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The AI Grapple

The AI Grapple

By: The AI Grapple
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 Unravel the complexities of AI with The AI Grapple Podcast, hosted by Kate vanderVoort. Dive into thought-provoking discussions on the most critical AI issues shaping our world. Perfect for marketers and business professionals, this podcast is your guide to integrating AI responsibly and ethically into your organization. Join us as we navigate the future of technology and its profound impact on humanity.Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Economics
Episodes
  • Ep 42: Maker, Shaper or Taker? David Espindola’s Guide to Smart AI Strategy

    Ep 42: Maker, Shaper or Taker? David Espindola’s Guide to Smart AI Strategy
    Dec 22 2025
    In this episode, Kate vanderVoort (Founder and CEO at the AI Success Lab) speaks with futurist, author and technologist David Espindola, founder of Brainyus and author of Soulful: You in the Future of Artificial Intelligence. With more than 30 years in the tech industry, David has guided organisations through major waves of disruption. His work now focuses on human and AI collaboration, ethical adoption and how businesses can prepare for rapid change. What We Cover David’s AI journey David shares how his early work in technology set the stage for exploring AI long before it hit the mainstream. He explains the shift from AI being an academic topic to something every industry now has to face head-on. His first book, The Exponential Era, explored the convergence of fast-growing technologies, with AI standing out as the most powerful force shaping business and society. Why AI is different from past technology waves While tech change isn’t new, the speed and scale of AI is. David highlights how robotics, quantum computing and AI are blending, creating a level of disruption few leaders are ready for. The Maker, Shaper, Taker model David breaks down one of the most practical strategic models in this space: Makers build frontier AI models. Shapers fine-tune models on their own data and culture. Takers use AI built into existing tools. Most businesses don’t even realise these options exist. The conversation explores how smaller organisations can gain an advantage by choosing their place in this model with intention. The human side of AI adoption Kate and David dig into the fear, uncertainty and culture challenges that show up inside organisations. David shares how one client used an AI champion, clear policies and structured training to build confidence, capability and responsible use. He stresses the importance of trust, transparency and honest conversations about job changes. Workforce changes and agentic AI David discusses the shift ahead as agentic AI becomes part of everyday workflows. With half of entry-level roles at risk, he talks through the long-term impact on talent pipelines and how leaders should prepare their people now. Education’s turning point Both Kate and David explore the role of AI in learning and how personalised tutoring could transform the way people develop skills. They look at why bans don’t work, how critical thinking becomes even more important and what students need in order to thrive in an AI-driven world. David’s podcast and working with Zena, his AI colleague David shares the story behind his podcast Conversations with Zena and what happened when he trained an AI agent on his books, writing, values and language. He talks through the challenges of three-way conversations with AI, how context shapes quality and the surprising moments where Zena raised questions he didn’t expect. Global AI ethics, regulation and the geopolitical tension ahead The discussion covers the EU’s AI Act, US innovation, China’s influence and the need for shared approaches to safety, human rights and access. What’s possible if we get this right David closes with an optimistic view of what AI could unlock: abundance, less manual work, more meaningful creativity, and more time for humans to grow, reflect and connect. He also speaks to the risks and the need for strong global safeguards. Links and Resources David Espindola’s Website: davidespindola.com Brainyus: brainyus.com Book: Soulful: You in the Future of Artificial IntelligencePodcast: Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague Connect with David LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidespindola/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/despindola23/ X: https://twitter.com/despindola23 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@despindola23 Connect with Kate at the AI Success Lab AI Success LabAI Success Lab Facebook CommunityLinkedIn
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    47 mins
  • Ep 41: Raising Future-Ready Kids: The Family AI Game Plan with Amy D. Love

    Ep 41: Raising Future-Ready Kids: The Family AI Game Plan with Amy D. Love
    Dec 16 2025

    In this episode of The AI Grapple, Kate vanderVoort speaks with Amy D. Love – founder of the international movement Discovering AI and best-selling author of Raising Entrepreneurs and Discovering AI: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Future-Ready Kids. A former Fortune 500 Chief Marketing Officer and Harvard MBA, Amy has turned her focus to helping families prepare their children for life and success in the age of AI.

    Amy and Kate dive into why families – not just schools or governments – are critical to AI readiness. They explore the need for practical, values-led guidance in navigating AI with kids and discuss how the FAMILY AI GAME PLAN is empowering parents to raise children who are not only aware of AI, but equipped to thrive alongside it. This episode is packed with practical strategies, real-life anecdotes, and thoughtful reframes that challenge the way we think about parenting, education, and technology.

    What We Cover:

    • Why families are the frontline of AI education
    • The vision behind Discovering AI and Amy’s shift from tech exec to children’s advocate
    • Moving from fear to confidence as a parent in the age of AI
    • A walkthrough of the FAMILY AI GAME PLAN – and how any family can use it
    • “Create more, consume less” – why this mantra matters now more than ever
    • The hidden risks of leaving AI education solely to schools or governments
    • Real-life family AI activities that promote creativity, ethics and digital literacy
    • What’s possible if every family gets this right in a single generation

    About Amy D. Love: Amy D. Love is the founder of Discovering AI, an international movement helping families prepare children to thrive in an AI-powered world. With a background as a Fortune 500 CMO and a Harvard MBA, Amy has advised AI leaders and policymakers on aligning tech with human values. She is the author of the best-selling Raising Entrepreneurs and the newly released Discovering AI. Her signature FAMILY AI GAME PLAN offers parents a practical framework to guide children’s use of AI with confidence, creativity and care.

    Resources and Links:

    • Website: www.discoveringai.org
    • www.discoveringai.com
    • Books:
      • Raising Entrepreneurs – Available on Amazon
      • Discovering AI: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Future-Ready Kids – Available on Amazon
    • Free resources, MindSpark activities and the FAMILY AI GAME PLAN available on the Discovering AI website

    Connect with Kate:

    • Website: www.aisuccesslab.com
    • LinkedIn: Kate vanderVoort

    Subscribe & Review: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and leave a review on your favourite podcast platform. Share this episode with a fellow parent or educator who’s navigating the world of AI with kids.
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    45 mins
  • Ep 40: From Fear to Confidence: Guiding Teams Through AI Adoption with Leadership Expert Neil Tunnah

    Ep 40: From Fear to Confidence: Guiding Teams Through AI Adoption with Leadership Expert Neil Tunnah
    Dec 8 2025

    In this episode, Kate vanderVoort, Founder of the AI Success Lab, speaks with Neil Tunnah - former elite rugby coach, global leadership consultant and founder of The Performance Chain Group. Neil works with organisations across Australia and North America to help leaders build behavioural consistency, navigate uncertain environments and guide their people through rapid AI-driven change.

    Neil brings grounded thinking and honest reflection to some of the biggest leadership challenges of this moment. Together, we explore why clarity is the currency of trust, how fear spreads when leaders avoid hard conversations, and why AI won’t replace good leaders but will absolutely expose the weak ones. He also shares lessons from elite sport on resilience, habit-building and culture that apply directly to today’s workplaces.

    The discussion moves through strategy, psychology, culture and the realities facing teams on the ground. Neil also speaks openly about raising kids in this era and what the future of learning could look like with AI in the mix.

    What We Cover:

    • How AI is disrupting leadership and why behavioural consistency matters more than ever
    • Why many leaders are confused about AI strategy - and how that confusion cascades through organisations
    • Creating clarity when the truth is that leaders don’t have all the answers yet
    • The danger of top-down AI strategies that ignore frontline experience
    • Human friction points organisations keep missing when adopting AI
    • The cultural gaps that stop AI projects from gaining traction
    • Fear, job security and why avoidance only increases anxiety
    • Lessons from elite sport that shape how leaders can develop resilience and habits that actually stick
    • How AI can enhance coaching, development and performance conversations
    • Why the future of learning needs to shift away from memorising and towards real personalised development
    • Raising children during an AI-driven transformation and building the foundations they’ll need
    • What the “re-engineering” of workplaces and society might look like over the next few years

    Guest Bio: Neil Tunnah is a former elite rugby coach turned global leadership consultant and founder of The Performance Chain Group. He helps organisations across Australia and North America navigate change, embed behavioural consistency and lead well in an AI-shaped world. Known for a no-fluff approach to people and performance, Neil works at the intersection of culture, behaviour and leadership. He’s also a dad of two, a gym regular and still deeply connected to the rugby community.

    Connect with Neil: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-tunnah-0a2071122/

    The Performance Chain Group Listen & Subscribe: If you’re a leader, marketer or business professional wanting to understand how to navigate the human side of AI adoption, this episode offers timely, grounded guidance. Listen on your favourite podcast platform and follow the show for future conversations on practical AI in business.
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    51 mins
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