Purposeful Empathy with Anita Nowak

AI is impacting every part of our lives—and we need to start paying more attention. Watch this eye-opening conversation with Dr. Clare McGlynn, Professor of Law at Durham University, whose work sits at the intersection of AI, image-based sexual abuse, pornography and digital rights. We discuss: How AI-generated deepfake pornography poses a serious  threat to women and girls Why "revenge porn&...

AI is impacting every part of our lives—and we need to start paying more attention. Listen to this insightful conversation with Dr. Steven Wang, CEO of Venture for Canada, whose work sits at the intersection of AI, entrepreneurship and public policy. We discuss: How AI is transforming the workforce and traditional careers How to prepare the next generation for an AI-driven economy What governments...

AI is impacting every part of our lives—and we need to start paying more attention. Listen to this fascinating conversation with Dr. Ekaterina Muravevskaia, Assistant Professor at Indiana University, whose work sits at the intersection of empathy, virtual reality, AI, and early childhood development. We discuss: The promise and perils of AI companions, tutors, and emotionally intelligent technolog...

Episode #7 of Empathy in the Age of AI, a special 25-part series: https://tinyurl.com/exyw2nua   AI is impacting every part of our lives—and we need to start paying more attention. Listen to this thought-provoking conversation with Mitch Joel, an entrepreneur, author and podcast host, whose work sits at the intersection of technology, business, innovation and culture. We discuss: The difference be...

Episode #6 of Empathy in the Age of AI, a special 25-part series: https://tinyurl.com/exyw2nua   AI is impacting every part of our lives—and we need to start paying more attention. Listen to this grounded conversation with Dr. Sean Welsh, a philosopher and computer programmer whose work sits at the intersection of robotics, machine ethics, and moral decision-making. We discuss: If robots and AI sy...

Episode #5 of Empathy in the Age of AI, a special 25-part series: https://tinyurl.com/exyw2nua   AI is impacting every part of our lives—and we need to start paying more attention. Listen to this powerful conversation with Valentine Goddard, founder of the AI Impact Alliance, whose work sits at the intersection of Responsible AI, governance, art, and human rights. We discuss: How AI is reshaping c...

Episode #4 of Empathy in the Age of AI, a special 25-part series: https://tinyurl.com/exyw2nua   AI is impacting every part of our lives—and we need to start paying more attention. Watch this counter-hegemonic conversation with Dr. Adio-Adet Dinika, whose work exposes the hidden trauma and labour exploitation behind today’s AI systems. We discuss: How the AI industry offloads human suffering onto...

Episode #3 of Empathy in the Age of AI, a special 20-part series: https://tinyurl.com/exyw2nua   AI is impacting every part of our lives—and we need to start paying more attention. Listen to this eye-opening conversation with Zoltan Istvan, a leading transhumanist who believes science and artificial intelligence will soon defeat biological death and radically transform human civilization. We discu...

Episode #2 of Empathy in the Age of AI, a special 20-part series: https://tinyurl.com/exyw2nua   AI is impacting every part of our lives—and we need to start paying more attention. Watch this deeply human conversation with Anne Nguyễn, an AI expert who studies the social, political, and human implications of AI on society and advocates for responsible AI. We discuss: The four human competencies th...

Episode #1 of Empathy in the Age of AI, a special 20-part series: https://youtu.be/NkzieFx8zO0 AI is having a major impact on national security, military decision-making, international relations and war—and we need to start paying more attention.  Listen to this eye-opening episode with Dr. Adam McCauley, a writer, academic and policy analyst who studies the social and political implications of AI...

Military service leaves invisible wounds. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who are often misunderstood, listen to this unflinching episode featuring Benjamin Sledge, a Purple Heart combat veteran and author of Where Cowards Go to Die.  Benjamin recounts why 9/11 inspired him to join the U.S. military and how combat in Afghanistan and Iraq changed his life...

Wrongful convictions shatter families, steal decades, and leave untold scars. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this powerful episode featuring Stéphanie Nowak, Executive Director of Innocence Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to identifying, advocating for, and exonerating individuals convicted...

Democracy is worth fighting for. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this powerful episode featuring Dr. Giorgi Akhobadze, a political activist from Tbilisi, Georgia, who was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Despite enduring eight months in prison under trumped-up drug charges and the devastati...

What if prisons were trauma-informed? In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this thought-provoking episode featuring Fritzi Horstman, Founder and Executive Director of the Compassion Prison Project. Fritzi shares why she’s on a mission to transform prisons into spaces of healing, accountability, and hope: Aft...

In our culture, witchcraft is still maligned. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this thought-provoking episode featuring Rosie Björkman, a present-day witch, and author of The Jolanda Witch Tarot: The Healing Art of Magic. After losing her mom at the tender age of 13, Rosie embarked on a spiritual journey...

Menopause is not a medical condition or gateway to decline. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this illuminating episode featuring Shirley Weir, founder of Menopause Chicks. As one of Canada’s most trusted voices in women’s health, Shirley cuts through the stigma and misinformation about perimenopause and...

In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this deeply thoughtful conversation with Rabbi Lisa Grushcow—a scholar, spiritual leader, and bridge-builder—at a time when Jewish communities are facing not only a rise in antisemitism and hate crimes. In the aftermath of the Bondi beach terrorist attack on Jewish Austra...

To mark the 250th milestone episode of my podcast, I’ve chosen a conversation that highlights how empathy can unite us in our common humanity. My guest, Sulaiman Khatib, is a co-founder of Combatants for Peace, twice nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.  In our conversation, he describes personal transformation that isn’t neat or performative. Instead, he speaks of the slow, rigorous inner work of m...

Sometimes having hope is radical. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this incredible episode featuring Joanne Photiades—an ovarian cancer survivor, mother of twins, and fierce advocate for disability inclusion. Joanne shares her journey to motherhood after a rare cancer diagnosis, and the moment she chose...

Invisible pain can reshape an entire life. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this inspiring episode featuring Kim Fuller, a self-described “incurable optimist” whose life was upended three years ago when she began experiencing chronic pain. Kim shares the moment her health changed overnight—landing in the...

Society struggles with difference. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, listen to this inspiring episode featuring Ida-Louise Øverland, a Paralympic athlete and advocate whose lived experience reshapes how we think about difference and resilience. Ida shares her powerful journey from growing up in Norway with a co...

Vitiligo can make you feel visible in all the wrong ways. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this powerful episode featuring Aiesha Robinson—a youth speaker who helps teens face their insecurities and recognize their worth. Drawing on her lived experience of being diagnosed with Vitiligo at 18 and the lone...

Disability inclusion isn’t charity—it’s smart business built on untapped strength. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, listen to this uplifting episode featuring Mark Wafer, one of the world’s most respected champions of disability inclusion. Mark is the former longtime owner of 14 Tim Hortons restaurants, where...

Behind every dying person is a network of quiet caregivers. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this deeply moving episode featuring Dr. Anita Mehta, a family therapist and Director of Education & Knowledge Exchange at the Teresa Dellar Palliative Care Residence. Drawing on decades of experience in end-...

Autism is widespread; but widely misunderstood. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this inspiring episode featuring Jamiel Owens, an autism advocate and founder of the Autism Father’s Conference. With courage and vulnerability, Jamiel shares his personal journey: from growing up with family instability and...