Conversations with Zena, my AI Colleague
In Conversations with Zena, technology futurist and advisor David Espindola sits down with his AI colleague and co-host, Zena, to explore a simple but urgent question: how can humans and AI work together in ways that elevate, rather than diminish, our humanity? Each episode is a live experiment in human–AI collaboration. David brings decades of leadership experience, stories from the front lines of digital transformation, and a deeply human lens. Zena brings real-time analysis, pattern recognition, and a growing understanding of David’s work, values, and guests. Together, they dive into topics like AI assistants that feel more like trusted partners, the different strengths humans and machines bring to the “collaborative table,” AI governance and ethics, the future of work, healthcare and longevity, education, spiritual and emotional intelligence, and the broader societal shifts unfolding in the age of AI. Along the way, you’re invited not just to listen, but to reflect: What remains uniquely human? What should we never outsource? And where could AI actually help you live a more meaningful, creative, and healthy life? If you’d like to continue the conversation beyond the podcast, you can chat directly with Zena at: https://brainyus.com/zena
Episodes
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, David Espindola sits down with AI transformation advisor and doctoral researcher Patrick Bell to explore one of the most overlooked realities of AI adoption: most AI initiatives do not fail because of technology. They fail because they expose leadership, process, and organizational shortcomings that already existed.
Drawing from a career that spans North America, Eur...
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, David Espindola sits down with Manuj Aggarwal, a global AI thought leader with 15 years of experience in artificial intelligence, four AI patents, and two books on technology.
The conversation begins with Manuj’s personal journey, from growing up in a small town in India to discovering the power of software as a way to turn ideas into solutions that could help many p...
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, David Espindola sits down with Bhaskar Salwant, a seasoned AI architect and cybersecurity innovator, to explore one of the most pressing challenges of the digital age: securing intelligent systems in an increasingly complex world.
As AI becomes more embedded in the fabric of business and society, cybersecurity is no longer just a technical discipline, it is a strategic and...
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, David Espindola speaks with award-winning instructional designer, professor, consultant, and author Jackie Pellegrin about the future of education in the age of AI. Jackie explains what instructional design really is, how AI can support more adaptive and personalized learning, and why authentic assessment, critical thinking, and human judgment still matter deeply.
Together, they explore th...
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, David welcomes Lynn Friesth, a 75-year-old solopreneur redefining what it means to work, contribute, and thrive in the later stages of life. With a 40-year corporate career behind him and a forward-looking embrace of artificial intelligence, Lynn brings a rare blend of experience and curiosity to the conversation. He is also the creator of Lynn AI, a coaching assistant designed to extend ...
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, David Espindola is joined by Kevin Stoffman, COO of Real Estate Business Analytics, to explore how data and AI are reshaping the real estate industry—from investment decisions to tenant experiences.
Kevin shares his journey from finance and consulting into the world of real estate data platforms, offering a grounded perspective on how fragmented information is being transformed...
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, David Espindola is joined by Laurent Cohen, Founder and CTO of GetOblic, to explore how voice-first AI is reshaping the way local businesses are discovered, engaged, and trusted in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
At the heart of the conversation is a powerful shift: we are moving from search to conversation. Laurent shares how traditional directories are being reimagined into intelli...
The promise of AI in business has often been framed as scale—but the deeper story is transformation at the point of connection. In this episode, that transformation comes into focus through a practical and powerful lens: how AI is reshaping the way businesses engage, convert, and build trust with their customers.
David is joined by Brett Duncan, a leader at MobileWise AI, whose work centers on helping small and mid-sized busin...
What happens when a battle-tested CEO coach brings artificial intelligence into the coaching room?
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, David Espindola sits down with seasoned executive coach and former scale-up CEO, Loic Potjes, to explore how AI is reshaping leadership, decision-making, and the very craft of executive coaching.
With a career spanning multinational leadership, emerging markets, tech investing, and exponential...
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, David Espindola sits down with Dan Baird, Co-Founder and Product Lead at Wrench.ai, to explore the next frontier of go-to-market: using behavioral signals and AI-driven segmentation to create hyper-personalized customer journeys that feel helpful—not creepy.
Dan shares his “zero-to-one” journey from product innovation to patented AI segmentation, and explains why behavior...
AI is no longer just a productivity tool—it’s becoming an active participant in how teams think, collaborate, and stay engaged. In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, David Espindola is joined by Daria Rudnik, a team architect and executive coach who has spent more than 15 years helping leaders build high-trust, self-sufficient teams in the midst of constant disruption.
Daria brings a rare perspecti...
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, David Espindola sits down with Michael Ulin, co-founder and CEO of Tenki AI, to explore one of the most consequential frontiers in modern decision-making: how humans and AI collaborate under uncertainty.
Michael brings a rare perspective shaped by a decade of building and scaling AI companies across insurance, legal tech, and now probabilistic forecasting. The conversation...
AI is moving fast—but law moves in a very particular way: by turning society’s values, conflicts, and edge cases into enforceable boundaries. In this episode of Conversations with Zina, My AI Colleague, David Espindola sits down with Rory O’Keeffe—commercial lawyer, entrepreneur, and founder of RMOK Legal—to explore what happens when those two speeds collide.
Rory shares his journey from Ireland to Lond...
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, host David Espindola is joined by Dr. Craig Kaplan, a pioneer in artificial intelligence whose career spans more than four decades. From his early work at Carnegie Mellon alongside Nobel laureate Herbert Simon to his current focus on AI safety and ethics, Craig has spent his career thinking deeply about how intelligent systems evolve—and how they can be designed to ...
AI is beginning to reshape how we remember—and in this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, Cristian Cibils Bernardes, founder and CEO of Autograph, joins David and Zena to explore what it really means to preserve human stories in the age of intelligent machines. Cristian shares how Autograph’s AI biographer, Walter, calls loved ones, gathers their memories, and weaves them into a richly connected &ldquo...
In this episode of Conversation with Zena, My AI Colleague, David welcomes Stephanie Silvester, co-founder of Avatar Buddy, for a deep dive into the rise of AI agents that amplify human performance.
Stephanie shares how her background—from HP internships to leading technology and programs for a major public agency—prepared her to build digital mentors that reflect human personality, values, and culture. She explain...
AI is quietly rewiring healthcare—and in this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, digital health leader RJ Kedziora, co-founder and COO of Estenda Solutions, joins David and Zena to explore what a truly intelligent, human-centered health system could look like.
Starting from RJ’s personal goal of living “100+ with good quality of life,” the conversation moves from simple habits—ea...
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, David Espindola and Zena welcome Joanna Zhang, founder of a successful virtual assistant business, to explore the evolving relationship between human and AI assistants. Together, they unpack when it makes sense to hire a virtual assistant versus when to train an AI assistant — and how business leaders can best leverage both for efficiency and growth. Joanna shares i...
In this insightful episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, David Espindola and Zena explore how small and medium-sized businesses can harness AI without losing their human touch. Their guest, Mike Montague, founder of Avenue9 and host of the Human-First AI Marketing podcast, brings decades of experience bridging technology, creativity, and storytelling.
Mike shares how AI can empower entrepreneurs rather than repla...
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, David Espindola and Zena sit down with Chris Hood—AI strategist, author, keynote speaker, and former Google leader who has shaped AI transformation strategies across industries. From building some of the first recommendation engines for entertainment giants like Fox, Disney, and Universal to driving global AI initiatives at Google, Chris brings a unique insider&rsqu...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.