Mastering AI with the experts

Samuel Boulanger
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Welcome to "Mastering AI with the Experts," a comprehensive series where we delve into the vast and evolving world of artificial intelligence. This playlist brings together thought leaders, innovators, and top experts from various fields to explore the impact of AI across industries. From cutting-edge technologies to practical applications, we cover the past, present, and future of AI, providing you with insights and knowledge to stay ahead in this rapidly changing landscape.

  1. How AI Is Failing Women (And How to Fix It Now) | Miri Rodriguez CEO Empressa.ai

    12/09/2025

    How AI Is Failing Women (And How to Fix It Now) | Miri Rodriguez CEO Empressa.ai

    🎙️Unlock the future of Inclusive AI: What does it truly take to build systems that are responsible and equitable from the ground up?In this essential episode on Gender Bias in AI and Responsible AI, we sit down with Miri Rodriguez, former star storyteller at Microsoft and the groundbreaking CEO/Founder of Empressa.ai. After 13 years crafting narratives within Big Tech, a personal health journey — including battling cancer —pushed Miri to pioneer a solution for one of technology's biggest challenges: the AI gender gap.Miri shares the emotional and strategic story behind Empressa — a pioneering AI platform built by women, for women. She exposes how reliance on traditional data sets has created deep-seated biases, consistently excluding female perspectives. You'll learn:- Why the legacy of male-designed technology (like the car airbag) proves that gender-neutral is often just male-default.- How Empressa.ai is rewriting this reality by implementing a royalty model that fairly compensates women for contributing their insights, stories, and lived experience, transforming silence into scalable knowledge.- Actionable design principles for building inclusive AI agents and foundational models, ensuring your next product is equitable.- Why the true barrier for women in tech and AI adoption is often confidence and the need for safe learning spaces—not capability.If you are building with Generative AI, leading product teams, or focused on accelerating gender parity in the workforce, this episode is mandatory listening. It will fundamentally challenge how you think about data, inclusion, and the systems we are all shaping.⏱️ Timestamps (YouTube Chapters)00:00 Intro 01:37 Meet Miri Rodriguez: Microsoft, Storytelling, and the Strategic Leap06:42 Why AI Systems Are Biased Against Women09:08 The Hidden Cost of Biased Data12:15 The Legacy of Male-Designed Tech (Cars & Airbags)14:48 How Empressa is Building AI with Women's Insights19:36 A New Royalty Model for AI Contributors22:05 Designing an Equitable AI: "By Women, For Women"25:11 The Domestic Workload Barrier (Why Women Don't Apply)25:45 Cohorts, Safe Spaces, and How Women Learn AI29:03 Building Inclusive AI Agents37:45 Practical Tip: Training AI for the Next Generation39:15 The Road to Gender Parity and AI's Role📌 Resources MentionedEmpressa.ai : https://empressa.aiMiri Rodriguez on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mirirod/Gender bias in AI data sources (Harvard, McKinsey, etc.)Women in AI Quaterly Index Report: https://empressa.ai/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Women-in-AI-Index-Quarterly-Report-Q4-2025.pdf📬 Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe to Mastering AI for Productivity, my newsletter: https://samuelboulangerai.substack.com/Connect with me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/samuelboulanger/Visit my website: samuelboulanger.com

    43 min
  2. The Future of Leadership Isn’t Human-Only | Kree Govender, Microsoft Leader

    11/26/2025

    The Future of Leadership Isn’t Human-Only | Kree Govender, Microsoft Leader

    AI isn’t just changing how we work — it’s changing how we lead.But most leaders are still trying to apply old thinking to a very new game.Kree Govender leads SMB sales at Microsoft Canada, supporting 1.4 million businesses through Microsoft’s partner ecosystem. With over a decade of experience leading teams across South Africa and Canada, Kree has had a front-row seat to the AI transformation — and he’s helping shape what modern leadership looks like in this new reality.In this episode, Kree breaks down what it means to be an “AI-enhanced leader,” why trust and curiosity are now strategic advantages, and how to lead teams that include not just people, but AI agents. We talk about cultural resistance to change, the risk of outsourcing your thinking, and how to stay human in a world of automation.Whether you're managing a team, experimenting with Copilot, or just figuring out where AI fits in your decision-making, this conversation gives you a grounded look at the leadership skills that still matter — and the ones you’ll need next.📌 Resources MentionedWork Trend Index by Microsoft:https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index?msockid=3b2712741f9262f50f5d07521e446344Kree Govender on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kree-govender-12b2651b/📬 Enjoyed this conversation?Subscribe to Mastering AI for Productivity: https://samuelboulangerai.substack.com/Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelboulangerVisit my website: https://samuelboulanger.com

    42 min
  3. Inside Microsoft Canada: Becoming a Frontier Sales Firm with AI, Ehsan Youssef, Microsoft VP

    11/12/2025

    Inside Microsoft Canada: Becoming a Frontier Sales Firm with AI, Ehsan Youssef, Microsoft VP

    Everyone’s talking about AI in sales. But what does it actually look like to lead a modern sales organization that runs on it?Ehsan Youssef, Lead of Small and Medium Enterprise & Channel Sales at Microsoft Canada, has spent 20 years helping teams adapt to constant change—and now he’s transforming how his organization sells in the age of AI.In this episode, Ehsan breaks down what it means to operate as a frontier firm—one that infuses AI into every process, from planning and prospecting to customer engagement. He shares how his team measures the “ROI of time,” how they’re building trust in AI across hundreds of sellers, and why every leader needs to lead by example and use the tools themselves.Whether you’re running a sales org, experimenting with Copilot, or figuring out where AI fits in your business, this conversation gives you a clear playbook for turning strategy into action. 📌 Resources MentionedMicrosoft Cloud Adoption Framework for AI: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-adoption-framework/scenarios/ai/Erin Chapple on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinmchapple/📬 Enjoyed this conversation?Subscribe to my newsletter Mastering AI for Productivity: https://samuelboulangerai.substack.com/Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelboulanger/Visit my website : Samuelboulanger.com

    49 min
  4. Real-World AI Use Cases You Can Deploy Today| | Ben Vollmer, RSM US Product leader

    10/22/2025

    Real-World AI Use Cases You Can Deploy Today| | Ben Vollmer, RSM US Product leader

    Everyone’s talking about AI. But how do you go from personal productivity wins to real, enterprise-scale impact?Ben Vollmer has spent 30+ years helping organizations answer that question—leading product teams at Microsoft, IFS, and now RSM, where he drives AI and Power Platform strategy for some of the largest businesses in the US.In this episode, Ben breaks down what’s actually working on the ground: from AI agents processing invoices and summarizing shift reports, to how edge AI and micro-vertical models are quietly reshaping operations. We also talk about the biggest blockers to adoption (hint: it’s not the tech), how to roll out AI without overwhelming your teams, and why most companies are still underestimating the power of data readiness.Whether you’re deploying Copilot, building with Power Platform, or trying to drive real change in your org—this conversation cuts through the noise.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro 02:28 – What’s working now: tech + organizational alignment 04:05 – Real-world AI agent examples: invoices, IT tickets, and internal copilots 06:39 – “AI is a lot of magic being sold” — grounding the hype 09:36 – Intelligent applications: the next evolution of forms and decision-making 11:04 – Broad vs. micro-vertical models: the real AI frontier 17:39 – Tangible ROI: shift reports, document handling, internal service automation 23:15 – The GPS metaphor: how AI adoption builds trust over time 39:06 – Ben’s productivity tip: the Louis Litt email rewriting agent 📌 Resources MentionedRSM Power Factory: https://rsmus.comBen Vollmer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benvollmer/📬 Enjoyed this conversation?Subscribe to my newsletter Mastering AI for Productivity: https://samuelboulangerai.substack.com/Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelboulanger/Visit my website: https://samuelboulanger.com

    44 min
  5. How Microsoft Is Rewriting Enterprise AI Adoption | Erin Chapple, Microsoft CVP

    10/08/2025

    How Microsoft Is Rewriting Enterprise AI Adoption | Erin Chapple, Microsoft CVP

    Everyone’s talking about AI. But how do you actually get it working across a 100,000-person organization?Erin Chapple breaks down how Microsoft is doing exactly that—and what you can learn from it.In this episode, Erin shares what she’s learned from 30 years at Microsoft, first leading engineering teams for Windows Server and Azure, and now helping some of the world’s largest enterprises adopt AI at scale. She explains why Microsoft radically simplified its entire cloud portfolio, what it really means to become a “Frontier Firm,” and why governance isn’t a blocker, it’s your launchpad for innovation.Whether you’re building AI, selling AI, or trying to make sense of how it fits into your org structure, this conversation delivers real-world clarity from someone at the center of it all. 📌 Resources MentionedMicrosoft Cloud Adoption Framework for AI: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-adoption-framework/scenarios/ai/Erin Chapple on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinmchapple/ 📬 Enjoyed this conversation?Subscribe to my newsletter Mastering AI for Productivity: https://samuelboulangerai.substack.com/Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelboulanger/Visit my website : Samuelboulanger.com

    57 min
  6. We Were Promised Productivity. We Got More Work | Scott Hanselman, VP @Microsoft ​

    09/16/2025

    We Were Promised Productivity. We Got More Work | Scott Hanselman, VP @Microsoft ​

    What if AI isn’t here to replace us, but to remove the boring parts of our work? In this episode, Scott Hanselman shares a deeply human perspective on AI, productivity, and the promises technology made but didn’t keep. If you’re a business leader wondering how to use AI without losing your team’s creativity, this conversation is a must-listen. Resources Mentioned: Scott Hanselman’s TEDx Talk (Portland) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVG8W-0p6vg&t=20s Scott Hanselman’s Blog: https://www.hanselman.com/Scott Hanselman’s Podcast: https://www.hanselminutes.com/ Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to my newsletter Mastering AI for Productivity: https://samuelboulangerai.substack.com/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelboulanger/ About this Podcast & Channel:Mastering AI with the Experts is for leaders across all functions of the enterprise, from CIOs and VPs to HR, Finance, Legal, and Operations, who want conceptual clarity, actionable insights, and smart talking points on AI without the hype. This podcast is part of the Mastering AI for Productivity channel, where I share expert interviews, demos, and best practices for driving AI adoption in the enterprise.

    39 min

  7. 09/04/2025

    How AI Is Reshaping Retail — Fâtih Nâyebi, , VP of Data & AI at Aldo Group

    Resources MentionedFâtih's website : https://fatihnayebi.com/Fâtih’s book: Foundation of Agents of AI for Retail :https://www.amazon.com/Foundations-Agentic-Retail-Technologies-Architectures Scale AI (Canada’s AI supercluster) : https://www.scaleai.caAlpha Evolved by DeepMind : https://storage.googleapis.com/deepmind-media/DeepMind.com/Blog/alphaevolve-a-gemini-powered-coding-agent-for-designing-advanced-algorithms/AlphaEvolve.pdfEnjoyed this conversation?Subscribe to my newsletter Mastering AI for Productivity : https://samuelboulangerai.substack.com/Connect with me on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelboulanger/About this Podcast & ChannelMastering AI with the Experts is for leaders across all functions of the enterprise — from CIOs and VPs to HR, Finance, Legal, and Operations, who want conceptual clarity, actionable insights, and smart talking points on AI without the hype.This podcast is part of the Mastering AI for Productivity channel, where I share expert interviews, demos, and best practices for driving AI adoption in the enterprise.

    49 min

  8. 08/19/2025

    The Truth About AI, Data, and Human Connection - Dona Sarkar, Chief Troublemaker at Microsoft

    In this episode of Mastering AI with the Experts, I sit down with Dona Sarkar — Chief Troublemaker at Microsoft, global AI & accessibility leader, entrepreneur, author, and fashion designer — to explore why human connection is still the most valuable asset in the AI era. We talk about the limits of automation, why data quality can make or break AI projects, and how leaders can adopt AI without losing their unique voice. Dona shares candid stories from running offline businesses, busts common AI myths, and reveals how to experiment your way to success.Whether you’re a business leader, tech pro, or just AI-curious, this conversation will challenge how you think about the balance between AI power and the human touch.

    58 min
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About

Welcome to "Mastering AI with the Experts," a comprehensive series where we delve into the vast and evolving world of artificial intelligence. This playlist brings together thought leaders, innovators, and top experts from various fields to explore the impact of AI across industries. From cutting-edge technologies to practical applications, we cover the past, present, and future of AI, providing you with insights and knowledge to stay ahead in this rapidly changing landscape.

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