S2E7: Navigating AI Ethics in the Real World: Red Lines & Risk Tiers in Practice

AI is moving fast. Most organisations are trying to keep up.But the real question isn’t “should we use it?” anymore, it’s whether you can deploy it without creating risks you can’t explain later.In this episode, Michael Young is joined by Jeff Watkins (former CTO, fractional Chief AI Officer / advisor) to get specific about what “responsible AI” looks like in practice.Michael asks Jeff:What does responsible AI look like day-to-day as a way teams make decisions, not a set of statements?Where do you draw red lines (what you won’t do with AI) and who has the authority to stop a deployment?How do you triage Gen AI use cases using a simple risk-tier approach (green/amber/red) so governance supports delivery?What does evidence actually look like and how do you prove controls are working in real operations?When AI causes harm, who owns the decision and what does accountability mean in practice?Guest informationJeff Watkins is a CTO and AI strategist with 25+ years of experience leading digital and AI transformation. Former CTO at CreateFuture, he led AI Enablement and now advises boards and delivery teams on secure, responsible GenAI, where AI, security, governance, and culture collide.Connect with Jeff Watkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-watkins-cto/About Your Host:  Michael Young is the Managing Director of MBN Solutions and host of A Class Act: Conversations in Data & Leadership. With nearly two decades of experience helping organisations build high-performing data, analytics, and AI teams, he brings frontline insight into what makes exceptional talent and leadership.Please note: The views expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers.Subscribe & Follow: Enjoying the series? Don’t miss an episode. Follow A Class Act wherever you get your podcasts and leave us a review to help more listeners discover these conversations in data and leadership.Connect with MBN Solutions:If you’re hiring for data or AI leadership roles, scaling AI capability, or rethinking how talent supports your AI strategy, the team at NBN partners with organisations to build data and AI teams that actually deliver.MBN Solutions on LinkedIn – Explore industry updates, groundbreaking projects, and the latest in data and analytics talent. Join the conversation and discover how MBN Solutions is shaping the future of data leadership. Visit the company page here.Visit MBN Solutions website at www.mbnsolutions.com