Are we becoming worse at our jobs because we use AI?

It’s a question so many of us are quietly asking. If AI can write the code, summarise the findings, build the deck… are we still building our skills, or slowly outsourcing them?

In this episode, I sit down with AI researcher Nora Petrova to unpack the guilt, the anxiety, and the real risk behind AI tools. But instead of fear-mongering, we focus on something practical: how to use AI as a learning accelerator.

Nora shares a simple but powerful framework:

• Stay in the driver’s seat
• Never outsource what you don’t understand
• Use AI to invest in yourself, not automate yourself
• Test whether you’re actually learning (or just feeling productive)

We also talk about the illusion of learning, the difference between junior and senior professionals in this new landscape, and how to navigate uncertainty without spiralling.

If you want to use AI confidently without losing your edge this episode is for you.

Tune in and rethink how you’re using AI today.

Nora recommends to also watch: https://youtu.be/z3kaLM8Oj4o?si=Jr9amKNncuE4egKi

The hiring system carries bias, and it shows. While efforts are made to solve this, it’s important that we take ownership of our own career.

In this episode, Karen is joined by Nuria Muñoz, Global Talent Leader, to unpack what really happens behind the scenes in hiring, promotions and pay decisions.

They talk about why job descriptions are wish lists, why being a perfect match is actually a red flag, bold interview questions that change the dynamic, and how to handle high-pressure interviews with confidence. Nuria also shares negotiation strategies for salary offers and for promotions. For her, treating your career like a business plan is essential.

If you’ve ever hesitated to apply, struggled to negotiate, or wondered how to fast track your growth, this conversation is your playbook.

You don’t need permission to grow. You need strategy.

Starting a new job is meant to feel exciting but often, it’s also tiring, awkward, and quietly overwhelming. Even when it’s the right move.

In this episode of the Women in Data Podcast, Cecilia is joined by Rianna Kelly to talk honestly about what it really feels like to start somewhere new. From confidence wobbling and long hours without visible output, to rebuilding trust, navigating new relationships, and feeling like the “new person” all over again, even at a senior level.

This isn’t a “how to succeed in 30 days” conversation. It’s about normalising the discomfort, redefining progress in the early months, and learning when to push yourself and when to give yourself grace.

If you’re in a new role, about to start one, or wondering why you don’t feel settled yet, this episode is a reminder that you’re not behind you’re in transition.

Further listening:

This episode builds on earlier Women in Data conversations, including Episode 64 with Neha Wadhawan on establishing yourself in a new role, and Episode 146 with Beth Bauer on the data behind the care.

In this episode of the Women in Data Podcast, hosts Cecilia Oliveira and Karen Jean-Francois pull back the curtain on the "dirty little secret" of the data world: exactly how they are using AI to change the way they work.

Moving past the headlines and the hype, Cecilia and Karen share a vulnerable look at their initial skepticism and how they shifted toward an "Augmentation Mindset." They dive into the practicalities of using AI as a junior collaborator—from cleaning messy data and writing SQL to the "meta" moment of using AI to help structure this very podcast episode.

Whether you're feeling "productivity guilt" or pure curiosity, this episode is a guide to making AI work for you, so you can focus on the work only you can do.

In this episode, Karen is joined by Kinnari Ladha, Chief Data Officer, to explore why great data work often fails to land — and how communication turns data leaders into trusted influencers, making it their superpower.

Drawing on over two decades in data—from hands-on analyst to executive leader—Kinnari shares candid stories of building “perfect” dashboards that didn’t get used, and how those moments reshaped her approach to leadership.

She explains why career progression in data requires doing more work bringing people along, how tailoring messages to different audiences and shifting from reporting to storytelling changes impact, and why focusing on outcomes — not outputs — transforms how data is valued.

The conversation also dives into the role of trust in influence: how small, consistent actions build credibility, why listening comes before strategy, and how data teams can move from being seen as service providers to true business partners. With practical habits like weekly “highs and lows” and reframing data in business language, this episode is packed with insights you can apply straight away.

What if the secret to a successful year was a shift in mindset?

In the first episode of the year on the Women in Data Podcast, Karen is joined by Seana Tomlinson, coach, counsellor, and trainer and coach on the Women in Data LEAP programme, to explore four mindsets that can set you up for a more confident, authentic, and sustainable year.

After 18 years in the corporate world, Seana built a portfolio career that truly works for her and her family. On the podcast, she shares her key learnings to help you start the year with clarity and intention. Together, they discuss why confidence isn’t fixed, why authenticity matters more than imitation, how resilience goes far beyond “pushing through,” and how work–life balance evolves across different seasons of life.

This episode offers practical reflections on:

• Building confidence before you feel ready
• Leading and showing up as yourself
• Strengthening resilience without burning out
• Creating balance that works for you, right now

If you’re ready to start the year with self-belief, clarity, and intention, this conversation will help you lay the foundations for a successful year.

Karen and Cecilia tackle a pain point every data professional knows: trying to stay aligned without packing your calendar with even more meetings. From hybrid work and endless notifications to navigating Slack vs. Teams, they explore why the answer isn’t more communication — it’s better communication.

They share real stories, practical strategies, and the tools that actually help: async updates, stand-ups, dashboards, wrap-up messages, and ways to protect your deep-work time. They also reveal the tactics they’re trying next and invite you to share your own.

If you’ve ever left “a meeting to join a meeting about meetings,” this episode is for you.