Mind the Machine

In this episode of Mind the Machine Podcast, we sit down with Stephanie Sylvester, CEO of Avatar Buddy, to explore what human-centered AI actually looks like in practice.Stephanie explains why the real power of AI lives at the intersection between humans and machines, and how small language models can deliver more accurate, secure, and aligned outcomes than massive general-purpose models. She shares clear analogies for understanding LLMs versus SLMs, explains how “managed AI as a service” helps organizations maintain consistency and control, and outlines how AI can increase self-agency rather than replace people.The conversation also dives into jobs of the future, the skills that will matter most in an AI-driven world, and how thoughtful AI design can reduce bias, support marginalized communities, and create real win-win-win outcomes for workers, companies, and society.Follow Mind the Machine:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindthemachinepodcastTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindthemachinepodcastWebsite: https://findgood.tech/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findgood-tech/Timestamps00:00 – The human-AI continuum and why AI should amplify people00:30 – Introduction to Stephanie Sylvester and Avatar Buddy01:38 – What Avatar Buddy does and why “everyone needs a buddy”03:00 – The human-digital handshake explained04:25 – Why AI can be a true win-win-win solution05:30 – Large language models vs small language models06:30 – The library analogy for understanding SLMs08:00 – Reducing hallucinations and validating AI outputs09:00 – Privacy, security, and ecological benefits of small models10:00 – How businesses win with managed AI and consistent data11:30 – Brand consistency, compliance, and AI as institutional memory13:40 – Jobs of the future and the skills that matter most15:00 – Resiliency, creativity, and learning in an AI world17:30 – Critical thinking, problem solving, and managing AI output18:30 – Hiring for humble, hungry, and smart20:00 – AI-powered recruiting with dignity22:30 – Using AI to practice interviews and build confidence23:30 – Fears, concerns, and misinformation around AI and jobs25:00 – AI, equity, and empowering marginalized communities26:00 – What excites Stephanie most about the future of AI26:52 – Closing thoughts and where to find Avatar Buddy

In this episode of Mind the Machine, we sit down with executive coach Renita Kolhorn to explore why emotional intelligence is becoming more important than raw IQ for founders, leaders, and decision-makers navigating AI-driven change.Renita shares insights from her work with entrepreneurs, military special forces, and high-performing executives, breaking down how emotions influence behavior, decision-making, and leadership under pressure. She explains why emotions are often misunderstood, how survival triggers shape our reactions, and why discipline, awareness, and practice are essential leadership skills.We also dig into how AI changes the leadership landscape. As machines take over more analytical tasks, the uniquely human skills of emotional mastery, intuition, observation, and self-awareness become even more critical. This conversation challenges leaders to slow down, notice what is happening around them, and strengthen their sense of self in an increasingly automated world.If you are building, leading, or investing in the future of technology, this episode offers a grounded, practical look at how mastering emotions can unlock better decisions, stronger relationships, and more resilient leadership.Follow Mind the Machine:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindthemachinepodcastTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindthemachinepodcastWebsite: https://findgood.tech/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findgood-tech/Timestamps00:00 Introduction and opening clip on emotions00:45 Why emotional intelligence matters for modern leadership01:43 Renita’s background: Juilliard, martial arts, and executive coaching05:41 Discipline, focus, and deliberate practice08:29 Emotional mastery and performance under pressure10:30 “Emotions are just chemicals” explained12:04 Managing emotions versus suppressing them14:33 The FAST framework: survival triggers that drive behavior17:30 Do you need to dig into the past to change behavior?19:10 Practicing new leadership behaviors22:00 Why EQ matters more than IQ in an AI-driven world25:35 AI, decision-making, and the limits of data28:11 Intuition versus ego and how to tell the difference32:24 Slowing down to access intuition35:18 Pattern recognition and discernment in leadership38:07 AI, identity, and the need for a strong sense of self41:20 Feedback, self-worth, and AI as a mirror44:07 One practical habit leaders can start today47:24 Closing thoughts and wrap-up

Today we’re talking with Ryan Fox, CTO of Super.com, about what it really looks like to rebuild a company around AI. Ryan walks through why they literally shut down their old systems, why AI is both opportunity and constraint, and what leaders get wrong about adoption. He also breaks down how Super.com scaled from hotel booking to a financial super-app serving everyday Americans.We cover the shift to AI-first thinking, change management inside large teams, credit-building opportunities for underserved users, and why many AI pilots fail. Ryan also shares his personal journey from Google SRE to CTO, and why he eventually wants to bring AI back into the medical world.Follow Mind the Machine:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindthemachinepodcastTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindthemachinepodcastWebsite: https://findgood.tech/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findgood-tech/⸻TIMESTAMPS00:00 AI mindset shift and breaking old habits00:16 Today’s guest: Ryan Fox, CTO of Super.com00:50 How Super.com started as a hotel chatbot01:19 The early NLP era and why it was too soon02:11 Pivoting into a full super-app03:03 Revisiting old tech after the 2022 AI explosion03:40 Why they shut down their old systems entirely05:01 Building an “AI-first” product workflow06:08 Rethinking designers, engineers, and team workflows07:41 Solopreneurs, MVPs, and why scaling is different09:11 Why AI lets them execute more of their backlog10:49 What makes Super.com’s membership valuable12:02 The shocking debit-card discovery13:06 Credit access, demographics, and opportunity14:06 Financial literacy plus opportunity15:38 Bespoke financial coaching with AI16:57 How they use AI in pricing and backend systems17:44 “Spot”: an AI savings agent concept18:51 Macro AI trends Ryan is watching19:21 Shifting to an AI-first mindset across a company20:54 Training non-technical staff to use AI tools22:26 Fear, indifference, and adoption challenges23:47 AI failures, hype, and real timelines24:40 Why many orgs aren’t data-ready26:21 Legacy leaders misreading AI signals27:06 The reality: most experiments won’t work (and that’s OK)28:36 Ryan’s personal journey: engineering, Google, startups30:18 Growing with Super.com from early days to CTO31:03 Why the journey matters more than the destination31:41 Future hopes: bringing AI into medical fields32:50 Closing reflections and thanks

Paul Adams, Chief Product Officer and CMO at Intercom, joins Mind the Machine to break down how AI is reshaping customer service, product development, and the future of work. He explains how Intercom rebuilt its entire strategy in a matter of days after ChatGPT arrived, why he believes we are still at the very beginning of the AI cycle, and what second and third order effects will change the world in ways most people don’t yet see.Paul also shares practical advice for startup founders, students, and career-builders. He talks through why proximity and relationship capital still matter, why companies should rethink their entire operating model instead of piloting isolated AI projects, and how AI is creating new roles instead of simply replacing old ones.This conversation covers AI transformation, product strategy, future hardware, personal AI, workplace change, education, and how to prepare yourself for the next decade of innovation.Follow Mind the Machine:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindthemachinepodcastTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindthemachinepodcastWebsite: https://findgood.tech/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findgood-tech/00:00 Intercom’s rapid shift after ChatGPT01:50 Why customer service is fundamentally broken03:32 How Intercom invented modern business messaging04:47 What Fin is and why AI excels at customer service08:13 Is AI underhyped? Paul’s view from Google and Facebook11:07 Why AI is a bigger wave than mobile13:22 Where we are in the AI timeline (Paul’s “1999 internet” analogy)15:01 Second- and third-order effects that will transform society18:24 Personal AI and how daily life will change20:36 How hardware will evolve in an AI-first world23:43 Why young people have a massive advantage in the AI era27:11 How to use AI like a powerful tool instead of Google31:34 Why proximity, trust, and human relationships still matter40:57 Practical guidance for companies starting an AI strategy43:18 Why isolated AI projects fail without whole-company adoption

What does it truly mean to be human in an age of intelligent machines? Michael Arena, Dean of the Crowell School of Business at Biola University and former executive at AWS and General Motors, joins Cheryl Goodman to explore the intersection of faith, technology, and human dignity in the AI era.He shares his personal journey from the fast-paced world of Amazon to Christian higher education, how Biola is shaping future leaders to think ethically first, and why “building the humans that build AI” may be the most important mission of our time.Sponsor: https://Perseverance.acFollow Mind the Machine:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindthemachinepodcastTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindthemachinepodcastWebsite: https://findgood.tech/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findgood-tech/Timestamps:00:00 Introduction — “We’re not just a set of outputs”00:23 Sponsor: Perseverance.ac00:41 Welcome and guest introduction: Dr. Michael Arena, Dean at Biola University01:34 Ethics-first approach to AI education03:17 From General Motors to AWS — Michael’s career journey04:06 How faith and human dynamics guided his transition to academia06:15 The meaning of being human in an AI-driven world08:19 Fear, dignity, and the pace of technological change09:54 Knowledge vs. wisdom — the essence of true learning12:02 Protecting the inner human experience14:04 Hearing God’s call and leaving Amazon17:11 Finding balance in a distracted, tech-driven world19:09 Teaching discernment and ethics to future AI leaders21:12 Stewardship, not advocacy, of technology22:28 Human skills that endure in the age of AI24:40 Building empathy and trust in fast-paced teams25:20 The power of ethical leadership in innovation26:07 Accountability, truth, and faith in AI systems29:18 Can AI ever truly understand the Word of God?30:23 Why Christians must engage with AI, not retreat from it33:07 AI’s dual nature — both dystopian and redemptive potential34:50 “We build the humans that build AI”36:14 What gives Dr. Arena hope about the future38:06 Biola’s AI Lab, Studio, and adaptive MBA39:22 Bringing industry leaders into the classroom40:57 Final reflections — shaping the future with ethics and grace