Using AI at Work: AI in the Workplace & Generative AI for Business Leaders
On "Using AI at Work", your host Chris Daigle and his expert guests help business leaders, executives, and teams who want to turn artificial intelligence into a real competitive advantage. Each episode shares real-world AI applications and AI transformation stories from companies successfully using AI in the workplace to improve productivity, decision-making, and operations.
You’ll hear from Chief AI Officers, innovators, and forward-thinking executives who are putting generative AI at work, from AI productivity tools and AI-powered workflows to non-technical AI training and workplace AI adoption strategies.
We cover:
- AI for business leaders – how executives use AI to lead change and drive ROI
- Generative AI tools – practical, easy-to-implement solutions for teams
- AI automation in business – streamline operations without massive tech budgets
- Executive AI education – upskilling leaders and managers for the AI era
- Real-world AI case studies – lessons learned from successful AI implementation
- AI in operations management – optimizing processes and reducing costs
- Ethical AI in business – navigating responsible and effective AI use
Whether you’re exploring AI adoption, leading AI-powered transformation, or looking for AI implementation guides, this podcast delivers a clear, non-technical roadmap to succeed in the AI-driven economy.
New episodes weekly.
Start learning how to put AI to work in your business today.
Using AI at Work: AI in the Workplace & Generative AI for Business Leaders
74: Using AI at Work to Rethink Roles, Risk, and Readiness with Zac Engler
Chris Daigle sits down with Zac Engler, Chief AI Officer and author of Turning On Machines, to discuss how organizations can adopt AI responsibly and practically while preparing their teams for a transformed future of work.
Zac shares his framework for helping companies move through the Crawl → Walk → Run stages of AI adoption, from getting every employee comfortable with large language models and prompting frameworks, to deploying agentic workflows that drive exponential productivity gains.
They discuss how leaders can address fear, risk, and confusion around AI tools, how to decide between infrastructure vs. operations strategy, and why delaying adoption means falling exponentially behind. Zac also gives a preview of his new book, Turning On Machines, exploring the three meanings behind the title: activation, rebellion, and connection, and how each reveals the complex relationship between humans and intelligent systems.
If you’re leading AI transformation or rethinking how humans and machines will work together, this episode delivers both frameworks and foresight.
🛠 AI Tools and Resources Mentioned in This Episode
- ChatGPT ➡ https://openai.com/chatgpt
- Perplexity ➡ https://www.perplexity.ai
- Notebook LM ➡ https://workspace.google.com
- Chief AI Officer Resources ➡ https://chiefaiofficer.com
📌 Chapters
00:00 – Introduction to Zac Engler and Turning On Machines
02:30 – The Chief AI Officer Role and the People Side of AI
04:10 – The Crawl–Walk–Run Framework for AI Adoption
06:00 – Three Levers for 10% Instant Productivity Gains
09:00 – Infrastructure vs. Operations: Two Types of AI Strategy
12:00 – From Walk to Run: Deploying Agentic Workflows
14:00 – Why Waiting on AI Means Falling Behind
16:30 – Managing Risk and Choosing the Right Tools
19:00 – Favorite AI Tools: Copilot, Perplexity, Notebook LM
21:30 – Inside Turning On Machines: Three Meanings and Lessons
26:00 – Parallels Between the Printing Press and AI
30:00 – Pushback, Fear, and the Trifurcation of Work
33:00 – Becoming a “Machine Shepherd” and Future-Proofing Your Role
39:00 – Human-Only, Human + AI, and AI-Only Workflows
43:30 – Frameworks for Mapping Where AI Fits in Your Business
46:00 – Why Reflection Matters: Learning How to Think About AI
49:00 – Where to Get Turning On Machines and Connect with Zac
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