

No Brainer - An AI Podcast for Business
Geoff Livingston and Greg Verdino
Artificial intelligence is reinventing business as we speak. You can either get up to speed or get left behind. The choice is yours and it’s a no-brainer. Join CognitivePath founders Geoff Livingston and Greg Verdino as they chat with AI experts about the ideas, trends, and tools that are creating the future of business today.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 19, 2025 • 51min
NB52 - AI for Kids. AI for Everyone - with AI and data literacy expert Amber Ivey
AiDigiTales creator and AI for Kids podcast host Amber Ivey joins Greg Verdino and Geoff Livingston to discuss the significance of AI literacy for children, the role of data in AI, and how governments can use AI effectively. The conversation elaborated on the importance of educating children about AI, the practical challenges that governments face with data accuracy, and the future of AI in the public sector.Additionally, Amber shares her insights on creating an AI playground for government agencies and the significance of parental knowledge in guiding children through AI technologies. Amber, Geoff and Greg also discuss why it’s harder for adults to get AI, and how DOGE is impacting state and local governments.Chapters00:00 Intro01:40 The Importance of AI Literacy for Kids03:31 Challenges and Solutions in AI Education09:39 AI in Government Work, Including Procurement Challenges16:02 Navigating Federal and State AI Challenges in a DOGE Environment19:21 The AI for Kids Podcast26:49 Integrating AI Education into Schools34:31 Pairing AI Education for Parents and Kids37:55 Data Literacy and AI GovernanceYou can listen to the AI for Kids podcast at https://aiforkids.buzzsprout.com; learn more about the AiDigiTales books, content, and courses at https://aidigitales.com/; contact Amber Ivey via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberivey/); and learn more about Social Finance here: https://socialfinance.org/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 5, 2025 • 47min
NB51: What Do Scrapple, Margaritaville, and the 2024 Election Have in Common? Advocacy AI
Harnessing AI and Data in Advocacy featuring Tom Spencer from AdvocacyAIGet ready for a fascinating discussion about how AI is impacting the political advocacy space with Tom Spencer, CEO and Founder of AdvocacyAI. In this episode of the No Brainer Podcast, Tom, Greg Verdino and Geoff Livingston dive into explore topics ranging from the role of AI in advocacy, effective data utilization, and the human element in political communication.The conversation included a fascinating segment on using AI for political micro-segmentation and personalization were a major factor in the 2024 election. And yes, they do talk about English breakfasts, scrapple, the Super Bowl, and Margaritaville, too. Tom, Greg and Geoff also touch on the nuances of using AI without stripping the humanity out of advocacy efforts and reflect on the technology's larger impact on political strategies.00:00 Start02:07 Introducing Tom Spencer06:00 Data's Importance in AI and Advocacy10:04 AI Helping Human Communication22:42 Political Communication and Data in Elections29:54 AI's Role in Non-Profit and For-Profit Sectors34:59 Job Loss Concerns with AI45:33 Closing Remarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

7 snips
Feb 19, 2025 • 53min
NB50 - "AI is Underhyped." The Future of Marketing with Shiv Singh
Shiv Singh, an accomplished author and co-founder of AI Trailblazers, dives deep into the underhyped potential of AI in marketing. He emphasizes the urgent need for marketers to embrace AI and adapt their skills to stay relevant. The conversation touches on humbling experiences with AI, the evolving dynamics between humans and AI, and the importance of humility in AI collaboration. Shiv also shares insights from his book, highlighting practical strategies for marketers to thrive in an AI-driven world, making it clear: evolve or risk being left behind.

Feb 5, 2025 • 45min
NB49: Cleaning Up Sloppy AI Content
In this episode of 'No Brainer,' Greg Verdino and Geoff Livingston are joined by Nina and Steven Moss, co-founders of Mendit.ai, to address the growing influence of AI on marketing and content creation. They discuss the positive and negative impacts of AI-generated content, the importance of maintaining authenticity, and how technology can be used to detect and limit the spread of fraudulent reviews and misinformation.Takeaways
AI is creating a lot of synthetic content that can pollute digital ecosystems.
The social impact of AI-generated content wasn't fully considered during its rollout.
Marketers need to inspire real content rather than rely on AI slop.
Understanding algorithms is crucial for navigating the digital landscape.
AI can be tailored to meet specific customer needs, enhancing personalization.
Digital literacy is essential for consumers to discern misinformation.
Brands must take responsibility for the integrity of their online presence.
The ethical implications of AI-generated content are significant and need addressing.
AI can enhance productivity but should not replace human connection.
The future of marketing will require a balance between AI efficiency and human authenticity.
Chapters01:53 Sloppy AI Content06:58 The Problem of Fake Reviews12:00 The Dangers of Manufactured Identities17:07 The Positive Uses of AI in Content Creation22:36 Finding the Right Balance in Marketing30:19 The Role of Technology in Identifying Misinformation35:28 The Future of AI and Human InteractionMendit.ai - https://mendit.ai/Nina Moss - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nina-moss-1182b0300/Steven Moss - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-moss-65333732b/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 22, 2025 • 38min
NB48 - It Takes a Community… AI for Associations with Higher Logic CTO Conor Sibley
If data is gold, then the domain-specific data in membership and customer communities is platinum.In this episode of No Brainer, CognitivePath’s Greg and Geoff discuss the high-potential intersection of community, content, and AI with Conor Sibley, CTO of Higher Logic – an industry leader in cloud-based engagement platforms for associations and enterprises.They explore the challenges and opportunities presented by AI, particularly in the context of community knowledge, data governance, and operational efficiency. The conversation highlights the importance of leveraging community insights, ensuring data quality, and the transformative potential of AI agents in organizations. They also address the need for clear communication of AI's value to stakeholders and the outlook for AI in professional associations.Connect with Conor Sibley on LinkedIn and visit HigherLogic.com to learn more about their suite of engagement solutions, including online communities and marketing automation.Takeaways· AI tools must be intentionally developed to avoid poor user experiences.· Communities provide valuable domain knowledge that can enhance AI applications.· Data governance is crucial for effective AI integration.· Content should be viewed as a valuable data asset.· AI can automate routine tasks, allowing staff to focus on strategic initiatives.· Organizations need to establish data standards for better integration.· AI can help reduce errors in critical business processes.· The future of work will involve AI augmenting human capabilities.· Engagement can be increased through better use of technology and data.· AI's role is to enhance, not replace, human jobs.Chapters00:00 Introduction02:31 AI Integration in Community Software05:07 Leveraging Community Knowledge for AI08:20 Challenges of Data Validation in AI11:28 The Importance of Data Governance16:17 The Future of AI in Organizations18:58 The Challenge of Data Standardization22:00 Agent Orchestration and API Integration27:34 Transformative Potential of AI in Membership Management33:05 Strategic Thinking in the Age of AI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 8, 2025 • 36min
NB47 - AI Trends Heading Into 2025 with Greg Kihlstrom
In this episode of The No Brainer Podcast, Geoff Livingston hosts Greg Kihlstrom, an expert in agile work, marketing, and AI. They discuss trends in generative AI, practical applications of AI in business, the importance of agile principles, common misconceptions, and how to make AI less intimidating for employees. Tune in to gain insights on maximizing AI's potential while minimizing disruptions and enhancing cross-departmental cooperation.00:00 Introduction and Greg Kihlstrom’s Background01:29 State of AI and Its Business Implications02:21 The Importance of Agile in AI Implementation03:28 Challenges and Misconceptions in AI Adoption09:18 Strategies to Help Executives Understand AI11:07 Enhancing Efficiency and Personalization with AI14:50 Overcoming AI Data Challenges and Democratizing Analytics19:59 Employee Concerns Regarding AI Adoption23:14 AI as a Horizontal Capability and Inter-departmental Cooperation27:49 Predictions for 2025 in AI and Final Thoughts32:59 Closing Remarks and How to Connect with Greg KihlstromInterested parties can learn more about Greg Kihlstom at gregkihlstrom.com, or follow him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 18, 2024 • 54min
NB46 - 4 Perspectives on Government AI
In this special episode of No Brainer, we are sharing four interviews Geoff Livingston conducted with brand experts at the recent GovAI Summit. Our speakers join us from Adobe, Abt Global, Zoom and Avaya, and discuss the state of federal, state and local adoption of AI technologies.Conversations include the adoption of image, video, and text generative AI, ethical AI to serve citizens, taxpayers and other consumers of digital government services, how improved generative AI is continuing to improve video meeting experiences, and state and local AI adoption. Join Geoff on the media stage with our experts.01:46 Jeffrey Young, Solution Consulting Manager and Steve Lewis, Digital Media Solutions Consultant at Adobe on creative-specific generative AI.18:30 Nora Connor, Director of Data Science, Abt Global discusses the ethical adoption of AI to serve citizens.34:17 Josh Stanley, AI Sales Strategy, Zoom joined Geoff in a conversation about Zoom's AI Companion and its impacts.39:38 Jennifer Bond, Vice President of U.S. SLED, Avaya offered insights into the state and local side of public sector AI adoption.Interested parties can learn more about the GovAI Summit at https://www.govaisummit.com/. Learn more about events company Modev https://www.modev.com/ and see more of its AI video content on YouTube here https://www.youtube.com/@Modev/videos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 4, 2024 • 45min
NB 45 - From RFPs to Revolution: How AI is Transforming Federal Operations with Sanjeev Pulapaka
In this episode of 'No Brainer,' Greg Verdino and Geoff Livingston host Sanjeev Pulapaka, Principal Solutions Architect at AWS and lead author of 'Empowering the Public Sector with Generative AI.'They start the conversation with a discussion about how the Trump Administration will likely deregulate AI guidance, further increasing the speed of adoption in the federal sector. Then three take a deep dive into the impact of generative AI on government operations, its potential to streamline tasks like RFP creation and data management, and the role of AI in improving productivity and service delivery in the public sector.Conversations include a discussion of the red-hot AI Agent trend and how soon it will be deployed and in which use cases. Then they discuss how Multimodal AI is already changing inputs into LLM.Finally, the conversation elves into the regulatory landscape, the importance of innovation balanced with risk management, and the latest advancements from AWS in the AI space. Sanjeev shares insights from his book throughout the conversation on how AI can transform public sector services and highlights the importance of responsible AI use, data security, and regulatory compliance.Individual chapters include:03:35 Discussion of AI in Government08:26 AI's Role in Public Sector Efficiency12:56 Challenges and Responsibilities of AI in Public Sector15:21 Innovative AI Use Cases in Public Sector17:41 Future of AI Agents22:08 Innovative Uses of AI in Everyday Life22:47 AI Maturity and Adoption Challenges25:03 Data Challenges in AI Implementation27:54 The Rise of Multimodal AI31:46 Practical Applications of Multimodal AI37:07 AWS and the Future of AIInterested parties can connect with Sanjeev Pulapaka on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjeevpulapaka/You can order empowering the Public Sector with Generative AI here: https://www.amazon.com/Empowering-Public-Sector-Generative-Applications/dp/B0D4PG9MHZAnd learn more about Amazon’s Bedrock Platform here: https://aws.amazon.com/ai/generative-ai/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 snips
Nov 20, 2024 • 50min
NB44: Leading & Learning in the AI Era, with executive advisor Lisa Nirell
Lisa Nirell, a two-time author and executive advisor, joins to discuss how mindful leaders are navigating the AI landscape. She emphasizes the importance of cultural shifts and strategic planning for successful AI integration. Lisa introduces her AI strategy test drive, highlighting the need for focusing on people and experimentation. The conversation touches on adapting workplace culture, embracing lifelong learning, and recognizing risk-takers during organizational changes. Lisa encourages leaders to balance technology's potential with wisdom and joy in their approaches.

Oct 23, 2024 • 54min
NB 43: Can AI Be Empathetic? with AI entrepreneur and author Gam Dias
In this episode of No Brainer, hosts Geoff Livingston and Greg Verdino chat with guest Gam Dias to explore the intersection of AI and customer service. They discuss the cautious optimism consumers have towards generative AI, the importance of maintaining human interaction in customer service, and the long-term implications of automation in business. The conversation highlights the need for businesses to balance efficiency with empathy, ensuring that technology enhances rather than replaces the human touch. They also delve into the accountability of AI decisions and the strategic thinking required for successful implementation of AI in organizations.Gam is product specialist at Hubbl Technologies, an adjunct professor at IE Business School in Madrid, and the author of The Data Mindset Playbook.Chapters00:00 Introduction01:54 The Impact of AI on Customer Service09:40 The Human Element in Customer Interactions19:37 Balancing AI and Human Accountability28:52 Long-Term vs Short-Term Business Strategies44:29 Conclusion and Future Considerations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices