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.

Think your team is “AI ready”? We take a clear-eyed look at why most organizations overestimate their capabilities and how to move from buzzwords to measurable maturity. With returning guest Evan Benjamin—AI governance practitioner and tireless “AI nuggets” educator—we unpack what readiness really means for enterprises, agencies, startups, and solo builders, and why context matters more than any one-size framework.

We connect proven disciplines like CMMI and ITIL to the AI era, showing how capability-based maturity, lightweight governance, and resilient practices can accelerate outcomes without drowning teams in bureaucracy. From POCs inside a single business unit to repeatable processes across the org, we share practical steps for building systems that are safe, auditable, and effective. We also dive into the messy realities of today’s tools: agentic AI browsers, prompt injection, tracking pixels, and data retention defaults that quietly expand your risk surface.

Privacy and security get the spotlight. We walk through how to read terms of service and privacy policies, manage consent, and control data sharing with ad networks and brokers. Then we layer on hardening steps: MFA and passkeys, VPNs, mobile EDR, disk encryption, safe travel habits on public Wi‑Fi, and decluttering apps that over-collect. You’ll hear why fairness testing is not the same as bias checks, why evaluations must happen at multiple lifecycle stages, and why it pays to red team not just models, but the evaluations and governance themselves.

We close with a call to action: co-create a practical AI maturity model aligned to sector and use case, and stand up a train‑the‑trainer effort so consultants, attorneys, and project leads can deliver consistent, effective education. If you’re ready to swap hype for real capability—and build AI that lasts—hit play, share this with your team, and leave a review with the one control you plan to implement this week.