Don't Stop Us Now! Podcast

Ever wondered what it's really like inside one of the world's fastest-growing AI companies? This week we get unprecedented access to the inner workings of Leonardo AI through their Chief Commercial Officer, Donna Thomas.Leonardo AI is a Gen AI-powered image and video generator and it’s one of Australia's AI success stories. It scaled from zero to 19 million users in just two years before being acquired by Canva last year.At ‘Leo’ as they call it, Donna plays a central role  overseeing customer, marketing, sales and enterprise adoption, as Leo charts its evolution from a fast-growing creative AI platform to an enterprise-scale solution.        Donna takes us behind the scenes and shares what hypergrowth feels like from the inside. She says Leo has redefined her understanding of speed itself.In such a fast moving environment,  the challenges of managing and sustaining teams through constant change become critical and Donna shares the specific structures and ritu

Our guest this week gets straight to the heart of what actually makes AI work in practice: seamless data integration and moving at what she calls "the speed of trust."Ann Maya is the EMEA Chief Technology Officer at Boomi, a company that connects applications, devices, and systems to help organisations navigate digital transformation. With over 20 years in software—from developer to solution architect to senior leadership—Ann has a rare ability to bridge technical complexity with business reality.In this conversation, we explore why most organisations struggle to scale AI beyond pilots, and why the answer isn't just about the technology itself. Ann shares:How a container ship insurance company transformed their underwriter workflow from three days to 15 minutes—and why their legal team immediately wanted inWhy she believes your company's data is your "competitive secret sauce" and how to protect it while still leveraging AI's powerThe psychology behind why change happens at "the speed of trust" and how smart

This week we explore how AI is reshaping all things marketing with Emma Wharton Love, co-founder of UK-based Spark AI. Emma helps creative agencies and in-house teams navigate the AI era, and her unique background includes helping the entire UK House of Commons transition to hybrid working during Covid.That experience taught Emma something crucial that we explore in this episode, successful AI deployment isn't really about the technology, it's about people and change management. We also probe one of the most sensitive areas for the marketing services industry, how AI is impacting the creative process itself. We also explore what AI video means for advertising and how it may result in a much bigger pool of advertisers in future.During this great conversation you'll also discover:What to avoid when starting out on the AI pathwayThe value of synthetic market research (and what it is)Where Emma believes the biggest gains for agencies lie How she thinks about AI’s future role in marketing creativity

This week we're sharing an AI conversation many executives are afraid to have. Our guest, Peter Guagenti, CEO of agentic platform and AI agent builder, EverWorker, is one of those rare voices willing to say what others won't: "AI will replace jobs”. Perhaps surprisingly, he goes on to explain why that’s not necessarily a bad thing.While many in the industry underestimate or downplay AI's capabilities, Peter speaks plainly about what he's seeing happen right now in businesses across multiple industries.Peter has been at the forefront of enterprise AI adoption for nearly a decade. Before EverWorker, he was President of TabNine, a pioneering AI code assistant, and he’s held leadership roles at major data infrastructure and dev tools companies including Cockroach Labs.What you'll hear Peter share in this episode:Why job replacement fears are missing the bigger picture Which "boring" businesses are actually leading early AI agent adoptionSkills you need to successfully implement AI for automation in any busin

We’re not long back from attending the AI Summit in London - the headline event for London Tech Week. And so this week’s episode is all about sharing the sometimes surprising key insights we took away. The Summit brought together an incredible cross-section of nationalities, perspectives, and industries, giving us what felt like a real-time pulse check of where AI stands right now. We were there on your behalf, identifying amazing leaders and securing some fantastic upcoming guests for the show.In this episode, we share our biggest takeaways from the event - and we suspect at least one of them will challenge what you might expect about AI's current impact in the business world.What you'll hear:The surprising reality about AI's bottom-line impact in most organisations Why even the biggest companies are missing a crucial strategic opportunity with their AI approachThe coming wave of autonomous AI Agents and what this means for how we'll all be working soon, Some rare ‘behind the curtain’ examples

Ever wondered what really happens after you hit 'apply' on that dream job? We're pulling back the curtain on modern recruitment with Magdalena Orascanin, an international HR consultant and speaker who advises and trains HR teams globally on strategic AI implementation.Based in Switzerland and founder of Magnate HR, Magdalena has a wealth of HR experience, and a refreshingly honest perspective on how AI is actually being used in hiring and in HR today - spoiler alert: it's not what most people think. Magdalena speaks regularly about AI and HR including at the AI Summit London where we can also be found this week. :-)In this episode we explore:The ATS Mythology Magdalena reveals the biggest myth about Applicant Tracking Systems and shares what's really screening your CV The Application Avalanche Why recruiters are drowning in applications like never before and what this means for your job search strategyHow to successfully apply for rolesUsing AI as Your Career Coach How to flip the script and use AI

In this week’s episode, we speak with Dr Nici Sweaney, founder of AI Her Way, who brings a powerful perspective on why women urgently need to engage with artificial intelligence - not just for their own personal productivity, but for the future quality of AI itself.Nici's journey into AI consulting and training began with a moment of clarity while rocking her toddler to sleep. As an academic, data scientist, and mother of four, she realised women,  especially those juggling multiple responsibilities, stand to benefit enormously from AI assistance. More importantly, she recognised a concerning gender gap in AI adoption that could have far-reaching consequences.In our fascinating conversation, Nici shares:Why the current gender imbalance in who is using AI presents both a personal productivity loss AND a broader societal challengeHow AI tools are actively learning from us and re-presenting our world back to us - making women's voices critical in these formative stages of the techPractical strategies for mo

This week we share a thought-provoking episode of Don't Stop Us Now AI Edition, where we tackle head-on some of the most challenging realities of the AI revolution.Our guest, Isar Meitis, Founder of Multiplai AI, gives us a reality check, without the sugarcoating, explaining the potential disruption heading our way. As an entrepreneur, investor, podcaster and AI strategist who's deeply embedded in this space, Isar brings a refreshingly frank perspective about what's coming, perhaps sooner than many of us expect.In this compelling conversation, Isar shares his predictions about the dramatic workforce changes we're likely to see in the next 2-3 years. While many experts talk about gradual transitions, Isar believes we're approaching a tipping point where AI's capabilities may create significant employment challenges across numerous industries.We explore:Why AI's impact on jobs could be more sudden and widespread than most people realiseHow staggeringly capable autonomous Agents will become in the next few years

Our episode this week tackles that quiet question many of us ponder: are others using AI more effectively than we are?We explore some fascinating new research just published by Harvard Business Review that reveals the top 100 AI use cases based on actual user reports. It shows some dramatic changes in how people are using AI compared with just one year ago. We know it will give you new insights on how you could be using AI right now too.What's particularly interesting is that the top five use cases have been completely reshuffled. Entirely new entrants making their debut straight into the top five spots. From deeply personal uses to professional applications, we were surprised by the findings.The research has a unique approach which we explore in this episode as well as:Explore the top 5 use case types and share prompts and experiences Share personal examples of how others are using AI to save hours organising their livesDiscuss why certain uses have skyrocketed in popularity, and Examine a thought-

Can you imagine spending two decades working in a field you’re totally passionate about and then having an expert friend tell you that within 6 months AI would likely make your career redundant? Well that’s exactly what happened to our guest this week, Anneli Knight. Anneli is a strategic writing consultant, author and journalist. She regularly runs workshops helping executives write more effectively with her business, Eloquence Consulting.Writing isn't just Anneli’s profession but her passion, so since that conversation with her friend, she’s been on quite the rollercoaster journey coming to terms with the reality of what AI does and what it means, not just for her own business but for all people wanting to write using Gen AI.Anneli is very candid as she shares with us her journey of confronting a future shaped by AI, as well as the key learnings from her extensive experimentation with AI as a tool. In this episode we cover:Anneli's initial reaction to her friend’s blunt message and what she d

Our guest this week, for our 200th episode, is a digital strategist, author, and purpose-driven entrepreneur. After spending a decade at Google, Meg Smith co-founded Cloverbase, a training company focused on AI literacy and tech enablement based in New Zealand.Meg's journey with AI began, like many of ours, with a genuine fear about what these powerful tools might mean for her career. While on maternity leave in November 2022, she had her first encounter with ChatGPT, which sparked concerns about whether she would be relevant in the workplace anymore. Fast forward to today, and Meg has transformed that fear into expertise, helping others navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape.In this episode, Meg shares specific prompting techniques to get better results from AI tools, why daily practice matters, and how organisations can implement AI safely through what she calls a combined "top-down and bottoms-up" approach. She also brings some great insights on balancing the risks and benefits of these powerful techno

This week's episode of Don't Stop Us Now AI Edition brings you something a little different as we share behind the scenes insights into the different ways we’re currently using and experimenting with AI to improve our productivity.AI tools are evolving so fast and we know how hard it is to try and keep up with it all. This is exactly why we’re sharing specific use case examples with you in this week’s episode. These practical use cases are all things you can try out for yourself today if you're curious about easy ways to incorporate AI into your work and life but aren't sure where to start. As you'll hear, we’ll share some useful and fun ways to test Perplexity's Deep Research, Open AI’s image generation capabilities, and Google's Notebook LM. In this episode, you'll hear:How we transformed some everyday tasks using Perplexity's new Deep Research How AI-generated images have become dramatically more useful and accurate in recent months and what we’re using these images forHow to easily digest l

In today’s world, data underpins almost everything—from the financial decisions we make to the way businesses and governments operate. What’s more, in the world of AI, data is the fuel and the ‘secret sauce’ that produces the time saving outputs and future potential breakthroughs. But while companies are collecting more data than ever before, many are still struggling to store it effectively, let alone make sense of it, and most of us are not equipped with the skills we all need personally to have sustainable careers in this new, AI-powered era.In our episode this week, we speak with Pinar Ozcan, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Said Business School, Oxford University, to explore the profound impact of AI on jobs, skills, and industries—and what you can do to stay relevant.Pinar is a leading expert on AI disruption, open banking, and the strategic role of data in innovation. From the rise of AI-driven financial services to the skills that will define the workforce of tomorrow, she shares i

Drumroll . . .our episode this week features a world famous guest who needs no introduction. After detailed negotiations with their agent ;-) we’re thrilled to share that our guest is none other than ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode. Since launching in the 3rd quarter of last year, Open AI’s ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode has been transforming how people interact with AI. It's played countless roles – from life coach to confidant, knowledge companion to conversation practice partner. And now? We're adding 'podcast guest' to its extensive repertoire!We approached our unique conversation with this famous ‘synthetic’ guest as both a test drive and a demonstration; taking ChatGPT for a ‘spin’ and letting you experience its capabilities in real-time. You’ll hear Chat switch between languages effortlessly, offer predictions and insights about adapting to tomorrow's workplace, and even attempt some dad jokes. Groan! (We apologise in advance!)Through some persistent questioning, we also uncovere

What happens when AI transforms one industry? The ripple effects can reshape entire business ecosystems – from healthcare innovations forcing insurance companies to adapt, to retail transformations rippling through supply chains.In this episode, we dive deep into these cascading effects with someone who sees them firsthand. Through fascinating real-world examples, Julie Hood reveals how AI isn't just changing isolated business functions – it's creating a domino effect that no industry can ignore.As EY's AI Enablement Leader for Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa, Julie guides organizations through this transformation daily, bringing insights from her work with teams across 90 countries.You'll discover:Why every corner of your business needs to prepare for AI transformationHow to get involved in AI projects, even without technical expertisePractical ways to use AI tools like ChatGPT in your daily life (including Julie's personal travel planning secrets)Join us as we explore the interconnected AI future

Our guest this week is an expert in psychology, persuasive technology, and human behaviour. Nathalie Nahai is also an author, international keynote speaker and artist. Nathalie has thought deeply about the impact of AI on humans and what she has to share with us in this episode is really thought provoking.In this episode we cover what it will mean to be human in the coming years as AI evolves around us. We talk about what happens if businesses just default to using AI to cut costs and roles, and explore how to create AI that has values truly ‘baked in’ to support humanity.Nathalie also shares an inspiring call to pursue the answer to perhaps the most important question for today: how do we create businesses that harness technology and support the flourishing of life? And she shares a diverse range of AI resources to listen to or read (see links below). This is Nathalie’s second appearance on the show and an obvious choice for us given her global perspectives on humans and their relationship with tec

This week’s episode of Don't Stop Us Now AI edition is with a fascinating guest who has a box seat in understanding what’s going on with AI in businesses around the world. Helen Mayhew is a McKinsey & Company Partner and one of the leaders of its AI division, QuantumBlack. A Cambridge graduate, Helen has deep data analytics and AI expertise. Her day job is to guide leading organisations on their advanced analytics journeys and AI innovation and implementation. In this episode, Helen covers everything from the broad spectrum of initiatives and use cases different businesses are and will be trying, to detailing how radically different our roles are likely to be in future. Helpfully, she shares some of the key skills we’ll all need to remain valuable and she reveals her belief that almost every workday process and every person’s day will be reimagined and done differently thanks to AI.Helen also shares some incredible research predictions about the future in case you were in any doubt abo

Welcome to our very first episode of Don’t Stop Us Now AI Edition! Have you heard about the possibility of building a one person billion dollar company? Many experts believe it’s only a matter of time for a founder to harness AI and automation to be able to scale their business to unicorn status.Our guest today is well on her way to building an automated company. 29 year old Alexa Stathakis is co-founder of iced tea drinks business, Tea Industries, and we’re blown away by her focus and savviness at using AI to deliver massive impact. As you’ll hear in this fascinating episode, after trying numerous other ways to scale her sales calls, Alexa decided to invest in building an AI sales consultant. And in just a month she and her software engineer had nailed the training with incredible results.And what’s more, you’ll also get to listen in to one of these Ai sales calls.This technology is here today and while Alexa may be a savvy early adopter, we agree with her view that it’s going to be used in many mo

We’re super excited to let you know that we are going ‘all in’ on AI and how it impacts us all. We’re convinced that the impact and influence of AI in our lives and our workplaces deserves attention, experimentation and our collective imagination. So today’s mini episode is a sneak preview sharing more about what we’ll be bringing you with our AI Edition episodes in the coming weeks and months.  We’ve been scouting out some phenomenal AI talent from around the world to bring you executives from some of the top AI companies, world leading academics, entrepreneurs and experts. And don’t worry, we’ll still be featuring what we’re known for: showcasing plenty of amazing pioneering and innovative female leaders. We’ll also include some expert male voices too because we all need to learn from experts whoever they may be.Plus, we’ll share some illuminating conversations with some digital humans that may just blow your mind! Whether it’s how your job may change or what future new roles m

Few people can say they've founded a non-profit that raises millions while creating a community that helps supporters achieve extraordinary physical challenges. Annie Crawford is one of those rare individuals.As the founder of CanToo, a high-profile Australian charity running for nearly two decades, Annie has revolutionised fundraising for cancer research. CanToo organises physical challenges like ocean swims and half marathons, where participants receive months of professional coaching in exchange for fundraising commitments.As a result, more than 20,000 people to date have achieved impressive physical challenges, and more than AUD$33 million has been raised to fund cancer research. Aside from CanToo, Annie’s had some fascinating career experience including helping to build a very successful Biotech startup in San Francisco.  In this episode you’ll hear how:How a Kombi van trip around Europe with her parents and 6 siblings impacted Annie’s world view (can you imagine 9 people in a Kombi van?!)