Cohere Podcast

On this episode of the Cohere podcast, co-hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas dive deep into AI ethics with Mihaela Vorvoreanu, Director of UX Research and RAI Education for Microsoft's Aether. The conversation primarily focuses on "appropriate trust" in AI, emphasizing the need for accountability in AI systems. Vorvoreanu boldly challenges listeners to rethink Large Language Models (LLMs) not merely as information retrieval systems but as systems of fabrication. She further confronts the exaggerated notion of AI as super capable and superhuman, shedding light on the common errors made by LLM-based systems and the implications for users. This episode offers invaluable perspectives on AI ethics, vigorously questioning the hyperbole surrounding AI and making the field more comprehensible to a broader audience. In this episode, we discuss the following: [2:00] Introducing Mihaela VorVoreanu, PhD and Aether, Microsoft's initiative for AI Ethics and Effects in Engineering and Research [8:00] Discussing the concept of responsible AI [11:44] Challenging terms such as "hallucinogenic" [12:24] Reframing LLMs as systems of fabrication [30:48] Sharing information about the direction of Aether's research Mentioned in this episode: Advancing human-centered AI: Updates on responsible AI research Microsoft HAX Toolkit https://aka.ms/haxtoolkit Overreliance on AI: Literature Review https://aka.ms/overreliance_review Responsible AI Maturity Model https://aka.ms/raimm About our guest(s): In her current role, Mihaela leads research and education aimed at advancing the practice of RAI. Before joining Microsoft, she had an accomplished academic career, most recently at Purdue University, where she established and led the undergraduate and graduate UX Design and research programs. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mihaelavorvoreanu/ Call-to-Action(s): If you liked this episode, check out: Examining Our Collective Relationship With AI - a Conversation With Venessa Paech. For more reflections about the intersection of community and artificial intelligence, subscribe to the Cohere Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Share your thoughts about future guests / topics of exploration. Check out #BookDNA for a list of books, articles, and whitepapers featured on the Cohere Podcast.

Episode Summary: In the latest episode of the Cohere podcast, social learning theorists Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner delve into an engaging discussion with co-hosts Dr. Lauren Vargas and Bill Johnston. The guests explore the evolution of communities of practice, their forthcoming CoP Guidebook, and their unique workshops and retreats. They provide insights into their ongoing research project, a tripartite book series designed to update and expand their social learning theory. The inaugural volume, published in 2020, focuses on value creation within social learning spaces. The subsequent volumes, currently in development, will concentrate on expanding social learning across temporal and spatial dimensions and the personal journey of actively participating in the learning process. Memorable Quote: "One thing I should say is, To be absolutely honest, I speak for myself, but who cares about communities of practice? Honestly, I don't, and I don't believe that Etienne does. I don't care about community practice, what we care about is developing social learning capability of people, of groups, of organizations, of our planet. Otherwise, sorry guys. We've had it. So what keeps us up at night or what drives this restless energy is wow, how can we speed up the learning loops if things are moving so fast? Everything's so unexpected. Unless we get so much better and quicker at developing learning loops into what's working and what's not working. Unless we get quicker at that, we're out mate. And so that's the driving restlessness and the communities of practice are one part of that." Beverly Wenger-Trayner In this episode, we discuss the following: [0:15] Introducing Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner [2:30] Defining Communities of Practice (CoP) [19:03] Discussing the role of AI in social learning [28:23] Moving beyond CoPs [36:45] Sharing information about upcoming books and events Mentioned in this episode: [Book] Communities of practice within and across organizations - a guidebook [Book] Artificial Intelligence and Tutoring Systems: Computational and Cognitive Approaches to the Communication of Knowledge by Etienne Wenger [Book] Learning to Make a Difference: Value Creation in Social Learning Spaces by Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner [Book] Systems Convening: A crucial form of leadership for the 21st century by Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner [Website] Events from Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner [Website] Resources from Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner About our guest(s): Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner are internationally renowned social learning theorists and consultants. Their pioneering work in social learning is influential in such diverse fields as learning theory, business, government, international development, healthcare, and education. Their consulting practice specializes in contexts where there are large-scale social learning challenges. They founded the Social Learning Lab, where they host series of events oriented to theory, practice, and leadership. The co-edited volume Learning in landscapes of practice expands the theory beyond single communities. Systems convening sheds light on a crucial form of social-learning leadership. They are preparing a guidebook for communities of practice. They have started a book series called Learning to make a difference and recently published the first volume. It introduces the concept of social learning space as a new foundation for the theory, and their value-creation framework as a tool for both conceptualizing and cultivating social learning. https://www.wenger-trayner.com/ Call-to-Action(s): If you liked this episode, check out: Exploring Conversational Leadership with John Hovell and The Golden Age of Online Communities & the WELL with Gail Ann Williams. For more reflections about the intersection of community and social learning, subscribe to the Cohere Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Have you recently discovered the Cohere Podcast? We would love to know your first impressions. Leave a review and tell us what you like about the show, and what you think could be improved. Share your thoughts about future guests / topics of exploration. Check out #BookDNA for a list of books, articles, and whitepapers featured on the Cohere Podcast.

On this episode of the Cohere podcast, co-hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas chat with Ed Finn, the founding director of the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University. As an associate professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and the School of Arts, Media, and Engineering, Finn provides fascinating insights into the Center's endeavors, the collaborative imagination and writing project 'Hieroglyph,' and the pioneering Imaginative Collaboration Framework. Throughout the discussion, Finn emphasizes the influential role of hopeful stories in shaping collective visions for the future and shares examples demonstrating how these narratives can drive innovation, learning, and societal transformation. Mentioned in this episode: [Book] Future Tense Fiction: Stories of Tomorrow by a partnership of Slate, Arizona State University, and New America [Book] Frankenstein: Annotated for Scientists, Engineers and Creators of All Kinds edited by David H. Guston and Ed Finn [Book] Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future edited by Ed Finn and Kathryn Cramer [Book] What Algorithms Want: Imagination in the Age of Computing by Ed Finn [Article] 'Collaborative imagination: A methodological approach' by Ed Finn and Ruth Wylie [Website] Center for Science and Imagination [Website] Center for Science and Imagination - Events [Website] Center for Science and Imagination - Podcasts [Website] Center for Science and Imagination - Teacher Resources [Website] Hieroglph About our guest(s): Ed Finn is the founding director of the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University where he is an associate professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and the School of Arts, Media and Engineering. He also serves as the academic director of Future Tense, a partnership between ASU, New America and Slate Magazine, and a co-director of Emerge, an annual festival of art, ideas and the future. Ed's research and teaching explore imagination, digital culture, creative collaboration, and the intersection of the humanities, arts and sciences. He is the author of What Algorithms Want: Imagination in the Age of Computing (MIT Press, spring 2017) and co-editor of Future Tense Fiction (Unnamed Press, 2019), Frankenstein: Annotated for Scientists, Engineers and Creators of All Kinds (MIT Press, 2017) and Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future (William Morrow, 2014), among other books. He completed his PhD in English and American Literature at Stanford University in 2011 and his bachelor's degree at Princeton University in 2002. Before graduate school, Ed worked as a journalist at Time, Slate, and Popular Science. Call-to-Action(s): If you liked this episode, check out: Exploring Immersion with Ed Rodley and The Role of Friendship in Enhancing Virtual Experiences with Joi Podgorny For more reflections about the intersection of community and futures literacy, subscribe to the Cohere Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Share your thoughts about future guests / topics of exploration. Check out #BookDNA for a list of books, articles, and whitepapers featured on the Cohere Podcast.

In this episode, Bill and Lauren engage chat with esteemed customer experience analyst and researcher Esteban Kolsky. They delve into the complex world of customer experience, discussing the importance of community, the hype around generative AI, and how to sift through the noise to identify critical signals, trends, and patterns. This conversation highlights what is needed to develop the mindset required for staying attuned to what matters in a constantly evolving customer experience landscape. Memorable Quote: "Organizations still have the idea that communities need to be managed and created by the organization. Mm-hmm. They don't understand the communities. They don't understand independent communities. They don't understand, even if they understand that they exist, they don't know what to do with information and with the people in there." In this episode, we discuss: [16:03] The Role of Community in Customer Experience [25:00] Generative AI: Cutting Through the Hype [44:20] Navigating Through the Noise Mentioned in this episode: [Book] The Art of the Long View: Planning for the Future in an Uncertain World by Peter Schwartz [Book] The Most Human Human: What Artificial Intelligence Teaches Us About Being Alive by Brian Christian About our guest(s): With an impressive 30-year career in enterprise technology, Esteban Kolsy has done it all - from entry-level positions to executive roles. He's a veteran in the field, boasting 20 years of experience as an analyst and influencer. Having recently taken a step back from his role as a vendor executive, Esteban is now contemplating one more orbit later this year. https://www.linkedin.com/in/estebankolsky/ Call-to-Action(s): If you liked this episode, check out: Link to other relevant Cohere episodes For more reflections about the intersection of community and customer experience, subscribe to the Cohere Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Did Cohere Podcast inspire you to take action or change your perspective on something? If so, please share your experience by leaving a review. Your review will not only help us but also encourage others to tune in. Share your thoughts about future guests / topics of exploration. Check out #BookDNA for a list of books, articles, and whitepapers featured on the Cohere Podcast.

In this episode, Bill and Lauren engage in a conversation with Meena Palaniappan, the Founder, and CEO of Atma Connect, as she discusses her journey of building Atma Go, a tool for community change that operates on a hyperlocal level in Indonesia, Puerto Rico, and Ukraine. Palaniappan introduces the concept of the 'plentiverse,' which contrasts the metaverse, and emphasizes the potential of technology in creating collective action and enabling every individual to become a change-maker in constructing a better world. This conversation showcases how Atma Connect is empowering individuals living in low income and vulnerable communities to take the lead in shaping their communities. Memorable Quote: "What we really need is an algorithm for cohesion and connection - this is what needs to be built. AtmaGo has been an incredible hyperlocal tool for community change. And, now we are focused on building a new infrastructure for global collective action that creates real measurable change in communities, and new ways for money to flow to this real world impact." In this episode, we discuss: [01:30] About Atma Connect [05:00] How Atma Connect served communities in Indonesia and Puerto Rico during the pandemic [08:29] How Atma Connect launched platform in Ukraine [13:49] How Atma Connect is helping communities measure impact [24:30] Meena introduces the concept of the 'plentyierse' [34:03] Meena unpacks the components of the 'plentiverse' Mentioned in this episode: [Report] Ashoka ASPIRe: Leveraging Platforms for the Good of All [Article] Thinking and Acting Like a Platform Will Help Social Entrepreneurs Create Impact at Scale [Article] Can Twitter be "Nice"? [Impact Report / Dashboard] Atma Connect [Website] Atma Connect [Facebook] Atma Connect [Twitter] Atma Connect Atma Connect's goal is to connect over a billion people around the world living in vulnerable communities, so they might take collective action, advocate with governments and lead the way to the future we need. Atma Connect is always looking for volunteers and advisors to work on product design and management challenges, as well as network business models. Atma Connect is an international non-profit. You can make a donation to support their work here. About our guest: Meena Palaniappan is the Founder and CEO of Atma Connect, an award-winning organization building the infrastructure for impact at scale. She is an Ashoka Fellow, Fulbright Fellow, named in Ideas that are Changing the World, and an awardee of the Million Lives Club. https://www.linkedin.com/in/meenapalaniappan/ Call to Action(s): If you liked this episode, check out: Building a Human-Centered Social Network with Meena Palaniappan and The Role of Friendship in Enhancing Virtual Experiences with Joi Podgorny For more reflections about the intersection of community and human-centered design, subscribe to the Cohere Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Have you listened to the Cohere Podcast? We would love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review and let us know what you think about the show. Your feedback helps us improve and make the podcast even better.

In this podcast episode, Lauren and Bill revisit their conversation from the beginning of the year and discuss the trends, drivers, and forces they are paying attention to as they enter a new season. They dive into the recently released 2023 Tech Trends report from The Future Today Institute, which covers 14 different areas impacting technology. They highlight the generative AI trend, which is becoming a force multiplier for technological progress and an enabler of other technologies. They discuss how generative AI is being incorporated into consumer applications, such as Canva, Microsoft's image creator applications, and Notion for assistive writing. They also explore the ethical implications of forcing humans to consume machine-generated content and how using these tools can help build more creative muscles and foster considered thinking. Lastly, they announce Wave 3 of AI & Communities Research Project! You can participate here: https://structure3c.typeform.com/to/thGzcKnQ

The convergence of knowledge management and organizational development with conversational leadership and 'communityship' As a leader in the convergence of Knowledge Management (KM) and Organization Development (OD), John Hovell is the Managing Director and co-founder of STRATactical. He is a practitioner, speaker, and author of OD/KM strategies and their application to current challenges. More specifically, John is the author of Creating Conversational Leadership: Combining and Expanding Knowledge Management, Organization Development, and Diversity & Inclusion. Lauren met John through one of our podcast's previous guests, Dr. Sharon Varney, as I attended their "Advancing your change and organizational development practice" course. - Welcome, John! KEY resource from this episode: Creating Conversational Leadership: Combining and Expanding Knowledge Management, Organization Development, and Diversity & Inclusion by John Hovell Books from this episode: Conversational Leadership, an online book by David Gurteen Humble Inquiry, Second Edition: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling by Edgar H. Schein and Peter A. Schein Humble Leadership: The Power of Relationships, Openness, and Trust by Edgar H. Schein and Peter A. Schein Knoweldge Services series, published by De Gruyter Saur, Edited by Guy St. Clair Rebalancing Society: Radical Renewal Beyond Left, Right, and Center by Henry Mintzberg The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary Edition by Stephen R. Covey Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives by Dan Millman Other resources from this episode: 'Be the Change' by Patricia Shaw Dialogue Mapping Human Systems Dynamics Institue 'Gratitude for Spiritset' by John Hagel 'Mindset and Heartset' by John Hagel 'The Self as an Instrument– A Cornerstone for the Future of OD' by Dr. Mee Yan Cheung-Judge Where to find John: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhovell1/ STRATactical Space for Learning: "Advancing your change and organisational development practice" course

Venessa Paech is an internationally regarded online community strategist with over 25 years of experience building community online. Venessa is also a PhD candidate studying the intersection of AI and community, and a global authority on communities and community management. In the first Cohere episode of 2023, Venessa joins Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas to discuss the quickly evolving role of AI in our digital experiences, how AI is currently playing a role in online communities, and what the future may hold regarding our collective relationship with AI. Key Quote: "It's still a relationship business. It's just we now have relationships with tools and machines in a new way: in a more anthropomorphized way and in ways that mimic our own thinking and behavior sufficiently that we do need to recontextualize them. So how do we do that in a way that still prioritizes and centers the human work of what we're doing and brings us to those core community protocols of: How are we building a healthy, thriving, constructive space for constituents? is it accessible? Is it productive in meaningful ways? Is it relevant? And honoring the context, always honoring our context, which is one of the biggest problems we do see with so many different sorts of automated and or AI tools, is they tend to flatten and standardize context because that is how they operate. … But for community, which is typically a smaller, more intimate, and more nuanced sort of cluster of relations and ties, that does not work." Resources From This Episode: All things In Moderation Conference: https://www.allthingsinmoderation.org/call-for-papers SWARM (Australia's Community Management Conference): https://swarmconference.com.au/ Australian Community Managers: https://www.australiancommunitymanagers.com.au/ A Mental Health App Tested ChatGPT on Its Users. The Founder Said Backlash Was Just a Misunderstanding. Download the 2022 ACM State of Community Management Report Books: Atlas of AI: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence by Kate Crawford Building Brand Communities: How Organizations Succeed by Creating Belonging by Carrie Melissa Jones and Charles Vogl Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution by Howard Rheingold The Accidental Community Manager: A Guide to Building a Successful B2B Community by Adrian Speyer Virtual Reality: The Revolutionary Technology of Computer-Generated Artificial Worlds-And How It Promises to Transform Society by Howard Rheingold Venessa's scholarship: https://www.venessapaech.com/publications Where to find Venessa: https://www.venessapaech.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/venessapaech/

Hi everyone, welcome to 2023, and Lauren and I are here today to give you a quick update on our plans for the Cohere podcast! This year we are breaking away from the concept (and constraints) of the idea of seasons. We will be pursuing topical series instead, which will help us cover a wider range of topics and synch more naturally with our work and research. Our new home for the podcast: https://www.coherepod.com

Joi Podgorny returns to the Cohere podcast to discuss her unique perspective on the state of the Metaverse with hosts Bill Johnston and Dr. Lauren Vargas. In season 1, in the early stages of the pandemic, Joi and Bill explored the part communities, and in particular VR-based communities, might play during the lockdown and socially-distanced period of the pandemic. On this episode, Joi returns to revisit the conversation in Season 1, talk about her new role with Together Labs, and discuss how kids have weathered the pandemic in virtual worlds and in real life. Of particular note is Joi's perspective on the science of Friendship, and how the three pillars of Friendship (proximity, familiarity, and positivity) are guiding principles in her work.