How can educators in rural and underserved communities pioneer the use of cutting-edge technology? Award-winning STEM teacher McKenna Akane shares her incredible journey of bringing AI and VR into her rural Montana classroom. In this episode, she discusses fundraising for VR headsets, winning the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition, preserving Indigenous culture with technology, and the importance of creating ethical, human-centered learning experiences for every student.

High school teacher Mike McGuckin discusses his practical strategies for integrating AI into his computer science classes. He shares how he uses AI as an "idea bouncer" for lesson planning, how he facilitates conversations on AI ethics, and what it truly means to be a future-ready educator today.

Why do most AI pilots fail? Tech leader Susan C. McLeod shares a practical guide to successful AI adoption, leadership strategy, and enterprise AI readiness for the future.

How is AI trained? Digital literacy advocate and Data Girl creator Angeline Corvaglia pulls back the curtain on the human decisions behind AI. She and Lydia Kumar discuss everything from beauty bias in data labeling and the emotional design of chatbots to the urgent need to preserve young people's unique voices in a world of algorithmic influence.

William A “Bill” Brown, IBM Distinguished Engineer Emeritus and founder of Application Engineering Services, joins us to explore what it takes to lead through rapid technological change. With four decades of experience, Bill shares how curiosity, continual learning, and a human-centered approach have shaped his journey.

Cary Wright, a 30-year veteran educator and co-founder of T.E.A.C.H., joins us to share how he’s helping teachers go from overwhelmed to empowered through practical, responsible AI use.

In this episode, we slow down the AI conversation with John Sharon, Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning at Carolina Friends School. With over 34 years in education, John has seen fads come and go and knows the importance of discernment.

Montana teacher Connor Mulvaney shares how AI literacy lessons and the aiEDU Trailblazers Fellowship ($875 stipend) help rural educators teach with large-language models.

What happens when an AI tutor shrinks core academics to two hours? Alpha guide Ben Gordon Sniffen shares a model that trades seat-time for mentorship and real-world skills.

Ad veteran Jim Cobb reveals how emotion science birthed “Priceless,” and how AI is scaling brand strategy today.

Dr Alison Welcher reveals why the future of AI-powered leadership starts with rest, values, and slowing down, plus how her THRIVE framework helps women of color win.

Digital marketer & photographer John Kornegay reveals how AI tackles the first 80 % of the job, so human insight perfects the last mile.

Educator Tanzania Brown discusses using AI for student affirmation, confronting AI bias, and closing the educational equity gap.

Attorney Mariah Street shares how she uses AI like ChatGPT in her estate planning practice to boost efficiency while navigating critical ethical guidelines.

Explore how wedding planner Jen Murphy leverages generative AI to streamline tasks, boost creativity, and enhance human connections in her business. Discover practical tips for ethical AI integration.

Strategist Dox Brown discusses 'hollisis,' the dynamic human thinking AI can't replicate, and its impact on the future of work, learning, and what makes us human.

North Carolina’s Vera Cubero helped craft some of the nation’s first K-12 AI guidelines. She joins Lydia to share why project-based learning, durable skills, and ongoing teacher PD are essential for human-centered AI adoption, especially in rural and underserved schools.

In this episode, host Lydia Kumar interviews Travis Packer (The Ready) about integrating generative AI into organizations. They discuss real-world use cases, preserving human voice, tackling workforce implications, and the importance of intentional adoption. Learn how to leverage AI’s speed while safeguarding uniquely human contributions.

Celia Jones explains how ChatGPT became her research assistant and confidence boost as she moved from church comms to the senior-living sector. Listen for practical prompts, ethical guardrails, and tips on using AI to deepen human connection.