#061 - The Hidden AI Crisis In Every Workplace with Georgie Barrat

This week on GAEA Talks, Graeme Scott sits down with Georgie Barrat - technology journalist, TV presenter, AI literacy advocate and former host of Channel 5's The Gadget Show for seven years.Georgie's career has taken her around the world testing emerging tech before it hits the mainstream - from consumer electronics and VR (she holds a world record for the longest time spent in virtual reality at 26.5 hours) to the frontlines of how AI is reshaping everyday life. A regular on BBC Morning Live, ITV Tonight and Rip Off Britain, she has spoken on global stages including Web Summit, Mobile World Congress and Smart City Expo, and delivered keynotes for Google, Mastercard, IBM, Sony and BAFTA. A King's College London graduate with a first-class degree in English Literature, Georgie is also a passionate advocate for women in STEM, working with STEMettes, the IET and Childnet to inspire the next generation.In this episode, Georgie makes a deeply personal and practical case for why AI literacy is the defining skill of the next decade - and why most people are only scratching the surface. She introduces the concept of personal AI infrastructure, explains why the difference between cognitive debt and cognitive advantage comes down to how you engage with the tool, and delivers a striking warning about the growing AI adoption gap between men and women in the workplace - and why that gap is amplifying biases we have been trying to fix for decades. This is essential listening for anyone trying to work out what their personal relationship with AI should actually look like.What you'll take away from this conversation:• Why the difference between "surface level AI" and "in-depth AI" is creating an unfair playing field• How to build a personal AI infrastructure - and why it matters for navigating the disruption ahead• The critical distinction between cognitive debt and cognitive advantage when using AI tools• Why women are adopting AI 20-25% less than men - and why their instincts around privacy and risk are the ones everyone should be listening to• How NHS AI summaries were found to use softer language for female patients - with real consequences for care• The encouragement gap - why managers are pushing male employees to use AI more than female employees• Why the "broken rung" in women's careers is being amplified by unequal AI adoption• Why voice is the interface that unlocks deeper, more authentic engagement with AI• How AI can act as a personal coach, sounding board and strategic thinking partner for everyone - not just the elite• Why every previous technological revolution moved humans up a layer - and AI should be no different• Why the future of AI is private, controlled and real-time - not open cloudAbout Georgie Barrat: Georgie is a technology journalist, TV presenter and AI educator helping people move beyond surface-level AI use to more intentional, practical ways of working with it. She presented Channel 5’s The Gadget Show for seven years and is a regular contributor on BBC Morning Live, ITV Tonight and Rip Off Britain.Her work now focuses on helping people use AI to save time, think more clearly and build what they’re working towards. She runs “Your AI Blueprint”, a live workshop designed to help people go from AI dabbler to confident, intentional user.If you want to get started, you can download her free mini guide:“5 AI Shortcuts That Give You Your Week Back” - https://georgie-barrat.kit.com/1884aa4916Or join the waitlist for her upcoming workshop:“Your AI Blueprint: How to Make AI Work the Way You Work” - https://georgie-barrat.kit.com/117141ddb6LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgie-barratWebsite: www.georgiebarrat.com#AI #AILiteracy #ArtificialIntelligence #GAEATalks #EnterpriseAI #FutureOfWork #WomenInTech #WomenInAI #PersonalAI #AIAdoption #GadgetShow #TechJournalism #AIBias #DataPrivacy #CognitiveAdvantage #AIWorkshops #AIBlueprint #EdgeComputing #HumanEdge #VoiceAI