By the time we all found our way into the Zoom room on Saturday, the day had already started to go sideways—in the best possible way.
I was keeping three dogs from losing their minds while a fence crew took over their yard. Suzame was laughing about the wild peacocks in her neighborhood. Someone else had a small-town parade going past their front door. Slightly chaotic, deeply human.
Before we even got into the agenda, I was already debating whether to leave the room open after the end time—just in case a few of us wanted to stay and nerd out on ChatGPT5. (Let’s be honest, some of us probably didn’t sleep the night before, dinking around with it.)
A new member shared how her AI workshop for women had been hijacked mid-session by someone trying to make the space unsafe. She was still shaken but grateful to land somewhere she didn’t have to look over her shoulder. I know that feeling—it happened to me in 2023, and it stays with you.
Then we moved into the day’s topic: AI in hiring. Not the shiny “AI will fix everything” version, but the more honest one. Overworked recruiters. Black-box systems. Candidates using AI to write resumes while companies use AI to screen them out. The question of how to keep hiring human when both sides are optimizing for speed.
It wasn’t a debate. More like passing a ball of yarn around, seeing what we could untangle together.
Somewhere between the dog updates, policy talk, and a side chat about Oregon berry season, I remembered why these Saturdays work. It’s not the agenda. It’s not even the speakers, though they’re brilliant.
It’s the way the room holds—casual, steady, open enough for both expertise and uncertainty.
If you were there, you probably felt it too. If you weren’t, there’s a chair here waiting for you. Warmly,
September 4, 2025 (8:00am-8:00pm PDT)
System Override Leadership In Motion, Not Theory
Brought to you by She Leads AI and the Empowered by AI Podcast
For the month of August, we’re excited to feature Karen Smiley, who brings deep technical insight and a strong voice for ethics, safety, and equity in the evolving AI landscape. Please enjoy part 2 below. (Missed part 1? You can find it here.)
We Use AI and AI Uses Us: Five Everyday AI & Data Risks
by Karen Smiley
“But I Don’t Use AI”! Odds are you do … most of us use AI nowadays. Yet most folks aren’t aware of AI’s presence or the everyday AI & data risks affecting us. And AI tools are almost certainly using us and our data. Here’s a quick look at 5 key everyday risks.
Risk 1. Legal Alignment: Using an AI-based tool can put you at risk of legal and financial liability for copyright infringement or errors in outputs you share.
Risk 2. Security and Confidentiality: Data entered into AI tools can be used for training and ‘leak’ back out. And ‘anonymous’ data often isn’t.
Risk 3. Workforce Impact: Generative AI tools are skewed towards the western/ English world; don’t work well for people with disabilities; may amplify historical biases; and can worsen “techno-stress”.
Risk 4. Branding Confusion: GenAI tools can give you outputs which are not unique ‘enough’, and/or you don’t own the rights to.
Risk 5. What Happens to Our Wetware (Brains)? AI can impact how we learn, teach, think, create, and build careers.
The good news: ethical AI guidelines and practices can help. Next week, we’ll take a quick look at the AI ecosystem and where ethical concerns arise.
These five risks and much more are covered in my upcoming book, “Everyday Ethical AI: A Guide For Families & Small Businesses”. To learn more about these issues and automatically get fresh weekly articles and news about everyday ethical AI, subscribe here.
Karen Smiley is an AI leader, innovator, ethicist, data strategist, and author. She is currently applying her 30+ years of experience in software engineering and AI as a founding core team member and the Chief Software Systems Architect at KeeperSpace. Karen also leads the SheWritesAI community, hosts the "AI, Software, & Wetware" interview series and podcast, and champions everyday ethical AI and inclusion in her newsletters. Subscribe here to automatically get fresh weekly articles and news about her upcoming book, “Everyday Ethical AI: A Guide For Families & Small Businesses”.
📢 Women in AI Making an Impact
Lillian Davis is a marketing and digital strategy expert, driving AI adoption and purpose-led growth for nonprofits and businesses. With over eight years of consulting experience, she specializes in CRM integration, digital advertising, and AI tools. A former marketing leader for YMCA of Orange County and Next Advanced Medicine, Lillian blends strategic insight with community engagement, backed by dual master’s degrees in public administration and community psychology.
Gwyn Chafetz is a marketing strategist and AI innovator, blending 15+ years of expertise in brand strategy, digital marketing, and healthcare communications. As an Innovation Academy Instructor at Girls With Impact, she empowers future leaders with AI-driven marketing insights. With a track record at Elevance Health and Centene Corporation, Gwyn excels in strategic planning, brand development, and mentoring creative teams to deliver high-impact, growth-focused campaigns.
Dieneba Lesdema is a leader in integrated AI communication design, empowering professionals to preserve their voice and values in an evolving digital landscape. Founder of Flowserein and a creative force behind bespoke visuals for self-published authors, she blends AI optimization, strategic design, and bilingual expertise. With an MBA in Marketing and a career spanning corporate and entrepreneurial roles, Dieneba bridges creativity, strategy, and human-centered innovation.
AI FOUNDATIONS FOR WOMEN- $17 August 29th or September 19th 4:00-5:30pm (Pacific) Special: Register for one seat, get free registration for a friend! Show up with a curious mind... that's it. We got you.
This Saturday, August 16th Restorative Intelligence: AI for Vitality, Calm, and Care
What if AI could help your body and mind feel more steady, more whole?
In this session, women leading AI and wellness innovation will share how they’re using technology to support healing, energy, and mental clarity. From nervous system-aware design to spiritually grounded tools for focus and recovery, we’ll explore how AI is being deployed to promote restoration—not just more output. You are warmly invited into the conversation to share your own experiences and guidance. New possibilities await.
Special Offer: Join the She Leads AI Society for $297 for the first year, and get $100 off your conference registration through September 7th.
For the month of August, Vikki Baptiste and Kate Rivera will both tell the same story from their own perspectives, using MidJourney as the tool, and exploring different style references (srefs) along the way.
The Prompt: Part 2: Inside the archive, shelves stretch to infinity. The traveler opens a file labeled ‘What If I Stayed?’—it shows an alternate life in a sun-drenched city, surrounded by laughter, lingering regrets in the shadows.
Vikki Baptiste is a Consultant at the AI Center of Excellence at A J RHEM & ASSOCIATES INC, where she drives enterprise content strategy through AI and knowledge management. Founder of Three Bees Digital, she merges NLP, UX writing, and ethical tech to elevate digital ecosystems. With deep expertise in AI-powered content and DEIB-informed design, Vikki is reshaping how organizations communicate, learn, and lead in the AI era. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Kate Rivera is the Community Manager at She Leads AI, where she brings a rich blend of community building, marketing, and operations expertise. With a career spanning human resources to agribusiness and nonprofit leadership, Kate excels at creating meaningful connections and scaling AI-driven communities with purpose and impact. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
🎙️Podcast Updates
Empowered by AI: The SLAI Effect with Michelle Muncy-Silva
ChatGPT 5: Smarter, Faster... But Can It Still Handle My Edge?
This week’s episode skips the guest chair for a deep dive into ChatGPT-5—its sharper recall, quicker responses, and tighter context, plus the “soften for safety” reflex that can dull bold voices. Michelle breaks down what this means for advocates, truth-tellers, and distinctive brands, why custom GPT personalities might suffer, and her strategy for building a brand tone override so AI works with her voice—not against it.
The AI Readiness Project with Anne Murphy and Kyle Shannon
What Makes Us Human: Reimagining Intelligence with Vanessa Chang
Vanessa Chang challenges the narrow view of AI by exploring what happens when we value diverse ways of thinking. From resisting hustle culture to reimagining leadership, she shares how slowing down and making space for complexity leads to more human-centered AI.
Thanks for being here with us!
Warmly,
Anne Murphy Founder, SheLeadsAI Founder and CEO, Empowered Fundraiser Consulting and Coaching
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