Ep 42: Maker, Shaper or Taker? David Espindola’s Guide to Smart AI Strategy

In this episode, Kate vanderVoort (Founder and CEO at the AI Success Lab) speaks with futurist, author and technologist David Espindola, founder of Brainyus and author of Soulful: You in the Future of Artificial Intelligence. With more than 30 years in the tech industry, David has guided organisations through major waves of disruption. His work now focuses on human and AI collaboration, ethical adoption and how businesses can prepare for rapid change. What We Cover David’s AI journey David shares how his early work in technology set the stage for exploring AI long before it hit the mainstream. He explains the shift from AI being an academic topic to something every industry now has to face head-on. His first book, The Exponential Era, explored the convergence of fast-growing technologies, with AI standing out as the most powerful force shaping business and society. Why AI is different from past technology waves While tech change isn’t new, the speed and scale of AI is. David highlights how robotics, quantum computing and AI are blending, creating a level of disruption few leaders are ready for. The Maker, Shaper, Taker model David breaks down one of the most practical strategic models in this space: Makers build frontier AI models. Shapers fine-tune models on their own data and culture. Takers use AI built into existing tools. Most businesses don’t even realise these options exist. The conversation explores how smaller organisations can gain an advantage by choosing their place in this model with intention. The human side of AI adoption Kate and David dig into the fear, uncertainty and culture challenges that show up inside organisations. David shares how one client used an AI champion, clear policies and structured training to build confidence, capability and responsible use. He stresses the importance of trust, transparency and honest conversations about job changes. Workforce changes and agentic AI David discusses the shift ahead as agentic AI becomes part of everyday workflows. With half of entry-level roles at risk, he talks through the long-term impact on talent pipelines and how leaders should prepare their people now. Education’s turning point Both Kate and David explore the role of AI in learning and how personalised tutoring could transform the way people develop skills. They look at why bans don’t work, how critical thinking becomes even more important and what students need in order to thrive in an AI-driven world. David’s podcast and working with Zena, his AI colleague David shares the story behind his podcast Conversations with Zena and what happened when he trained an AI agent on his books, writing, values and language. He talks through the challenges of three-way conversations with AI, how context shapes quality and the surprising moments where Zena raised questions he didn’t expect. Global AI ethics, regulation and the geopolitical tension ahead The discussion covers the EU’s AI Act, US innovation, China’s influence and the need for shared approaches to safety, human rights and access. What’s possible if we get this right David closes with an optimistic view of what AI could unlock: abundance, less manual work, more meaningful creativity, and more time for humans to grow, reflect and connect. He also speaks to the risks and the need for strong global safeguards. Links and Resources David Espindola’s Website: davidespindola.com Brainyus: brainyus.com Book: Soulful: You in the Future of Artificial Intelligence Podcast: Conversations with Zena, My AI Colleague Connect with David LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidespindola/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/despindola23/ X: https://twitter.com/despindola23 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@despindola23 Connect with Kate at the AI Success Lab AI Success Lab AI Success Lab Facebook Community LinkedIn