From the Australian Army to Microsoft’s tech frontier — Sarah Carney’s career is anything but ordinary.

As the National Technology Officer for Microsoft Australia & New Zealand, Sarah sits at the centre of some of the country’s biggest conversations around AI, data, and digital transformation. She’s also Microsoft’s Responsible AI lead and a proud member of the regional AI product Red Team, helping enterprise and government customers navigate what’s next in technology — safely, responsibly, and with heart.

Named the 4th most powerful woman in tech in Australia (B&T, 2025) and ARN’s Rising Star (2024), Sarah brings an adventurous, human lens to innovation — a perspective shaped by a career that’s taken her across continents and industries.

In this episode, we talk to Sarah about:

• The unconventional path from Army officer to Microsoft CTO.

• Why AI transformation is 20% technology, 80% people.

• How leaders can build psychological safety around AI adoption.

• The evolution from app mode → agent mode → life mode.

• And why using AI “feels like cheating” — and what can culture do to catch up.

Sarah speaks with clarity and passion and we loved this conversation with her.

Femmebot — powered by Crybaby.

Hosted by Clare Alstin & Catherine Stone