Pondering AI

How is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) shaping our human experience?Kimberly Nevala ponders the reality of AI with a diverse group of innovators, advocates and data scientists. Ethics and uncertainty. Automation and art. Work, politics and culture. In real life and online. Contemplate AI’s impact, for better and worse.All presentations represent the opinions of the presenter and do not represent the position or the opinion of SAS.

Pondering AI is a technology podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 103 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts Pondering AI, a technology show with 103 episodes published.

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  Episode #104

  Curiosity and Connection with Cecilia Dones

  Sep 30, 202650 min

  Cecilia Dones guides leaders toward meaningful AI adoption by remaining endlessly curious, prioritizing social connection, valuing deviation, and embracing uncertainty. Kimberly and Celicia discuss connection in a tech-centric world; tech's shiny object syndrome; amplifying the right messages; extreme personalization, social affinity and "brand love"; AI slop; why attention and trust travel alone; internet blindness; influencers and experiential activity; scarcity and value; anonymity as a value play; the 2 data camps; valuing nuance and deviation; purposeful growth and mindful decision making; incentivizing ideas over yessing; agency and the construct of consent. Dr. Cecilia Dones is the Founder and CDO of 3 Standard Deviations , which helps leaders and brands navigate AI under conditions of uncertainty. Building on over 15 years of leadership experience at Fortune 500 organizations and in academia, Cecilia works at the crossroads of AI/technology adoption, consumer experience, leadership psychology and organizational decision-making. Related Resources: The AI Shift : Thriving in a World with Smart Machines and Robots (book) A transcript of this episode is here .

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  Episode #103

  Labored Narratives with Kelly Monahan

  Sep 16, 202644 min

  Kelly Monahan reimagines the story of AI at work, helping leaders to reclaim the plot and draw up new business blueprints that optimize human capability and innovation. Kimberly and Kelly discuss what work and AI are all about; universally held (un)truths; if people are lazy; economic incentives and employee experience; optimization vs. maximization; AI as an elevator; how leaders lose the plot; what constitutes good business; the danger in humanizing AI; human variance and innovation; desirable work; creating space for learning; keeping people employable; and bringing humanity back to work. Kelly Monahan is a preeminent Future of Work and AI Advisor working at the intersection of leadership, labor markets and emerging tech. Prior to co-founding Beyond the Desk , Kelly served as Managing Director of the Upwork Research Institute and held senior leadership roles positions at Meta, Accenture and Deloitte. Related Resources: Reclaim the Plot : How Leaders Rewrite the Story when AI Rewrites Work (book) Essential : How Distributed Teams, Generative AI, and Global Shifts Are Creating a New Human-Powered Leadership (book) Dr. Kelly Monahan (website) A transcript of this episode is here .

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  Episode #102

  Conscious Participation with Leigh Felton

  Aug 19, 202653 min

  Leigh Felton believes we can benefit from AI systems without surrendering to them if we carefully consider the environments and behaviors we promote while deploying AI. Kimberly and Leigh discuss the power of perspective; organizations as people; using AI consciously; the AI environment and library etiquette; how AI use shapes human behavior; whether AI systems are adaptive; AI authority and narrow optimization; the gap between lived experience and historical data; the AI Emperor’s new clothes; quiet organizational failures; and who benefits from humanizing AI. Leigh Felton is the President of the AI for Job Security Foundation . Leigh applies her extensive experience leading communications, business strategy and operations at the world’s largest tech companies to help organizations make conscious decisions about and with AI. Related Resources: I Could’ve Been CEO Yesterday V1: But AI Algorithms Say I’m a DEI Risk Today (book) I Could’ve Been CEO Yesterday V2: Does AI Decide Who’ll Be CEO Tomorrow? (book) Inside Power w/ Leigh Felton (newsletter) A transcript of this episode is here .

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  Episode #101

  Verifiably Authentic with Sarah Barrington

  Aug 5, 202649 min

  Sarah Barrington shifts from simply asking “real or fake?” to deeply considering the ways AI and synthetic media influence our notions of culture, identity and trust. Kimberly and Sarah discuss her road from the fast track of F1 to the frontlines of AI; the genesis of photography; supercharging existing harms with GenAI; the unsavory roots of synthetic media; microtargeting and information warfare; the liar’s dividend; content detection and digital identity; the agentic AI challenge; culture, identity and relevance; Mythos, AI access and proliferation; anti-regulatory narratives; the nuclear analogy; equipping policy makers and the public; questioning everything; and true AI enablement. Sarah Barrington is an AI researcher and PhD Candidate at UC Berkeley where she is part of Professor Hany Farid’s digital forensics lab. She also holds multiple cybersecurity positions. A specialist in generative AI & deepfake analysis, Sarah’s work has been cited at the Nobel Prize Summit, on NPR, by the UN and in numerous publications. Related Resources: David Attenborough and the Voice That Revealed a Planet ( article ) Sarah’s Research and Publications ( website ) The DeepSpeak Dataset Get Real Security Labs A transcript of this episode is here .

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  Episode #100

  Ethical Imagination with Renée Cummings

  Jul 22, 202652 min

  Renée Cummings channels the spirit of due process while envisioning a radically imaginative world in which the benefits of ethical AI innovation are available to all. Kimberly and Renée discuss her radical optimism; finding joy in justice; AI’s criminal misadventures; bringing an ethical imagination to AI; creative innovation; our responsibility to the future; AI as a public health challenge; the social contract and duty of care; how governance, data, and trust intertwine; due process as core to intelligence; child protection and the AWARE (algorithmic awareness and responsible engagement) campaign; giving love a break; and why responsibility requires honesty. Renée Cummings is a Professor of Practice at the University of Virginia School of Data Science as well as a Nonresident Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the AI Equity Lab at the Brookings Institution. Renee also serves as the Co-Chair of the Global Academic Network at the Centre for AI and Digital Policy ( CAIDP ). Related Resources: Michigan Technology Journal: An Invitation to Partner (article) The A.W.A.R.E Initiative (Press Kit) Who is Raising Your Child? (A.W.A.R.E Initiative publication) A transcript of this episode is here .

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