74: Using AI at Work to Rethink Roles, Risk, and Readiness with Zac Engler
Chris Daigle sits down with Zac Engler, Chief AI Officer and author of Turning On Machines, to discuss how organizations can adopt AI responsibly and practically while preparing their teams for a transformed future of work.Zac shares his framework for helping companies move through the Crawl → Walk → Run stages of AI adoption, from getting every employee comfortable with large language models and prompting frameworks, to deploying agentic workflows that drive exponential productivity gains.They discuss how leaders can address fear, risk, and confusion around AI tools, how to decide between infrastructure vs. operations strategy, and why delaying adoption means falling exponentially behind. Zac also gives a preview of his new book, Turning On Machines, exploring the three meanings behind the title: activation, rebellion, and connection, and how each reveals the complex relationship between humans and intelligent systems.If you’re leading AI transformation or rethinking how humans and machines will work together, this episode delivers both frameworks and foresight.🛠 AI Tools and Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeChatGPT ➡ https://openai.com/chatgptPerplexity ➡ https://www.perplexity.aiNotebook LM ➡ https://workspace.google.comChief AI Officer Resources ➡ https://chiefaiofficer.com📌 Chapters00:00 – Introduction to Zac Engler and Turning On Machines 02:30 – The Chief AI Officer Role and the People Side of AI 04:10 – The Crawl–Walk–Run Framework for AI Adoption 06:00 – Three Levers for 10% Instant Productivity Gains 09:00 – Infrastructure vs. Operations: Two Types of AI Strategy 12:00 – From Walk to Run: Deploying Agentic Workflows 14:00 – Why Waiting on AI Means Falling Behind 16:30 – Managing Risk and Choosing the Right Tools 19:00 – Favorite AI Tools: Copilot, Perplexity, Notebook LM 21:30 – Inside Turning On Machines: Three Meanings and Lessons 26:00 – Parallels Between the Printing Press and AI 30:00 – Pushback, Fear, and the Trifurcation of Work 33:00 – Becoming a “Machine Shepherd” and Future-Proofing Your Role 39:00 – Human-Only, Human + AI, and AI-Only Workflows 43:30 – Frameworks for Mapping Where AI Fits in Your Business 46:00 – Why Reflection Matters: Learning How to Think About AI 49:00 – Where to Get Turning On Machines and Connect with Zac
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73: Using AI at Work for Small Business Adoption and Team Alignment with Maria Elena Duron
Chris Daigle sits down with Maria Elena Duron, fractional Chief AI Officer and marketing strategist, to explore how small and mid-sized businesses can successfully adopt AI without overwhelming their teams. Maria shares her experience helping businesses bridge the gap between awareness and real application — from her years training entrepreneurs on Google tools to guiding leaders through AI adoption today.You’ll hear how she helps companies build AI councils, manage shadow AI risks, and develop AI use policies that protect both data and teams. Maria explains why change management is central to AI success, how to identify the “low-hanging fruit” for measurable results, and why executives must align goals with realistic timelines. With practical insights on governance, productivity vs. efficiency, and building custom role copilots with tools like Notebook LM and GPTs, this episode is a roadmap for leaders navigating AI adoption.🔎 Find Out More About Maria Elena DuronInstagram: Marketing Coach Maria ➡ https://www.instagram.com/marketingcoachmariaWebsite: SmartBrandSystem.com ➡ https://smartbrandsystem.com🛠 AI Tools and Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeChatGPT ➡ https://openai.com/chatgptNotebook LM ➡ https://notebooklm.google📌 Chapters 00:00 – Introduction to Maria Elena Duron 03:00 – Lessons from Early Tech Shifts: Internet, Social Media, and AI 05:56 – Helping Small Businesses Understand Google and Visibility 08:31 – AI Adoption Parallels: Google Search vs. Generative AI 11:04 – Starting with Leadership: Goals, Fears, and Change Management 12:31 – Overcoming Team Fear and Shiny Object Syndrome 13:59 – Positioning AI as Investment in People 14:57 – Interviewing Teams and Vendors to Build Roadmap Reports 21:00 – Who Owns AI in a Company? Building AI Councils 24:07 – Establishing AI Use and Tool Policies for Security 26:28 – Setting Priorities and Roadmaps with Leadership 31:03 – Where to Start: Pilots and Low-Hanging Fruit 32:19 – Building Role Copilots with Custom GPTs and Notebook LM 34:53 – Using Notebook LM for Knowledge Retrieval and Productivity 40:19 – Defining Success: Efficiency vs. Productivity vs. Effectiveness 42:09 – Managing Expectations and Avoiding Unrealistic Timelines 44:22 – Webinar Wednesdays and Community Training Episode tags:AI in small business, AI in the workplace, AI adoption strategies, Change management and AI, Workplace AI governance, Non-technical AI leadership, AI use policies, AI productivity tools, Real-world AI applications, Executive AI training, AI transformation stories, AI councils in business
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72: Using AI at Work for SaaS Advantages and Organizational Change with Jim Curry
Chris Daigle sits down with Jim Curry, co-founder and investor at BuildGroup, to explore how AI is reshaping business strategy and organizational design.Jim breaks down why SaaS companies have unique advantages in the AI era, and how AI adoption mirrors past infrastructure shifts like the rise of cloud and open source. He explains why most businesses shouldn’t chase AI-native hype, but instead focus on workflow transformation that drives measurable results.This episode dives into: • How to view AI adoption through the lens of past technology waves • Why SaaS businesses are best positioned to integrate AI • The organizational shifts AI will create, from agents to evolving job roles • Balancing efficiency gains with true competitive differentiation • How leaders should approach AI adoption without falling into the “shiny object” trapKey Insight: AI is less about replacing businesses and more about re-architecting how they operate — and the winners will be those who align people, process, and technology together.🔎 Find Out More About Jim CurryBuildGroup ➡ https://www.buildgroup.comLinkedIn ➡ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimncurry/🛠 AI Tools and Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeChatGPT ➡ https://openai.com/chatgpt📌 Chapters 00:00 – Introduction to Jim Curry 04:13 – AI as the next infrastructure wave 09:00 – Why SaaS companies are best positioned for AI adoption 13:01 – Efficiency vs differentiation in AI strategy 18:13 – Organizational shifts: agents, workflows, and new roles 23:07 – Avoiding the shiny-object trap with AI tools 36:16 – Lessons from cloud and open source adoption 42:59 – Building AI-driven organizations with sustainability 44:42 – How to connect with Jim Curry Episode tags:AI in the workplace, AI for business leaders, Generative AI at work, Real-world AI applications, Workplace AI adoption, Executive AI training, AI productivity tools, AI transformation stories, Ethical AI business, AI strategy for executives, SaaS and AI adoption, AI in organizational change
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45:22
71: Using AI at Work for SEO, Authentic Content, and the Future of Search with Bruce Clay
Chris Daigle sits down with Bruce Clay, widely regarded as the Father of SEO, to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping search, rankings, and content strategy.With more than 30 years pioneering SEO, Bruce shares why AI isn’t replacing SEO but instead changing how businesses must approach visibility. He explains how Google’s AI Overviews still rely on strong SEO signals, why AI-generated writing leaves footprints, and what companies should do to balance speed with authenticity.🔎 Find Out More About Bruce Clayhttps://bruceclay.comPrewriter.ai - https://www.prewriter.aihttp://seotraining.com🛠 AI Tools and Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeChatGPT ➡ https://openai.com/chatgptPrewriter.ai ➡ https://prewriter.ai📌 Chapters00:00 - Introduction to Bruce Clay05:15 - SEO in the age of AI12:48 - Why Google AI Overviews still rely on SEO signals19:37 - Detecting AI-generated content footprints26:10 - Why unedited AI content risks lower rankings33:42 - Using AI as a research assistant, not a writer41:18 - Prewriter.ai and optimizing AI content48:05 - Google vs Perplexity and the future of search55:20 - How to connect with Bruce ClayEpisode tags:AI in the workplace, AI for business leaders, Generative AI at work, Real-world AI applications, AI in operations management, AI strategy for executives, AI in marketing attribution, AI productivity tools, AI for process improvement, AI transformation stories, Ethical AI business, AI case studies, SEO in the AI era, AI and content strategy
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70: Using AI at Work for Smarter Marketing Attribution and Ad Spend Measurement with Jeff Greenfield
Chris Daigle sits down with Jeff Greenfield, CEO of Provalytics, to uncover how AI-driven attribution is transforming marketing measurement in the age of privacy.Jeff shares his journey from building one of the first multi-touch attribution companies to creating Provalytics, a platform built to solve one of marketing’s oldest challenges: “Half of my ad spend is wasted — I just don’t know which half.”This conversation covers: • Why clicks mislead, and why impressions still matter • How AI models real ad impact across multiple channels • Why Google Analytics and “last-click” thinking are broken • The balance between consistency and correctness in corporate marketing • New opportunities in connected TV, influencer marketing, and digital out-of-home • How small teams can use AI tools like ChatGPT + spreadsheets for attribution insightsKey Insight: Most companies waste 80–90% of their ad spend. With AI attribution, marketers can reclaim budget, reduce stress, and unlock smarter strategies.🔎 Find Out More About Jeff Greenfield and ProvalyticsJeff Greenfield on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffgreenfield/Provalytics - https://provalytics.com/🛠 AI Tools and Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeChatGPT - https://openai.com/chatgpt📌 Chapters 00:00 – Introduction to Jeff Greenfield 02:43 – The century-old attribution problem 06:02 – From C3 Metrics to Provalytics 11:02 – Why last-click attribution is broken 28:05 – Consistency vs correctness in corporate marketing 31:11 – How AI models ad spend impact 36:05 – Channels beyond clicks: CTV, influencers, OOH 42:41 – Practical attribution tips for small teams 46:14 – The future of privacy-first measurement 48:58 – How to connect with Jeff Greenfield Episode tags:AI in the workplace, AI for business leaders, Generative AI at work, AI operational strategy, AI in marketing attribution, AI productivity tools, Real-world AI applications, AI for process improvement, Executive AI training, AI transformation stories, Ethical AI business, AI case studies, AI in operations management, AI strategy for executives
About Using AI at Work: AI in the Workplace & Generative AI for Business Leaders
On "Using AI at Work", your host Chris Daigle and his expert guests help business leaders, executives, and teams who want to turn artificial intelligence into a real competitive advantage. Each episode shares real-world AI applications and AI transformation stories from companies successfully using AI in the workplace to improve productivity, decision-making, and operations.You’ll hear from Chief AI Officers, innovators, and forward-thinking executives who are putting generative AI at work, from AI productivity tools and AI-powered workflows to non-technical AI training and workplace AI adoption strategies.We cover:AI for business leaders – how executives use AI to lead change and drive ROIGenerative AI tools – practical, easy-to-implement solutions for teamsAI automation in business – streamline operations without massive tech budgetsExecutive AI education – upskilling leaders and managers for the AI eraReal-world AI case studies – lessons learned from successful AI implementationAI in operations management – optimizing processes and reducing costsEthical AI in business – navigating responsible and effective AI useWhether you’re exploring AI adoption, leading AI-powered transformation, or looking for AI implementation guides, this podcast delivers a clear, non-technical roadmap to succeed in the AI-driven economy.New episodes weekly.Start learning how to put AI to work in your business today.
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