Welcome to "AI or Not," the podcast where we explore the intersection of digital transformation and real-world wisdom, hosted by the accomplished Pamela Isom. With over 25 years of experience guiding leaders in corporate, public, and private sectors, Pamela, the CEO and Founder of IsAdvice & Consulting LLC, is a veteran in successfully navigating the complex realms of artificial intelligence, innovation, cyber issues, governance, data management, and ethical decision-making.

Sarah Sullivan, a transformational leader with nearly three decades in telecommunications engineering, takes us on an eye-opening journey through the practical applications of AI as a powerful ally in both professional endeavors and everyday life.

The conversation begins with Sarah's remarkable career trajectory from MCI to launching her own business, Gazed Technologies, where she provides equipment lifecycle management and architecture solutions enhanced by data analytics. Her experience navigates the shifting landscape of telecom through multiple acquisitions while maintaining her passion for the engineering side of the business.

Sarah reveals how she first embraced generative AI to tackle a complex grant opportunity for open RAN networks. Rather than diving blindly into unfamiliar territory, she uploaded the lengthy solicitation to ChatGPT for summarization, creating a foundation she could build upon with her expertise. This exemplifies her thoughtful approach to AI: using it to jumpstart processes and handle routine tasks while maintaining human oversight and judgment.

The discussion shifts to the Broadband Council's groundbreaking work uncovering communities that appear served on paper but experience poor broadband in reality. Their testing revealed critical insights about underserved areas where latency exceeds 100 milliseconds—directly impacting telehealth, education, and economic opportunities. Sarah's innovative use of AI to transform raw field data into actionable presentations demonstrates how technology can amplify human expertise rather than replace it.

Perhaps most compelling is Sarah's perspective on AI as a tool for lightening our cognitive load. "Think of generative AI as helping you take down one of those plates you're spinning," she advises. Whether creating visual content for the Society of Women Engineers, deciphering complex privacy statements, or simply finding a quick salmon recipe, Sarah frames AI as a solution that simplifies rather than complicates our already complex lives.

Have you considered how AI might help you balance your professional and personal responsibilities? Join us to discover practical ways to maintain human control while leveraging AI as your trusted ally in navigating today's digital landscape.

Welcome to "AI or Not," the podcast where we explore the intersection of digital transformation and real-world wisdom, hosted by the accomplished Pamela Isom. With over 25 years of experience guiding leaders in corporate, public, and private sectors, Pamela, the CEO and Founder of IsAdvice & Consulting LLC, is a veteran in successfully navigating the complex realms of artificial intelligence, innovation, cyber issues, governance, data management, and ethical decision-making.

What happens when artificial intelligence enters the boardroom? According to governance experts Meghan Anzelc Ph.D., Global Leader of Transformation Solutions, STG at Aon, and Christina Fernandes-D'Souza, it's already there, embedded in board portal software, collaboration tools, and the Microsoft productivity suite directors use regularly. The critical question now is how boards will govern these tools while simultaneously providing oversight for their organizations' AI implementations.

Drawing from their extensive experience implementing AI in regulated industries like financial services and insurance, Anzelc and Fernandes-D'Souza offer practical insights for directors navigating this complex landscape. They emphasize that effective AI governance begins with the board's own practices. Rather than using personal AI tools that might compromise security or reveal sensitive information, boards should establish common, secure platforms that align with their governance principles. This creates consistency while modeling responsible AI use for the entire organization.

The conversation explores fascinating real-world scenarios, including how AI might transform board meeting preparation. While AI can generate and summarize lengthy board packets, the experts suggest a more fundamental approach: redesigning information-sharing processes entirely. They also share a cautionary tale about a Fortune 100 company that implemented a prestigious AI solution only to discover material non-public information being inappropriately disclosed months later, highlighting that even "blue chip" implementations require careful governance.

For boards beginning their AI governance journey, the experts recommend hands-on experimentation, creating a baseline of AI knowledge across all directors, and possibly forming dedicated committees to enhance the board's collective expertise. Their publication "AI-Powered Boardrooms: The Future of Governance" provides a roadmap for directors seeking structured guidance.

Ready to transform how your board approaches AI governance? Start by examining your current tools, establishing consistent practices, and developing the AI literacy needed to provide effective oversight in today's rapidly evolving technology landscape. The possibilities—both positive and challenging—are limited only by our imagination and governance frameworks.

Link to Article: Anzelc, Meghan, and Christina Fernandes‐D’Souza. “AI‐Powered Boardrooms: The Future of Governance.” Board Leadership, vol. 2024, no. 196, Nov. 2024, pp. 4–8. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1002/bl.30276

Welcome to "AI or Not," the podcast where we explore the intersection of digital transformation and real-world wisdom, hosted by the accomplished Pamela Isom. With over 25 years of experience guiding leaders in corporate, public, and private sectors, Pamela, the CEO and Founder of IsAdvice & Consulting LLC, is a veteran in successfully navigating the complex realms of artificial intelligence, innovation, cyber issues, governance, data management, and ethical decision-making.

What happens to your privacy once your data enters an AI system? Can you ever truly regain control? These questions take center stage as Pamela Isom welcomes back Debbie Reynolds, "The Data Diva," for a compelling conversation on the one-year anniversary of the AI or Not podcast.

Reynolds, CEO and Chief Data Privacy Officer of Debbie Reynolds Consulting, dives deep into the evolving landscape where privacy and artificial intelligence collide. She challenges us to consider whether privacy in AI is a myth, arguing that we must shift our perspective from focusing solely on data collection to understanding the complete lifecycle of our information. This paradigm shift becomes crucial as the traditional model of privacy protection, where individuals consent to sharing data in exchange for services, no longer captures the reality of how our information flows through modern systems.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn as Reynolds reveals how location data has recently been elevated to "sensitive data" status by the Federal Trade Commission. This reclassification, partly triggered by concerns about reproductive health privacy following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, represents a significant shift in how location information is regulated and protected. Reynolds explains differential privacy—a mathematical technique that adds "noise" to datasets to protect individuals while preserving statistical utility—and why it matters for everything from census data to medical research.

For organizations navigating the AI revolution, Reynolds offers practical wisdom about building effective AI teams. She advocates for Chief AI Officers with strong foundations in data management, privacy, and cybersecurity, emphasizing that multidisciplinary expertise is essential. As Isom highlights government guidelines for maintaining public trust in AI systems, Reynolds reinforces that innovation need not come at the expense of safety and privacy. Her parting advice resonates deeply: "Data is food for AI systems." Just as we care about what we eat, we must care about what data feeds our AI—and remember that human wisdom remains irreplaceable in distinguishing between AI-generated content that's helpful and that which is merely convincing but incorrect.

Join us for this thought-provoking exploration of trust, privacy, and responsible AI development. Subscribe to AI or Not for more insights from global business leaders on navigating the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence.