In this episode of Inside Assemble AI, hosts Mac and Sam sit down with Priya Reddy, an expert in AI strategy and data literacy, to explore why the real bottleneck in AI transformation isn't technology, it's understanding!

Priya shares her insights on the critical importance of AI literacy across organizations, emphasizing that successful AI adoption requires bridging the gap between technical teams and business leaders. The conversation delves into why organizations must invest in people rather than just tools, how translation failures between data scientists and executives derail AI initiatives, and what it takes to build a culture of data-driven decision-making.

From real-world examples of AI adoption failures to practical frameworks for effective data literacy programs, this episode offers actionable guidance for leaders navigating the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why AI literacy—encompassing data, tech, and business literacy—is the foundation of successful AI transformation
• Real-world examples of how miscommunication between technical and business teams derails AI initiatives
• The difference between data quality issues and AI model problems, and why it matters
• How executives can ask the right questions about data and AI to drive better outcomes
• Building role-based, practical data literacy programs that stick
• The role of "bilinguals"—professionals who can translate between technical and business contexts
• Why data-literate leaders will define the next era of competitive advantage

About Our Guest:

Connect with Priya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priyareddy-dataleader/

Checkout her consultancy services: https://www.linkedin.com/company/priya-reddy-consulting/

In this episode of Inside Assemble AI, hosts Sam Dey and Mac Goswami speak with Sam Bhagwat, Co-Founder & CEO of Maastra, about the rise of AI agents and the tools needed to build them for production.

Sam shares his journey from Gatsby to Maastra, the developer pain points that inspired the pivot, and why context engineering is critical for effective AI agents. The conversation explores Maastra’s core primitives, the impact of the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and the challenges of moving from prototype to production. The episode concludes with a forward-looking vision of AI development—smaller models, broader access, and a future with a billion developers by 2030.

🔗 Guest Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sambhagwat/

• Mastra: https://mastra.ai/

• Book(s): https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Building-Agents-Sam-Bhagwat/dp/B0DYH5GHDD

AI is no longer just a tool — it’s becoming a force multiplier for human potential.

In this episode of The AI Transformation Playbook, we explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping job performance, empowering the workforce, and redefining what productivity looks like in the age of automation. Rather than framing AI as a threat, the conversation focuses on how individuals and organizations can harness AI to amplify passion, unlock genius, and create meaningful impact at work.

We’re joined by Brett Schklar, a seasoned leader and practitioner at the intersection of AI, technology, and workforce transformation and the author of "AI Without the BS". With deep experience in driving real-world AI adoption, [Guest Name] brings a pragmatic perspective on how organizations and individuals can use AI to elevate performance, empower teams, and unlock human potential.

Whether you’re a business leader, technologist, or knowledge worker navigating rapid change, this episode offers a grounded, optimistic lens on AI-driven transformation.

🎧 Tune in to understand how to work with AI — not against it.

What if the future of computing isn't silicon or quantum—but living neurons? In this groundbreaking episode of Inside Assemble AI, we sit down with Dr. Ewelina Kurtys to explore the fascinating world of biological computing and wetware bioprocessors.

Dr. Kurtys takes us inside Final Spark's ambitious mission to build thinking machines powered by living neurons—systems that could process information with unprecedented energy efficiency compared to traditional silicon chips. From the neuroscience behind programming living cells to the technical challenges of maintaining biological systems, we uncover how this emerging technology could reshape artificial intelligence as we know it.

We dive deep into the implications for AGI development, examining how biological stability might reduce AI hallucinations and why hybrid computing architectures combining silicon, quantum, and biological elements could define our technological future. Dr. Kurtys also addresses the critical ethical considerations surrounding wetware bioprocessors and shares her vision for scalable biocomputing systems.

If you're curious about the convergence of neuroscience and AI, the energy crisis facing generative AI, or simply want to glimpse the next frontier in computing technology, this conversation will challenge everything you thought you knew about artificial intelligence.

Topics Covered: Biological computing • Wetware bioprocessors • Energy efficiency in AI • Programming living neurons • AGI development • Hybrid computing systems • Ethics in neurotechnology • The future of generative AI

Is AI a job killer or a career catalyst? In this eye-opening episode, we dive deep into the seismic shifts happening in the tech employment landscape as artificial intelligence reshapes how we work, compete, and grow.

Our Guest: Tegan Bartos, executive recruiter and founder of https://www.joltyourcareer.today, brings her expert insights on the evolving job market, emerging roles, and what it really takes to thrive in an AI-augmented world.

What You'll Learn:

🔹 New Opportunities Amid Disruption – How AI is creating roles we never imagined while transforming existing ones

🔹 The Reskilling Imperative – Why continuous learning isn't optional anymore and how to stay ahead of the curve

🔹 Generational Dynamics – How different generations are adopting (or resisting) AI and what that means for workplace culture

🔹 Beyond the Layoff Headlines – The real story behind AI-attributed job cuts and what organizations are getting wrong

🔹 Career Ownership in the AI Era – How to articulate your value beyond technical skills and position yourself as irreplaceable

🔹 Innovation Through Collaboration – Why hackathons, cross-functional teams, and diverse leadership matter more than ever

This episode tackles the ultimate leadership challenge: achieving next-level performance across profit, people, AND purpose without trading one off against the others. How do you turn AI vision into daily execution? What's the minimum viable AI roadmap that delivers value in 90 days? And how do you coach teams through transformation while maintaining speed and accountability?

Guest:

Greg Mester, co-author of "The Change, Vol. 20" and upcoming author of "Get to the Next Level" (2025/26). As an experienced Agile Coach and Program Manager, Greg helps companies break through blockers and accelerate performance using proven PMP, Scrum, and Agile frameworks across IT, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and finance.

Key Takeaways:

• The minimum viable AI roadmap that produces value in 90 days

• Leadership behaviors that compound profit, people, and purpose

• Proven frameworks for stakeholder alignment and team coaching

• Weekly leading indicators that actually predict AI success

• Governance guardrails that enable speed without compromising safety

• Growth metrics that drive action and resist gaming

• SMB-specific strategies for rapid AI adoption and margin improvement

Perfect for:

Executive leaders driving AI transformation, mid-market and SMB owners, product leaders, marketers, operations professionals, and anyone ready to move from AI hype to measurable results.

Season 2 delivers battle-tested strategies from leaders getting real results. Subscribe for practical, implementation-focused frameworks you can apply immediately.

Join hosts Mac and Sam for an exciting season finale as they explore the cutting-edge intersection of AI and robotics with Daniel Ritchie, veteran technologist and founding member of Brain Wave Collective.

🤖 What You'll Discover:

• How AI is revolutionizing robotics across industries—from disaster zones to space exploration
• Real-world insights from AI hackathons with Hugging Face, NVIDIA, and Meta
• The role of reinforcement learning and computer vision in modern robotic control
• Strategies for ensuring ethical, safe, and interpretable autonomous systems
• Future trends that will reshape the AI-robotics landscape over the next 5 years
• Practical advice for AI enthusiasts entering the robotics space

About Our Guest: Daniel Ritchie brings 15+ years of experience in DevOps, software integration, and system design, with hands-on expertise in networked robotics and agentic video frameworks. His unique perspective spans enterprise environments and rapid prototyping, making him the perfect guide for understanding how to evaluate technical feasibility and iterate toward breakthrough innovations.

Connect with Daniel:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielritchie123/

BrainWave Collective: https://brainwavecollective.ai/

This marks the conclusion of Inside Asemble AI's first season—thank you for joining our journey through AI's transformative impact across industries. Stay tuned for Season 2!

#AI #Robotics #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #TechPodcast #MachineLearning #Automation

In this episode of Inside Assemble AI, hosts Mac and Sam sit down with Claude Jones to explore how artificial intelligence is being democratized through community-driven education and strategic implementation. This episode addresses the critical question of how to turn AI access into opportunity and create meaningful change through inclusive AI education.

Claude, a veteran tech leader with over 20 years of experience at companies like Yahoo, Walmart, Strava, and Centr, is the founder of San Diego Tech Hub and Do It With AI—a platform offering free AI training, certification, and consulting to help people and businesses learn faster, build smarter, and create real-world results. What makes Claude's perspective unique is his passion for turning access into opportunity and using technology to drive meaningful change through community-building.

Key insights from Claude Jones include: • The mission and vision behind democratizing AI education • How AI has shifted strategic priorities across different organizations • The role of community in successful AI transformation • Surprising patterns about who adopts AI fastest • Frameworks for deciding where to integrate AI in business operations • Building AI fluency in executive teams without technical backgrounds • Overcoming internal resistance to AI adoption • Emerging trends in AI education and community building

🎙️ Runtime: ~1 hour