In this last episode before a hiatus, Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek and cousin Lucas Bajorek (he/him) explore the evolving landscape of education and the role of AI in shaping future careers. They discuss the importance of networking in college, the impact of AI on high school education, and the necessity of adaptability in the workforce. The conversation emphasizes the balance between technical skills and soft skills, highlighting the value of human connections and experiences in achieving success. Joan shares insights on AI tools that can aid students in their academic journey, while Lucas reflects on his upcoming college experience and the skills he aims to develop.

Lucas Bajorek is a college student with a growing curiosity about how AI is shaping the world. He doesn’t come with expert knowledge, but with an open mind and a willingness to learn. He’s here to share a young person’s perspective, ask thoughtful questions, and explore what the future might look like.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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YouTube! Watch the episode live @YourAIRoadmap
Connect with Joan on LinkedIn

✨📘 Buy the Bestselling Wiley Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy. Featured in Forbes!

Who is Joan?

Ranked the #4⁠⁠ in Voice AI Influencer, ⁠⁠Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek⁠⁠ is the CEO of ⁠⁠Clarity AI⁠⁠, Founder of ⁠⁠Women in Voice⁠⁠, & Host of ⁠⁠Your AI Roadmap⁠⁠. With a decade in software & AI, she has worked at Nuance, VERSA Agency, & OneReach.ai in data & analysis, product, & digital transformation. She's an investor & technical advisor to startup & enterprise. A CES & VentureBeat speaker & Harvard Business Review published author, she has a PhD & is based in Seattle.

Disclaimer: Our links may have affiliate codes. This is an educational podcast and not intended as legal, career, or financial advice. Seek professional gu...

In this conversation, Kristina Hloptsidis, Chief Innovation Officer at Signify, discusses the challenges of compliance management in heavily regulated industries, particularly manufacturing, with Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek. She emphasizes the role of AI in transforming compliance processes, making them more efficient and strategic. 

Sound Bites
"Regulation and compliance can be fun!"
"Never know if you don't try!"
"Failure is part of the journey."

🔍 Compliance: Signify is focused on compliance management for manufacturing.
🤖 Efficiency: AI can significantly reduce the time needed for compliance processes.
🧠 Strategy: Regulatory professionals can become strategic partners in product development.
👥 Humanity: The human element is crucial in compliance, even with AI assistance.
🌐 Networking: Networking is key to career transitions and opportunities.

Bio:

Kristina Hloptsidis brings over a decade of experience in space and SaaS startups, excelling in regulatory, compliance, operations, and risk management roles. As the Chief Innovation Officer at Signify, she is passionate about leveraging GenerativeAI to help manufacturers bring the best and safest products to market.  See full bio on guest link

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Learn More

YouTube! Watch the episode live @YourAIRoadmap
Connect with Joan on LinkedIn

✨📘 Buy the Bestselling Wiley Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy. Featured in Forbes!

Who is Joan?

Ranked the #4⁠⁠ in Voice AI Influencer, ⁠⁠Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek⁠⁠ is the CEO of ⁠⁠Clarity AI⁠⁠, Founder of ⁠⁠Women in Voice⁠⁠, & Host of ⁠⁠Your AI Roadmap⁠⁠. With a decade in software & AI, she has worked at Nuance, VERSA Agency, & OneReach.ai in data & analysis, product, & digital transformation. She's an investor & technical advisor to startup & enterprise. A CES & VentureBeat speaker & Harvard Business Review published author, she has a PhD & is based in Seattle.

Disclaimer: Our links may have affiliate codes. This is an educational podcast and not intended as legal, career, or financial advice. Seek professional gu...

What's strong advice for graduates in 2025?

[Audio fixed! Thank you to our devoted listeners for letting us know about the echo issue on the first upload! :D]

Worried about careers in the age of AI?

What advice would you give graduates about to embark on modern careers?

In this episode, Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek discusses career paths for high school graduates, emphasizing the importance of being strategic in education and exploring various options. 

School teaches you something different from modern jobs.

Traditional careers are evolving in front of our eyes.

Stability is not guaranteed... so what do YOU do??!?!?!

She outlines 3 main paths: traditional college education, trade skills, and digital businesses. Joan stresses the significance of a growth mindset, financial literacy, and self-care in navigating the evolving job market influenced by AI.

📘 Check out the Amazon Instant Bestselling Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy

Sound Bites

• "You can make money and own your time."
• "Curiosity is key in a fast-changing world."
• "You can make more money, I promise you."

Takeaways

• 📚 Education: Consider being a B + student to explore opportunities. 
• 🔧 Trades: Trade skills can lead to lucrative and stable careers. 
• 💻 Business: Digital businesses offer scalability and flexibility. 
• 🌱 Wellness: Self-care is essential for long-term success. 
• 🧠 Mindset: Curiosity and a growth mindset are crucial in today's world. 
• 💰 Finance: Understanding financial aspects is key to stability. (Section 2 of the Your AI Roadmap book!)
• 📈 Growth: Feedback helps in personal and professional growth. 
• 🤖 Technology: The job market is changing rapidly due to AI. 
• 🎯 Career: Explore various career paths beyond traditional education. 
• 🚀 Future: The future holds new opportunities for graduates.

Learn More

YouTube! Watch the episode live @YourAIRoadmap
Connect with Joan on LinkedIn

✨📘 Buy the Bestselling Wiley Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy. Featured in Forbes!

Who is Joan?

Ranked the #4⁠⁠ in Voice AI Influencer, ⁠⁠Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek⁠⁠ is the CEO of ⁠⁠Clarity AI⁠⁠, Founder of ⁠⁠Women in Voice⁠⁠, & Host of ⁠⁠Your AI Roadmap⁠⁠. With a decade in software & AI, she has worked at Nuance, VERSA Agency, & OneReach.ai in data & analysis, product, & digital transformation. She's an investor & technical advisor to startup & enterprise. A CES & VentureBeat speaker & Harvard Business Review published author, she has a PhD & is based in Seattle.

Disclaimer: Our links may have affiliate codes. This is an educational podcast and not intended as legal, career, or financial advice. Seek professional gu...

What if the product you want doesn't yet exist?

We start with the example of a car buying experience gone wrong...

In this episode, Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek discusses her experiences with car purchasing, the challenges of hardware development, and the democratization of AI. 

She reflects on her search for a new car that meets her criteria, highlighting the lack of options designed for women. Joan contrasts the lengthy and complex process of hardware development in car manufacturing and medical hardware as contrasting the rapid pace of AI and software innovation, encouraging listeners to explore building their own AI products.

Resources Mentioned for Your Own AI Products

ChatGPT, Cursor, Hugging Face

Sound Bites

"I have a very old car from 2008."
"I would love to get an electric car."
"Hardware is hard, it's difficult."

Takeaways

🚗 Design: Joan highlights the lack of cars designed for women in the market.

💰 Cost: She mentions the high costs associated with developing new cars.

⚙️ Comparison: Joan contrasts hardware development with the speed of AI and software innovation.

🧠 Encouragement: She encourages listeners to build their own AI products, even without coding skills.

🌍 Access: Joan notes the democratization of AI development, making it accessible to many.

🔄 Iteration: She reflects on the iterative process of software development compared to hardware.

Learn More

YouTube! Watch the episode live @YourAIRoadmap
Connect with Joan on LinkedIn

✨📘 Buy the Bestselling Wiley Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy. Featured in Forbes!

Who is Joan?

Ranked the #4⁠⁠ in Voice AI Influencer, ⁠⁠Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek⁠⁠ is the CEO of ⁠⁠Clarity AI⁠⁠, Founder of ⁠⁠Women in Voice⁠⁠, & Host of ⁠⁠Your AI Roadmap⁠⁠. With a decade in software & AI, she has worked at Nuance, VERSA Agency, & OneReach.ai in data & analysis, product, & digital transformation. She's an investor & technical advisor to startup & enterprise. A CES & VentureBeat speaker & Harvard Business Review published author, she has a PhD & is based in Seattle.

Disclaimer: Our links may have affiliate codes. This is an educational podcast and not intended as legal, career, or financial advice. Seek professional gu...

What AI tools do I actually use REGULARLY?  📊 ✍️ 🎨 🎙️

I share my favorite 4 AI tools and how much they cost.

EACH saves me hours of time and work daily.

Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek discusses 4 essential AI tools that enhance productivity and efficiency in various tasks. Tools for data management, writing assistance, design, and video/audio/podcasting. 

YES. We did use 2 of these tools in the creation of this podcast episode!

Sound Bites

• "Anthropic is top tier today."
• "Claude is killing it!"
• "These are efficiency tools."

For each tool, we talk product features, pricing, and practical applications, emphasizing their role in streamlining workflows and improving output quality.

Riverside Code: https://www.riverside.fm/?via=yourairoadmap

Beyond the editing, Riverside also gives you show notes, a summary, transcript, and much more that also need to be edited manually.

Learn More

YouTube! Watch the episode live @YourAIRoadmap
Connect with Joan on LinkedIn

✨📘 Buy the Bestselling Wiley Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy. Featured in Forbes!

Who is Joan?

Ranked the #4⁠⁠ in Voice AI Influencer, ⁠⁠Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek⁠⁠ is the CEO of ⁠⁠Clarity AI⁠⁠, Founder of ⁠⁠Women in Voice⁠⁠, & Host of ⁠⁠Your AI Roadmap⁠⁠. With a decade in software & AI, she has worked at Nuance, VERSA Agency, & OneReach.ai in data & analysis, product, & digital transformation. She's an investor & technical advisor to startup & enterprise. A CES & VentureBeat speaker & Harvard Business Review published author, she has a PhD & is based in Seattle.

Disclaimer: Our links may have affiliate codes. This is an educational podcast and not intended as legal, career, or financial advice. Seek professional gu...

How big of a team do you need for teams of the future? 

What skill sets to do these people need?

Learn from conversations being had in customer meetings in May 2025.

In this episode, Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek discusses the evolving landscape of team structures in the context of AI development. 

She explores the necessary skills for future team members, the preference of reskilling over layoffs, and how to align incentives for team success. The conversation also delves into innovative opportunities presented by AI and data, emphasizing the need for adaptable and skilled teams to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.

Provide feedback and get in touch: [email protected]

Takeaways

🤖 Teams: The future of teams is changing, especially in AI development.

📉 Hiring: Hiring needs are evolving; teams may not need to be large.

🔁 Reskilling: Reskilling existing employees can be more beneficial than layoffs.

🎯 Incentives: Aligning incentives can enhance team motivation and success.

💰 Efficiency: A small, skilled team can achieve significant revenue.

🧠 Humanity: Human interaction remains valuable despite automation.

🛠️ Upskilling: Upskilling in technical skills like Python is essential.

💼 Sales: Sales skills are crucial for team members in tech.

🧩 Empathy: Understanding customer pain points is key to success.

🔄 Adaptability: The ability to adapt and learn is vital for future team members.

Learn More

YouTube! Watch the episode live @YourAIRoadmap
Connect with Joan on LinkedIn

✨📘 Buy the Bestselling Wiley Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy. Featured in Forbes!

Who is Joan?

Ranked the #4⁠⁠ in Voice AI Influencer, ⁠⁠Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek⁠⁠ is the CEO of ⁠⁠Clarity AI⁠⁠, Founder of ⁠⁠Women in Voice⁠⁠, & Host of ⁠⁠Your AI Roadmap⁠⁠. With a decade in software & AI, she has worked at Nuance, VERSA Agency, & OneReach.ai in data & analysis, product, & digital transformation. She's an investor & technical advisor to startup & enterprise. A CES & VentureBeat speaker & Harvard Business Review published author, she has a PhD & is based in Seattle.

Disclaimer: Our links may have affiliate codes. This is an educational podcast and not intended as legal, career, or financial advice. Seek professional gu...

What types of companies will be around in 10 years? 

In this episode, Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek discusses the allegory of 4... well 5 companies in the dairy industry to illustrate different approaches to adopting AI and technology. She emphasizes the importance of curiosity, engagement, and upskilling in ensuring long-term business success. The conversation explores the varying mindsets of companies regarding AI, highlighting the potential for innovation and growth in the face of technological change.

We will be talking about companies that have their head in sand, bottoms up, employee approaches, top down approaches, truly turning the ship, and the lean new competitors…

Which do YOU think will be around in a decade?

Also…

Work at a dairy company? Get in touch!

Want to give us some constructive feedback on the podcast?

Want to work with Joan and the Clarity AI team?

Get in touch by emailing us: [email protected]

More about Joan and Clarity AI helping companies craft their AI roadmaps and future-proof themselves: joanpbajorek.com

--

Our episode about Aragon.ai: AI Tools I Love #2: Aragon.ai: AI Makes Quality Headshots of You for $35: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2358279/episodes/16318361

Takeaways from the episode

🔮 Future-proofing: Future-proofing businesses requires a proactive approach to change.

🚀 Disruption: Emerging companies can disrupt traditional industries by leveraging technology effectively.

🧠 Mindset: The mindset of company leaders significantly impacts their willingness to adopt new technologies.

📚 Upskilling: Upskilling employees is essential in adapting to technological advancements.

🥛 Dairy Industry: The dairy industry serves as a metaphor for broader business challenges. Joan's team Clarity AI is niching down into traditionally blue collar and trade sectors with open-minded stakeholders who want to have huge impact.

Citations for companies with small teams that have called to millions in revenue with less than 50 employees: https:

Learn More

YouTube! Watch the episode live @YourAIRoadmap
Connect with Joan on LinkedIn

✨📘 Buy the Bestselling Wiley Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy. Featured in Forbes!

Who is Joan?

Ranked the #4⁠⁠ in Voice AI Influencer, ⁠⁠Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek⁠⁠ is the CEO of ⁠⁠Clarity AI⁠⁠, Founder of ⁠⁠Women in Voice⁠⁠, & Host of ⁠⁠Your AI Roadmap⁠⁠. With a decade in software & AI, she has worked at Nuance, VERSA Agency, & OneReach.ai in data & analysis, product, & digital transformation. She's an investor & technical advisor to startup & enterprise. A CES & VentureBeat speaker & Harvard Business Review published author, she has a PhD & is based in Seattle.

Disclaimer: Our links may have affiliate codes. This is an educational podcast and not intended as legal, career, or financial advice. Seek professional gu...

What does it mean to build AI products in 2025? What conversations are being had behind closed doors? Let's talk about it-

In this episode of Your AI Roadmap, Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek discusses the evolving landscape of AI product development, emphasizing the importance of integrating AI into workflows, the necessity of a solid data infrastructure, and the potential for aligned financial incentives between developers and customers. 

She shares insights from her experiences with customers, highlighting the need for collaboration and adaptability in the face of changing technology. Joan also touches on the future of AI development, advocating for a flexible approach to building products that can evolve with market demands. Modularity! Don't fall in love with only one model!

Want to talk about your project? Contact us at [email protected]

See customer testimonials and more: HireClarity.ai

Takeaways

• 🧠 Intelligence: AI integration is crucial in product development
• 📊 Data: Quality data can be more valuable than the product itself
• 💰 Cost: Using AI tools can significantly reduce project costs
• 🔄 Adaptation: Continuous adaptation is necessary in AI development
• 🤝 Collaboration: Working with customers enhances project outcomes

Learn More

YouTube! Watch the episode live @YourAIRoadmap
Connect with Joan on LinkedIn

✨📘 Buy the Bestselling Wiley Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy. Featured in Forbes!

Who is Joan?

Ranked the #4⁠⁠ in Voice AI Influencer, ⁠⁠Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek⁠⁠ is the CEO of ⁠⁠Clarity AI⁠⁠, Founder of ⁠⁠Women in Voice⁠⁠, & Host of ⁠⁠Your AI Roadmap⁠⁠. With a decade in software & AI, she has worked at Nuance, VERSA Agency, & OneReach.ai in data & analysis, product, & digital transformation. She's an investor & technical advisor to startup & enterprise. A CES & VentureBeat speaker & Harvard Business Review published author, she has a PhD & is based in Seattle.

Disclaimer: Our links may have affiliate codes. This is an educational podcast and not intended as legal, career, or financial advice. Seek professional gu...

Have you heard about turning carbon dioxide turning into graphite? In this lively fireside chat, Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek sits down with CEO and co-founder Makoto Eyre to explore why new ideas in climate tech matter more than ever—especially when it comes to tackling carbon dioxide’s impact on our planet. 

 Homeostasis turns CO2 into industrial graphite. What can we do with industrial graphite? Learn more in this episode.

Hear from people at the event ask questions in this live recording from the French Fest in Seattle recorded March 23, 2025.

Sound Bites:

💡 “Who would like to make it past 2060 on this planet?” – Joan
🌱 “We have 25 years to change course on this boat.” – Makoto
🔥 “We need to build an industry that, by weight, is processing more material than oil and gas combined in 25 years.” – Makoto

Homeostasis: https://www.homeostasis.earth

Makoto Eyre on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/makotoeyre

Takeaways

🔥 CO2 acts as a greenhouse gas, contributing to global warming.

🌱 Climate tech innovation is crucial if we want to be on this planet by 2060.

♻️ Homeostasis focuses on carbon utilization to create valuable materials.

🔋 Graphite is essential for lithium-ion batteries and clean energy.

🏠 Domestic sourcing of graphite is vital for energy independence.

🔌 Batteries are embedded in many products like phones, computers, and EVs.

💪 Humans can effectively tackle climate challenges with the right incentives.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Learn More

YouTube! Watch the episode live @YourAIRoadmap
Connect with Joan on LinkedIn

✨📘 Buy the Bestselling Wiley Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy. Featured in Forbes!

Who is Joan?

Ranked the #4⁠⁠ in Voice AI Influencer, ⁠⁠Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek⁠⁠ is the CEO of ⁠⁠Clarity AI⁠⁠, Founder of ⁠⁠Women in Voice⁠⁠, & Host of ⁠⁠Your AI Roadmap⁠⁠. With a decade in software & AI, she has worked at Nuance, VERSA Agency, & OneReach.ai in data & analysis, product, & digital transformation. She's an investor & technical advisor to startup & enterprise. A CES & VentureBeat speaker & Harvard Business Review published author, she has a PhD & is based in Seattle.

Disclaimer: Our links may have affiliate codes. This is an educational podcast and not intended as legal, career, or financial advice. Seek professional gu...

Let's talk about OpenAI's viability as a company.

 In this episode, Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek discusses OpenAI and its flagship product, ChatGPT, while expressing concerns about the company's future. Hear the detailed feedback and make up your own opinion about whether OpenAI will be one of the big winners in a 5-10 year time span.

She outlines five key reasons for her skepticism and Joan emphasizes the importance of understanding the market dynamics and encourages listeners to remain cautiously optimistic while exploring AI tools.

Episodes Cited:

• Why is AI taking off now? Technical Trifecta for AI: GPUs, Big Data, and Machine Learning
• BONUS DeepSeek Shocks the Market! Competitive Strengths and Weaknesses
• AI Tools I Love #3: Perplexity: Search with Citations, Images, and No Ads (for now)

Sound Bites

• "I'm betting against them."
• "Volatile leadership is a concern."

Takeaways

💰 Profitability is a major concern for OpenAI.

⚖️ OpenAI's leadership has faced significant instability.

🚀 Competitors like Anthropic and Perplexity are gaining traction.

🌐 The AI landscape is becoming increasingly competitive.

💡 What is the road to profitability?

Spending $700k per day: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-chatgpt-costs-openai-to-run-estimate-report-2023-4?op=1

$20k per month “PhD Agent”: https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/05/openai-reportedly-plans-to-charge-up-to-20000-a-month-for-specialized-ai-agents/?guccounter=1

OpenAI Is Growing Fast and Burning Through Piles of Money (NYT, 2024): https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/

Learn More

YouTube! Watch the episode live @YourAIRoadmap
Connect with Joan on LinkedIn

✨📘 Buy the Bestselling Wiley Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy. Featured in Forbes!

Who is Joan?

Ranked the #4⁠⁠ in Voice AI Influencer, ⁠⁠Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek⁠⁠ is the CEO of ⁠⁠Clarity AI⁠⁠, Founder of ⁠⁠Women in Voice⁠⁠, & Host of ⁠⁠Your AI Roadmap⁠⁠. With a decade in software & AI, she has worked at Nuance, VERSA Agency, & OneReach.ai in data & analysis, product, & digital transformation. She's an investor & technical advisor to startup & enterprise. A CES & VentureBeat speaker & Harvard Business Review published author, she has a PhD & is based in Seattle.

Disclaimer: Our links may have affiliate codes. This is an educational podcast and not intended as legal, career, or financial advice. Seek professional gu...