Episode Summary What does international business look like when your work takes you beyond boardrooms and into meetings with governments, intelligence agencies and people who may present very real risks? In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Jane Singer speaks with Reggie Gray, a global executive, speaker, Pulitzer Prize nominee author and strategist whose international work has brought him into contact with world leaders, governments, royalty and U.S. intelligence agencies. Reggie shares stories from high-risk international projects and explains why adaptability may be one of the most important skills in global business. They also explore the future of AI, the risks of enterprise and government-level artificial intelligence, and why human judgment could ultimately become our most important safeguard. About Reggie Gray Reggie Gray is a global executive, speaker, Putlizer Prize nominated author and strategist whose work has included international business development and engagement with governments and major corporations. He is the author of A Win-Win Situation and I May Never Come This Way Again. His latest book draws on stories from years of international work, including experiences involving intelligence agencies, high-risk meetings and situations where global business intersected with geopolitics and security. https://www.linkedin.com/in/reggie-gray https://www.reggiegray.com Key Takeaways Adaptability is critical in international business. Training provides a foundation, but leaders also need to think clearly when circumstances change unexpectedly. AI governance may become an international business issue. As AI moves beyond individual productivity tools into enterprises, infrastructure and government systems, questions about control, security and accountability become more significant. Human judgment remains essential. Technology can provide extraordinary capabilities, but conscience, morality and judgment may become even more important as organizations rely more heavily on AI. From International Business to High-Risk Global Projects Reggie's international career developed through his work connecting governments with companies capable of supporting major projects in energy, ports, logistics, healthcare, education and infrastructure. Over time, that work took him into increasingly complex environments. He describes traveling between Switzerland and Moscow as part of a diamond transaction, collaborating with federal agencies, visiting people in prisons and participating in meetings where business, geopolitics and security intersected. One particularly memorable experience involved traveling to Egypt for a meeting with individuals he says were connected to the Muslim Brotherhood. Standing behind the pyramids waiting for the meeting, Reggie suddenly realized just how vulnerable his position was. His experiences taught him that succeeding in unpredictable international environments depends on something difficult to teach: The ability to adapt in real time. How Do You Operate When Things Go Wrong - and There's No Playbook? Training can prepare you for certain scenarios. But international business introduces variables that no training manual can completely anticipate: different governments, cultures, personalities, regulations and rapidly changing situations. Reggie says his background in areas including crisis management and martial arts helped. But repeated exposure to uncertain situations also taught him to remain calm when circumstances became chaotic. His conclusion: “The only thing you can probably do is learn how to train to be adaptable.” What Will Global Business Look Like in Five Years? The conversation shifts from Reggie's past experiences to what may be one of the biggest forces shaping international business in the future: artificial intelligence. Reggie believes companies and individuals need to understand AI or risk being left behind. But he distinguishes between everyday AI applications and the much larger questions created when AI becomes deeply embedded across enterprises, governments, infrastructure and defense. Unlike previous technological shifts, AI can cross industries and national borders while continuing to develop. That creates enormous opportunities, but also risks that businesses and governments will have to confront. Does AI Need Global Guardrails? Jane and Reggie discuss whether governments eventually need clearer boundaries around advanced AI. One concern is that even if responsible organizations agree to restrictions, bad actors may not. Reggie argues that AI's ability to interact with technology across multiple systems creates risks very different from those associated with a technology designed for one finite purpose. The challenge therefore isn't simply how far can AI develop? It's also: Where should we draw the line? Could Humans Become the AI Safety Net? As AI becomes integrated into more systems, Jane raises an interesting possibility: systems that retain human involvement could actually prove more resilient in a crisis. Reggie agrees. Humans possess qualities AI doesn't necessarily replicate: conscience, morality, judgment and the ability to decide when something should simply be switched off. That human element may ultimately be one of the safeguards against excessive dependence on AI. Reggie also sees this difference in creative work. AI can generate information and content, but he believes it struggles to reproduce the humor, rhythm, personality and human feeling that make someone's work distinctly their own. The Hidden Risks of Sharing Your Life Online The conversation also explores a more immediate security issue: how much personal information people reveal through social media. Reggie's international experiences made him highly conscious of how seemingly harmless information can expose someone's location, possessions, routines and travel plans. His advice is simple: think before posting in real time. People may see celebrities publicly documenting their lives without recognizing that celebrities often have professional security and carefully managed publicity strategies. For everyone else, revealing where you are, when you're away from home and what you own can create unnecessary risks. Topics & Keywords International Business, Global Business, Geopolitical Risk, Enterprise AI, AI Governance, Artificial Intelligence, Crisis Management, Global Leadership, International Business Strategy, Business Risk, AI Risk, Global Strategy, Executive Leadership, Social Media Security Hashtags #InternationalBusiness #GlobalBusiness #ArtificialIntelligence #EnterpriseAI #AIGovernance #GlobalLeadership #GeopoliticalRisk #CrisisManagement SEND US A MESSAGE THE CONSISTENT MARKETING SYSTEM Stop starting over again each month. We'll work together one-on-one to build a tailor-made system you can repeat each quarter. Marketing gets done - on easy mode. Get the details about the Consistent Marketing System. More resources for B2B marketers at our website at seat.fm Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
