What happens when small businesses, nonprofits, and healthcare leaders hesitate to adopt AI while startups move full speed ahead? In this conversation, Jason sits down with G. Kofi Annan of The Brand Sensei to unpack AI adoption gaps, practical frameworks for scaling impact, and the cultural tensions between speed, trust, and innovation.

Episode Guide

[00:00 ] Introduction and welcome

[01:45 ] Why “The Brand Sensei”? Martial arts metaphors in marketing strategy

[04:30 ] Kofi’s background: building AI-enhanced systems for small and midsize businesses

[09:15 ] How AI amplifies superpowers (and fills gaps) in your existing skill set

[15:40 ] Dallas vs. New York and San Francisco: cultural shifts in tech adoption

[21:10 ] Startups, disruption, and the risks of slow AI adoption for SMBs

[29:00 ] Google’s billion-dollar bet on AI education and the youth advantage

[34:45 ] Family-owned businesses, tradition, and the generational divide on tech

[41:20 ] Education’s resistance to AI: where pushback meets opportunity

[48:55 ] Nonprofits, donor engagement, and overcoming fears of “fake” AI messaging

[55:10 ] The “boring work” of AI adoption—strategy, brand kits, and staff training

[59:40 ] Microsoft vs. Google: who wins the AI workplace battle?

[01:03:00 ] Sci-fi predictions: Her, Blade Runner, and the crossroads aheadResources & ReferencesGuest Profile:G.

Kofi Annan on LinkedIn → www.linkedin.com/in/gkofiannan/

The Brand Sensei → https://thebrandsensei.com/Tools &

Platforms Mentioned:

MindStudio – Automate your workflows → https://get.mindstudio.ai/q7n7u5cttkdq

Riverside.fm – Create content from one recording → https://riverside.sjv.io/e1xyBr

Related Episodes:

Episode 21: AI in Healthcare – What’s Real, What’s Hype

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Jason Padgett on LinkedIn → www.linkedin.com/in/jason-grant-padgett/

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