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Life Inside an AI-Native Success Story – Donna Thomas

August 20, 2025
by Claire

Ever wondered what it’s really like inside one of the world’s fastest-growing AI companies? This week we get unprecedented access to the inner workings of Leonardo AI through their Chief Commercial Officer, Donna Thomas.

Leonardo AI is a Gen AI-powered image and video generator and it’s one of Australia’s AI success stories. It scaled from zero to 19 million users in just two years before being acquired by Canva last year.

At ‘Leo’ as they call it, Donna plays a central role overseeing customer, marketing, sales and enterprise adoption, as Leo charts its evolution from a fast-growing creative AI platform to an enterprise-scale solution.

Donna takes us behind the scenes and shares what hypergrowth feels like from the inside. She says Leo has redefined her understanding of speed itself.

In such a fast moving environment, the challenges of managing and sustaining teams through constant change become critical and Donna shares the specific structures and rituals Leo uses to maintain team stability while moving faster than she’s ever experienced.

In this conversation, you’ll also discover:

The key differences between working at a traditional tech giant versus an AI-native startup and what skills become essential
The “listening muscle” required to synthesise signals from customers, competitors, and tech developments in real-time
Practical strategies for managing and sustaining teams through hypergrowth and hyper-fast work rhythms
Why Leonardo embeds AI across everything from customer service to engineering and HR, and how they manage the complexity of using multiple different AI tools internally; and . . .
Donna’s advice for professionals wanting to become more AI-fluent and free up time for deep work.

Whether you’re curious about life inside a cutting-edge AI company or looking for practical insights on adapting and leading in our rapidly changing work environment, this conversation offers a rare glimpse into how a world-leading AI-native organisation is managing these challenges and opportunities.

Enjoy this episode!

Useful Links

Leonardo AI

Interview

AI at the Speed of Trust – Ann Maya

August 7, 2025
by Claire

Our guest this week gets straight to the heart of what actually makes AI work in practice: seamless data integration and moving at what she calls “the speed of trust.”

Ann Maya is the EMEA Chief Technology Officer at Boomi, a company that connects applications, devices, and systems to help organisations navigate digital transformation. With over 20 years in software—from developer to solution architect to senior leadership—Ann has a rare ability to bridge technical complexity with business reality.

In this conversation, we explore why most organisations struggle to scale AI beyond pilots, and why the answer isn’t just about the technology itself. Ann shares:

How a container ship insurance company transformed their underwriter workflow from three days to 15 minutes—and why their legal team immediately wanted in
Why she believes your company’s data is your “competitive secret sauce” and how to protect it while still leveraging AI’s power
The psychology behind why change happens at “the speed of trust” and how smart companies bring their people along on the AI journey
Real examples of what she calls “creative destruction”—and why the next revolution might come from the most unexpected places

Ann also reveals how Boomi has embedded 11 different AI agents into their own platform and shares a fascinating perspective on the current AI race: who’s winning, who’s getting left behind, and what you can control when everything feels like it’s moving at breakneck speed.

Whether you’re wondering how to turn AI skeptics into advocates or trying to understand why your organisation’s data strategy matters more than ever, this conversation offers practical insights from someone who’s helping companies navigate this transformation every day.

Enjoy this episode with the innovative and customer-focused Ann Maya.

Links

Ann on LinkedIn

Boomi home page

Boomi – Discover

Interview

AI for Marketing & Creative – Emma Wharton Love

July 23, 2025July 23, 2025
by Claire

This week we explore how AI is reshaping all things marketing with Emma Wharton Love, co-founder of UK-based Spark AI.

Emma helps creative agencies and in-house teams navigate the AI era, and her unique background includes helping the entire UK House of Commons transition to hybrid working during Covid.

That experience taught Emma something crucial that we explore in this episode, successful AI deployment isn’t really about the technology, it’s about people and change management.

We also probe one of the most sensitive areas for the marketing services industry, how AI is impacting the creative process itself. We also explore what AI video means for advertising and how it may result in a much bigger pool of advertisers in future.

During this great conversation you’ll also discover:

What to avoid when starting out on the AI pathway
The value of synthetic market research (and what it is)
Where Emma believes the biggest gains for agencies lie
How she thinks about AI’s future role in marketing creativity, and
The one mindset Emma believes is essential for AI success.

Whether you’re in marketing or not, Emma’s approach to managing AI transformation offers valuable lessons for any professional or business trying to harness this technology thoughtfully.

Useful Links

Spark AI website

Emma Wharton Love on LinkedIn

Interview

Demystifying Hiring in the Age of AI – Magdalena…

June 11, 2025June 11, 2025
by Claire

Ever wondered what really happens after you hit ‘apply’ on that dream job? We’re pulling back the curtain on modern recruitment with Magdalena Orascanin, an international HR consultant and speaker who advises and trains HR teams globally on strategic AI implementation.

Based in Switzerland and founder of Magnate HR, Magdalena has a wealth of HR experience, and a refreshingly honest perspective on how AI is actually being used in hiring and in HR today – spoiler alert: it’s not what most people think.

Magdalena speaks regularly about AI and HR including at the AI Summit London where we can also be found this week. 🙂

In this episode we explore:

The ATS Mythology Magdalena reveals the biggest myth about Applicant Tracking Systems and shares what’s really screening your CV
The Application Avalanche Why recruiters are drowning in applications like never before and what this means for your job search strategy
How to successfully apply for roles
Using AI as Your Career Coach How to flip the script and use AI tools to your advantage, and . . .
Future-Proofing Your Career Essential skills for staying relevant as AI reshapes the workplace.

Magdalena shares fantastic insider knowledge and tips in our conversation. She also reveals her favourite AI tools for automation and content creation, plus why she believes we’re still at the “dial-up internet” stage of AI development.

Whether you’re actively job hunting, or just want to understand how the hiring landscape is shifting, or how roles will change as AI is deployed, this conversation offers priceless insider insights.

Enjoy this episode with the dynamic and optimistic Magdalena Orascanin.

Useful Links:

Magdalena on LinkedIn

Magdalena’s business Magnate

The AI Summit London

Interview

Women, AI Needs YOU! – Dr Nici Sweaney

May 20, 2025May 21, 2025
by Claire

In this week’s episode, we speak with Dr Nici Sweaney, founder of AI Her Way, who brings a powerful perspective on why women urgently need to engage with artificial intelligence – not just for their own personal productivity, but for the future quality of AI itself.

Nici’s journey into AI consulting and training began with a moment of clarity while rocking her toddler to sleep. As an academic, data scientist, and mother of four, she realised women, especially those juggling multiple responsibilities, stand to benefit enormously from AI assistance. More importantly, she recognised a concerning gender gap in AI adoption that could have far-reaching consequences.

In our fascinating conversation, Nici shares:

Why the current gender imbalance in who is using AI presents both a personal productivity loss AND a broader societal challenge
How AI tools are actively learning from us and re-presenting our world back to us – making women’s voices critical in these formative stages of the tech
Practical strategies for moving beyond ‘tinkering’ with AI to integrating it throughout your work and personal life
A revealing look inside Nici’s own business, where AI ‘staff members work alongside humans in every function, and
Nici’s vision for how AI could transform our future – from solving global challenges to enabling more entrepreneurial thinking.

We were particularly struck by Nici’s perspective that women have a “moral obligation” to engage with AI. As she explains, these systems are currently being shaped predominantly by male users, and without diverse input they risk perpetuating bias for generations to come.

So whether you’re AI-curious but hesitant, already experimenting with these tools, or looking to take your AI skills to the next level, this episode offers valuable insights on claiming your place in the AI revolution – not just for your benefit, but for all the women who follow.

Enjoy this episode with this forward thinking champion of women, Dr Nici Sweaney.

Useful Links

AI Her Way website
Nici on LinkedIn
Nici on Instagram

Special Offer for Listeners
Dr Nici has generously offered our listeners free 14 day trial access to her AI for Impact Hub, which includes comprehensive education on the five levels of AI integration, from basic prompting to agentic AI.

Access it here: https://aiherway.short.gy/DontStop

Interview

Reality Check – Isar Meitis

May 7, 2025May 7, 2025
by Claire

This week we share a thought-provoking episode of Don’t Stop Us Now AI Edition, where we tackle head-on some of the most challenging realities of the AI revolution.

Our guest, Isar Meitis, Founder of Multiplai AI, gives us a reality check, without the sugarcoating, explaining the potential disruption heading our way. As an entrepreneur, investor, podcaster and AI strategist who’s deeply embedded in this space, Isar brings a refreshingly frank perspective about what’s coming, perhaps sooner than many of us expect.

In this compelling conversation, Isar shares his predictions about the dramatic workforce changes we’re likely to see in the next 2-3 years. While many experts talk about gradual transitions, Isar believes we’re approaching a tipping point where AI’s capabilities may create significant employment challenges across numerous industries.

We explore:

Why AI’s impact on jobs could be more sudden and widespread than most people realise
How staggeringly capable autonomous Agents will become in the next few years
How to think about creating a comprehensive and winning AI strategy for your organisation, and
Specific AI tools Isar loves and uses in his own business.

Isar also shares practical strategies for listeners looking to remain relevant and valuable in an increasingly AI-enhanced workplace.

This is an ‘edge of your seat’, fascinating and somewhat controversial conversation which, as you’ll discover, runs a little longer than our usual episodes. We think you’ll know why once you hear for yourself.

Enjoy this unmissable episode with the knowledgeable and straight-talking Isar Meitis.

Links mentioned:

Isar Meitis LinkedIn
Multiplai AI website
Isar’s AI Business Transformation Course (starts May 12 2025) **Listeners get a discount for this or future sessions of this course using the code: LEVERAGINGAI100

* Don’t forget to share this episode with any friends, family or colleagues who may be interested in this reality check on what’s coming with AI

Top Tips

How Others Are Using AI – Claire and Greta

April 24, 2025April 24, 2025
by Claire

Our episode this week tackles that quiet question many of us ponder: are others using AI more effectively than we are?

We explore some fascinating new research just published by Harvard Business Review that reveals the top 100 AI use cases based on actual user reports. It shows some dramatic changes in how people are using AI compared with just one year ago. We know it will give you new insights on how you could be using AI right now too.

What’s particularly interesting is that the top five use cases have been completely reshuffled. Entirely new entrants making their debut straight into the top five spots. From deeply personal uses to professional applications, we were surprised by the findings.

The research has a unique approach which we explore in this episode as well as:

Explore the top 5 use case types and share prompts and experiences
Share personal examples of how others are using AI to save hours organising their lives
Discuss why certain uses have skyrocketed in popularity, and
Examine a thought-provoking observation about why AI is unfolding completely differently to any other tech.

If you’ve been fretting that your workplace is falling behind in the AI race we share exactly why this might be. And if you have been wondering how your use of AI compares to other peoples’, then this episode may answer that question too.

If you’re looking for inspiration on how to use AI then stay tuned for a wealth of practical ideas. Enjoy this episode.

Useful Links

Full list of HBR’s Top 100 AI use cases below:

Harvard Business Review article on Top 100 AI use cases

Andrej Karpathy’s blog post on consumers as AI power users

Subscribe to Don’t Stop Us Now – AI Edition wherever you get your podcasts to stay in the loop on what you need to know to remain relevant in this fast-changing world.

Image: Created by ChatGPT

Interview

Writing Authentically with AI – Anneli Knight

April 9, 2025April 9, 2025
by Claire

Can you imagine spending two decades working in a field you’re totally passionate about and then having an expert friend tell you that within 6 months AI would likely make your career redundant?

Well that’s exactly what happened to our guest this week, Anneli Knight.

Anneli is a strategic writing consultant, author and journalist. She regularly runs workshops helping executives write more effectively with her business, Eloquence Consulting.

Writing isn’t just Anneli’s profession but her passion, so since that conversation with her friend, she’s been on quite the rollercoaster journey coming to terms with the reality of what AI does and what it means, not just for her own business but for all people wanting to write using Gen AI.

Anneli is very candid as she shares with us her journey of confronting a future shaped by AI, as well as the key learnings from her extensive experimentation with AI as a tool.

In this episode we cover:

Anneli’s initial reaction to her friend’s blunt message and what she did next
The “three sets of three sleepless nights” she experienced while wrestling with what AI means for writers
Practical techniques for working effectively with AI for writing without sacrificing your authentic voice
Creative ways to use voice mode in ChatGPT to accelerate the writing you need to do, and . . .
The limitations and ethical questions around the use of AI when it comes to creative writing.

This episode shares invaluable practical tips to improve your AI-supported writing including insightful advice on how to craft effective prompts.

And, needless to say, Anneli has reworked what she teaches business executives!

If you need to write anything in your day job then you’ll love this conversation. So enjoy this episode with the passionate and thoughtful Anneli Knight.

Useful Links

Eloquence Consulting

The book Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick

Subscribe to Don’t Stop Us Now – AI Edition wherever you get your podcasts.

Interview

Get AI Working For You – Meg Smith

March 26, 2025March 27, 2025
by Claire

Our guest this week for our 200th episode, is a digital strategist, author, and purpose-driven entrepreneur. After spending a decade at Google, Meg Smith co-founded Cloverbase, a training company focused on AI literacy and tech enablement based in New Zealand.

Meg’s journey with AI began, like many of ours, with a genuine fear about what these powerful tools might mean for her career. While on maternity leave in November 2022, she had her first encounter with ChatGPT, which sparked concerns about whether she would be relevant in the workplace anymore. Fast forward to today, and Meg has transformed that fear into expertise, helping others navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

In this episode, Meg shares specific prompting techniques to get better results from AI tools, why daily practice matters, and how organisations can implement AI safely through what she calls a combined “top-down and bottoms-up” approach. She also brings some great insights on balancing the risks and benefits of these powerful technologies.

We particularly loved Meg’s take on the human skills that will remain valuable as AI evolves – especially conversation, critical thinking, and storytelling. Her concept of “triangulation” for verifying AI outputs is super practical too.

We were really drawn to Meg’s down-to-earth, thoughtful approach to AI adoption, and we think you will be too.

Enjoy this conversation with the practical and insightful Meg Smith.

Useful links

AKO – How to Become AI Enabled free course
Cloverbase
Superhuman AI Newsletter (daily AI newsletter Meg recommends)
Microsoft AI Fundamentals (this is a really great basic course)
Google AI Essentials (this too is an excellent free course)
NVIDIA AI Fundamentals
HiTech Hippies (Meg’s sustainability blog)

How To Episode

Practical AI Use Cases You Can Try Today

March 11, 2025March 11, 2025
by Claire

This week’s episode of Don’t Stop Us Now AI Edition brings you something a little different as we share behind the scenes insights into the different ways we’re currently using and experimenting with AI to improve our productivity.

AI tools are evolving so fast and we know how hard it is to try and keep up with it all. This is exactly why we’re sharing specific use case examples with you in this week’s episode. These practical use cases are all things you can try out for yourself today if you’re curious about easy ways to incorporate AI into your work and life but aren’t sure where to start.

As you’ll hear, we’ll share some useful and fun ways to test Perplexity’s Deep Research, Open AI’s image generation capabilities, and Google’s Notebook LM.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How we transformed some everyday tasks using Perplexity’s new Deep Research
How AI-generated images have become dramatically more useful and accurate in recent months and what we’re using these images for
How to easily digest lengthy business reports by turning them into interactive audio conversations you can listen to while commuting or exercising, and
Practical advice for navigating privacy considerations while experimenting with AI

You’ll also get to listen in on a live conversation we have showcasing a new feature on Notebook LM that really ups the ante for quickly and easily finding the information you want in a dense and lengthy document.

There’s something for everyone to try here so enjoy this practical episode sharing real-world AI use cases and tips…

Useful Links

Perplexity AI

Google’s Notebook LM

ChatGPT (includes image generation capabilities)

Greta’s LinkedIn article on data poisoning

If you haven’t already, subscribe to Don’t Stop Us Now – AI Edition to stay in the know

Why not connect with Claire and Greta on LinkedIn to share your own AI use cases and experiences