, civic infrastructure, and culture. Learn more at thesalon.ai/advocacy.𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• From Panic to Purpose: Navigating "The Great Repurpose" 11.02.2026 59min

  "𝘞𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦-𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯... 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴." — Kyle Shannon 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀As autonomous agents and generative tools begin to commoditize traditional skills, the "AI Readiness" conversation is shifting from simple curiosity to a deep exploration of human value. Understanding how to decouple your self-worth from your daily tasks is no longer just a philosophical exercise—it is a survival requirement for the 2026 workforce. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆In this Jam Session, Kyle Shannon and Anne Murphy peel back the curtain on the emotional and structural shifts coming in 2026. Kyle introduces 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲, a framework for surviving the mass disengagement that occurs when AI transforms or eliminates the jobs we love. Anne counters with her 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗦𝗶𝘅, a tactical deep-dive into how deceptively simple tools—like AI meeting recorders—bump up against our core values, privacy, and organizational power structures. Together, they explore the both/and era: a time when we are simultaneously empowered by new technology and mourning the ego death of our old professional identities. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽• Decouple Work from Worth: Recognize that while AI can replicate tasks, it cannot replace your unique judgment, taste, and point of view.• Audit Your Big Six Tactics: Identify the AI tools you use (like meeting recorders) and evaluate them not just for productivity, but for how they impact your values and organizational transparency. • Adopt a Both/And Mindset: Accept that you can be both the good guy (empowered by AI) and the bad guy (displacing traditional roles) depending on the context. • Build Your Survival Community: In an era of forced retirement and rapid sector shifts, being AI Ready means staying in conversation with heart-centered peers who are navigating the same soup. • Move from Prompting to Managing: Prepare for the shift from writing prompts to managing "swarms" of autonomous agents that act proactively on your behalf.𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝘁• 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗜: Anne Murphy’s brand focused on vulnerable, community-driven AI adoption. https://sheleadsai.ai/• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻 / 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱: Kyle Shannon's community for daily practice and AI readiness. https://aisalon.mn.co/• 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝟰.𝟲: Kyle’s recommended tool for deep research and persona building. https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-opus-4-6• 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘄: The autonomous agent framework Kyle and Anne are currently monitoring. https://openclaw.ai/• 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗺: For AI-powered meeting recording and historical data mining. https://www.fathom.ai/
• How to Protect Your Digital Identity in the AI Era, with Ken Griggs 04.02.2026 58min

  This week on 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁, hosts 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗵𝘆 (𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗜) and 𝗞𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗻 (𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻) talk with 𝗞𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝘀, CEO of 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹, about protecting your digital identity when AI makes impersonation cheap and trust harder to earn.As synthetic content floods the internet, the real issue isn’t just deepfakes — it’s the growing uncertainty around what (and who) to believe. Ken explains why “old internet” security habits don’t fully cover the AI era, and how tools like 𝗻𝗼𝘁.𝗯𝗼𝘁 use cryptographic verification to help creators and public-facing professionals prove authenticity 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢.We also dig into the mindset shift: moving from casually “posting content” to intentionally authorizing and protecting your identity — because your face, voice, and reputation are now part of the attack surface.𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀• Why the trust crisis isn’t theoretical anymore — and how it shows up for creators, leaders, journalists, and influencers• How cryptographic verification can help prove content authenticity without relying on “AI detection” whack-a-mole• Practical ways to think about protecting your likeness (voice/image) and reducing unwanted reuse• Why decentralized approaches can sometimes simplify trust instead of complicating it• The shift from “sharing online” to consciously authorizing and licensing your digital identity𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗞𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝘀 is CEO of 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 and a leader in cryptography, blockchain, and privacy for content creators. He holds eight patents, has been recognized with a National Technical Emmy, and has built blockchain solutions used globally, including work connected to the United Nations. Learn more at 𝗻𝗼𝘁.𝗯𝗼𝘁.𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲• 𝗻𝗼𝘁.𝗯𝗼𝘁 | 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹: https://not.bot• 𝗞𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻: / kengriggs𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• How Do You Know You Have an Ops Problem? with Danielle LaFleur 28.01.2026 1h 1min

  𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁Danielle LaFleur is the Founder of Easy As Pie, where she and her team help organizations find operational gaps, clear bottlenecks, and turn messy processes into steadier cash flow—without treating people like a cost to cut. When she’s not untangling workflows, she’s on the road: Danielle travels 150K+ miles a year and happily admits she’s addicted to exploring.𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄Anne Murphy and Kyle Shannon sit down with Danielle for a candid, funny, deeply human conversation about what “AI readiness” actually looks like when you’re running a real business. They talk about why ops is where AI can be most useful, how to approach automation without defaulting to layoffs, and why Danielle thinks this moment is pushing all of us to get clearer on who we are—separate from our job titles. Along the way: rediscovering creative work, building personal practices, and the surprising ways AI can reflect your values back to you.𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀A practical gut-check: signs you don’t have a “people problem” — you have an ops problem.Automation with a backbone: Danielle’s line in the sand—she won’t take work designed to fire people.What “scale” can mean: more time, more breathing room, better bonuses, and healthier teams—not just bigger numbers.AI readiness, redefined: start with self-knowledge; tools come second.On data & privacy: common-sense guardrails, and why culture and representation in training inputs matter.𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• Raising Capital with Clarity: Katie Dunn on Pitching, Investor Conversations, and Digital Twins 14.01.2026 1h

  𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁:𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝗻𝗻 (𝘀𝗵𝗲/𝗵𝗲𝗿) is an angel investor and startup advisor who has financed $10B+ in commercial real estate and invested in nearly 30 early-stage companies. Through Masthead Strategies, she helps underrepresented founders sharpen their pitch, tell a clearer fundraising story, and walk into investor conversations prepared. Katie serves on the boards of Outcast Brands, Fierce Foundry, and the Enthuse Foundation—and she’s also the person to talk to if you want a candid take on Digital Twins.𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄:Fundraising often goes sideways for simple reasons: the story is hard to follow, the “why now” is fuzzy, or the ask doesn’t match the stage of the company. In this episode, Anne Murphy and Kyle Shannon sit down with Katie Dunn to break down what strong pitches have in common, what makes investors lean in, and how founders can prepare for diligence before it becomes a scramble. They also get into one of Katie’s favorite topics—𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀—and how that way of thinking can change how you talk about proof, performance, and trust.𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻:• The first 2–3 minutes of a pitch: what matters most (and what can wait)• How to define traction in a way that fits your stage• The questions that signal real interest vs. polite curiosity• Common red flags founders can fix early• Why Digital Twins keep coming up—and what founders should consider as they build𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘, 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘, 𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗘:Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• Reimagining Cinema: How AI is Opening New Worlds for Underrepresented Creators 07.01.2026 1h 1min

  𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁:Kimberly Offord is an award-winning AI Filmmaker and creative visionary whose work sits at the intersection of music, culture, and technology. She has produced groundbreaking AI-generated music videos for two Grammy-winning artists, including three official projects for Lalah Hathaway’s VANTABLACK album: the original “Tunnels” video, the official Tunnels Remix video, and the viral reel “Black.” Her work also includes a music video for singer Sy Smith and cinematic projects for entrepreneurs and corporate clients such as Bronner Brothers. Kimberly’s AI short film Cafe Conversations placed in the Top 50 of the Reply AI Film Festival in Venice, highlighting her global recognition in the AI film movement. She is also the creator of the Playground Pastime AI Film Contest, the Chicago AI Film Festival, and the Black AI Film Festival launching in 2026—initiatives that are defining new spaces for underrepresented voices in AI-driven storytelling.𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄:AI isn’t replacing filmmakers—it’s removing the gatekeepers. In this conversation, Kimberly Offord, founder of Playground Pastime and the Chicago AI Film Festival, shares how AI is reshaping visual storytelling and clearing space for underrepresented voices to lead a new cinematic movement.Listeners will get a front-row seat to two standout AI films, including last year’s Festival Winner, and hear how the Playground Pastime ecosystem is opening doors for creators who’ve traditionally been kept out of the industry. This is a conversation about technology, but even more so about access, visibility, and rewriting the script on who gets to tell powerful stories.𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝘀:The AI Readiness Project airs every Wednesday at 3pm with hosts Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Subscribe to stay connected to the people shaping what’s next.
• Sitting With the “Ick”: Building an AI Practice + Chris Vallone on Filmmaking Past Budget Walls 31.12.2025 1h 1min

  "𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘈𝘐 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦? 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰... 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨." — Chris Vallone𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄This week, hosts 𝗞𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗻 (𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻) and 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗵𝘆 (𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗜) start with an honest check-in: the difference between “being busy” and having a practice you can return to—especially when you’re stressed, avoiding something annoying, or stuck in that not-knowing feeling. From there, the conversation widens into what people actually 𝘣𝘶𝘺 when they buy “AI” (and what they don’t), why one-and-done training often falls short, and how community can be the difference between quitting and getting traction.Then 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 joins to talk about a massive shift in independent film: what happens when your biggest constraint isn’t budget anymore. Chris walks through his creative process, how he works with writing tools without handing over the wheel, what film festival reactions have been like, and why newcomers who ignore these tools may be putting themselves at a disadvantage.𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀• 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. A steady approach helps you work even when you don’t feel like it—and helps you tolerate the “I don’t know how” moment without spiraling.• 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻. Tool-hunting is a trap if you haven’t named your goal.• 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: reflect (how am I showing up?), get curious (play and explore), build (apply), and serve (share, ask, support).• 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿. You don’t have to quietly struggle through every stuck point—especially when tiny settings and small choices can change everything.• 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁. Chris explains how today’s tools can shrink costs for scenes that used to require huge crews, coordination, and cash—while still demanding taste, direction, and craft.𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 is a longtime filmmaker and artist (and also a vintage VW Beetle restorer) who’s bringing scripts he wrote years ago to the screen using today’s video tools. From MiniDV-era, shoestring sets to AI-assisted storyboards and trailers, Chris shares what’s gained, what’s lost, and what still matters most when you’re trying to tell a great story.𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘, 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘, 𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗘Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• Empowering Community Through AI with Marline Paul 24.12.2025 1h 2min

  𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 On this episode of The AI Readiness Project, we sit down with Marline Paul, a powerful voice for accessibility in AI education. Marline shares how she pivoted from the classroom to entrepreneurship, why AI is her best (and snarkiest) co-worker, and how she brings her educator’s mindset to help others understand tools without feeling overwhelmed. Kyle and Anne also explore the broader impact of human-centered AI projects, including the heartwarming story of Brandon Tidd’s custom GPT designed to support people affected by SNAP benefit changes, and Daisy Thomas’ unexpected use of that GPT to create a nutritious grocery plan on a shoestring budget. From musicals inspired by AI relationships to kids turning beach games into video games, this episode reminds us that when people lead with curiosity and care, AI can help us build stronger connections and more creative lives. 𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬𝗦 • How Marline uses her teaching background to guide learners through AI tools with clarity and patience • The power of small wins in AI adoption—like discovering you don’t need to outsource your slide decks • Why AI literacy doesn’t mean knowing everything—it means knowing enough to try • A look at real-world applications of custom GPTs designed with empathy • What AI readiness really means—and how to know if you’re on the path 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 Marline Paul is a former math teacher turned AI educator, community builder, and founder of EAM Creative Solutions. With over 17 years in education, she now supports entrepreneurs, small business owners, and college students in using AI tools with confidence and intention. Known in her circles as “Coach Marline,” she’s passionate about turning everyday questions into teachable moments and helping her community move from uncertainty to action. 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘, 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘, 𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗘 Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.
• Spotlight on AI Festivus 2025: Voices Shaping the Future of Work 17.12.2025 1h

  In this special AI Festivus 2025 spotlight episode, Anne and Kyle sit down with five standout voices set to speak at this year’s AI Festivus gathering on December 26–27. Each guest brings a hands-on perspective on how AI is reshaping everyday work—creatively, practically, and with a focus on real people, not just shiny tools. 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: From operations to storytelling, from enterprise content systems to small-business growth and local news, these guests are having the kinds of conversations professionals are craving right now. They’re building workflows, habits, and practice-ready approaches that help teams use AI with intention instead of overwhelm. 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁: 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝘆𝗼𝗻𝘀, AI trainer, operations consultant, and co-host of The Daily AI Show, who builds practical systems that bring AI into daily workflows one repeatable habit at a time. 𝗝𝘆𝘂𝗻𝗺𝗶 𝗛𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿, advisor, media and tech strategist, and co-founder of Synchro AI, who connects AI, culture, and storytelling—from enterprise strategy to transmedia experiments and patent-backed tooling. 𝗦𝘂𝘇𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘀, Adobe product manager and AI speaker, who helps teams cut through AI tool fatigue by shifting from “what’s the hottest app?” to “what problem are we actually solving?”—drawing on experience building 50+ custom GPTs and leading GenStudio pilot projects. 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘂𝗿, founder of EasyAsPie.ai and creator of Inbox Whisperer AI, who blends business strategy, email systems, and a bit of “woo” to help founders keep their marketing human while using AI to stay consistent and sane. 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀, founder of Zoned 8 AI, whose boots-on-the-ground work with small-town businesses, newspapers, and community organizations keeps local voices strong in a tech-heavy world. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻: • How AI trainers and operators are turning experiments into stable, everyday workflows • Why media, storytelling, and culture still sit at the heart of AI adoption • Practical ways to reduce AI tool overload and focus on problem-first thinking • How local businesses and newsrooms are using AI without losing their community roots • How founders and small teams can use AI for marketing and email without sounding like a robot Tune in every Wednesday at 3pm with hosts Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon.
• Spotlight on AI Festivus 2025: AI in Practice 10.12.2025 1h

  In this special AI Festivus 2025 spotlight episode, Anne and Kyle sit down with five standout voices set to speak at this year’s AI Festivus gathering on December 26–27. Each guest brings a unique perspective on how AI is changing everyday work—creatively, practically, and ethically.𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄:  From legal innovation to local journalism, from creative workflows to community resilience, these guests are leading conversations worth having—and not just at conferences. They’re building tools, habits, and mindsets to help professionals use AI with purpose, not panic. 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁:𝗖𝘆𝗻𝗱𝗶 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗻, founder of Applied Futures Lab and author of 𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘈𝘐 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘵, who helps professionals build structured, repeatable AI practices.  𝗔𝗻𝗻 𝗠𝗰𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻, patent attorney and founder of AI-Enabled Attorney, showing legal teams how to bring AI into real-world legal work—without losing what makes it human.  𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀, founder of Zoned 8 AI, whose boots-on-the-ground work with small-town businesses and newspapers keeps community voices strong in a tech-heavy world.  𝗟𝗶𝘇 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿-𝗚𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗱, AI producer and founder of Not Liz AI, who brings just enough chaos (and structure) to help creative teams use AI without losing the creative spark.  𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲, filmmaker, business owner, and creator reviving his DIY stunt-driven scripts from the early 2000s—now using AI filmmaking tools after a two-decade break spent restoring vintage VW Beetles.  𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻:• What real AI integration looks like in law, journalism, and creative production• How structured habits, not hype, make AI sustainable• Why local businesses and communities matter in the AI conversation• How a filmmaker is blending old-school stunts with new-school AI to bring stories to life𝗧𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝟯𝗽𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗵𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗞𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻.🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5460595014369280