Host Simon Hodgkins welcomes Alastair McDermott, an AI consultant, speaker, trainer, and the founder of HumanSpark•ai. Alastair is also the author of "Use AI, Stay Human" and the host of "The AI-Powered Business Leader" podcast. His perspective on artificial intelligence blends deep technical expertise with a clear focus on people, empathy, and real-world results.

01:25 - Pivot to AI, rebranding to HumanSpark.ai, why he went all in

03:14 - Human-first AI, empower teams, from productivity gains to transformation and learning

07:38 - Case study, medical lab automation cuts processing from 90 minutes to two

14:02 - Accuracy and evals, error checking, and why the EU AI Act matters

17:22 - AGI outlook, the jagged edge of AI strengths and weaknesses

21:56 - Writing Use AI, Stay Human, developmental editor, and synthetic beta readers

32:48 - Free AI toolkits, adoption roadmap, where to find Alastair, closing remarks

Listen to The Global Discussion• Spotify ► https://open.spotify.com/show/3QdMqfzyvca6EVlEJ80I4n• Web ► https://www.theglobaldiscussion.com⁠• YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/@theglobaldiscussion/videos• Others ► LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and FacebookJoin the newsletter via the website for updates on new episodes.

Jona Hysa, a London-based social media strategist, founder of Time4PA, and the driving force behind the Moving Women Forward community, speaks with Simon Hodgkins on this episode of The Global Discussion. Jona’s story is one of resilience, transformation, and a deep commitment to helping others thrive in both business and life.

00:00 - Introduction to the episode and guest Jona Hysa

01:07 - From Albania to London: Jona’s Journey

02:20 - Starting as a Virtual Assistant

04:32 - Building Confidence and Helping Businesses

08:01 - The Social Media Landscape Today

15:19 - SEO vs AI Optimization

17:49 - Creating the Moving Women Forward Community

29:25 - Key Takeaway: “I Did It” Mindset

Listen to The Global Discussion

• Spotify ► https://open.spotify.com/show/3QdMqfzyvca6EVlEJ80I4n

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James Louttit, Founder and Lead Trainer at Impactful Project Management, is in discussion with Host Simon Hodgkins on The Global Discussion to discuss a common challenge faced by leaders and team members: how to deliver results without burning out.

00:00 - Introduction to the episode and guest James Louttit

00:40 - James’s hospital epiphany and shift from effort to impact

04:59 - The eight lenses of project work with a focus on prioritization

11:48 - From saying no to asking why, driving real prioritization decisions

13:34 - The SAVE technique, practical tactics to kick start any project

19:51 - Lean Coffee explained, surfacing issues and creating buy in

24:24 - Risk based contingency, replacing blanket 10 to 20 percent buffers

29:43 - Blending agile and waterfall, choosing what fits your team and context

Listen to The Global Discussion

• Spotify ► https://open.spotify.com/show/3QdMqfzyvca6EVlEJ80I4n

• Web ► https://www.theglobaldiscussion.com⁠

• YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/@theglobaldiscussion/videos

• Others ► LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook

Join the newsletter via the website for updates on new episodes.