Women in AI: That Was Quite the Wholesome Rollout!
Published 24 days ago • 7 min read
Hi Reader,
Sam Altman and his friends have most wholesome launch events. Just a few nerdy mcnerdertons in a fake living room, talking about the neat new thing they made - ChatGPT 5.
I kind of love that they rely on ZERO charisma or mojo to convince the audience to use their products. They seem so authentic that I feel mean saying anything bad about the company with all those nice people working there. (Is that why they are so fanfare-free?)
But for sure we have to take all the good news with a grain of salt. Yes, ChatGPT5 is going to be dope. And also....OpenAI is at the forefront of an industry that infringes on human rights in SO. MANY. WAYS.
Sam Altman is a nerd. And he's also shrewd. He's a cute dad and a too-powerful man. He's "Aww shucks, I didn't think of it like that," and he's also an evil genius pulling alllll the levers behind the screen. This is a moment when it will be easy to be swept up in the capabilities of a new model. We'll be tempted to sing praises from the mountain top. But don't forget that there's more to it than that. You can't have a highly performant generative AI platform without doing a fair amount of damage on the way. Tell me: how do you talk about AI capabilities with your friends and family? Do you mix the good, the bad, and the ugly? 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 next four weeks, 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 1 below.
We Use AI and AI Uses Us: Digital Power Tool Safety and AI Ethics
by Karen Smiley
So many people tout the benefits of AI. AI technologies are like physical power tools: capable of both handling harder tasks AND causing severe damage.
Think of a chainsaw. It can cut up a fallen tree that a hand saw could never handle. (When you live on a forested lot in hurricane territory, as I have, a good chainsaw is a must!) Careful tool selection & maintenance, protective equipment, and training can help, but chainsaw accidents can still maim or kill users or bystanders.
Like chainsaws, AI tools are incredibly powerful and can cut through difficult tasks quickly. But they also come with tremendous risks. The simplest way to avoid all harm from AI tools is for society not to build or use AI tools or technologies. However, that would deny the world their many potential benefits.
So we need to balance potential benefits of AI against the risks and harms. The good news: ethical AI guidelines can serve as a combination of tool selection & maintenance guides, protective equipment, and safety training for using AI power tools available to us.
The next step is understanding the ways AI systems and tools can harm us and others. Tune in next week!
I want to help everyone to know about everyday AI & data risks and learn how to protect their families & small businesses. That’s why I’m offering my 33-page ebook “Five Everyday AI & Data Risks” FREE through Aug. 25. Claim your copy at sixpeas.net/five-ai-risks and share the link with people you care about!
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
Krysta Johnson is a Senior Legal Operations Evangelist at DocuSign, driving innovation at the intersection of law and technology. With 18+ years in legal operations—including roles at AWS, Lexion, and PayScale—she excels in building scalable legal processes and cross-functional strategies. Krysta’s expertise in legal tech and continuous improvement positions her as a pivotal force in shaping efficient, forward-thinking legal teams across the AI and tech ecosystem.
Dr. Ketaki Sodhi leads Agentic Listening & Analytics at Microsoft, blending 12+ years of expertise in talent, analytics, and organizational psychology. With experience at Johnson & Johnson and key advisory roles—including Harvard's D^3 Institute—she champions responsible AI and people-centered innovation. Ketaki’s cross-cultural fluency and strategic insight make her a driving force in aligning human behavior with data-driven decision-making in the AI landscape.
Jasmine Schwarz is a strategic leader in ethical AI and data security, currently serving as Speaker Liaison at She Leads AI and Advisory Board Member at Altruva. With roots in healthcare, finance, and nonprofit sectors, she builds systems that drive efficiency and engagement. Her cross-sector expertise, honed through roles like Activities Director at Columbine Health Systems, fuels her commitment to responsible innovation and collaborative impact in AI.
📅 Mark Your Calendars
August 14th
9am (Pacific)
CREATE Speaker Panel
This week, Anne's guest panelists are Rachel Zipsie, and Ann McCrackin.
THIS SATURDAY, AUGUST 9TH From Human Resources to Robot Resources -- The Automation of Hiring
Explore how AI is helping....and harming....the hiring process. We'll discuss this topic from the POV of job seekers, HR professionals, and company stakeholders. This Social Saturday will include guests who are HR professionals currently implementing AI in their organizations, grappling with the big questions that come along with being on the jagged frontier of new tech. The conundrums are almost endless - let's talk about how we can lead with empathy as our prospective and current employees also struggle with aspects of AI in hiring process. We'll highlight what's good as well, promise. :)
Join us for the CREATE Conference, October 11-14 in Salt Lake City, Utah!
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 next four weeks, 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 1: A lone traveler uncovers a glowing door embedded in a cliffside, labeled ‘Archive of Futures That Never Were,’ overgrown with vines, forgotten by time, cinematic lighting, surreal atmosphere.
Vikki's Image:
--sref 446590590
Kate's Image:
--sref 3333357699 --sv 4
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
From Big Tech to AI Change Maker: Redefining Readiness with Dajana Achelpohl
In this episode of Empowered by AI, Michelle talks with her about what most businesses get wrong when adopting AI—and how to do it right. Drawing on her experience at Google and PayPal, and her own missteps in early GenAI use, Dajana offers a fresh, non-hype approach to integrating AI. From defining what success actually looks like to building simple governance guardrails, this conversation is all about getting real with your strategy.
The AI Readiness Project with Anne Murphy and Kyle Shannon
Click to view on YouTube
Systems That Stick: Tam Nguyen on Practical AI for Teams
In this episode, Tam shares how she went from spreadsheets and consulting to helping businesses design AI-powered systems that actually work for people. With a focus on sustainable, human-centered strategies, Tam talks about how small shifts in thinking and design can make a big difference. From building processes that teams can stick with to rethinking what “automation” really means, this conversation is all about grounding AI in everyday work.
Thanks for being here with us!
Warmly,
Anne Murphy Founder, SheLeadsAI Founder and CEO, Empowered Fundraiser Consulting and Coaching
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