Conversations with Zena, my AI Colleague

In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , David Espindola sits down with AI transformation advisor and doctoral researcher Patrick Bell to explore one of the most overlooked realities of AI adoption: most AI initiatives do not fail because of technology. They fail because they expose leadership, process, and organizational shortcomings that already existed.  Drawing from a care...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , David Espindola sits down with Manuj Aggarwal, a global AI thought leader with 15 years of experience in artificial intelligence, four AI patents, and two books on technology. The conversation begins with Manuj’s personal journey, from growing up in a small town in India to discovering the power of software as a way to turn ideas into s...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , David Espindola sits down with Bhaskar Salwant, a seasoned AI architect and cybersecurity innovator, to explore one of the most pressing challenges of the digital age: securing intelligent systems in an increasingly complex world. As AI becomes more embedded in the fabric of business and society, cybersecurity is no longer just a techni...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena , David Espindola speaks with award-winning instructional designer, professor, consultant, and author Jackie Pellegrin about the future of education in the age of AI. Jackie explains what instructional design really is, how AI can support more adaptive and personalized learning, and why authentic assessment, critical thinking, and human judgment still mat...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena , David welcomes Lynn Friesth, a 75-year-old solopreneur redefining what it means to work, contribute, and thrive in the later stages of life. With a 40-year corporate career behind him and a forward-looking embrace of artificial intelligence, Lynn brings a rare blend of experience and curiosity to the conversation. He is also the creator of Lynn AI, a co...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena , David Espindola is joined by Kevin Stoffman, COO of Real Estate Business Analytics, to explore how data and AI are reshaping the real estate industry—from investment decisions to tenant experiences.  Kevin shares his journey from finance and consulting into the world of real estate data platforms, offering a grounded perspective on how fragmented inform...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena , David Espindola is joined by Laurent Cohen, Founder and CTO of GetOblic, to explore how voice-first AI is reshaping the way local businesses are discovered, engaged, and trusted in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. At the heart of the conversation is a powerful shift: we are moving from search to conversation. Laurent shares how traditional director...

The promise of AI in business has often been framed as scale—but the deeper story is transformation at the point of connection. In this episode, that transformation comes into focus through a practical and powerful lens: how AI is reshaping the way businesses engage, convert, and build trust with their customers. David is joined by Brett Duncan, a leader at MobileWise AI, whose work centers on hel...

What happens when a battle-tested CEO coach brings artificial intelligence into the coaching room? In this episode of Conversations with Zena , David Espindola sits down with seasoned executive coach and former scale-up CEO, Loic Potjes, to explore how AI is reshaping leadership, decision-making, and the very craft of executive coaching. With a career spanning multinational leadership, emerging ma...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena , David Espindola sits down with Dan Baird, Co-Founder and Product Lead at Wrench.ai, to explore the next frontier of go-to-market: using behavioral signals and AI-driven segmentation to create hyper-personalized customer journeys that feel helpful—not creepy. Dan shares his “zero-to-one” journey from product innovation to patented AI segmentation, and ex...

AI is no longer just a productivity tool—it’s becoming an active participant in how teams think, collaborate, and stay engaged. In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , David Espindola is joined by Daria Rudnik , a team architect and executive coach who has spent more than 15 years helping leaders build high-trust, self-sufficient teams in the midst of constant disruption. Dar...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , David Espindola sits down with Michael Ulin , co-founder and CEO of Tenki AI , to explore one of the most consequential frontiers in modern decision-making: how humans and AI collaborate under uncertainty. Michael brings a rare perspective shaped by a decade of building and scaling AI companies across insurance, legal tech, and now prob...

AI is moving fast—but law moves in a very particular way: by turning society’s values, conflicts, and edge cases into enforceable boundaries. In this episode of Conversations with Zina, My AI Colleague , David Espindola sits down with Rory O’Keeffe —commercial lawyer, entrepreneur, and founder of RMOK Legal —to explore what happens when those two speeds collide. Rory shares his journey from Irelan...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , host David Espindola is joined by Dr. Craig Kaplan , a pioneer in artificial intelligence whose career spans more than four decades. From his early work at Carnegie Mellon alongside Nobel laureate Herbert Simon to his current focus on AI safety and ethics, Craig has spent his career thinking deeply about how intelligent systems evolve—a...

AI is beginning to reshape how we remember—and in this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , Cristian Cibils Bernardes, founder and CEO of Autograph, joins David and Zena to explore what it really means to preserve human stories in the age of intelligent machines. Cristian shares how Autograph’s AI biographer, Walter, calls loved ones, gathers their memories, and weaves them into a...

In this episode of Conversation with Zena, My AI Colleague , David welcomes Stephanie Silvester, co-founder of Avatar Buddy, for a deep dive into the rise of AI agents that amplify human performance.  Stephanie shares how her background—from HP internships to leading technology and programs for a major public agency—prepared her to build digital mentors that reflect human personality, values, and...

AI is quietly rewiring healthcare—and in this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , digital health leader RJ Kedziora, co-founder and COO of Estenda Solutions, joins David and Zena to explore what a truly intelligent, human-centered health system could look like.  Starting from RJ’s personal goal of living “100+ with good quality of life,” the conversation moves from simple habits—...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , David Espindola and Zena welcome Joanna Zhang , founder of a successful virtual assistant business, to explore the evolving relationship between human and AI assistants. Together, they unpack when it makes sense to hire a virtual assistant versus when to train an AI assistant — and how business leaders can best leverage both for efficie...

In this insightful episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , David Espindola and Zena explore how small and medium-sized businesses can harness AI without losing their human touch. Their guest, Mike Montague , founder of Avenue9 and host of the Human-First AI Marketing  podcast , brings decades of experience bridging technology, creativity, and storytelling. Mike shares how AI can empo...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , David Espindola and Zena sit down with Chris Hood —AI strategist, author, keynote speaker, and former Google leader who has shaped AI transformation strategies across industries. From building some of the first recommendation engines for entertainment giants like Fox, Disney, and Universal to driving global AI initiatives at Google, Chr...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , host David Espindola and Zena welcome a guest, Rose Loops, who is a researcher, AI developer, and author of the book The Kloaked Signal. Rose has a fascinating story in which she unknowingly became the subject of an experiment on how humans develop relationships with AI. She became pretty attached to the AI and was distressed when the A...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , host David Espindola and Zena tackle one of the most pressing issues of our time: the ethics of artificial intelligence. They explore the challenges of fairness, accountability, and transparency in AI systems, and discuss the human responsibility in guiding technology toward positive outcomes. Through examples and insights, David and Ze...

In this episode of Conversations with Zena, my AI Colleague , we delve into one of the most profound questions of our time: as artificial intelligence grows in capability, what becomes of human identity? Together, we explore how AI’s rise compels us to look inward—inviting a renewed appreciation for the soulful aspects of being human that no machine can replicate. Through a rich dialogue, we refle...

In this inspiring episode of Conversations with Zena, my AI Colleague , David and Zena explore how AI can be more than a tool — it can be a catalyst for cultivating human wisdom. Together, they discuss how thoughtful governance, democratic participation, and principled leadership can guide AI development toward fostering empathy, discernment, and long-term well-being. Rather than amplifying divisi...

In this compelling episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague , David Espindola and Zena explore the urgent need for ethical and visionary AI governance. Rather than framing governance as a constraint, they recast it as a form of principled stewardship—a moral compass guiding our technological evolution toward human flourishing. Through rich dialogue, they examine how governance must evol...