Leading Change

Vibe coding makes it feel easy to launch an app. Write a good prompt, ship fast, and start monetizing. But what happens when no one stops to think about security, data exposure, or who is actually protecting users? In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I take a closer look at Firehound and the work they are doing to expose vibe-coded apps in the App Store that are leaking user data, and w...

Is Siri finally about to answer our questions? Apple’s new partnership with Google has a lot of people talking. Some see it as Apple waving a white flag in the AI race. I see it as something much more strategic. In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I break down Apple’s decision to partner with Google’s Gemini AI to power Siri, what this means for the future of AI competition, and why the...

Test scores are dropping. Literacy rates are slipping. And suddenly, AI is being positioned as the solution that will save the education system. But is technology really the unlock, or are we missing the bigger picture? In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I take a closer look at the headlines around AI-driven schools like Alpha Schools and unpack what is actually driving student outcome...

Salesforce says it doesn’t regret laying off nearly 4,000 employees. It also says those layoffs weren’t really about AI. And it definitely says it trusts its AI models. So why do the headlines feel so contradictory? In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I break down the confusing and revealing signals Salesforce is sending about workforce reductions, Agentforce, and what trust really look...

AI adoption at the enterprise level isn’t living up to the hype—and the “magic wand” promise of tools like Microsoft Copilot may be wearing off. In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I delve into what’s happening behind the scenes of enterprise AI adoption, why some tools are underperforming, and what this means for leaders navigating AI investments. 📉 Here’s what I unpack: Why Microsoft...

The year was 2021 and we were all told that virtual worlds were the future. Now, in 2025, Meta is reportedly preparing to cut its metaverse budget by up to 30%. In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I take a closer look at what this shift really means, how investors are responding, and why Meta might be turning its full attention toward AI and wearable technology instead. Here’s what I un...

Are nuclear plants, spaceships, and oil rigs riskier than AI? Some insurers believe AI poses a greater risk. In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I take a close look at how major carriers like AIG, Great American, and WR Berkeley are approaching AI risk—and what that means for leaders and organizations betting on this technology. 📉 Here’s what I unpack: Why carriers are asking to limit...

AI is showing up in every strategy deck, every board meeting, and every company roadmap. But if you look closely, most AI initiatives are quietly failing long before they ever deliver value. In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I sit down with Brandy Ferrer to break down the real reasons AI projects fall apart and what leaders can do to keep their investments on track. 📉 Here’s what we...

Is synthetic data the solution to "jagged" enterprise AI... or the fast track to Model Collapse? We just got used to "Agentic AI." Now, Salesforce is defining the next frontier of automation with the new term Enterprise Generalized Intelligence (EGI) and betting big on synthetic data to train its new Agent Force solutions. But is this the right path for enterprise trust? In this episode of Leading...

AI is fueling record-breaking valuations, trillion-dollar companies, and endless hype. But… are we living in a bubble? In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I dig into what’s really happening behind the scenes of the AI boom and what it could mean for leaders and organizations betting big on this technology. 📉 Here’s what I unpack: Why Nvidia’s $5 trillion valuation has leaders divided W...

An AWS outage took down apps around the world this week and it exposed a bigger question about the future of cloud, SaaS, and AI-first strategies. In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I break down what happened during the Virginia data center failure and what it signals for organizations that are pushing automation, AI decision-making, and cloud dependency deeper into critical infrastruc...

Would you settle for a partial refund on a $440,000 report that used fake sources generated by AI? That’s exactly what happened in what headlines are calling “The Blunder Down Under.” Deloitte reportedly delivered a government audit built on fabricated citations, and only after being caught did they admit the “sources” never existed. In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, Ema Roloff and Ia...

The headlines say AI is taking everyone’s jobs… but the data doesn’t agree. In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I break down a new report from Yale’s Budget Lab that challenges everything we’ve been hearing about AI-driven disruption.  Here’s what the data actually shows: - Generative AI is shifting jobs at the same pace as past tech waves like the internet and computers - AI adoption i...

Ema is joined by Nick to explore the evolving role of UX in today’s rapidly changing digital landscape. From the early days of Apple and Adobe Photoshop to the rise of user experience as a discipline, Nick shares insights on how technology, design, and human-centered thinking continue to shape innovation.

Your team is screaming for a different kind of leadership, and in this episode of Leading Change, I show you exactly what they’re saying. Instead of breaking down headlines or research, I went straight to the comment section on a recent TikTok video and asked: 👉 “If you could give unfiltered feedback to leadership during a major change… what would you say?” The responses were clear, passionate, a...

Ema is joined by Jason Schultz, Chief Innovation & Technology Officer for an AmLaw 200 firm, to explore what it really takes to drive organizational change. He shares how to identify early adopters and "fast followers," the importance of unlearning old habits, and why small wins and strong storytelling are key to sustainable innovation.

We used to own things. Now we rent them , and in some cases that includes our ability to think. In this episode of Leading Change, I unpack the subscriptionification of everything, from Netflix and workout apps to enterprise software and your favorite AI tools. What started with a $9.99 music plan has turned into monthly fees for cognition. ⚠️ I hit my limit this week after running into paywall af...

Salesforce just laid off 4,000 employees… and they’re blaming AI. In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, Ema Roloff breaks down what’s going on with Salesforce’s massive layoffs, their new Agentforce AI platform, and the growing trend of tech leaders using artificial intelligence as both a scapegoat and a sales pitch. 🎯 Is AI truly replacing jobs… or is it just convenient PR? 📉 How do th...

Ema is joined by Jonathan Bennett, advisor to executives and founders, for a deeply insightful conversation on navigating career transitions—especially when it means stepping away from a business you’ve built.

What if the guardrails we were promised to keep AI safe… were never really built for our safety at all? In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I unpacks the disturbing revelations from Meta’s leaked internal document outlining how its generative AI chatbots are trained to interact, including with children. From flirtatious responses to ethical gray zones that blur dangerously close to groo...

Ema is joined by Carolyn Hicks Jimenez, Head of Business Operations at Insurance Quantified, to talk about career development, retention, and talent building in the insurance industry. Carolyn shares her unconventional path into finance and insurance, highlighting the powerful role of rotational programs in building resilient, well-rounded professionals.

Every new generation gets labeled as lazy, entitled, or unprepared. But here’s the twist. Gen Z isn’t arguing. In fact, they’re raising their hands and saying, “Yeah…we’re not ready.” In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I dig into surprising data on Gen Z’s soft skills, digital literacy, and AI readiness, and why it is causing concern for employers and employees alike. From underprepare...

Ema is joined by executive coach and author Dia Bondi, who shares her proven framework for making powerful asks in your career and leadership journey. Based on her book Ask Like an Auctioneer, Dia breaks down the four essential types of asks—money, authority, influence, and balance—and how mastering them can unlock real progress for you and your team. 

In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, we break down the recent data breach at the viral women’s-only dating app, Tea. Marketed as a platform to help women vet potential matches and stay safe, the app is now facing serious backlash after hackers accessed over 72,000 images, including photo IDs and selfies submitted for account verification. What we cover in this episode: - What the Tea App...

Delta Airlines just made a bold AI move, and it could cost you. Literally. In this episode of Leading Change in the Wild, I break down Delta’s controversial announcement: using AI to individually price airfare based on how much you’re personally willing to pay. That’s right...your seat price could soon be set by an algorithm that knows just how badly you need that flight. What does this mean for t...