Pondering AI

Sheryl Cababa is the Chief Design Officer at Substantial where she conducts research, develops design strategies and advocates for human-centric outcomes.From the infinite scroll to Twitter edits, Sheryl illustrates how current design practices unwittingly undermine human agency. Often while delivering exactly what a user wants. She refutes the need to categorically eliminate the term ‘users’ while showing how a singular user focus has led us astray. Sheryl then outlines how systems thinking can reorient existing design practices toward human-centric outcomes. Along the way, Kimberly and Sheryl discuss the limits of empathy, the evolving ethos of unintended consequences and embracing nuance. While acknowledging the challenges ahead, Sheryl remains optimistic about our ability to design for human well-being not just expediency or profit.A transcript of this episode can be found here. Our next episode explores the limits of model land with Dr Erica Thompson. Subscribe now so you don’t miss it.

Kate O’Neill is an executive strategist, the Founder and CEO of KO Insights, and author dedicated to improving the human experience at scale.  In this paradigm-shifting discussion, Kate traces her roots from a childhood thinking heady thoughts about language and meaning to her current mission as ‘The Tech Humanist’. Following this thread, Kate illustrates why meaning is the core of what makes us human. She urges us to champion meaningful innovation and reject the notion that we are victims of a predetermined future.Challenging simplistic analysis, Kate advocates for applying multiple lenses to every situation: the individual and the collective, uses and abuses, insight and foresight, wild success and abject failure. Kimberly and Kate acknowledge but emphatically disavow current norms that reject nuanced discourse or conflate it with ‘both-side-ism’. Emphasizing that everything is connected, Kate shows how to close the gap between human-centricity and business goals. She provides a concrete example of how innovation and impact depend on identifying what is going to matter, not just what matters now. Ending on a strategically optimistic note, Kate urges us to anchor on human values and relationships, habituate to change and actively architect our best human experience – now and in the future.A transcript of this episode can be found here.Thank you for joining us for Season 2 of Pondering AI. Join us next season as we ponder the ways in which AI continues to elevate and challenge our humanity. Subscribe to Pondering AI now so you don’t miss it.

Giselle Mota is a Principal Consultant for the Future of Work at ADP where she advices organizations on human agency, diversity and learning in the age of AI.  In this energetic discussion, Giselle shares how navigating dyslexia spawned a passion for technology and enabling learning at work. Giselle stresses that human agency and automation are only mutually exclusive when AI is employed with the wrong end in mind. Prioritizing human experience over ‘doing more with less’ Giselle explores the impact – good and bad - of AI systems on humans at work today.While ruminating on the future happening now, Giselle puts the onus on organizations to ensure no employee is left behind. From the warehouse floor to HR, the importance of diverse perspectives, rigorous due diligence and critical thinking when deploying AI systems is underscored. Along the way, Kimberly and Giselle dissect what AI algorithms can and cannot reasonably predict. Giselle then defines the leadership mindsets and talent needed to bring AI to work appropriately. With infectious optimism, she imposes a reality check on our innate desire to “just do cool things”. Finally, in a rousing call to action, Giselle makes a robust argument for robust accountability and making ethics endemic to every human endeavor, including AI.A transcript of this episode can be found here.Our final episode of Season 2 features Kate O’Neill. A tech humanist and author of ‘A Future so Bright’ Kate will discuss how we can architect the future of AI with strategic optimism. Subscribe to Pondering AI now so you don’t miss it.  

Baroness Beeban Kidron is an award-willing filmmaker, a Crossbench Peer in the UK House of Lords and the Founder and Chair of the 5Rights Foundation.In this eye-opening discussion, Beeban vividly describes how the seed for 5Rights was planted while getting up close and personal with teenagers navigating the physical and digital realms ‘In Real Life’. Beeban sounds a resounding alarm about why treating all humans as equal on the internet is regressive. As well as how existing business models have created a perfect societal storm, especially for children.Intertwining the voices of these underserved and underrepresented stakeholders with some shocking facts, Beeban illustrates the true impact of the current digital experiment on young people. In that vein, Kimberly and Beeban examine behaviors we implicitly condone and, in fact, promote in the digital realm that would never pass muster in so-called real life. Speaking to the brilliantly terrifying Twisted Toys campaign, Beeban shows how storytelling can make these critical yet oft sensitive topics accessible. Finally, Beeban speaks about critical breakthroughs such as the Age-Appropriate Design Code, positive action being taken by digital platforms in response and the long road still ahead.A transcript of this episode can be found here.Our next episode features Giselle Mota. Giselle is a Principle Consultant for the Future of Work at ADP where she advices organizations on human agency, diversity and learning in the age of AI. Subscribe to Pondering AI now so you don’t miss it.

Vincent de Montalivet is the Global AI Sustainability Leader at Capgemini where he develops strategies to use AI to combat climate change and drive corporate net-zero initiatives.In this forthright discussion, Vincent charts his path from supply chain engineering to his current position at the crossroads of data, IT and sustainability. Vincent stresses this is the ‘decade of action’ and  highlights cutting edge AI applications enabling the turn from simulation to accountability in real-time. Addressing fears about AI, Vincent shows how it enables rather than replaces human expertise.In that vein, Kimberly and Vincent have a frank discussion about whether AI for environmental good balances AI’s own appetite for energy. Vincent examines different aspects of the argument and shares recent research, facts and figures to shed light on the debate. He describes why AI is not a silver bullet, why AI is not always required and emerging research into making AI itself green. Vincent then provides a 3-step roadmap for corporate sustainability initiatives. Discussing emerging innovations, Vincent pragmatically points out that we are only addressing 3% of the green use cases that can be addressed with AI today. He rightfully suggests focusing there.A transcript of this episode can be found here.Our next episode features Baroness Beeban Kidron. She is the Founder and Chair of the 5Rights Foundation which is leading the fight to protect children’s rights and well-being in the digital realm. Subscribe to Pondering AI now so you don’t miss it. 

David Ryan Polgar is the Founder of All Tech is Human. He is a leading tech ethicist, an advocate for human-centric technology, and advisor on improving social media and crafting a better digital future. In this timely discussion, David traces his not-so-unlikely path from practicing law to being a standard bearer for the responsible technology movement. He artfully illustrates the many ways technology is altering the human experience and makes the case for “no application without representation”.   Arguing that many of AI’s misguided foibles stem from a lack of imagination, David shows how all paths to responsible AI start with diversity. Kimberly and David debunk the myth of the ethical superhero but agree there may be a need for ethical unicorns. David expounds on the need for expansive education, why non-traditional career paths will become traditional and the benefits of thinking differently. Acknowledging the complex, nuanced problems ahead, David advocates for space to air constructive, critical, and, yes, contrarian points of view. While disavowing 80s sitcoms, David celebrates youth intuition, bemoans the blame game, prioritizes progress over problem statements, and leans into our inevitable mistakes. Finally, David invokes a future in which responsible tech is so in vogue it becomes altogether unremarkable. A transcript of this episode can be found here. Our next episode features Vincent de Montalivet, leader of Capgemini’s global AI Sustainability program. Vincent will help us explore the yin and yang of AI’s relationship with the environment. Subscribe now to Pondering AI so you don’t miss it.  

Dr. Valérie Morignat PhD is the CEO of Intelligent Story and a leading advisor on the creative economy. She is a true polymath working at the intersection of art, culture, and technology.In this perceptive discussion, Valérie illustrates how cultural legacies inform technology and innovation today. Tracing a path from storytelling in caves to modern Sci-Fi she proves that everything new takes (a lot of) time. Far from theoretical, Valérie shows how this philosophical understanding helps business innovators navigate the current AI landscape.Discussing the evolution of VR/AR, Valérie highlights the existential quandary created by our increasingly fragmented digital identities. Kimberly and Valérie discuss the pillars of responsible innovation and the amplification challenges AI creates. Valérie shares the power of AI to teach us about ourselves and increase human learning, creativity, and autonomy. Assuming, of course, we don’t encode ancient, spurious classification schemes or aggravate negative behaviors. She also describes our quest for authenticity and flipping the script to search for the real in the virtual.Finally, Valérie sketches a roadmap for success including executive education and incremental adoption to create trust and change our embedded mental models.A transcript of this episode can be found here.Our next episode features David Ryan Polgar, founder of All Tech is Human. David is a leading tech ethicist and responsible technology advocate who is well-known for his work on improving social media.  Subscribe now so you don’t miss it. 

Yonah Welker is a technology innovator, influencer, and advocate for diversity and zero exclusion in AI. They are at the forefront of policies and applications for adaptive, assistive, and social AI.  In this illuminating discussion, Yonah traces their personal journey from isolation to advocacy through technology. They are passionate about the future of AI-enabled education, healthcare, and civics. Yet caution that our current approach to inclusion is not, in fact, inclusive. While evaluating mechanisms for accountability, Yonah shares lessons learned from the European Commission’s diverse approach to technology evaluation.   Yonah has an expansive view of how AI can “change everything” for those who experience life differently – whether they are autistic, neurodiverse, disabled or dyslexic. Kimberly and Yonah discuss how AI is expanding the borders of the classroom and workplace today. And how these solutions can inadvertently reinforce existing barriers if not mindfully applied. This leads naturally to the need for broad community collaboration and human involvement beyond traditional corporate boundaries. Yonah highlights our responsibilities as digital citizens and the critical debate over digital ownership. Finally, Yonah emphasizes that we are all, at our core, activists who can influence the trajectory of AI.  A transcript of this episode can be found here. Our next episode features Dr. Valérie Morignat PhD. Valerie is the CEO of Intelligent Story and a leading advisor on the creative economy who works at the intersection of art and AI. Subscribe now so you don’t miss it. 

Dr. Eric Perakslis, PhD is the Chief Science and Digital Officer at the Duke Clinical Research Institute.  In this incisive discussion, Eric exposes the curious nature of healthcare data. He proposes treating data like a digital specimen: one that requires clear consent and protection against misuse. Expanding our view beyond the doctor’s office, Eric shows why adverse effects from data misuse can be much harder to cure than a rash. As well as our innate human tendency to focus on technology’s potential while overlooking patient vulnerabilities. While discussing current data protections, Eric lays the foundation for a shift from privacy toward non-discrimination. Along the way, Kimberly and Eric discuss the many ways anonymous data can compromise patient privacy and the research it underpins. In doing so, a critical loophole in existing institutional review boards (IRB) and regulatory safeguards is exposed. An avid data advocate, Eric adroitly argues that proper patient and data protection will accelerate innovation and life-saving research. Finally, Eric makes a case for doing the hard things first and why the greatest research opportunities are rooted in equity.  A transcript of this episode can be found here. Our next episode features Yonah Welker. They are a ‘tech explorer’ and leading voice regarding the need for diversity and zero exclusion in AI as well as the role of social AI. Subscribe now so you don’t miss it.  

Dr. Ansgar Koene is the Global AI Ethics and Regulatory Leader at Ernst & Young (EY), a Sr. Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham and chair of the IEEE P7003 Standard for Algorithm Bias Considerations working group.  In this visionary discussion, Ansgar traces his path from robotics and computational social science to the ethics of data sharing and AI. Drawing from his wide-ranging research, Ansgar illustrates the need for true stakeholder representation; what diversity looks like in practice; and why context, critical thinking and common sense are required in AI. Describing some of the more subtle yet most impactful dilemmas in AI, Ansgar highlights the natural tension between developing foresight to avoid harms whilst reacting to harms that have already occurred. Ansgar and Kimberly discuss emerging regulations and the link between power and accountability in AI. Ansgar advocates for broad AI literacy but cautions against setting citizens and users up with unrealistic expectations. Lastly, Ansgar muses about the future and why the biggest challenges created by AI might not be obvious today. A full transcript of this episode can be found here.Thank you for joining us for Season 1 of Pondering AI. Join us next season as we ponder the ways in which AI continues to elevate and challenge our humanity. Subscribe to Pondering AI now so you don’t miss it.