Mind the Machine

In this episode of the Mind the Machine Podcast, Cheryl Goodman talks with Dr. Aadeel Akhtar, founder and CEO of Psyonic, about the company’s groundbreaking Ability Hand, a bionic prosthetic hand designed to restore dexterity, strength, and touch feedback for people with limb differences. Dr. Akhtar shares the personal story that inspired him to pursue bionic limbs, the powerful moment that led hi...

Liquid Death is one of the most talked-about brands in the world. In this conversation, Cheryl sits down with SVP of Marketing Daniel Murphy to learn how Liquid Death built a brand that people actually pay attention to — from using comedy as their core strategy, to creating marketing that goes viral. You’ll hear how they think about brand identity, attention, partnerships… and why most companies w...

What if you could clone yourself… digitally? In this episode of Mind the Machine, Cheryl Goodman breaks down how to build your own AI-powered digital twin — a system that can think, write, and communicate like you. You’ll learn what a digital twin actually is, how it’s different from tools like ChatGPT, and the exact steps to create one using tools available today. More importantly, Cheryl walks t...

What does AI actually change about how businesses operate? In this conversation, Wiley Jones (co-founder and CEO of Doss) breaks down the real shift happening right now — and why most people are thinking about it the wrong way. From the evolution of computing (mainframes → cloud → AI) to the rise of “AI-native” companies, this episode explores how work is being redefined… and what actually matters...

AI is rapidly transforming how work gets done, but most people are only scratching the surface of what’s possible. In this episode of Mind the Machine , we sit down with Jay Hack , Head of AI at ClickUp and co-founder of Codegen, to explore how AI is changing productivity, software, and the future of work. Jay shares his journey from studying AI at Stanford to building startups and eventually lead...

Artificial intelligence feels overwhelming for a lot of people right now. The speed is fast, the tools are endless, and the noise can make it hard to know what actually matters. In this keynote-style talk, Cheryl Goodman reframes AI through a different lens: not hype, not fear, and not magic, but understanding. By grounding AI in history, fundamentals, and purpose, this session focuses on how real...

If your marketing isn’t compliant, the risk isn’t theoretical. It can mean lawsuits, fines, or having your ad accounts shut down overnight. In this episode of the Mind the Machine Podcast , we sit down with the co-founders of Loopholes , an AI-powered marketing compliance platform built to catch risk before it becomes expensive. They explain how a single word or image can trigger massive penalties...

Doug Harrison breaks down the 10 mind traps he’s seen repeatedly while working with over a thousand brands and businesses. These traps are subtle, common patterns that work against people’s best interests without them realizing it: the Over-Explainer, the Copycat, the Day Jobber, the Tactician, the Pillar Pitcher, the Glorifier, the Defender, the Interrogator, and the Schmoozer. Doug explains why...

CES 2026 made one thing clear: AI is no longer something we open in a browser. It is becoming the interface for everything around us. From humanoid robots and autonomous vehicles to edge AI, cooling breakthroughs, and voice-first homes, this episode explores how artificial intelligence is moving out of the cloud and into the physical world. Recorded on the show floor and inside CES’s new “Foundry”...

In this episode of Mind the Machine Podcast, we sit down with Stephanie Sylvester, CEO of Avatar Buddy, to explore what human-centered AI actually looks like in practice. Stephanie explains why the real power of AI lives at the intersection between humans and machines, and how small language models can deliver more accurate, secure, and aligned outcomes than massive general-purpose models. She sha...

In this episode of Mind the Machine, we sit down with executive coach Renita Kolhorn to explore why emotional intelligence is becoming more important than raw IQ for founders, leaders, and decision-makers navigating AI-driven change. Renita shares insights from her work with entrepreneurs, military special forces, and high-performing executives, breaking down how emotions influence behavior, decis...

Today we’re talking with Ryan Fox, CTO of Super.com, about what it really looks like to rebuild a company around AI. Ryan walks through why they literally shut down their old systems, why AI is both opportunity and constraint, and what leaders get wrong about adoption. He also breaks down how Super.com scaled from hotel booking to a financial super-app serving everyday Americans. We cover the shif...

Paul Adams, Chief Product Officer and CMO at Intercom, joins Mind the Machine to break down how AI is reshaping customer service, product development, and the future of work. He explains how Intercom rebuilt its entire strategy in a matter of days after ChatGPT arrived, why he believes we are still at the very beginning of the AI cycle, and what second and third order effects will change the world...

What does it truly mean to be human in an age of intelligent machines? Michael Arena, Dean of the Crowell School of Business at Biola University and former executive at AWS and General Motors, joins Cheryl Goodman to explore the intersection of faith, technology, and human dignity in the AI era. He shares his personal journey from the fast-paced world of Amazon to Christian higher education, how B...

In this episode of the Mind the Machine Podcast , we sit down with Michael Steep — former Senior VP of Xerox PARC and Founder of Stanford’s Disruptive Technology Program — to explore how to separate hype from reality in the fast-moving world of AI and emerging technology. Steep explains how the new Alliance for Societal Impact brings together family offices, startups, and universities to drive inn...

In this episode of the Mind the Machine Podcast,, Cheryl Goodman sits down with Ali Llewellyn, former NASA leader, to explore one of the deepest questions of our time: how do faith and AI coexist? Together they unpack how artificial intelligence challenges spiritual identity, raises new moral questions, and redefines what it means to be human. Ali shares why she left NASA to pursue faith-driven in...

How do you know if your pricing is right? Are you charging too little… or too much? In this episode of Mind the Machine Podcast, Cheryl sits down with Marcos Rivera, founder of Pricing I/O and author of Street Pricing, to explore the psychology behind pricing, confidence in your value, and how AI is reshaping business. Marcos shares timeless truths about pricing, why there’s no “magic number,” and...

In this episode of Mind the Machine Podcast , we sit down with Julie Wright, president and founder of Wright On Communications, to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping public relations. Julie explains the shift from traditional SEO to generative engine optimization (GEO), why “answer engines” are replacing search engines, and what this means for brands trying to be discovered online. S...

Aytekin Tank, CEO of Jotform, has been thinking about automation for nearly 20 years—long before the current wave of AI tools. In this episode of Mind the Machine Podcast, he shares how his early ideas about productivity and workflow design laid the foundation for his company to integrate AI in a meaningful way. We explore the rise of AI agents, how customer service is changing, and what most busi...

In this episode of Mind the Machine, Cheryl sits down with Dr. Andrea Yoder Clark of Accenture to explore how small and medium-sized businesses can harness the power of AI agents for real productivity gains—ethically. They break down what AI agents actually are, how they’re reshaping industries, and why now is the moment for companies of all sizes to lean into automation. Dr. Yoder Clark unpacks t...

In this episode of Mind the Machine Podcast, Cheryl talks with Ashley Virtue from the National Conflict Resolution Center about one of the most human questions of our time: can AI actually help us resolve conflict? They explore the emotional roots of fear, the importance of belonging, and how trust and authenticity play a role in how we navigate both human tension and technological change. Ashley...

In this episode of Mind the Machine, Cheryl talks with Pelu Tran, CEO of Ferrum Health, about how AI is quietly transforming healthcare—not by replacing doctors, but by making the system smarter, faster, and more humane. They dive deep into how AI tools are catching missed cancers, improving patient follow-up, and reducing dangerous inefficiencies hiding in plain sight. Pelu shares powerful person...

In this episode of Mind the Machine Podcast, Cheryl sits down with Kristi Martindale, Chief Commercialization Officer at Palladyne AI, to explore the real future of robotics in our daily lives. From exoskeletons and cobots to AI-powered manufacturing and low-code robot training, Kristi shares a hopeful and informed vision of how physical AI can reduce human risk, eliminate repetitive labor, and un...

In this episode of Mind the Machine, Cheryl sits down with Nathan Pettyjohn—founder of the Applied AI Association and AR/VR Association—to ask a bold question: Could AI help us move to a two-day workweek? Nathan shares how AI is reshaping work, entrepreneurship, and daily life, and why he believes the key to thriving in an automated world is not fear—but adaptation, purpose, and community. They ex...

In this solo episode of Mind the Machine, host Cheryl Goodman delivers her keynote on what it truly means to be AI fluent. Drawing on two decades of tech industry leadership—from mp3.com to Qualcomm to Sony—Cheryl breaks down how businesses and individuals can confidently adopt AI without the fear or hype. This talk, given at industry events and universities alike, is part roadmap, part rally cry,...