At the Intersection: Insights for Thriving at the Crossroads of Change

Craig Francisco
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At the Intersection is a podcast for leaders navigating the Human + AI era. Hosted by Craig Francisco, each episode explores the crossroads of people, process, and technology — where human potential and artificial intelligence come together to reshape the future of business. Through candid conversations with industry experts and short solo insights, you’ll gain practical tools and fresh perspectives to lead with confidence, unlock hidden value, and thrive in times of rapid change. Whether you’re a CEO, entrepreneur, or emerging leader, At the Intersection will help you stay ahead of disruption and harness the power of Human + AI to build organizations that last.

Episodes

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    Curious, Not Scared

    A single rushed request turned into a turning point. Jessica Smith—Deputy Chief of Business Development at The Connection—shares how a quick AI-assisted draft became a signed training contract and reshaped her team’s approach to creativity, analytics, and everyday operations. We walk through the human-first playbook she’s built inside a large nonprofit serving reentry, housing, behavioral health, and shelter programs—where ethics and guardrails matter as much as speed. We dig into what “human in the loop” actually looks like: coaching AI like a new colleague, checking its work, and using it for first passes that free people for deeper thinking. Jessica explains why bans backfire, how to set practical policies for HIPAA and confidentiality, and where AI gives immediate lift—meeting agendas, minutes, brainstorming lists, catalog taxonomy across 600 courses, and automated performance summaries. The secret isn’t magic prompts; it’s a mindset of curiosity, clear examples of “good,” and small wins that stack into culture change. You’ll hear candid stories of missteps, fast pivots, and the difference between generic content and work that reflects your voice and standards. We talk about agility in policy (because six months can make your rules obsolete), how to create safe forums for sharing use cases, and why the cost of waiting now exceeds the cost of careful experimentation. If you’ve felt overwhelmed or skeptical, consider this your practical onramp—treat AI like an assistant you’re onboarding, start with low-risk tasks, and build from there. Enjoy the conversation, then tell us: what’s the first task you’ll offload to AI today? If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review to help others find these conversations. Your support helps us bring more human-first stories of AI at work.

    34 min

  2. 8 OCT

    The Fastest Way to Win with AI is Slower: Fix Culture First

    The race to adopt AI is on—but the real advantage isn’t in the tools, it’s in the trust. In this solo episode, Craig Francisco, host of At the Intersection, shares insights from a recent conversation with the leadership team of a Fortune 500 client—where the takeaway was clear: culture decides who wins with AI. When people can challenge ideas without ego, when curiosity beats fear, and when cross-functional partners collaborate by default, new technology plugs into a living system that’s ready to learn fast. Craig breaks down what readiness looks like in practice: clear communication, psychological safety, and teams that show up hungry to improve and help one another. You’ll hear why low-trust environments turn AI initiatives into complexity and confusion, and how a strong foundation flips that script—accelerating pilots, aligning stakeholders, and turning experiments into results. He also shares a practical 30/60/90-day approach to culture change: run a focused survey, listen deeply to the work as it happens, redesign a few high-leverage rituals, and model the behaviors you want from the top. With those moves, you can build the operating system that allows AI to create durable value. If you’re a leader weighing pilots or a team owner navigating change, this episode offers a simple filter: people first, then platforms. Treat AI as a human-technology partnership and you open space for faster learning, safer governance, and better outcomes. Subscribe for more candid, field-tested insights from Craig Francisco, and share this with a colleague who’s planning an AI rollout. Leave a review to tell us where your culture is strong—and where you’re building next. ext.

    6 min

  3. 2 OCT

    How Word Pairing Sparked the AI Revolution

    In this first episode of At the Intersection, host Craig Francisco sits down with Mike Rojas, a seasoned AI strategist and technology leader who has spent decades helping organizations understand and apply emerging technologies. Mike has been at the forefront of artificial intelligence adoption, guiding executives and teams through the shift from traditional analytics to the new Human + AI era. Together, Craig and Mike unpack the fascinating journey of artificial intelligence — from Alan Turing’s early breakthroughs to the transformational leap in 2022 with large language models and generative AI. They explore: The 80-year history of AI and why October 2022 marked a turning pointHow generative AI tools like ChatGPT are augmenting human intelligence, not replacing itWhy AI should be seen as an “Iron Man suit” for leaders and workersThe truth about AI “hallucinations” and how models are improvingHow business leaders can embrace Human + AI to unlock new valueIf you’ve been curious — or even cautious — about how AI is reshaping work, this conversation will give you both context and confidence. At the Intersection is the podcast for leaders navigating the Human + AI era. Subscribe, follow, and share to stay ahead of disruption and thrive at the crossroads of change. #ArtificialIntelligence #GenerativeAI #Leadership #FutureOfBusiness #HumanPlusAI #AI23

    30 min
  • 3 Episodes

About

At the Intersection is a podcast for leaders navigating the Human + AI era. Hosted by Craig Francisco, each episode explores the crossroads of people, process, and technology — where human potential and artificial intelligence come together to reshape the future of business. Through candid conversations with industry experts and short solo insights, you’ll gain practical tools and fresh perspectives to lead with confidence, unlock hidden value, and thrive in times of rapid change. Whether you’re a CEO, entrepreneur, or emerging leader, At the Intersection will help you stay ahead of disruption and harness the power of Human + AI to build organizations that last.

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