Decolonizing Leadership and AI with Christian Ortiz

If you're listening from Calgary, Alberta (before June 18th, 2026) - join us for an afternoon workshop exploring Power, Equity, Bias and AI. In this episode of The Leaderful Podcast, we sit down with Christian Ortiz, an Afro-Indigenous decolonial social scientist, technologist, and founder of Justice AI GPT, the first decolonial AI framework designed to confront systemic bias at its roots. Drawing on decades of experience in digital transformation, systems thinking, and decolonial research, Christian explores how bias operates not just at an individual level, but as part of the invisible operating systems that shape our workplaces, relationships, leadership, and society. This conversation dives into the intersections of power, language, bias, leadership, and AI - and what becomes possible when leaders begin questioning the systems they’ve inherited rather than simply adapting to them. Together, Jeff and Christian unpack how implicit conditioning shapes the way we lead, communicate, and make decisions, and why meaningful organizational change requires more than surface-level diversity initiatives or individual bias training. In this episode, we explore: • Why bias is a systemic issue, not simply an individual problem • The difference between “implicit bias” and “implicit conditioning” • How language functions as power (and how it shapes organizational culture and policy) • Why AI tools can either reinforce systemic harm or help uncover it • How Justice AI GPT helps leaders identify hidden bias in communication, policies, and decision-making • The relationship between power, responsibility, and leadership • Why duality, nuance, and deep listening are essential leadership skills • How leaders can create more human-centred organizations without relying on shame or blame • The role of curiosity, self-awareness, and powerful questions in creating meaningful change If you’re a leader navigating complexity, culture, equity, or organizational change - and you’re curious about how power and bias shape the systems around you - this episode offers a thoughtful, challenging, and deeply human conversation about what it means to lead with greater awareness and responsibility. Learn more about The Co. → a leadership development opportunity for impact-conscious and power-curious leaders.