"𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘈𝘐 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦? 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰... 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨." — Chris Vallone

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

This week, hosts 𝗞𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗻 (𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻) and 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗵𝘆 (𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗜) start with an honest check-in: the difference between “being busy” and having a practice you can return to—especially when you’re stressed, avoiding something annoying, or stuck in that not-knowing feeling. From there, the conversation widens into what people actually 𝘣𝘶𝘺 when they buy “AI” (and what they don’t), why one-and-done training often falls short, and how community can be the difference between quitting and getting traction.

Then 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 joins to talk about a massive shift in independent film: what happens when your biggest constraint isn’t budget anymore. Chris walks through his creative process, how he works with writing tools without handing over the wheel, what film festival reactions have been like, and why newcomers who ignore these tools may be putting themselves at a disadvantage.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀

• 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. A steady approach helps you work even when you don’t feel like it—and helps you tolerate the “I don’t know how” moment without spiraling.

• 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻. Tool-hunting is a trap if you haven’t named your goal.

• 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: reflect (how am I showing up?), get curious (play and explore), build (apply), and serve (share, ask, support).

• 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿. You don’t have to quietly struggle through every stuck point—especially when tiny settings and small choices can change everything.

• 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁. Chris explains how today’s tools can shrink costs for scenes that used to require huge crews, coordination, and cash—while still demanding taste, direction, and craft.

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁

𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 is a longtime filmmaker and artist (and also a vintage VW Beetle restorer) who’s bringing scripts he wrote years ago to the screen using today’s video tools. From MiniDV-era, shoestring sets to AI-assisted storyboards and trailers, Chris shares what’s gained, what’s lost, and what still matters most when you’re trying to tell a great story.

𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘, 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘, 𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗘

Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.

𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪

On this episode of The AI Readiness Project, we sit down with Marline Paul, a powerful voice for accessibility in AI education. Marline shares how she pivoted from the classroom to entrepreneurship, why AI is her best (and snarkiest) co-worker, and how she brings her educator’s mindset to help others understand tools without feeling overwhelmed.

Kyle and Anne also explore the broader impact of human-centered AI projects, including the heartwarming story of Brandon Tidd’s custom GPT designed to support people affected by SNAP benefit changes, and Daisy Thomas’ unexpected use of that GPT to create a nutritious grocery plan on a shoestring budget. From musicals inspired by AI relationships to kids turning beach games into video games, this episode reminds us that when people lead with curiosity and care, AI can help us build stronger connections and more creative lives.

𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬𝗦

• How Marline uses her teaching background to guide learners through AI tools with clarity and patience

• The power of small wins in AI adoption—like discovering you don’t need to outsource your slide decks

• Why AI literacy doesn’t mean knowing everything—it means knowing enough to try

• A look at real-world applications of custom GPTs designed with empathy

• What AI readiness really means—and how to know if you’re on the path

𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧

Marline Paul is a former math teacher turned AI educator, community builder, and founder of EAM Creative Solutions. With over 17 years in education, she now supports entrepreneurs, small business owners, and college students in using AI tools with confidence and intention. Known in her circles as “Coach Marline,” she’s passionate about turning everyday questions into teachable moments and helping her community move from uncertainty to action.

𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘, 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘, 𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗘

Catch a new episode of The AI Readiness Project every Wednesday at 3pm (PST), co-hosted by Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon. Want to meet others navigating this new terrain with humor and humanity? Visit The AI Salon or She Leads AI to find your people.

In this special AI Festivus 2025 spotlight episode, Anne and Kyle sit down with five standout voices set to speak at this year’s AI Festivus gathering on December 26–27. Each guest brings a hands-on perspective on how AI is reshaping everyday work—creatively, practically, and with a focus on real people, not just shiny tools.

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: From operations to storytelling, from enterprise content systems to small-business growth and local news, these guests are having the kinds of conversations professionals are craving right now. They’re building workflows, habits, and practice-ready approaches that help teams use AI with intention instead of overwhelm.

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁:

𝗕𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝘆𝗼𝗻𝘀, AI trainer, operations consultant, and co-host of The Daily AI Show, who builds practical systems that bring AI into daily workflows one repeatable habit at a time.

𝗝𝘆𝘂𝗻𝗺𝗶 𝗛𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿, advisor, media and tech strategist, and co-founder of Synchro AI, who connects AI, culture, and storytelling—from enterprise strategy to transmedia experiments and patent-backed tooling.

𝗦𝘂𝘇𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘀, Adobe product manager and AI speaker, who helps teams cut through AI tool fatigue by shifting from “what’s the hottest app?” to “what problem are we actually solving?”—drawing on experience building 50+ custom GPTs and leading GenStudio pilot projects.

𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘂𝗿, founder of EasyAsPie.ai and creator of Inbox Whisperer AI, who blends business strategy, email systems, and a bit of “woo” to help founders keep their marketing human while using AI to stay consistent and sane.

𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀, founder of Zoned 8 AI, whose boots-on-the-ground work with small-town businesses, newspapers, and community organizations keeps local voices strong in a tech-heavy world.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻:

• How AI trainers and operators are turning experiments into stable, everyday workflows

• Why media, storytelling, and culture still sit at the heart of AI adoption

• Practical ways to reduce AI tool overload and focus on problem-first thinking

• How local businesses and newsrooms are using AI without losing their community roots

• How founders and small teams can use AI for marketing and email without sounding like a robot Tune in every Wednesday at 3pm with hosts Anne Murphy of She Leads AI and Kyle Shannon of The AI Salon.