Navigating AI with Rich Wilson

Welcome to Navigating AI, where we guide business and HR leaders through Navigating AI is the show for CEOs, CFOs, and HR leaders who want the truth about what AI means for their business and their people. We translate the “new intelligence era” into practical moves: smarter productivity, clearer communication, better talent decisions, and modern workforce strategy. Expect candid conversations with operators, HR leaders, and experts, plus frameworks and takeaways you can use the same weekthe new intelligence era.

Navigating AI with Rich Wilson is a business podcast hosted by Rich Wilson, with 19 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Rich Wilson hosts Navigating AI with Rich Wilson, a business show with 19 episodes published.

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  Episode #20260713

  The Nucleus of AI: What Leaders Can Learn from the First Artificial

  Sep 18, 20261h 6m

  AI did not begin with ChatGPT. In this episode of Navigating AI , Rich Wilson continues the conversation with Vrat Jerabek of PsychTests and Dr. Ilona Jerabek to explore the deeper history of artificial intelligence, from the first artificial neuron to expert systems, fuzzy logic, neural networks, Hidden Markov Models, and modern large language models. Together, they connect AI’s history to today’s leadership decisions, showing why every wave of AI brings both new capability and new responsibility. The conversation also explores why leaders should not confuse impressive output with trustworthy judgment, especially when AI is used in business, assessments, analytics, or people decisions. This episode is for leaders who want to move beyond AI hype and use the technology with more clarity, context, and accountability.

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  Episode #20260717

  Practice What You Preach: How AI Can Help Build Better Managers

  Sep 9, 202634 min

  What if AI could help managers become better at the most human parts of leadership? In this episode of Navigating AI , Rich Wilson sits down with Hana Zacay , Founder of RiseBud , Director of HR at Stellar Blu Solutions, and Founder of LEADERIS Consulting, to explore a very different way of thinking about artificial intelligence. While much of the AI conversation centers on automation, efficiency, and reducing workloads, Hana is using AI to help managers practice . Through RiseBud what she describes as a “mindset gym” for managers, leaders can prepare for real workplace situations such as giving feedback, handling difficult conversations, improving communication, and building confidence before the stakes are real. Hana also shares lessons from building HR inside a fast-changing technology company, why traditional manager training often fails to translate into behavior, and where the line should remain between AI assistance and human leadership. The conversation ultimately comes back to a simple idea: great managers aren’t built by consuming more content. They’re built through practice. If you’re an HR or business leader thinking about how AI can develop people, not just automate their work. This episode offers a compelling look at what may be next for leadership development.

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  Episode #20260706

  Recruiting Across Languages, Cultures, and Job Sites

  Sep 8, 202635 min

  In this episode of Navigating AI , Rich Wilson sits down with Nicole P., an HR and talent acquisition professional supporting The Beck Group’s self-perform environment, for a grounded conversation about AI, recruiting, language, culture, and the human judgment technology still cannot replace. Nicole brings a unique perspective shaped by her work across HR, talent acquisition, employee relations, multilingual communication, psychology, and operational recruiting. She shares how AI tools can help recruiters prepare for interviews, learn unfamiliar roles, automate parts of the process, and move faster, while also explaining why AI still struggles with the human side of the work. Together, Rich and Nicole explore what AI can and cannot understand about people, especially in environments where language barriers, cultural nuance, job-site realities, trust, exhaustion, and emotional context all matter. Nicole makes a clear case for using AI as a powerful assistant, not a replacement for empathy, judgment, and real human connection. This episode is a practical conversation for HR leaders, recruiters, and business leaders trying to adopt AI without losing the human side of work.

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  Episode #20260624

  Sharpening the Axe

  Jul 31, 202641 min

  Sharpening the Axe: How Marcus Ludwig Uses AI Without Losing the Human Side of HR Artificial intelligence is changing the workplace at an incredible pace, but how do leaders embrace AI without losing the very thing that makes organizations successful: people? In this episode of Navigating AI , Rich Wilson sits down with Marcus Ludwig, Director of Human Resources and AI Strategist at Building Controls & Solutions, to explore how AI can become a force multiplier rather than a replacement for human judgment. Drawing on more than three decades of leadership experience, including 22 years with Walmart and executive HR roles across multiple industries, Marcus shares why the best leaders don’t use AI to think for them. They use it to think better. Together, they discuss how AI is helping organizations preserve decades of institutional knowledge, accelerate workforce development, and improve business performance, while also examining the areas where technology can never replace empathy, trust, accountability, and human connection. Marcus also shares his philosophy of servant leadership, the difference between being kind and being nice, why HR must understand the business beyond policies and compliance, and how leaders can prepare their organizations for an AI-enabled future without losing sight of the people they serve. Whether you’re an HR executive, business leader, or simply trying to understand how AI fits into the future of work, this conversation offers practical insights for leading with both innovation and humanity. In this episode you’ll learn: Why Marcus calls AI a force multiplier, not a dependency How organizations can preserve institutional knowledge before it walks out the door The role AI plays in accelerating learning and workforce development Why HR leaders must become strategic business partners The leadership difference between being kind and being nice Where AI creates value, and where human judgment remains irreplaceable Because in the end, AI may sharpen the axe, but people are still the ones who build the future.

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  Episode #20260622

  AI Without Hype

  Jul 2, 202634 min

  In this episode of Navigating AI , Rich Wilson sits down with Yoonki Na, Vice President of People & Culture at Jefferson Dental & Orthodontics, to explore what practical AI adoption looks like inside a real HR function. Yoonki leads people strategy for a distributed healthcare workforce across more than 60 Jefferson Dental locations. In a business where communication, consistency, and employee engagement are critical, his team has been using ChangeEngine to create more timely, personalized, and scalable HR communications. Yoonki shares how AI-enabled tools have helped his team reduce manual communication work, improve employee feedback, automate key touchpoints, and strengthen connection across a multi-location workforce. He also discusses how HR leaders should evaluate new technology without getting distracted by polished demos or AI hype. This conversation is a grounded look at how AI can help HR teams create more capacity and consistency while keeping human judgment, empathy, and trust at the center of the work.

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