Episodes

  • 23: The One Mistake Most AI Teams Make (with Nico Posner)
    Jan 6 2025

    For more on building AI products and careers, along with early course announcement and special pricing, subscribe to the AI Career Boost mailing list at https://aicareerboost.com/interested


    THE GUEST

    Nico Posner’s whose career has spanned some of the world’s most innovative companies, including LinkedIn, eBay, Clover, and Xero. Nico’s career is a masterclass in innovation with massive impact across industries, from startup growth to some of the world’s largest companies. Nico has been working with AI since 2018, with incredible results - for example, as a former VP of Product for Xero, Nico led initiatives integrating cutting-edge AI and predictive analytics into products used by over 100,000 small businesses worldwide, doubling the company’s revenue for multiple product lines. From AI ovens to molecular beverage printers - Nico’s been on the forefront of industry transformation his whole career, and integrating AI along the way. He’s also an alumni of our AI Product Leader Blueprint program - and he’s currently looking for his next opportunity - find him on LInkedIn.


    THE SUMMARY

    AI in the Real World 🌍: Implementing AI effectively requires bridging the gap between innovative technologies and real-world user needs. Success comes from creating tools that address tangible problems, like cashflow forecasting or vision-based cooking systems.


    The Human Touch in AI 🤝: Human-in-the-loop systems are vital for improving AI outputs over time. Products that allow users to refine predictions or provide feedback create a balance between precision and usability, enhancing overall satisfaction.


    Learning from Errors 🔄: Embracing experimentation and allowing for suboptimal results during development can lead to valuable insights. Iterative improvements and a willingness to learn from failures are critical for building robust AI systems.


    Culture of Experimentation 🚀: A successful AI-driven organization fosters a culture that tolerates smart failures and embraces unpredictability. This requires adaptability, continuous learning, and a focus on evolving processes and tools.


    Non-Technical Backgrounds in AI 🛠️: Breaking into AI doesn’t require a technical degree. Strong critical thinking, user empathy, and problem-solving skills, combined with collaborative approaches, can drive success in technical fields.


    Advice for Aspiring AI Product Leaders 🌟: Continuous learning is essential. Building expertise in AI starts with self-education, hands-on experimentation, and seeking opportunities within existing roles to explore AI-driven projects.


    THE SHOW

    Weekly conversations with the AI’s top product leaders. Join Polly Allen as she discovers the paths to success in the world of AI.


    THE LINKS

    Have a question you want us to answer? Send it through to support@aicareerboost.com


    Nico Posner

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoposner/


    My links

    LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/pollymallen/⁠

    AI Career Boost: ⁠https://www.aicareerboost.com/⁠

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    31 mins
  • 2024 in AI
    Dec 16 2024

    A quick glimpse into what happened in the world of AI in December 2024!


    THE SHOW

    AI After Hours with Polly Allen and Yuying Chen-Wynn is an irreverent attempt to 'edutain' about the latest AI headlines & tools!


    THE LINKS


    Recommendations

    For more on building AI products and careers, along with early course announcement and special pricing, subscribe to the AI Career Boost mailing list at https://aicareerboost.com/interested


    Polly Allen

    LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/pollymallen/⁠

    AI Career Boost: ⁠https://www.aicareerboost.com/⁠


    Yuying Chen-Wynn

    LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuyingchenwynn/⁠

    Blog: https://yuying.substack.com/


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    44 mins
  • AI Breakthroughs
    Dec 9 2024

    A quick glimpse into what happened in the world of AI in November 2024!

    THE SHOW

    AI After Hours with Polly Allen and Yuying Chen-Wynn is an irreverent attempt to 'edutain' about the latest AI headlines & tools!

    THE LINKS

    Recommendations

    For more on building AI products and careers, along with early course announcement and special pricing, subscribe to the AI Career Boost mailing list at https://aicareerboost.com/interested

    Polly Allen

    LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/pollymallen/⁠

    AI Career Boost: ⁠https://www.aicareerboost.com/⁠

    Yuying Chen-Wynn

    LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuyingchenwynn/⁠

    Blog: https://yuying.substack.com/

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    40 mins
  • 22: From Stay-at-Home Mom to AI Innovator (with Annette Holland)
    Dec 2 2024

    For more on building AI products and careers, along with early course announcement and special pricing, subscribe to the AI Career Boost mailing list at https://aicareerboost.com/interested


    THE GUEST

    Annette Holland is a Senior Project Manager and Digital Transformation Leader with a rich background in AI, Agile methodologies, and complex project orchestration. With over a decade of experience across industries like finance, education, and entertainment, Annette is known for her strategic approach and her knack for turning chaos into clarity. She’s led high-impact digital transformations for brands like Disney and iRobot, championing agile practices and fostering cross-functional collaboration to drive innovation.


    THE SUMMARY

    Transitioning Careers

    Skills from unrelated fields, like web development or small business management, can provide a strong foundation for roles in digital transformation and AI. Applying transferable skills like project management and problem-solving is key to success.


    AI for Productivity and Workflow Efficiency

    AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT can save significant time on tasks such as drafting documents or conducting analyses. Using AI to tackle repetitive or disliked tasks can free up energy for strategic work.


    Building Targeted AI Solutions

    AI products that address specific challenges, such as crafting professional communications or managing emotional labor, showcase how niche tools can create meaningful value. Prioritizing privacy and user feedback ensures relevance and trust.


    Tackling Workplace Challenges with AI

    AI can help mitigate hidden workplace burdens, like the mental tax of code-switching, by providing solutions that reduce emotional strain and increase efficiency in communication and decision-making.


    THE SHOW

    Weekly conversations with the AI’s top product leaders. Join Polly Allen as she discovers the paths to success in the world of AI.


    THE LINKS

    Have a question you want us to answer? Send it through to support@aicareerboost.com


    Annette Holland

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annetteholland/


    My links

    LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/pollymallen/⁠

    AI Career Boost: ⁠https://www.aicareerboost.com/⁠

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    19 mins
  • 21: Breaking into AI Product Management (with Sneha Rajendran)
    Nov 26 2024

    For more on building AI products and careers, along with early course announcement and special pricing, subscribe to the AI Career Boost mailing list at https://aicareerboost.com/interested

    THE GUEST

    Sneha Rajendran is a dynamic product manager with over a decade of experience in B2B and B2B2C SaaS. With a passion for leveraging AI and Generative AI to drive customer value, Sneha made a significant impact at Cisco by leading AI-powered innovations for Webex Calling, including noise removal and NLP features that enhanced user experience and accessibility. Now, she’s building AI-powered edtech products, following her impressive work at companies like LiveRamp and Oracle.


    THE SUMMARY

    Mastering AI Product Management:

    Transitioning from software engineering to AI product management involves focusing on customer needs, balancing technical and business aspects, and leveraging domain expertise to decide what to build and how to build it.

    The Unique Challenges of AI:

    Successful AI product management requires identifying the right use cases that add real value without increasing friction, ensuring scalability, and balancing cost-benefit considerations for long-term impact.

    Generative AI in Early Childhood Education:

    Generative AI can transform education by personalizing content to engage young learners. Customizing activity sheets and creating interactive agents tailored to a child's interests can enhance engagement and learning outcomes.

    Getting Started in AI:

    Diving into AI is more accessible than ever. Tools like OpenAI Playground and integrated AI features in everyday applications make it easier to explore, experiment, and build. Observing how these tools improve workflows sparks innovative ideas for AI-driven solutions.

    THE SHOW

    Weekly conversations with the AI’s top product leaders. Join Polly Allen as she discovers the paths to success in the world of AI.

    THE LINKS

    Have a question you want us to answer? Send it through to support@aicareerboost.com

    Sneha Rajendran

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sneharajendran/

    My links

    LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/pollymallen/⁠

    AI Career Boost: ⁠https://www.aicareerboost.com/⁠

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    19 mins
  • 20: AI Is Fixing Crypto (with Graeme Barnes)
    Nov 18 2024

    For more on building AI products and careers, along with early course announcement and special pricing, subscribe to the AI Career Boost mailing list at https://aicareerboost.com/interested

    THE GUEST

    Graeme Barnes, a seasoned Ethereum product manager and a leading force in the blockchain space based in South Africa. Currently, Graeme is a Senior Technical Product Manager at Biconomy, where he’s driving innovation in decentralized technology. His impressive career spans multiple influential roles, including Head of Product at Maple and Product Manager at Gnosis, where he played a key role in building decentralized applications. With a passion for blockchain technology and a talent for creating user-centered products, Graeme’s expertise is making a significant impact in the world of digital assets and Web3.

    THE SUMMARY

    🚀 Bridging AI and Blockchain

    Graham Barnes shares insights on how AI can simplify complex blockchain applications, making crypto more accessible and secure through innovative UX strategies and AI-powered workflows.

    🤖 AI-Enhanced Workflows in Product Management

    From automating Scrum master tasks to using AI for rapid prototyping, Graham demonstrates how product managers can leverage tools like ChatGPT and LangChain to optimise processes and focus on strategic priorities.

    🎭 The Rise of Tokenised AI Agents

    Discover the fascinating emergence of AI agents that integrate with crypto, allowing for co-ownership and interaction. These innovations are redefining ownership and engagement in digital spaces, much like the NFT wave.🧠 Learning AI the Right Way

    Graham emphasises the importance of starting with prompt engineering and experimenting with no-code tools to build transformative workflows and stay ahead in the fast-evolving tech landscape.

    💡 The Future of Work

    The accelerating role of AI in automating execution tasks is reshaping product management. Graham shares his vision of a world where MVPs can be created and tested in a single day, stressing the need for professionals to adapt swiftly or risk obsolescence.

    🌍 Crypto’s Role in AI and Beyond

    Explore how blockchain can enable fair data usage, incentivise contributions, and create secure frameworks for AI operations, setting the stage for a future of decentralised and tokenised economies.


    THE SHOW

    Weekly conversations with the AI’s top product leaders. Join Polly Allen as she discovers the paths to success in the world of AI.

    THE LINKS

    Have a question you want us to answer? Send it through to support@aicareerboost.com

    Graeme Barnes

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graeme-barnes-3b435954/

    My links

    LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/pollymallen/⁠

    AI Career Boost: ⁠https://www.aicareerboost.com/⁠

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    45 mins
  • 19: AI Agents Are Taking Over (with Vicki Reyzelman)
    Nov 11 2024

    For more on building AI products and careers, along with early course announcement and special pricing, subscribe to the AI Career Boost mailing list at https://aicareerboost.com/interested

    THE GUEST

    Vicki Reyzelman is a visionary leader at the forefront of AI-driven business transformation. With over two decades of experience in tech leadership, Vicki has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation across roles at industry giants like Salesforce, Akamai, and Yahoo. Her expertise spans artificial intelligence, enterprise architecture, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, making her a true polymath in the tech world. Vicki's impact is tangible - from implementing AI agents that slashed operational costs by $100,000 to scaling global account portfolios with 30% year-over-year growth. As a thought leader, she's shared her insights through publications in eWeek and O'Reilly Media, and hosts the "Chat About AI" videocast, demystifying complex tech concepts for a broader audience. With a recent certificate in AI from MIT Sloan and an MBA focusing on information security, Vicki brings a unique blend of cutting-edge knowledge and strategic business acumen to every challenge she tackles. Her mission to empower organizations to harness the full potential of AI and emerging technologies makes her an invaluable voice in today's rapidly evolving tech landscape.

    THE SUMMARY

    🔍 AI Isn’t Always the Solution: Businesses often rush into AI without a clear problem in mind. Before using AI, it's critical to define the problem and determine if AI is the best fit. Many times, overuse or poor planning can cause AI projects to fail to scale.

    🤖 Agents, Not Assistants: True AI agents go beyond just answering questions—they access systems, make decisions, and operate independently, communicating with other agents to handle tasks faster than any human can manage.

    🚀 Get in the Game Now: There’s no single path to learning AI, but there’s no excuse not to start. Free resources, networking on platforms like LinkedIn, and experimenting with hands-on tools make AI more accessible than ever.

    ⚔️ AI Competition Spurs Innovation: Competitive sectors like retail leverage AI to stay ahead, from scraping competitor prices to optimizing customer experience. AI is turning these industries into fast-paced innovation labs, often leaving more cautious industries behind.

    THE SHOW

    Weekly conversations with the AI’s top product leaders. Join Polly Allen as she discovers the paths to success in the world of AI.

    THE LINKS

    Have a question you want us to answer? Send it through to support@aicareerboost.com

    Vicki Reyzelman

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickireyzelman/

    ‘Talk about AI Podcast’: https://www.youtube.com/@chataboutai

    My episode on Vicki’s podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLMiLjIig_Y

    My links

    LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/pollymallen/⁠

    AI Career Boost: ⁠https://www.aicareerboost.com/⁠

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    22 mins
  • 18: Marily Nika
    Nov 4 2024

    For more on building AI products and careers, along with early course announcement and special pricing, subscribe to the AI Career Boost mailing list at https://aicareerboost.com/interested

    THE GUEST

    Dr. Marily Nika is a visionary leader at the forefront of AI and product innovation, a pioneer in establishing the discipline of AI Product Management. From her current role as the Gen AI Product Lead for Google Assistant Natural Language Processing, to former roles working on and leading initiatives like Speech AI for Google’s voice assistant, Google Glass and AI Avatars at Meta, Dr. Nika brings a wealth of experience pushing the boundaries of AI applications in consumer technology. Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. Nika is a passionate educator and advocate, founding the AI Product Academy and serving as an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, where she shares her expertise in AI product management. Her commitment to fostering diversity in tech is evident through her numerous volunteer leadership roles, including her work with Lean In - Women in Tech Greece, Wonder Women Tech Foundation, and as a co-founder of Greek Women Do Tech. Dr. Nika's unique blend of technical prowess, product acumen, and dedication to empowering others makes her a true luminary in the field of AI and product management.

    THE SHOW

    Weekly conversations with the AI’s top product leaders. Join Polly Allen as she discovers the paths to success in the world of AI.

    THE LINKS

    Have a question you want us to answer? Send it through to support@aicareerboost.com

    Marily Nika

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynika/

    AI Product Academy: https://maven.com/marily-nika/ai-pm-bootcamp

    My links

    LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/pollymallen/⁠

    AI Career Boost: ⁠https://www.aicareerboost.com/⁠

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    21 mins