The Coursera Podcast

Artificial intelligence is moving quickly. Inside most organizations, the conversation has already moved beyond access. The challenge now is how to use these tools well—consistently, thoughtfully, and at scale. In this episode of The Coursera Podcast, Arunav Sinha and Marni Baker Stein sit down with Rasesh Shah , Chief Practice Officer at Fractal Analytics , to talk about what it actually takes to...

One of the biggest life transitions that service members face is moving on to their next career. In this episode of The Coursera Podcast , Arunav Sinha and Anthony Salcito speak with Danielle Haro , Director of Transition Programs at the USO , about how personalized support, community, and skills-based learning help service members and military spouses navigate what comes next. Danielle shares how...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Shonda Gibson and Dr. Mary Liz Brooks to explore how the Texas A&M University System is preparing students for a rapidly changing job market. Across its 11 campuses, Texas A&M is embedding industry-aligned credentials into degree programs to bridge academic learning and workforce needs—at scale. Shonda, who leads academic transformation for the entire...

We sat down with Valerie Singer, General Manager of AWS Global Education , to talk about how organizations are preparing their workforces for the AI era. Drawing on insights from From Cloud to AI: How Tech Leaders Are Investing in Skills Development to Drive Transformation , a new global survey from Coursera and AWS, Valerie shares why cloud and cybersecurity remain foundational to AI transformati...

We sat down with Dr. Jerry Wind , Lauder Professor Emeritus and Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, to explore what creativity means in an era where AI can generate art, ideas, and strategies in seconds. A pioneer in marketing science and strategic innovation, Jerry shares how human imagination, intuition, and courage remain at the heart of innovation—even as generative AI reshapes the w...

We sat down with Matt Sanchez , Chief Operating Officer at Yahoo, to talk about how one of the internet’s original giants is transforming itself for the age of AI. With a career rooted in product innovation and a passion for learning, Matt shares how Yahoo is reinventing user experiences with GenAI, preparing employees with the skills to drive impact, and building a culture that values experimenta...

We sat down with Dr. Pranesh Aswath , Provost and Executive Vice President at Texas State University, and Adam Long , a computer science student and student government leader, to talk about how universities are evolving to better prepare students for today’s workforce. From launching career-aligned micro-credentials to embracing student-driven innovation, Texas State is rethinking how higher educa...

We sat down with Dhawal Shah , Founder and CEO of Class Central , to explore the fascinating journey of online learning, from the early days of MOOCs to the transformative role of AI in education today. Dhawal's journey into the world of online education is as inspiring as it is insightful. He shares how Class Central started as a side project and grew into a global platform that helps millions of...

We sat down with Anupriya Sharma , Vice President of Technology Strategy at Walmart US, to talk about what it takes to lead digital transformation at one of the world’s largest companies. From navigating change and scaling GenAI to building a strong learning culture, Anupriya shares how Walmart is embracing innovation while keeping people at the center. She offers insights on change management, bu...

We sat down with Ylli Bajraktari , President and CEO of the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), to discuss how AI is transforming global competitiveness, national security, and the future of work. Ylli draws on years of leadership experience across the Pentagon, the White House, and the National Security Commission on AI to explain why AI adoption is now a national imperative. He shares th...

We sat down with Suraj Srinivasan , a professor at Harvard Business School and an expert in corporate governance, AI, and innovation, to explore how leaders can navigate disruption and drive meaningful change in an era of rapid technological advancements. Suraj shares his fascinating career journey—from investment banking to launching a retail business in India to becoming a leading voice in busin...

We sat down with Molly Nagler , Chief Learning Officer at Moderna , to explore how curiosity and innovation are transforming learning and development. Molly shares how Moderna is tackling challenges like AI adoption, skills shortages, and workforce transformation while making mRNA education accessible to learners worldwide. In this episode, Molly and Arunav also discuss: 🌟 The importance of curio...

We sat down with Amanda Brophy , Director of Grow with Google , to explore how technology has transformed workforce training and career development. Amanda shared the story behind Grow with Google’s career certificates, which have empowered hundreds of thousands of learners worldwide, and highlighted the program’s focus on inclusivity, digital skills, and AI training. In this conversation, Amanda...

In this episode, we sit down with Panos A. Panay⁠⁠ ⁠, President of the Recording Academy, to explore his remarkable journey—from founding Sonicbids to leading one of the most influential organizations in the music industry during a time of profound change. Panos shares insights on the transformative role of music education, the impact of emerging technologies like AI, and the Academy’s global effo...

We sat down with Dr. Vic Strecher , professor at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health and the founder of Kumanu , a company focused on building purposeful cultures in organizations, to discuss transformative power of purpose and resilience. In this episode, Vic and Arunav cover: 🧠 The physiological and psychological benefits of having a purpose 📋 Strategies to cultivate purpose,...

We sat down with Sayasat Nurbek , the Minister of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan, to discuss how the widespread adoption of online learning is helping to bridge the skills gap in his country. Minister Nurbek shares his personal journey and passion for education, as well as the initiatives he has led to reshape Kazakhstan's higher education system. In this episode, Sayasat and Aruna...

We sat down with Jeff Hollan , Head of Applications and Developer Platform at Snowflake , to discuss how product design is changing and how developers are scaling up their skill sets to make the most of AI. From enhancing collaboration to unleashing new levels of imagination, Jeff’s insights will inspire you to see AI as your new creative and technical partner. In this episode, Jeff and Arunav cov...

Steam propelled the original Industrial Revolution; electricity powered the second; automation and machines engineered the third; and intelligent computers are shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Like the revolutions that preceded it, the Fourth Industrial Revolution has the potential to raise global income levels and improve the quality of life for populations around the world; but along th...

We sat down with Dr. Jules White , Professor of Computer Science at Vanderbilt and Director of the university’s Initiative on the Future of Learning & Generative AI , to discuss the rise of GenAI and the importance of prompt engineering in utilizing large language models like ChatGPT. He emphasizes that GenAI is not just a passing trend but a fundamental skill that everyone should learn. Dr. W...

Despite the fact that most cosmetics are targeted to and bought by women, did you know that men have an outsized influence on how they are made? In the US alone, women make up less than half of cosmetic chemists. This disparity deepens when looking at STEM as a whole, where women represent only one-quarter of the overall workforce. We sat down with Dr. Rolanda Wilkerson , an in-house cosmetic scie...

As CEO of Coursera , an online learning platform with 142 million learners and hundreds of millions of course enrollments, Jeff Maggioncalda has a unique view of what’s happening around the world in edtech, higher education, and the future of work. We sat down with him to discuss: 🔮 The implications of GenAI on online learning and education 🔑 Navigating the GenAI conundrum to drive innovation an...

We sat down with Andrew Ng —Co-Founder of Coursera , Founder of DeepLearning. AI , Managing General Partner at AI Fund , Founder & CEO of Landing AI , Chairman Adjunct Professor at Stanford University, and one of the world’s most prolific and renowned AI experts—to discuss: ✅ Best practices for incorporating generative AI into your organization 📎 When is generative AII appropriate or not app...

We sat down with Alexis Abramson —a mechanical engineer, the thirteenth Dean of the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth , and co-founder of Edifice Analytics . Degrees as a credential, particularly from top institutions, continue to be a major driver of long-term economic mobility. Offering them online creates unprecedented access for learners to gain from these prestigious programs. However...

We sat down with Vishal Gupta , Professor in Organizational Behavior at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, whose insightful theories on practical leadership frameworks have empowered thousands of professionals across the globe. In this conversation, Professor Gupta details how you can become a respected and influential leader by mastering self-leadership, cultivating an empathetic commu...

We sat down with Dr. Laurie Santos , a renowned professor of psychology at Yale University and the host of the popular podcast The Happiness Lab . Her course on evidence-based strategies for happiness, The Science of Well-Being, became the most popular in the university’s history and has developed into a global phenomenon, with the online version garnering more than 4.5 million enrollments on Cour...