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Dan Turchin


Host Dan Turchin, PeopleReign CEO, explores how AI is changing the workplace. He interviews thought leaders and technologists from industry and academia who share their experiences and insights about artificial intelligence and what it means to be human in the era of AI-driven automation. Learn more about PeopleReign, the system of intelligence for IT and HR employee service: http://www.peoplereign.io.


AI and the Future of Work

Grant Lee is the CEO and co-founder of Gamma, the company reimagining presentations by building what some call the “anti-PowerPoint.” Since its launch in 2022, Gamma has grown to over 70 million users, with 30 million gammas created each month, and has reached $100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). These milestones were achieved profitably, with a team of just 50 people (that’s about $2 million in ARR per employee) and a Series B round at a $2.1 billion valuation, led by Sarah Wang at Andreessen Horowitz.

Before founding Gamma in 2020, Grant led finance at Optimizely, where he developed a passion for A/B testing. He began his career in investment banking and holds a BS in Biomechanical Engineering and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.

In this conversation, we discuss:

 • How Gamma went from an idea to one of the fastest-growing presentation tools in the world with $100M ARR and a 50-person team
 • Why Grant and his co-founders set out to reinvent slides from scratch instead of improving on PowerPoint
 • Lessons from Optimizely that shaped Gamma’s culture of experimentation and rapid iteration
 • How Grant thinks about product-market fit and why every feature must solve real user pain instead of mimicking the competition
 • How AI serves as a design partner, not a replacement for human creativity, and why “human in the loop” is central to Gamma’s philosophy
 • The importance of building user trust in generative AI through transparency, feedback loops, and community programs like the “Gambassador” initiative
 • How resilience, early failures, and conviction helped Gamma survive investor rejection and a near-collapse during the SVB crisis

Resources:

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Grant on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How To Revolutionize Finance and Financial Decision Making using AI.

361: Can AI Be a True Creative Partner? Grant Lee, CEO of Gamma, on AI Design Philosophy and Building the Anti-PowerPoint

Dennis Kozak is the CEO of Ivanti, a leading enterprise IT and security company generating over $1 billion in annual revenue and serving more than 40,000 customers. He previously served as Ivanti’s COO after holding senior leadership roles at Avaya. Earlier in his career, Dennis spent nearly 23 years at CA Software (now Broadcom), where he led global partnership sales and services teams. He holds a BS in Accounting from St. Joseph’s University in Long Island.

In this conversation, we discuss:

 • Dennis’s leadership journey from CA Technologies and Avaya to becoming CEO of Ivanti, and what prepared him to lead a billion-dollar IT security company
 • Why convergence between cybersecurity and IT operations is accelerating, and how Ivanti is positioning itself at the center of that shift
 • The impact of generative AI on IT support, including how Ivanti is building AI agents to handle routine tickets and empower human technicians
 • How organizations can reduce cyber risk by closing visibility gaps and simplifying their tech stack
 • The challenges of securing distributed workforces in a hybrid world, and why automation is critical to stay ahead of threats
 • Why Dennis believes the future of enterprise IT is about blending user experience with security, not choosing between them

Resources:

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Dennis on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How to Reimagine Fan Experiences and Digital Transformation.

360: From Automation to Accountability: AI Governance, Hybrid Workforce Security, and Trust with Dennis Kozak, Ivanti CEO

Jim Curry is the co-founder and CEO of BuildGroup, a venture firm based in Austin that has raised $330 million since its founding in 2015 and backed companies like Anaconda, Vidmob, DigniFi, and Benefitfocus. He brings more than two decades of experience in product, strategy, and corporate development from roles at Rackspace and Dell, and he co-founded OpenStack, one of the most widely used open source cloud computing platforms. Jim serves on the boards of Generation Serve and the University of Texas School of Undergraduate Studies. He holds degrees from UT Austin and Harvard Business School.

In this conversation, we discuss:

 • Jim’s journey from Rackspace to launching BuildGroup and why he believes in “longer, slower capital” to support mission-driven founders
 • How his experience co-founding OpenStack shaped his thinking on community-driven innovation and open-source software
 • What AI startups can learn from the cloud era—and why infrastructure still matters in the age of foundation models
 • Why Jim believes VCs often push startups to scale too fast and what sustainable growth looks like in practice
 • The impact of AI on venture capital and how BuildGroup thinks about investing in software companies that solve real problems
 • How founders can balance product vision with pragmatism, especially when building in volatile markets

Resources:

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Jim on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How to Develop NLP and AI Data Harvesting Using Games and Blockchains To Earn NFTs

359: Why AI-Efficient Startups Are Forcing Venture Capital to Evolve with Jim Curry, CEO of BuildGroup

In this special episode of AI and the Future of Work, host Dan Turchin explores one of the most ambitious and debated frontiers in technology: Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).

What is AGI? How close are we to creating machines that truly think, reason, and learn like humans? And what will that mean for the future of work, creativity, and ethics?

This compilation episode revisits insights from three leading thinkers who have spent years defining, debating, and developing the next generation of intelligent systems.

Featuring Guests

🔹 Peter Voss, CEO & Chief Scientist, Aigo.ai
 🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/15366873 

🔹 Babak Hodjat, CTO of AI, Cognizant
 🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/14689727 

🔹 Pankaj Kedia, Founder, 2468 Ventures
 🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/15662279 

✅ What You’ll Learn

 • What truly defines Artificial General Intelligence and how it differs from narrow AI
 • Why scaling large models isn’t enough to achieve real cognition
 • How cognitive and embodied AI could bridge the gap to human-like understanding
 • Why AGI may usher in a new “age of abundance” where work, creativity, and purpose are redefined

💬 Inspired by this episode?

Share your favorite insight on social media and tag us.
And don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of AI and work.

Other special episodes:

Lessons from Four Unicorn CEOs Disrupting Massive Markets with AI (Special Episode)Ethical AI in Hiring: How to Stay Compliant While Building a Fairer Future of Work (HR Day Special Episode)The Future of AI Ethics Special: Perspectives from Women Leaders in AI on Bias, Accountability & TrustAI and Safety: How Responsible Tech Leaders Build Trustworthy Systems (National Safety Month Special)Empowering the Next Generation: Career, Leadership & Resilience Insights (International Youth Day Special Episode)Lessons from Leaders: How AI Is Redefining Work and the Human Experience (Labor Day Special Episode)

Artificial General Intelligence: Can Machines Really Think Like Us? (Special Episode)

George Maddaloni is the EVP and CTO for Operations at Mastercard, where he leads the performance and modernization of technology platforms serving more than 35,000 employees worldwide. He has previously held senior IT leadership roles at AIG, UBS, AT&T, GM, and Merrill Lynch, and currently serves on the board of SustainableIT.org. George earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Fordham University.

In this conversation, we discuss:

 • How Mastercard’s CTO thinks about the balance between innovation, trust, and regulation in one of the world’s most complex financial networks.
 • The strategy behind modernizing Mastercard’s internal technology platforms to empower 35,000 global employees.
 • Why a decade of AI experience changed how Mastercard approaches fraud, data, and customer confidence.
 • The cultural shift that turned curiosity about AI into measurable progress across a global workforce.
 • How a 50-year-old payments company keeps competing with startups by rethinking infrastructure from the ground up.
 • George Maddaloni’s vision of the next era of payments and how technology might make transactions faster, safer, and nearly invisible.

Resources:

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with George on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How To Create an Energy-Based Work System that Empowers Employees • Other resources mentioned in this conversation: 
On decentralized AI in Banks and the Future of Finance with Paolo Ardoino, Tether CEO

358: Inside Mastercard’s AI Adoption Journey: CTO George Maddaloni on Building Trust, Detecting Fraud, and the Future of Payments

Jon Levy is a behavioral scientist and New York Times bestselling author known for exploring trust, human connection, belonging, and influence. He’s the founder of The Influencers Dinner, a secret dining experience that has grown into a community of thousands of leaders, including Nobel laureates, Olympians, celebrities, executives, artists, and musicians. His book You’re Invited: The Art and Science of Connection, Trust, and Belonging was named a Wall Street Journal “Book of the Month” in 2021. He’s also the author of The 2 AM Principle: Discover the Science of Adventure and the newly released Team Intelligence: How Brilliant Leaders Unlock Collective Genius.

In this conversation, we discuss:

 • Why the smartest teams often fail, and how trust, belonging, and psychological safety drive collective intelligence
 • The surprising data behind team performance, including why individual IQ doesn’t predict group success
 • What makes a team “brilliant,” and how leaders can design environments that unlock group flow and faster decision-making
 • How AI changes team dynamics and why it's urgent to redefine collaboration in a hybrid, tech-driven world
 • The four principles of Team Intelligence and how they apply to both startups and global enterprises
 • Jon’s personal journey from hosting secret dinners to writing 
Team Intelligence • , and why he believes social bonds are the future of work

Resources:

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterLearn more of Jon on LinkedInExplore Jon’s published work and speaking eventsAI fun fact articleOn How gen AI startups can beat Big Tech incumbents •

357: Emotional Team Intelligence Over Star Power: Behavioral Scientist Jon Levy on Culture, AI, and Leadership

Tracy Layney is a seasoned HR leader with more than 15 years of experience shaping people and culture strategies at Levi’s, Gap, and Shutterfly. She currently teaches Human Capital Strategy as an adjunct professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Tracy holds a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania.

In this conversation, we discuss:

 • Tracy shares her unconventional path from English major and aspiring lawyer to CHRO at Levi’s, Gap, and Shutterfly, and how consulting shaped her approach to organizational strategy.
 • She reflects on lessons from working with iconic leaders like Eva Sage Gavin and Chip Bergh, including leading Levi’s through the early days of the pandemic.
 • She explains why excellence and heart-centered leadership must coexist to build values-driven, high-performing cultures.
 • She explores how AI and other disruptive forces are reshaping HR, from talent strategy to employee expectations, and why adaptability is critical for leaders.
 • She discusses the importance of transparency and trust-building between HR and employees during times of uncertainty, drawing parallels with past crises.
 • She shares her perspective as a professor on how future HR leaders are navigating unprecedented change, mental health challenges, and the rapid rise of AI in the workplace.

Resources:

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Tracy on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How To Democratize Content Creation using AI

356: Can HR Build Trust in an Age of AI Uncertainty? With Tracy Layney, Former CHRO of Levi’s, Gap, and Shutterfly

Sean Williams is the CEO and founder of AutogenAI, the world’s leading AI proposal-writing engine, launched in May 2022. Under his leadership, the company recently closed a nearly $40 million Series B round led by Salesforce Ventures. Prior to AutogenAI, Sean founded Corndel Ltd, where he served as Chief Executive and scaled the business to 350 employees before its $60 million acquisition by THI Holdings in 2020.

In this conversation, we discuss:

 • Why Sean believes AI will revolutionize how organizations write, win, and deliver proposals
 • How AutogenAI is reducing proposal writing time from days to hours for companies bidding on complex contracts
 • The ethical considerations of AI-written proposals and why transparency is critical in high-stakes industries
 • What Sean learned from scaling Corndel to 350 employees and how that experience shaped AutogenAI's go-to-market strategy
 • Why the biggest risk for organizations isn’t adopting AI too quickly, but failing to experiment early
 • How AutogenAI is building trust with enterprise clients through customization, compliance, and human-in-the-loop design

Resources:

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Sean on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How To Prevent Bias and Be Responsible for Ethical Decision Making

355: Can AI Transform Proposal Writing, Bidding, and RFPs? Sean Williams on AutogenAI’s $40M Journey.

Josh Bersin is one of the most respected voices in HR and HRTech, known for shaping how organizations think about talent, learning, and the future of work. He began covering the space in 2001 and later sold his firm, Bersin & Associates, to Deloitte in 2012. Today, he leads The Josh Bersin Company, which produces influential research, publishes widely on workplace trends, and hosts the annual Irresistible conference. He’s also the author of Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations and the host of a podcast that explores the evolving world of work with clarity and insight.

In this conversation, we discuss:

 • Why fears of AI-driven job loss are overstated and how automation can unlock new opportunities for growth.

 • The rise of “superworkers” who use AI to eliminate routine tasks and focus on creativity, innovation, and more meaningful contributions.

 • How companies are rethinking organizational design, roles, and skills in response to rapid advances in AI.

 • Real-world examples of AI adoption in banking, insurance, and airlines—and what leaders can learn from them.

 • The concept of “supermanagers” and why human leadership and soft skills remain critical in an AI-powered workplace.

 • Josh’s perspective on what it means to be an “irresistible organization” in a time of massive technological and cultural change.

Resources:

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Josh on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How To Invest on AI Driven Work • Past Episode with Josh [Season 3, #278]: 
On How the Best-Performing Teams use AI

354: AI as a Liberating Technology: Josh Bersin on Turning Routine Tasks into Superworkers Driving Trust, Creativity, and Growth

In this Labor Day Special Episode of AI and the Future of Work, host Dan Turchin sits down with three leaders for an open conversation about how AI is reshaping the workplace.

They discuss both opportunities and challenges. The focus is on building organizations where technology amplifies human potential rather than replacing it.

From rethinking the employee experience to redefining leadership in the AI era, the panel explores themes of empathy, trust, and the evolving social contract between employers and employees. Together, they share what it means to lead responsibly at a moment when the future of work is being rewritten in real time.

Featuring Guests:

🔹 Armen Berjikly (Venture Partner, Emerson Collective) – Listen to a previous conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/15520806 

 🔹 Alex Buder Shapiro (Chief People Officer, Jasper) – Listen to a previous conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/17522593 

 🔹 Anthony Moisant (CIO & Chief Security Officer, Indeed) – Listen to a previous conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/episodes/17751365 

✅ What You’ll Learn

 • How to create a culture of experimentation that builds empathy during times of change
 • Why leaders must balance speed of adoption with responsibility and trust
 • The evolving social contract between employees and employers in the AI era
 • What responsible AI policies look like in practice, and how to communicate uncertainty with honesty
 • Why the human experience must remain central as AI transforms the future of work

Watch the video version of this episode here: https://youtu.be/zJa8ASZVFYk 

💬 Inspired by this episode? Share your favorite insight on social and tag us. And don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of work.

Other special episodes:

Lessons from Four Unicorn CEOs Disrupting Massive Markets with AI (Special Episode)Ethical AI in Hiring: How to Stay Compliant While Building a Fairer Future of Work (HR Day Special Episode)The Future of AI Ethics Special: Perspectives from Women Leaders in AI on Bias, Accountability & TrustAI and Safety: How Responsible Tech Leaders Build Trustworthy Systems (National Safety Month Special)Empowering the Next Generation: Career, Leadership & Resilience Insights (International Youth Day Special Episode)Data Privacy Day Special Episode: AI, Deepfakes & The Future of Trust

Lessons from Leaders: How AI Is Redefining Work and the Human Experience (Labor Day Special Episode)

Rob May, serial AI entrepreneur and investor, started as a hardware engineer but realized he could have more of an impact as an entrepreneur and investor. Since then, he has started companies including Backupify (acquired by Datto) and Talla (conversational AI) and invested in over 100 startups. Rob's a deep thinker and the author of the popular Inside AI weekly newsletter and Investing in AI podcast.

Listen and learn...

 1. What's holding back AI adoption in the enterprise
 2. New approaches to address the "small data" AI problem
 3. About the ethics training we should require for AI algorithm developers
 4. Why those who fear bots taking over are the modern equivalent of Luddites
 5. What it means to be human when machines are sentient
 6. The moonshot AI idea Rob's most excited about

References in today's episode:

Krishna Gade • from Fiddler on AI and the Future of Work
AdeptID • for matching helping employees upskill
Mythic • for edge AI

Rob May, venture partner at PJC and serial AI entrepreneur, shares what's holding back AI adoption in the enterprise

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