Navigating AI with Rich Wilson

Rich Wilson

Welcome to Navigating AI, where we guide business and HR leaders through Navigating AI is the show for CEOs, CFOs, and HR leaders who want the truth about what AI means for their business and their people. We translate the “new intelligence era” into practical moves: smarter productivity, clearer communication, better talent decisions, and modern workforce strategy. Expect candid conversations with operators, HR leaders, and experts, plus frameworks and takeaways you can use the same weekthe new intelligence era.

  1. 4d ago

    Why the Future of HR Starts in the Field with Jennifer Hunter

    What happens when HR leadership steps out of the office and into the field? In this episode of Navigating AI with Rich Wilson, Rich sits down with Jennifer Hunter, a seasoned HR and operations executive with more than 20 years of experience, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping workforce strategy, employee engagement, and the future of skilled trades. Jennifer shares how her field-first leadership philosophy has shaped her approach to solving real-world workforce challenges and why understanding the people behind the processes is essential before introducing new technology. From AI-powered recruiting and bilingual communication to employee training, safety, and responsible AI governance, this conversation explores how organizations can embrace innovation without losing the human connection. Key takeaway: The future of HR isn't just about smarter technology. It's about understanding the people doing the work and using AI to help them succeed. Join Rich and Jennifer for a practical conversation about leadership, innovation, and building a workforce ready for the future.

    Why the Future of HR Starts in the Field with Jennifer Hunter

  2. 4d ago

    Building Trust While Building the System

    In this episode of Navigating AI, host Rich Wilson welcomes Kelly Torrico, Chief Human Resources Officer at Austin Community College, for an engaging conversation about leadership, organizational transformation, and what it takes to build trust while building the systems that support people. Kelly shares her remarkable career journey through military service, corporate leadership, mental health operations, and higher education, revealing how a commitment to service has shaped her approach to leading people and organizations through change. Drawing from her experience at Austin Community College, Kelly discusses the challenges and opportunities of building a strategic HR function within a complex, mission-driven institution. From establishing HR business partnerships and strengthening employee relations to using data to make better decisions, she offers practical insights into creating systems that support both employees and organizational goals. The conversation also explores the evolving role of artificial intelligence in HR and higher education, including how leaders can embrace emerging technologies while preserving the trust, human judgment, and personal connections that matter most. Key themes include: Building trust while transforming HR systems and processesMoving HR from reactive support to strategic partnershipLeading with service, accountability, and compassionUsing data and AI to support better organizational decisionsAligning people, culture, and institutional missionWhether you're an HR professional, business leader, or higher education executive, this episode offers valuable lessons on leading transformation without losing sight of the people at the heart of it. Because building better systems starts with building trust.

    Building Trust While Building the System

  3. 4d ago

    Go Slow to Go Fast: The Human Operating Model Behind the AI Technology Stack.

    Companies are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, but why are so many struggling to see meaningful returns? In this episode of Navigating AI: Leading Through the Intelligence Era, host Rich Wilson welcomes Amy Alost, CPA, MBA, strategic CFO, and business transformation leader, for a compelling conversation about why successful AI adoption starts with people, not technology. Drawing on decades of experience leading enterprise transformations, Amy challenges a common misconception: organizations aren’t necessarily underinvesting in AI. They’re under-operationalizing it. Together, Rich and Amy explore why treating AI as a technology project rather than a business transformation can lead to disappointing results, how poor data and broken workflows undermine AI investments, and why leadership, governance, and employee engagement are essential to achieving measurable ROI. They also discuss the growing pressure on finance teams, the importance of human oversight, and how proven methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma can help organizations implement AI responsibly and effectively. Amy’s message is simple but powerful: Sometimes the fastest way forward is to slow down, understand the problem, engage your people, and build the right foundation. Whether you’re a CEO, CFO, HR executive, or business leader navigating AI adoption, this episode offers practical insights for turning technology investments into sustainable business results. Because successful AI transformation isn’t just about smarter technology. It’s about smarter leadership.

    Go Slow to Go Fast: The Human Operating Model Behind the AI Technology Stack.

  4. Sep 18

    The Nucleus of AI: What Leaders Can Learn from the First Artificial

    AI did not begin with ChatGPT. In this episode of Navigating AI, Rich Wilson continues the conversation with Vrat Jerabek of PsychTests and Dr. Ilona Jerabek to explore the deeper history of artificial intelligence, from the first artificial neuron to expert systems, fuzzy logic, neural networks, Hidden Markov Models, and modern large language models. Together, they connect AI’s history to today’s leadership decisions, showing why every wave of AI brings both new capability and new responsibility. The conversation also explores why leaders should not confuse impressive output with trustworthy judgment, especially when AI is used in business, assessments, analytics, or people decisions. This episode is for leaders who want to move beyond AI hype and use the technology with more clarity, context, and accountability.

    The Nucleus of AI: What Leaders Can Learn from the First Artificial

  5. Sep 9

    Practice What You Preach: How AI Can Help Build Better Managers

    What if AI could help managers become better at the most human parts of leadership? In this episode of Navigating AI, Rich Wilson sits down with Hana Zacay, Founder of RiseBud, Director of HR at Stellar Blu Solutions, and Founder of LEADERIS Consulting, to explore a very different way of thinking about artificial intelligence. While much of the AI conversation centers on automation, efficiency, and reducing workloads, Hana is using AI to help managers practice. Through RiseBud what she describes as a “mindset gym” for managers, leaders can prepare for real workplace situations such as giving feedback, handling difficult conversations, improving communication, and building confidence before the stakes are real. Hana also shares lessons from building HR inside a fast-changing technology company, why traditional manager training often fails to translate into behavior, and where the line should remain between AI assistance and human leadership. The conversation ultimately comes back to a simple idea: great managers aren’t built by consuming more content. They’re built through practice. If you’re an HR or business leader thinking about how AI can develop people, not just automate their work. This episode offers a compelling look at what may be next for leadership development.

    Practice What You Preach: How AI Can Help Build Better Managers

  6. Sep 8

    Recruiting Across Languages, Cultures, and Job Sites

    In this episode of Navigating AI, Rich Wilson sits down with Nicole P., an HR and talent acquisition professional supporting The Beck Group’s self-perform environment, for a grounded conversation about AI, recruiting, language, culture, and the human judgment technology still cannot replace. Nicole brings a unique perspective shaped by her work across HR, talent acquisition, employee relations, multilingual communication, psychology, and operational recruiting. She shares how AI tools can help recruiters prepare for interviews, learn unfamiliar roles, automate parts of the process, and move faster, while also explaining why AI still struggles with the human side of the work. Together, Rich and Nicole explore what AI can and cannot understand about people, especially in environments where language barriers, cultural nuance, job-site realities, trust, exhaustion, and emotional context all matter. Nicole makes a clear case for using AI as a powerful assistant, not a replacement for empathy, judgment, and real human connection. This episode is a practical conversation for HR leaders, recruiters, and business leaders trying to adopt AI without losing the human side of work.

    Recruiting Across Languages, Cultures, and Job Sites

  7. Jul 31

    Sharpening the Axe

    Sharpening the Axe: How Marcus Ludwig Uses AI Without Losing the Human Side of HR Artificial intelligence is changing the workplace at an incredible pace, but how do leaders embrace AI without losing the very thing that makes organizations successful: people? In this episode of Navigating AI, Rich Wilson sits down with Marcus Ludwig, Director of Human Resources and AI Strategist at Building Controls & Solutions, to explore how AI can become a force multiplier rather than a replacement for human judgment. Drawing on more than three decades of leadership experience, including 22 years with Walmart and executive HR roles across multiple industries, Marcus shares why the best leaders don’t use AI to think for them. They use it to think better. Together, they discuss how AI is helping organizations preserve decades of institutional knowledge, accelerate workforce development, and improve business performance, while also examining the areas where technology can never replace empathy, trust, accountability, and human connection. Marcus also shares his philosophy of servant leadership, the difference between being kind and being nice, why HR must understand the business beyond policies and compliance, and how leaders can prepare their organizations for an AI-enabled future without losing sight of the people they serve. Whether you’re an HR executive, business leader, or simply trying to understand how AI fits into the future of work, this conversation offers practical insights for leading with both innovation and humanity. In this episode you’ll learn: Why Marcus calls AI a force multiplier, not a dependencyHow organizations can preserve institutional knowledge before it walks out the doorThe role AI plays in accelerating learning and workforce developmentWhy HR leaders must become strategic business partnersThe leadership difference between being kind and being niceWhere AI creates value, and where human judgment remains irreplaceable Because in the end, AI may sharpen the axe, but people are still the ones who build the future.

    Sharpening the Axe

  8. Jul 13

    A Science Girl in an HR World

    A Science Girl in an HR World: Shayla Thomas on Carbon Capture, Culture, and AI in HR Shayla Thomas did not take the traditional path into human resources. With bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology, she came to Texas on a medical school track, moved into medical scribing, stepped into team leadership, and eventually found herself building an HR career inside one of the most fascinating clean-tech companies in the country. In this episode of Navigating AI, Rich Wilson sits down with Shayla, Human Resources Manager at CarbonFree, a San Antonio-based company converting industrial carbon emissions into useful minerals and products. Shayla shares how her scientific mindset shapes the way she leads HR, why curiosity and trust matter inside a growing technical workforce, and what it means to build people systems at a company moving from early-stage innovation into commercial scale. The conversation also explores Shayla’s practical use of AI in HR, including tools like ChatGPT and Claude for communications, workflow support, and policy research. But Shayla is clear-eyed about the risks: AI can be helpful, but HR leaders still need accuracy, context, judgment, and a strong understanding of people. This episode is a conversation about science, culture, trust, benefits, and the future of HR in an AI-enabled workplace.

    A Science Girl in an HR World
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About

Welcome to Navigating AI, where we guide business and HR leaders through Navigating AI is the show for CEOs, CFOs, and HR leaders who want the truth about what AI means for their business and their people. We translate the “new intelligence era” into practical moves: smarter productivity, clearer communication, better talent decisions, and modern workforce strategy. Expect candid conversations with operators, HR leaders, and experts, plus frameworks and takeaways you can use the same weekthe new intelligence era.

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