Every so often, you’ll meet someone who makes you say “wow, THEY get it.”
Pauline McKeown has a perspective on work and technology and AI that I think anyone could benefit from paying attention to.
Pauline has tremendous experience as a technology consultant, but her sincere personality and curiosity shine through in every interaction. This conversation is no exception.
The one constant in the world of work is change.
Anyone working in tech right now can feel that, even if it hasn't been said out loud. How do we adapt? How do we keep our humanity at the center of our work, and make a difference for those we serve?
What you can expect on this episode:
Garbage in, garbage out still rules in the AI era. The old software warning is more urgent now. Before building anything useful with AI, you need to understand the problem you're solving, the context you're working in, and the outcome you're actually after. That clarity is a very human job and requires human expertise.
Experience isn't a liability in an AI-powered workplace. It's the whole ballgame. If you understand your craft deeply enough to build, prompt, and guide those tools toward something real, you’re ahead of all the other builders out there. You can't create a good agent for work you don't understand.
Humanity is the thing AI can't replicate — and we shouldn't let it try. From the decisions that require conviction and ownership, to the relationships that require genuine care, to the purpose that gets us out of bed in the morning — those are ours to keep. The goal isn't to hand the wheel to AI. It's to stay in the driver's seat and use the tools to go further.
Enjoy the chat with Pauline, and I’d love to hear your feedback on the show, and on who you’d like to hear from in the future!