#17 Bridging the AI generation gap - Tony Evans - Author of Generation AI

Tony Evans spent over a decade at Meta working across technology, marketing, and leadership. He’s now the author of Generation AI and founder of his own AI company Onv.ai.He focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence, people, and organizational change.In this conversation, Tony and Margot discuss why AI reveals more about a company’s culture than its tech stack, what’s actually holding back adoption in large organizations, and how leaders can navigate the cultural and generational tensions AI is surfacing. From executive fear to junior overconfidence, this episode dives into the human realities shaping the AI era at work.You will learn:Why AI acts as a mirror, exposing organizational weaknesses in data, culture, and processHow misalignment on basic definitions—like “customer”—can stall AI adoptionWhy AI is less about tools and more about mindset, learning, and trustWhat leaders need to understand about using AI personally and professionallyHow generational differences in AI use can create tension—and how to turn it into collaborationWhy investing in team learning and collective intelligence matters more than everCHAPTERS00:00 Introduction01:15 Why Tony wrote Generation AI03:00 How AI mirrors organizational strengths and flaws06:00 What leaders get wrong about AI adoption09:00 Should executives be trained in AI?12:30 Why mindset shifts matter more than technical skills16:00 Personal use of AI vs. organizational adoption20:00 The hidden risks of banning AI tools24:00 Gamification, prompting, and learning at all levels28:00 The AI generation gap: juniors vs. executives33:00 How to foster trust and reverse mentorship38:00 What great leadership looks like in the AI era44:00 Final takeawayCONNECT AND SUBSCRIBE:Learn more about Tony Evans: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonyevans/Subscribe to The AI Social Club Podcast for more conversations with AI & data leadersWebsite: https://www.thesocialclub.ai/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7d3XmTgIhXqim1r63a1yWHApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ai-social-club/id1793045703LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margot-bletterie/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ai-social-club/If you found this episode valuable, like, share, and comment.It helps us reach more people and spark thoughtful conversations on AI and society.-You liked this episode? Share it around you, like it on the podcasting platform, give us feedback !You would like to be a sponsor of the AI Social Club? Contact us on LinkedInWe are on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ai-social-club/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaisocialclub/Find out more about The AI Social Club on our website: https://www.thesocialclub.ai/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.