95% of Companies Are Using AI Wrong - Azahara Corrales Explains Why

Is AI your company’s biggest opportunity… or an expensive distraction?In this episode of The Free Lunch Podcast, Eddie Ross sits down with Azahara Corrales – journalist turned marketer turned AI consultant and thought leader – to unpack what really happens when businesses try to “implement AI”.Azahara has been working with AI in marketing since before it was cool. She helps companies cut through the hype, avoid wasting money on shiny tools, and actually get ROI from AI – while staying mindful of ethics, bias and the human side of work.If you’re a leader, founder, manager or consultant trying to figure out how AI fits into your world, this conversation will save you time, money and headaches.Why 95% of companies are using AI wrongHow to decide where AI makes sense in your business (and where it doesn’t)The hidden cost of forcing AI into every workflowAI, bias & diversity: why the people building AI matter as much as the techHow AI will split society in two: hyper-tech vs. hyper-humanWhat good leadership looks like in the age of AIWhy you still need education, critical thinking and emotional intelligenceHow small businesses and solo operators can “borrow a team” using AI0:00 – Intro: Who is Azahara Corrales?1:40 – From journalism & hospitality to AI and marketing4:20 – Becoming an AI “pioneer” (by being early and curious)6:00 – What Azahara actually does for companies today7:30 – The #1 mistake leaders make when “implementing AI”9:50 – Why most AI tools are wasted spend11:30 – Lessons from the early internet vs. today’s AI wave12:30 – Where AI is genuinely a huge opportunity for small businesses14:10 – Will AI replace humans… or just bad processes?17:00 – Trust, hallucinations and why you should treat AI like “that dad who always has an answer”19:40 – How AI is changing leadership and culture inside companies21:45 – AI: friend or foe? Azahara’s honest answer23:20 – Bias in AI: who builds it and what data it learns from28:00 – Can regulation keep up? The role of governments and the EU32:00 – Education, knowledge and what kids should really learn now35:30 – 2030 forecast: what changes, what stays the same40:10 – Personal AI assistants, agents and our daily lives44:50 – Two futures: fully plugged-in vs. people who reject tech51:30 – Azahara’s core message to leaders about AI53:30 – Why being an AI pioneer now can be your best competitive advantage🎧 In this episode, we cover:⏱️ Timestamps