An Hour of Innovation: AI, Product, Tech and Career Growth

What if AI’s best use is not replacing people, but helping groups think together?In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, Vit Lyoshin speaks with Louis Rosenberg, CEO and Chief Scientist of Unanimous AI, about collective intelligence, swarm intelligence, AI-mediated group decision-making, and why human-AI collaboration may be a better path than removing people from critical decisions.You’ll learn:* What collective intelligence means and how it differs from polls, surveys, and votes* Why the “wisdom of crowds” is useful but limited without deliberation* What fish schools, bird flocks, and bee swarms reveal about group intelligence* Why humans deliberate well in small groups but struggle at large scale* How AI agents can connect many small conversations into one large deliberation* How swarm-based systems can surface strong minority opinions instead of majority bias* Evidence from IQ tests, radiology, forecasting, and group problem-solving* Why human-AI “coagents” improved group forecasting accuracy* Why humans and AI have complementary strengths in decision-making* How Thinkscape can connect people across countries, languages, and perspectives* Why Louis believes critical decisions should keep humans inside the deliberationLouis Rosenberg is the CEO and Chief Scientist of Unanimous AI and a longtime technologist and researcher working across augmented reality, virtual reality, AI, swarm intelligence, and collective intelligence. His work explores how technology can connect human groups into smarter systems while preserving human values, judgment, and participation.Timestamps00:00 Introduction01:14 Collective Intelligence and AI05:20 Human Deliberation vs. Swarm Intelligence12:55 The Role of AI in Enhancing Collective Intelligence19:20 How Swarm Intelligence Works23:33 IQ Test Experiment27:18 Study at Stanford with Medical Doctors30:20 Collective Superintelligence: Humans and AI Agents37:29 Harnessing Diverse Perspectives for Better Outcomes43:52 Global Deliberation: Bridging Cultural Divides52:39 The Future of Human and AI Collaboration55:44 Innovation Q&AConnect with Louis* Website: https://unanimous.ai/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-rosenberg/ * X: https://x.com/LouisBRosenberg Connect with Vit* Substack: https://anhourofinnovation.substack.com/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/ * X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin * Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/ Support the PodcastIf you enjoy the podcast, you can support it by exploring the tools below.These are affiliate links, meaning the show earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.MeetGeek: Record, transcribe, summarize, and share insights from every meeting. https://get.meetgeek.ai/yjteozr4m6ln Amplemarket: Step into the future of sales: Human + AI. Empower reps, uncover opportunities, and grow revenue.https://grow.amplemarket.com/04e068165684-affiliateDatabox: Turn business performance data into clear answers your team can understand, explain, and act on – instantly.https://join.databox.com/vhw0wbr9qg9o For inquiries about sponsoring An Hour of Innovation, email [email protected]

AI can save time, but what happens to the skills you stop practicing?In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, Vit Lyoshin speaks with Jolie Dobre, author of Sustaining Human Intelligence: Keeping People Smart, Connected and Innovative in an AI-Driven Workforce, about how AI changes human thinking, professional expertise, team creativity, and organizational learning.You’ll Learn:* Why AI can make organizations more productive while making people less capable* Cognitive offloading, skill decay, and the “ironies of automation”* Why generative AI is different from GPS, calculators, and search engines* How to decide what work is safe to delegate to AI* Why junior employees may lose the practice needed to become experts* Why polished AI output can hide real competence* How AI can create premature consensus inside teams* Why “human in the loop” can provide a false sense of security* What healthy friction with AI looks like in real workflows* How AI products should communicate uncertainty, evidence, and alternatives* Why Jolie never delegates first-stage ideation to AIJolie Dobre is an author and UX/design professional focused on sustaining human intelligence in AI-driven workplaces. Her book explores how AI interfaces, workflows, and organizational culture can be designed so people stay smart, connected, and innovative while benefiting from AI.Timestamps00:00 Introduction01:02 AI’s impact on human intelligence03:49 Effects of AI on critical thinking and creativity06:20 What work is generally safe to delegate to AI10:27 Organizational culture and the importance of diversity in thinking13:11 The challenge of entry-level skill development15:58 Strategies for responsible AI integration in organizations19:19 The importance of maintaining expertise and competence visibility24:04 Research evidence on AI's impact on cognition25:34 Using AI to enhance learning and development28:06 The myth of human-in-the-loop as a safety net33:26 Designing AI tools that support human decision-making35:19 The importance of deliberate practice and friction with AI39:33 Practices for working effectively with AI tools41:18 Personal strategies for AI-enhanced creativity42:35The book release details44:53 Innovation Q&AConnect with Jolie* Website: https://human-centereddesign.com/ * Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HD9VZ5W3?lv=shuf&bestFormat=true * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolie-dobre-2623951/ Connect with Vit* Substack: https://anhourofinnovation.substack.com/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/ * X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin * Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/ Support the PodcastIf you enjoy the podcast, you can support it by exploring the tools below.These are affiliate links, meaning the show earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.Kit: Email marketing that automates your growth. https://partners.kit.com/xqcc7ca2ahlmGoogle Workspace: A collaborative way of working in the cloud, from anywhere, on any device.https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/A7wHRiverside: AI-powered platform that lets you record, edit, repurpose, and distribute studio-quality content as easily as if you had a crew behind you. https://riverside.partnerlinks.io/frjgalhip1rz For inquiries about sponsoring An Hour of Innovation, email [email protected]

AI can sound confident, friendly, and brilliant, and still fabricate an answer.In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, Vit Lyoshin speaks with Jonathan Schaeffer, founder and CEO of Synsira and creator of Kind, about AI trust, hallucinations, privacy, local AI, and why today’s most impressive tools should still be treated as tools rather than intelligent authorities. Jonathan explains why large language models do not truly understand the questions they answer, why “hallucination” is a misleadingly soft word for fabrication and error, how users can reduce risk by grounding answers in curated data, and why private files may be safer when AI runs locally on the user’s own computer.You’ll Learn* Why calling AI tools “intelligent” can create dangerous misunderstandings* Why hallucinations are better understood as fabrications, errors, or lies* How ChatGPT changed public expectations after November 30, 2022* Why students and everyday users can overtrust confident AI answers* What Jonathan’s incorrect AI-generated biography revealed about band-aid fixes* How curated datasets and source citations can make AI answers easier to verify* Why local AI can analyze personal files without moving them to cloud AI providers* What Kind does for documents, presentations, images, videos, and personal knowledge collections* Why cloud AI creates privacy risk for books, intellectual property, company strategy, customer documents, and personal data* Why 95 or 99 percent accuracy may still be unacceptable when users cannot tell which answers are wrong* Why Jonathan prefers “augmented intelligence” over artificial intelligence as a product philosophy* What basic AI education every user should have before trusting these toolsJonathan Schaeffer is an AI researcher, founder and CEO of Synsira, and creator of Kind. He spent 40 years at the University of Alberta, where he worked in artificial intelligence, research, teaching, and public speaking before leaving the university to build a local AI product focused on privacy, verifiable answers, and user-controlled data. His background also includes pioneering work in game-playing AI, including Chinook and computer checkers, and recognition as an AAAI Fellow and Royal Society of Canada Fellow.Timestamps00:00 Introduction01:18 Understanding AI Misconceptions04:55 The Trust Dilemma in AI13:19 Hallucinations vs Accuracy in AI20:20 Introducing Kind: A Local AI Solutions29:39 Curating AI Models for Optimal Performance34:14 Understanding AI’s Practical Applications37:20 AI as Augmented Intelligence42:08 The Limitations of AI and Public Perception48:06 Machine vs Human Learnings52:58 Educating Users on AI Interactions58:00 Innovation Q&AConnect with Jonathan* Website: https://kind.synsira.com/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-schaeffer-phd-frsc-aaai-fellow-3318015/ * Other: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Schaeffer Connect with Vit* Substack: https://anhourofinnovation.substack.com/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/ * X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin * Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/ Support the PodcastIf you enjoy the podcast, you can support it by exploring the tools below.These are affiliate links, meaning the show earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.MeetGeek: Record, transcribe, summarize, and share insights from every meeting. https://get.meetgeek.ai/yjteozr4m6ln Amplemarket: Step into the future of sales: Human + AI. Empower reps, uncover opportunities, and grow revenue.https://grow.amplemarket.com/04e068165684-affiliateDatabox: Turn business performance data into clear answers your team can understand, explain, and act on – instantly.https://join.databox.com/vhw0wbr9qg9o For inquiries about sponsoring An Hour of Innovation, email [email protected]

Most products do not fail because nobody needs them; they fail because teams misunderstand who they are building for.In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, Vit Lyoshin speaks with Rebecca Rosenberg, founder of ReBokeh, about building visual-first accessibility tools for people with low vision and what her work reveals about product adoption, overlooked markets, and user-centered innovation. Rebecca explains why low-vision users are often misunderstood, how ReBokeh helps people customize contrast, brightness, color, AI descriptions, and other visual adjustments in real time, and why accessibility can create measurable business value for museums, airports, sports venues, and digital products.You’ll Learn:* Why products struggle when teams build for the wrong user or market* How Rebecca’s own low-vision experience from albinism led her to start ReBokeh in college* Why most blind and low-vision people retain some usable sight and need more than audio-only tools* How ReBokeh uses augmented reality, AI features, and real-time visual adjustments* Why low vision is a much larger market than many investors and product teams assume* How inaccessible websites, museums, airports, and stores quietly lose customers* Why ReBokeh uses geofencing so partner locations can unlock the full app without extra hardware* How direct user feedback shapes the roadmap without turning into feature bloat* Why users with the same condition can need completely different visual settings* What Rebecca intentionally refuses to build, including features that would make ReBokeh less useful for low-vision users* Why AI-era product teams need clearer guardrails around what they will and will not shipRebecca Rosenberg is the founder of ReBokeh, a company building accessibility technology for people with low vision. She started the company from her college dorm room after experiencing the lack of appropriate assistive tools for people who are not totally blind but still cannot rely on glasses or standard design assumptions. ReBokeh has users in about 115 countries and works with organizations including museums, aquariums, airports, and professional sports venues to make visual experiences more accessible.Timestamps00:00 Introduction01:04 Understanding Adoption Challenges in Technology05:07 Rebecca’s Journey: Building ReBokeh08:04 Innovative Accessibility Solutions for Low Vision09:25 Market Size and Opportunities in Accessibility12:26 The Importance of Education in Accessibility19:51 User Feedback and Community Engagement21:54 Personalization in Accessibility Solutions24:56 The Importance of What Not to Build28:06 Guardrails in Innovation29:29 User Experience and Usability Challenges31:23 Measuring Engagement and Success33:50 Real-World Application of ReBokeh37:01 Technological Foundations of ReBokeh38:54 Future Visions for Low Vision Technology40:57 Innovation Q&AConnect with Rebecca* Website: https://www.rebokeh.com/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccarosenberg020/ Connect with Vit* Substack: https://anhourofinnovation.substack.com/* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/ * X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin * Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/ Support the PodcastIf you enjoy the podcast, you can support it by exploring the tools below.These are affiliate links, meaning the show earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.Kit: Email marketing that automates your growth. https://partners.kit.com/xqcc7ca2ahlmGoogle Workspace: A collaborative way of working in the cloud, from anywhere, on any device.https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/A7wHFor inquiries about sponsoring An Hour of Innovation, email [email protected]

Most AI projects fail long before the model gets a fair chance to prove ROI. In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, Vit Lyoshin speaks with Sid Bharath, founder of Refound, about why companies struggle to turn AI projects into real business value. Sid explains why big “AI makeover” projects often disappoint, why better models alone do not fix broken workflows, and how teams can identify the smallest useful piece of work to automate before scaling agents across the business. The conversation covers workflow audits, AI-native organizations, human-in-the-loop work, AI agents in sales and operations, and the skills people need as repetitive work moves to AI. They discussed: * Why large AI transformation projects often fail to show ROI * How older models, unclear workflows, and missing context create bad AI outcomes * What leaders misunderstand about becoming “AI-native” * How to audit a workflow before deciding what to automate * Why sales, CRM updates, proposals, contracts, and admin work are strong AI-agent use cases * What parts of work should stay human, including strategy, creativity, relationships, and review * How AI changes decision-making and day-to-day work inside a company * Why agents work best when employees learn by seeing them operate on real tasks * What startup founders can automate first when time and resources are limited * Which business processes may shrink or disappear as agents become normal * Why Sid believes AI agents will become part of the company org chart Sid Bharath is the founder of Refound, where he helps non-technical companies rethink their operations for the AI age. His work focuses on finding business bottlenecks, mapping real workflows, and building AI agents that employees can manage alongside their existing roles. His perspective is especially useful for founders, operators, product leaders, engineers, and business teams trying to move from AI experiments to practical workflow automation. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 01:20 Why AI Projects Miss ROI 03:10 What It Means to Be AI-Native 04:13 Why AI Implementations Fail 09:47 How Refound Finds Automation Opportunities 13:11 What to Automate and What to Keep Human 19:55 How AI Changes Everyday Decision-Making 24:16 Training Teams to Work With AI Agents 27:06 Where AI Agents Don’t Belong 28: 59 A Startup Playbook for AI Operations 33:00 The Future of AI-Driven Business 38:49 How to Start Experimenting With AI 41:19 Innovation Q&A Connect with Sid * Website: https://refoundai.com/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidbharath/ * X: https://x.com/Siddharth87 * Other: https://sidbharath.com/ Connect with Vit * Substack: https://anhourofinnovation.substack.com/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/ * X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin * Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/ Support the Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, you can support it by exploring the tools below. These are affiliate links, meaning the show earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. MeetGeek: Record, transcribe, summarize, and share insights from every meeting. https://get.meetgeek.ai/yjteozr4m6ln Amplemarket: Step into the future of sales: Human + AI. Empower reps, uncover opportunities, and grow revenue. https://grow.amplemarket.com/04e068165684-affiliate Databox: Turn business performance data into clear answers your team can understand, explain, and act on – instantly. https://join.databox.com/vhw0wbr9qg9o For inquiries about sponsoring An Hour of Innovation, email [email protected]