Something About AI

Something About AI

By Alastair McDermott - HumanSpark.aiBusiness
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Something About AI episodes

  • The Dark Side of AI: Ethical Landmines Every Business Leader Needs to Know
    You can train an AI on data containing no bias at all and still end up with a biased system. Understanding why is the difference between a working deployment and a reputational problem.
    Alastair McDermott talks to AI ethics specialist Tom Murphy about the failures that do not announce themselves. Recorded December 2024.
    They get into:
    - What "alignment" actually means, stripped of the science fiction
    - Proxies: how postcodes, titles and car colours smuggle protected traits back in
    - How to test your own system for subgroup bias, concretely
    - The trolley problem, four hundred data scientists, and what they could not agree on
    - The cancer drug distribution dilemma, which nobody in the episode resolves
    Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.
    46 min
  • Why Your AI Strategy Is Too Complicated (And How to Fix It)
    Most failed AI projects are not too timid. They are far too ambitious.
    Alastair McDermott talks to Michael Zipursky, CEO and co-founder of Consulting Success, who has advised organisations from startups to billion-dollar corporations across more than seventy-five industries, about why simple beats sophisticated almost every time. Recorded November 2024.
    They get into:
    - The "big solution" trap, and why five use cases at once produces none
    - Build or buy, and the question nobody asks before signing
    - What happened when an AI sales tool was pitched to him, and the brand risk underneath it
    - Using AI to find your own use cases, rather than guessing at them
    - Why he thinks subject-matter expertise gets more valuable, not less
    Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.
    34 min
  • Why AI Adoption Starts With Your Business Model
    Most AI pilots die at the end of the pilot. The reason is usually not the technology.
    Alastair McDermott talks to Patrick Ward, who spent twelve years at Microsoft shaping their global approach to IoT and AI and now lectures at UCD Smurfit Business School, about why proofs of concept so rarely become anything. Recorded November 2024.
    They get into:
    - The three fundamental truths that decide whether a pilot scales
    - Why ten people in one company will give you ten different value propositions
    - Bolt-on or rethink: the question that has to be answered before the build
    - The talent gap his research found, which was not the one anybody expected
    - Twenty real use cases produced by ten developers in a single morning
    Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.
    43 min
  • Why This Business Owner Says AI Will Change Everything
    A twenty-person manufacturer cut its customer response time by seventy-five per cent. No AI department, no consultants, no budget for either.
    Alastair McDermott talks to Ethan Wadsworth, director of sales and marketing at Discreet Heat, the company behind ThermoSkirt, about what small-company AI adoption actually looks like when it works. Recorded November 2024.
    They get into:
    - Why a twenty-person firm employs a full-time software developer
    - How a hundred thousand Instagram followers competes with a million-pound budget
    - The prompt he gives people who do not know where to start: write down five things you are bad at
    - Cutting a lab's data entry by ninety per cent, and what those people do now
    - Why he thinks the scarcity of knowledge was the whole economy, and what replaces it
    Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.
    45 min
  • The Smart Way to Automate: How to Implement AI That Actually Works For Your Business with Heidi Araya

    Are you drowning in AI hype but still waiting to see real, tangible results for your business? You're not alone.

    In this episode of Fewer Late Nights, Not Fewer Humans, host Alastair McDermott sits down with Heidi Araya, a process improvement consultant with over 25 years of experience driving multi-million dollar improvements through AI automation.

    This insightful conversation cuts through the noise to reveal how businesses are using AI in the real world to save time, increase profitability, and gain competitive advantage. Through practical examples and case studies, Heidi shares her expertise on finding genuine value in AI implementation.

    Key topics include:

    • Why many businesses struggle to find value in AI implementations
    • How to identify the right AI use cases for your business
    • Real-world examples of successful AI automation
    • The future of AI in sales and customer service
    • Practical approaches to AI implementation without eliminating jobs

    Tune in to discover how you can move beyond the hype and start implementing AI solutions that deliver real results for your business.

    Key Insights

    • Many businesses struggle with AI because they focus on the tool first instead of identifying their specific business challenges
    • Recording meetings and calls can provide valuable data for AI processing, though privacy considerations need to be addressed
    • AI automation should focus on enhancing human capabilities rather than replacing workers
    • Smaller businesses may be better positioned to implement AI while maintaining jobs, as they need diverse skill sets
    • The capabilities of AI are rapidly evolving, requiring regular reassessment and experimentation

    Strategies

    • Start by identifying pain points: "What makes you groan when you wake up?"
    • Use AI for automating repetitive tasks while maintaining human touch for important interactions
    • Implement proof of concepts before making large investments in AI solutions
    • Consider privacy implications when selecting AI tools and platforms
    • Record and analyze sales calls to improve performance and understanding of client needs

    Topics include: AI implementation, process improvement, business automation, sales automation, customer service, ai strategy, small business, practical ai applications, business transformation

    Speakers: Heidi Araya Host: Alastair McDermott

    Quotes

    "So first of all, I ask them, what makes you groan? You wake up in the morning, you're ready to start your day, what makes you groan?" - Heidi Araya, 3:08, Fewer Late Nights, Not Fewer Humans

    "It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow or even next year, but three years from now, they will wish that they had taken more action and kept on the forefront of it." - Heidi Araya, 29:33, Fewer Late Nights, Not Fewer Humans

    Fewer Late Nights, Not Fewer Humans

    🎙️+📺 SHOW: Fewer Late Nights, Not Fewer Humans is about turning AI into real productivity gains - for you and for your team. Hosted by Alastair McDermott of HumanSpark, it is for business leaders who want to work smarter and faster with AI, and then scale those wins across their team and their organisation. Join me to learn how AI can help you automate repetitive tasks, boost productivity, and create a more enjoyable workplace for your team.

    📲 | FOLLOW on YouTube: Fewer Late Nights, Not Fewer Humans 

    🎓 COACHING: Explore opportunities to work with me: AI Thought Leadership Coaching

    👑 BOOKS: Discover more by searching "Alastair McDermott" on Amazon

    💻 - WEBSITE: https://humanspark.ai

    31 min
  • AI and the Future of Thought Leadership

    This episode is a bit different. What you’ll hear is a demo of Google Notebook LM.

    I gave it the entire 40,000 word manuscript of my book - at the time called The AI-Powered Thought Leader, now titled Use AI. Stay Human.

    The tool then created this AI-generated conversation between two hosts, based entirely on the book text.

    That’s what you’ll hear in this episode - the raw output from NotebookLM. It’s an example of what these new AI tools can do when you hand them a big chunk of text.

    What to expect

    • Two AI hosts talking through the ideas in my book.
    • No editing, explanation, or polish - this is straight from Notebook LM.
    • A glimpse at how AI can generate summaries and overviews from long-form content.

    Why I shared this

    I wanted to be transparent: this is AI-only audio. It’s not perfect, but I thought it would be interesting to share what Notebook LM produced when I fed it a full book draft.

    If nothing else, it gives you a sneak peek at some of the content of my book Use AI, Stay Human.

    Quotes

    "AI can write you a novel, but it can't write your novel."

    "It's not about becoming a robot, but about becoming even more human." - Guest speaker This emphasises the importance of enhancing our human qualities as we integrate AI into our work.

    Useful Resources

    • "Use AI, Stay Human" by Alastair McDermott - A comprehensive guide to using AI in thought leadership
    • ChatGPT and other AI writing tools - Practical AI assistants for content creation
    • AI tools for research and data analysis - Resources to help you process information more efficiently

    About Me

    I'm Alastair McDermott. I work as a podcaster, writer, and consultant, focusing on the use of AI in thought leadership. My book, "Use AI, Stay Human," offers a practical roadmap for using AI to enhance your expertise and increase your influence in the digital space. I've spent years exploring the intersection of technology and thought leadership, and I'm excited to share these insights with you.

    Next Steps

    If you're keen to power up your thought leadership with AI, you can read "Use AI, Stay Human" at humanspark.ai/books/use-ai-stay-human. It's packed with actionable strategies and real-world examples.

    I also invite you to join the conversation on social media using #AIPoweredThoughtLeader. Share your thoughts, experiences, and questions about AI in thought leadership.

    17 min
  • AI for SMEs: How to Thrive in the New Business Landscape

    Is your business ready for the AI revolution, or are you still stuck in the dark ages?

    In this eye-opening episode of Fewer Late Nights, Not Fewer Humans, host Alastair McDermott sits down with AI implementation expert Eric Bye to examine how businesses of all sizes can use AI.

    Eric shares his wealth of experience in helping companies navigate the complex landscape of AI integration, offering practical advice on how to get started, avoid common pitfalls, and maximize the benefits of this fantastic technology. From identifying key workflows to addressing data privacy concerns, this episode is packed with actionable insights for business leaders looking to stay ahead of the curve.

    Some of the valuable topics discussed include:

    • How to identify AI opportunities within your existing business processes
    • The importance of benchmarking and quantifying AI improvements
    • Strategies for overcoming employee resistance to AI implementation
    • The future of AI in business, including voice interaction and automation

    Whether you're an AI skeptic or an early adopter, this episode will challenge your assumptions and provide a clear roadmap for using artificial intelligence in your business. Tune in now to ensure you're not left behind in the AI revolution!

    Topic: ai implementation, business processes, workflow optimization, data privacy, employee training, ai adoption, technology integration, business efficiency, automation, digital transformation

    Speakers: Guest: Eric Bye. Host: Alastair McDermott.

    Key Insights:

    • AI implementation should focus on augmenting and transforming jobs rather than replacing them
    • Businesses should start by mapping out their workflows and identifying areas where AI can add value
    • Data privacy and security are crucial considerations when implementing AI solutions
    • Many businesses are informally using AI through personal accounts, which poses risks
    • AI can improve both efficiency and the quality of outputs in various business processes
    • The future of AI in business includes more automation and proactive task management
    • Experimenting with AI tools is key to understanding their capabilities and limitations

    Arguments:

    • AI implementation requires a collaborative approach to overcome employee skepticism and resistance
    • Enterprise-level AI solutions may be too complex and expensive for many SMEs
    • The current state of AI agents is still too clunky for widespread business adoption
    • Waiting for "perfect" AI solutions may cause businesses to fall behind competitors

    Conclusions:

    • Businesses should start experimenting with AI now to build a foundation for future advancements
    • A balance must be struck between using AI capabilities and maintaining data privacy
    • AI implementation should be tailored to each business's specific needs and risk profile
    • Ongoing education and training are essential for successful AI adoption in businesses

    Quotes: Eric Bye, [17:29]: "If you ask an employee to create a presentation for, say, a pitch, there's a lot of there's something there's hundreds of 1000s of words or tokens that are unsaid, when you ask them to create that they understand your relationship with the client, they understand the history, they're probably see seed on a whole bunch of emails, they understand what's worked, and what hasn't in the past." - Fewer Late Nights, Not Fewer Humans

    Eric Bye, [36:45]: "There's tons of opportunity today. And I think some people would like to wait until they they see it as perfect. But it's just different technology that operates differently, which makes people feel a little bit uncomfortable." - Fewer Late Nights, Not Fewer Humans

    Find Eric at https://erictronai.com

    Find Alastair at <

    42 min
  • How to Actually Use AI to Drive Business Growth
    One company bought twenty thousand AI licences and could not show a return on any of them. Where does the money actually come from?
    Alastair McDermott talks to Alvaro Melendez, founder of Krant Creativity and Technology, about the gap between an impressive demo and a measurable result. Recorded August 2024.
    They get into:
    - Why handing someone a licence and walking away guarantees nothing happens
    - The reframe that changes what people do with it: you did not buy a tool, you hired twenty thousand employees
    - Which tasks actually paid off, and which flattered to deceive
    - Why an AI council has to be internal, and what happens when it is not
    - What he will not hand to AI at all, and where the human stays in the loop
    Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.
    52 min
  • The Human Side of AI: Why Your Brain Fights Change - with Melina Palmer
    Your team is not being difficult about AI. Their brains are doing exactly what brains are built to do.
    Alastair McDermott talks to behavioural economist Melina Palmer, author of three books on how people actually make decisions, about why AI rollouts meet resistance that has nothing to do with the technology. Recorded July 2024.
    They get into:
    - The 35,000 decisions a day your brain is trying to avoid making
    - Why how you announce a change matters more than what you are announcing
    - A two-word email that ruined a working relationship, and the two minutes that would have fixed it
    - How to introduce AI to a team without triggering the fear you are trying to avoid
    - Why low-stakes competition and social proof move people that instruction cannot
    Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.
    43 min
  • Forget Use Cases: How AI is Rewriting the Rules of Business Value - with Jack Nugent
    Everybody is hunting for AI use cases. What if "use case" is the wrong question to be asking?
    Alastair McDermott talks to Jack Nugent of Tradavex, a consultancy that sits between the commodity markets and the technology being sold into them. Nugent's argument is that companies chasing quick wins and cost cuts are solving a much smaller problem than the one in front of them. Recorded July 2024.
    They get into:
    - Why "use cases" is a lazy term, and what replaces it
    - The data your business could have but does not yet collect
    - The two-hundred-employee thought experiment: do you cut, or do you arm them?
    - Why the value sits in your own data rather than in the model everyone can rent
    - Whether shipping is actually innovative, and what the inefficiency paradox says about that
    Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.
    46 min

About Something About AI

From the publisher's feed

Something About AI is about what happens when AI meets real work.

I’m Alastair McDermott, founder of HumanSpark AI. I work with businesses on AI, and I build with it…