Beyond Prediction: Why Casual AI, Ethical Governance and Human Trust Are the Real Frontiers

Most AI conversations are still stuck on prediction — can we forecast X better than before? But, what if the decisions that actually matter are causal?In this episode, co-host Carolyn Seminario sits down with Susmitha Mutapally. She is an AI and data science leader with experience at Amazon, where she led Alexa voice AI analytics, and Medtronic, where she applies causal inference to customer and business strategy. She's also a NYU Stern MSBAi alumna and Chief Data Officer at Young Aspiring Thinkers, a South African nonprofit whose AI-powered career guidance platform has already reached 1,000+ students without access to professional networks.In this conversation, she breaks down the gap between predictive and causal AI, explains why recommendation algorithms are working exactly as designed and makes the case for why 2026 is a real inflection point for AI governance: not another year of principles, but the moment accountability becomes enforceable.