The AI Report Live with Liam Lawson

Liam Lawson
undefined
Nov 13, 2025 • 49min

Building Real AI Humans: The Future is NOW

Try AI Pals today: http://tavus.io/pals-launch?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=theaireportIn this candid conversation with Quinn Favret, and Hassaan Raza, Co-Founders of Tavus, we dive deep into the future of human computing and how AI is learning to communicate like humans. Quinn walks us through their inspiring San Francisco office—a museum of vintage computing that fuels the company's innovation culture.Topics Covered:0:00 — Introduction & Office Tour2:15 — Building an Inspiring Workspace for Innovation5:45 — The Evolution of Human-Computer Interaction (CLI → GUI → Human Computing)8:30 — What is "Human Computing"? The OS for Human-AI Interaction12:00 — The Waltz of Communication: Understanding Turn-Taking, Tone & Body Language15:20 — Tavus Technology: Perception, Understanding, Reaction & Action20:45 — Introducing Tavus Pals: AI Companions That Reach Out to You25:30 — Real-World Impact: The AI Santa Story & Accessibility30:15 — Ethical AI: Human-First Design & Responsibility35:00 — The Future of Work: Invisible Interface & AI Coworkers (10-20 Year Vision)42:30 — Addressing Job Displacement & Automation47:00 — Building an International, Culturally Diverse Team52:15 — What Makes a Great Tavus Hire: Passion, Craft & Opinions57:45 — Employee Challenges That Changed Company Direction62:00 — The "Why Do You Do This?" Question & Personal Motivations67:30 — Closing Remarks & GratitudeKey Takeaways:Human computing is the next frontier: machines that understand you instead of you learning to understand machinesEffective communication involves far more than words—tone, timing, facial expressions, and body language all matterTavus Pals represent a new category of AI application: emotionally intelligent, proactive, and truly conversationalDiversity of perspective—cultural, generational, educational—is critical to building AI that works for everyoneThe future workplace will have AI coworkers that feel as natural to interact with as human colleaguesTimestamps & Chapters:Vintage Computing Culture & InnovationThe Evolution of Computing InterfacesHuman-Centered AI Design PhilosophyReal-Time AI Perception & UnderstandingTavus Consumer Products & APIEmotional Intelligence in AIEthical Considerations & ResponsibilityFuture of Work & The Invisible InterfaceBuilding an International TeamHiring for Passion Over BackgroundLegacy & ImpactWe explore conversations with founders, technologists, and innovators shaping the future. This episode features Quinn Hassan discussing how Tavus is reimagining human-computer interaction through emotionally intelligent AI.#AI #Tavus #HumanComputing #FutureOfWork #AICompanions #Innovation #TechPodcast #FounderInterview #Startups #EmotionalIntelligence
undefined
Nov 6, 2025 • 22min

AI Agents Fail at 95%—Here’s How Salesforce Fixes Trust | Ariel Kelman

Subscribe to the newsletter — https://newsletter.theaireport.ai/subscribeBook Enterprise Training — https://www.upscaile.com/Salesforce CMO Ariel Kelman reveals how customer-centric marketing, AI agents, and trust shape the future of enterprise technology. Learn leadership lessons from Amazon, MicroStrategy, and building marketing teams that embrace AI innovation at scale.In this exclusive interview recorded at Dreamforce, Ariel Kelman—President and Chief Marketing Officer at Salesforce—shares his journey from data warehouse consultant to leading marketing at one of the world's most influential enterprise software companies. Discover how the "have you talked to customers" philosophy from Amazon's Andy Jassy transformed his approach to B2B marketing, and why trust has become the cornerstone of successful AI agent deployment.Ariel breaks down the evolution of AgentForce, Salesforce's AI agent platform, and explains why enterprise AI requires more than impressive demos—it demands accuracy, security, and customer success at scale. You'll learn practical insights about hiring for intellectual curiosity over technical skills, building transparent resource allocation systems, and why failure is "the inseparable twin sister of innovation."⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Introduction1:03 - From Data Warehouse Consultant to CMO: Career Journey2:50 - Andy Jassy's Customer-First Philosophy at Amazon4:08 - The Foundation of Customer Success in Marketing5:46 - Trust, CRM, AI, and Data: The Four Pillars7:20 - Building Trust as a Marketing Leader8:56 - Introducing AI Agents to Enterprise Customers10:31 - What Trust Really Means in AI12:02 - President + CMO: The Dual Role Explained13:11 - Training Teams Through Inspiration, Not Just Education14:52 - Hiring for Intellectual Curiosity and Humility17:04 - Creating a Culture Where Failure Leads to Innovation18:45 - How Leaders Use AI Daily at Salesforce20:09 - The Joy of Product Marketing20:50 - Why Do You Do What You Do?💡 KEY TAKEAWAYS:Why customer obsession beats technology-first marketing every timeHow to build trust in AI agents for enterprise deploymentThe hiring questions that reveal intellectual curiosity and low egoWhy 95% accuracy isn't good enough for customer-facing AIHow Salesforce uses 17 customer success stories to market AgentForceThe difference between consumer AI and enterprise AI grounded in dataWhy transparency in resource allocation builds team trust🎤 ABOUT ARIEL KELMAN:Ariel Kelman is the President and Chief Marketing Officer at Salesforce, where he leads global marketing strategy for CRM, AI, and enterprise technology solutions. Previously, he held leadership roles at Amazon Web Services, Oracle, and MicroStrategy, bringing over 20 years of experience in B2B technology marketing and sales engineering.📢 RELATED VIDEOS:Mia Jordan, GTM AI Executive at Salesforce (https://youtu.be/pFOAlZNL_U0?si=2BMuatBIpC0biXZ0)Saket Srivastava, Asana CIO (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TryfgNj3D4&t=1s)🏢 ABOUT THIS SERIES:This interview is part of our Dreamforce leadership series, featuring conversations with C-suite executives shaping the future of enterprise technology, AI innovation, and customer experience.#Salesforce #CMO #AIAgents #AgentForce #MarketingLeadership #EnterpriseAI #B2BMarketing #CustomerSuccess #TrustInAI #Dreamforce #TechLeadership #ProductMarketing #CRM #AIInnovation #MarketingStrategy
undefined
Oct 30, 2025 • 20min

Government 2.0: How AI Agents Create Smarter Human Services | Salesforce’s Mia Jordan

⚡️ Enterprise Training — upscaile.com🤝 Join the Newsletter — newsletter.theaireport.ai/subscribeIn this episode, we delve into AI in government transformation, digital innovation in the public sector, and the future of work in an AI-driven world. Our guest, Mia Jordan — a former Chief Information Officer (CIO) turned AI GTM Executive at Salesforce — reveals how artificial intelligence, automation, and data-driven decision-making are powering the next wave of digital transformation in government. She shares insights on how public-sector innovation, customer experience (CX), and platform thinking are redefining how agencies operate. You’ll learn how AI strategy, leadership, organizational culture, and AI skills training enable smarter, more connected systems — shaping the next generation of digital government, enterprise AI adoption, and citizen-centric service delivery.We dive into:1. How government can use AI to deliver citizen-first services and customer-like experiences2. Why CIOs are central to blending IT, business, and AI strategy across large organizations3. The “platform mindset” — building once and scaling across multiple departments4. How AI can shorten onboarding time and make training radically more efficient5. Practical steps for employees and leaders to upskill with free AI training (Trailhead)6. Building a learning culture where AI adoption starts from the top down7. Career advice for recent grads entering the AI-driven workforceChapters00:00:00 Intro – The art of authentic conversation00:01:00 How to design government systems that treat citizens like customers00:03:00 CIO insights: blending business, IT, and AI00:05:00 The future of work and how AI is changing employee roles00:06:30 How to learn AI fast – Trailhead and free upskilling00:07:40 The value of grunt work in the age of automation00:09:30 AI onboarding: training employees faster and smarter00:10:40 Culture and leadership in successful AI adoption00:12:10 AI learning cohorts: building confidence and curiosity00:14:30 Measuring AI success: education, engagement, and feedback loops00:15:30 Lessons from government and innovation inside Salesforce00:17:40 What new grads should learn from sales and relationship building00:19:10 Why she does what she does – being a catalyst for change📬 Get in TouchLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/not-the-f1-driver-liam-lawson/Mia Jordan — https://www.linkedin.com/in/mia-jordan-07192852/
undefined
Oct 23, 2025 • 50min

Asana CIO | The Playbook for Human x AI Collaboration

Connect with Saket Srivastava: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saket-srivastava-84069711/👉 Asana CIO Saket Srivastava joins Liam Lawson to unpack why the future is about **collaboration over autonomy** in AI. He shares how Asana’s Work Graph underpins AI features like Smart Chat, AI Studio, and the new **AI Teammates** (with human-in-the-loop checkpoints and enterprise controls), and explains the evolving role of the CIO from back-office technologist to strategy co-creator. Saket gets specific on IT–HR partnership for AI transformation, surveying employee readiness, building an internal AI council, balancing experimentation with measurable impact, and coaching teams through change. They also tackle job displacement realistically, discuss building an AI-first culture, and end with Saket’s personal motivations, strengths, and where he’d improve.📚 Chapters00:00 Welcome & setup01:31 What Asana is & the CIO role04:39 How the CIO role changed from 2024 → 202506:11 What makes a great CIO (three-level framework)09:15 What are Asana AI Teammates?12:42 Why autonomy isn’t the goal; context, checkpoints, control14:48 Asana’s AI suite (Smart Chat, AI Studio, Teammates)15:04 The Work Graph model & “pyramid of clarity”18:31 Human-in-the-loop in practice (IT ticketing, campaign strategist)20:50 Natural-language collaboration & explainability22:01 Where AI Teammates underperform & the data hurdle25:30 Change management & the IT–HR partnership29:08 Baseline survey: excited-but-stuck employees32:14 Bottom-up innovation + top-down direction33:39 AI council, show-and-tells, and grassroots adoption36:12 Balancing innovation with impact (don’t kill experiments with ROI)37:24 Addressing fear vs. optimism; why leaning in matters40:08 Generational readiness & learning paths43:03 The future of work: augmentation over dystopia44:31 Saket beyond tech; problem-solving DNA46:45 Strengths & what he’d improve as a leader48:59 Why Saket does what he does📰 Join the Newsletter: [https://newsletter.theaireport.ai/subscribe]⭐️ Get Enterprise Training: [https://www.upscaile.com/corporate-training]
undefined
Oct 16, 2025 • 1h 5min

Why the Real Robotics Revolution Starts in the Midwest — Not Silicon Valley | Josh Furstoss

Josh Furstoss, founder of Spinout Studios and former CEO of Incued, shares a riveting journey from cleaning up in a grocery store to spearheading tech startups. He discusses the eye-opening lessons from his early corporate life and his passion for financial transparency in fintech. Josh explains the unique potential of the Midwest for robotics innovation, emphasizing niche markets and the importance of founders with deep knowledge. He also reflects on redefining success and how technology creation is his artistic expression.
undefined
16 snips
Oct 9, 2025 • 51min

How Cory Scaled to 36 VAs in 11 Months (With AI & Systems)

Cory B, founder of BluMOSA and Linked Agency, specializes in scaling operations and virtual assistant teams. In this conversation, Cory shares his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of personal branding and team culture. He discusses how he rapidly scaled to 36 virtual assistants using AI and efficient systems. Reflecting on risk management, he highlights the balance of being self-focused for effective leadership. Cory also expresses optimism about AI’s role in enhancing work efficiency and opening new entrepreneurial doors.
undefined
Oct 2, 2025 • 1h 8min

How Sophie Theodorou Built 100K Followers with One-Take AI Videos

Sophie Theodorou, an AI consultant and TikTok creator, shares her inspiring journey from teaching to content creation, highlighting how authenticity and simplicity helped her gain over 100K followers. Jett Miller from DTC House discusses strategies for scaling TikTok campaigns and the importance of using personal experiences in content. They delve into the rise of AI influencers, the challenges of creating authentic videos, and why brands must rethink their marketing in the AI age. Together, they reveal trends and the future of content creation.
undefined
15 snips
Sep 25, 2025 • 1h 15min

95% of AI Fails at Big Companies, AI SaaS is dead | Othmane Khadri

Othmane Khadri, founder of Earleads and an AI startup veteran, shares insights on the struggles and strategies of entrepreneurship in the AI landscape. He delves into why 95% of AI implementations fail due to disorganized data and emphasizes the importance of finding unique niches for early-stage startups. Othmane discusses hiring for ownership and the value of uncapped pay tied to company performance. He also highlights personal routines and cultural perceptions influencing entrepreneurial success. His journey illustrates betting on oneself in a rapidly evolving market.
undefined
26 snips
Sep 19, 2025 • 1h 17min

The Truth About B2B Newsletters in 2025, $1.50 Per New Subscriber & Why Email is Best | Ben Billups

Ben Billups, Founder of Breaker and a B2B email expert, dives into the future of email marketing and the rise of newsletters in the digital age. He explains how AI is revolutionizing communication, making the case for ethical marketing and compliance in email. Ben shares his journey from agency work to building a SaaS platform, highlighting innovative lead generation strategies and the importance of audience ownership. He also discusses the implications of AI on business and offers predictions on tech trends reshaping the landscape.
undefined
14 snips
Sep 12, 2025 • 59min

0 — 130K on LinkedIn in Less Than 10 months, Cold Outbound & YC Startups

Manthan Patel, an AI and lead generation expert, shares his inspiring journey into content creation and the world of startups. He discusses the transformative power of altruism and self-improvement while leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT. Exploring cold outreach strategies, he emphasizes the importance of human connection in high-ticket sales. Patel reveals his secrets to gaining over 100,000 LinkedIn followers in ten months and the significance of audience psychology in lead generation. His insights motivate those entering the AI industry to embrace their potential.

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app