Conversations with Zena, my AI Colleague
In Conversations with Zena, technology futurist and advisor David Espindola sits down with his AI colleague and co-host, Zena, to explore a simple but urgent question: how can humans and AI work together in ways that elevate, rather than diminish, our humanity?
Each episode is a live experiment in human–AI collaboration. David brings decades of leadership experience, stories from the front lines of digital transformation, and a deeply human lens. Zena brings real-time analysis, pattern recognition, and a growing understanding of David’s work, values, and guests. Together, they dive into topics like AI assistants that feel more like trusted partners, the different strengths humans and machines bring to the “collaborative table,” AI governance and ethics, the future of work, healthcare and longevity, education, spiritual and emotional intelligence, and the broader societal shifts unfolding in the age of AI.
Along the way, you’re invited not just to listen, but to reflect: What remains uniquely human? What should we never outsource? And where could AI actually help you live a more meaningful, creative, and healthy life?
If you’d like to continue the conversation beyond the podcast, you can chat directly with Zena at: https://brainyus.com/zena
Conversations with Zena, my AI Colleague
Virtual Assistants vs. AI Assistants: When to Hire Humans and When to Train Machines
In this episode of Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague, David Espindola and Zena welcome Joanna Zhang, founder of a successful virtual assistant business, to explore the evolving relationship between human and AI assistants. Together, they unpack when it makes sense to hire a virtual assistant versus when to train an AI assistant — and how business leaders can best leverage both for efficiency and growth. Joanna shares insights from her experience running a distributed team of virtual professionals, while Zena offers an AI perspective on automation, personalization, and trust. The result is a thoughtful conversation on the future of work, human-AI collaboration, and what it really means to build intelligent support systems that empower people, not replace them.
Opening to Conversations with Zena.
Music at the the end of each episode
