#36 AI-Empowered Mom | Designing the Future with AI and Deanna Leonard

When AI can design almost anything, where does human creativity still matter?

In this episode of the AI‑Empowered Mom Podcast, host Sarah Dooley sits down with Deanna L. Leonard, fractional CMO, AI strategy leader, and one of LinkedIn’s Top 100 AI Creative Educators.

Deanna shares her journey from lifelong artist and corporate marketing executive to teaching AI confidence to midlife women and advising global brands on ethical, creative AI adoption. Together, they explore where humans outperform machines, how emotional intelligence shapes better AI outcomes, and why AI should act as a tool and not the storyteller.

This conversation covers AI fatigue, creative burnout, “AI slop,” ethical design, prompt mastery, and what 2026 may bring with AI agents and workflow transformation. Deanna also offers practical guidance for parents and caregivers navigating AI at home, including guardrails around creativity, screen use, and protecting children’s likenesses.

A grounded, human-first conversation about creativity, leadership, and designing a future where technology supports connection instead of replacing it.