Learnings From the AI Revolution: Data Sovereignty, Growth Mindset, and the Problem of Scale with Kevin O'Donovan

Who should own, control, and profit from data? Will AI ultimately kill more jobs, or create them? Are the human timescale and the AI timescale compatible? Technology evangelist Kevin O’Donovan joins Sonja and Jamie to unpack how AI and emerging technologies are reshaping organizations, energy systems, and everyday work. Kevin explains why AI is different from past tech waves, acting as a horizontal force that touches every function, from engineering and procurement to HR and customer support. Can large organizations really reskill their way through disruption without also changing their mindset and culture? In a world increasingly reliant on electricity faced with mounting pressure on energy systems from data centers, electric vehicles, and automated factories, how does AI both drive demand and enable smarter grids, materials, and optimization? The conversation zooms in on people: who wins, who risks being left behind, and how small and medium businesses can use AI as a great leveler. In a world of unknowns—from geopolitics to AI—are we doomed to chaos, or are we humans wired to make it through?