Big tech is transforming every aspect of our world. But how, and at what cost? This season of Land of the Giants – The Disney Dilemma – focuses on Disney’s ability to weather the ups and downs of the business cycle and changing tastes and explores what has kept it successful for over 100 years. The entertainment giant has leveraged nostalgia and its intellectual property to build a beloved brand, but after an acquisition spree that included Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 20th Century Fox, can it sus ...
…
continue reading
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47: From Math Teacher to AI Founder (with Joe Sessions)
Manage episode 518718756 series 3575018
Content provided by Polly Allen. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Polly Allen or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
For more on building AI products and careers, along with early course announcement and special pricing, subscribe to the AI Career Boost mailing list at https://aicareerboost.com/interested
THE GUEST
Joe Sessions is the COO and co-founder of Optimize, where he helps companies automate routine tasks and build the foundation for scalable AI adoption. With a career spanning hands-on software development, product leadership, and operational strategy, Joe brings a rare blend of technical depth and big-picture vision. He’s known for his ability to dive into the details when needed, while also guiding teams to step back and think strategically about long-term impact. A lifelong innovator and educator, Joe is passionate about empowering people and leveraging cutting-edge tools to drive meaningful growth—for businesses and individuals alike. Today, he joins us to share his insights on how thoughtful automation and AI can transform the way organizations work, scale, and lead in the digital age.
THE SUMMARY
RPA Before AI: Joe Sessions, COO and co-founder of Optimize, argues that most mid-sized companies shouldn’t start with AI at all — they should start with automation. Robotic Process Automation (RPA), he says, is the real foundation that enables scalable AI adoption later on.
Simple Beats Flashy: Joe believes too many businesses jump straight into AI experiments without solid systems in place. His advice: simplify your workflows first. No databases, no endless code updates — just connect the dots between tools and eliminate repetitive tasks.
Real-World AI Use Case: Joe shares his capstone project — an AI-powered document extraction system that detects features like fences in construction PDFs. He breaks down how he used workflows and Gemini to handle complex image data, showing how AI can add value only after automation does the heavy lifting.
AI with Ethics and Practicality: A former Microsoft Responsible AI developer, Joe brings a measured view to the hype. He’s writing a book on ethical AI, aiming to ground the conversation in realism and responsibility — not fear or hype.
Advice for Newcomers: Start small. Joe recommends OpenAI’s $20 plan and experimenting with custom GPTs for repetitive tasks. The ROI? He cut a five-week project down to three days using smart automation.
Takeaway: Stop “AI-washing” your business. Nail your processes, automate smartly, and let AI follow naturally.
THE SHOW
Weekly conversations with the AI’s top product leaders. Join Polly Allen as she discovers the paths to success in the world of AI.
THE LINKS
Have a question you want us to answer? Send it through to [email protected]
Joe Sessions
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-sessions
My links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pollymallen/
AI Career Boost: https://www.aicareerboost.com/
61 episodes
Share
Manage episode 518718756 series 3575018
Content provided by Polly Allen. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Polly Allen or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
For more on building AI products and careers, along with early course announcement and special pricing, subscribe to the AI Career Boost mailing list at https://aicareerboost.com/interested
THE GUEST
Joe Sessions is the COO and co-founder of Optimize, where he helps companies automate routine tasks and build the foundation for scalable AI adoption. With a career spanning hands-on software development, product leadership, and operational strategy, Joe brings a rare blend of technical depth and big-picture vision. He’s known for his ability to dive into the details when needed, while also guiding teams to step back and think strategically about long-term impact. A lifelong innovator and educator, Joe is passionate about empowering people and leveraging cutting-edge tools to drive meaningful growth—for businesses and individuals alike. Today, he joins us to share his insights on how thoughtful automation and AI can transform the way organizations work, scale, and lead in the digital age.
THE SUMMARY
RPA Before AI: Joe Sessions, COO and co-founder of Optimize, argues that most mid-sized companies shouldn’t start with AI at all — they should start with automation. Robotic Process Automation (RPA), he says, is the real foundation that enables scalable AI adoption later on.
Simple Beats Flashy: Joe believes too many businesses jump straight into AI experiments without solid systems in place. His advice: simplify your workflows first. No databases, no endless code updates — just connect the dots between tools and eliminate repetitive tasks.
Real-World AI Use Case: Joe shares his capstone project — an AI-powered document extraction system that detects features like fences in construction PDFs. He breaks down how he used workflows and Gemini to handle complex image data, showing how AI can add value only after automation does the heavy lifting.
AI with Ethics and Practicality: A former Microsoft Responsible AI developer, Joe brings a measured view to the hype. He’s writing a book on ethical AI, aiming to ground the conversation in realism and responsibility — not fear or hype.
Advice for Newcomers: Start small. Joe recommends OpenAI’s $20 plan and experimenting with custom GPTs for repetitive tasks. The ROI? He cut a five-week project down to three days using smart automation.
Takeaway: Stop “AI-washing” your business. Nail your processes, automate smartly, and let AI follow naturally.
THE SHOW
Weekly conversations with the AI’s top product leaders. Join Polly Allen as she discovers the paths to success in the world of AI.
THE LINKS
Have a question you want us to answer? Send it through to [email protected]
Joe Sessions
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-sessions
My links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pollymallen/
AI Career Boost: https://www.aicareerboost.com/
61 episodes
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Similar to AI Product Leader
Big tech is transforming every aspect of our world. But how, and at what cost? This season of Land of the Giants – The Disney Dilemma – focuses on Disney’s ability to weather the ups and downs of the business cycle and changing tastes and explores what has kept it successful for over 100 years. The entertainment giant has leveraged nostalgia and its intellectual property to build a beloved brand, but after an acquisition spree that included Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 20th Century Fox, can it sus ...
…
continue reading
The Knowledge at Wharton Network Acast feed serves as a curated showcase highlighting the best content from our podcast collection. Each week, we feature one standout episode from each show in the Wharton Podcast Network, giving listeners a comprehensive sample of our diverse business and academic content. This rotating selection allows audiences to discover new shows within our network while experiencing the depth and variety of Wharton's thought leadership across different topics and forma ...
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continue reading
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continue reading
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…
continue reading
Custom Manufacturing Industry podcast is an entrepreneurship and motivational podcast on all platforms, hosted by Aaron Clippinger. Being CEO of multiple companies including the signage industry and the software industry, Aaron has over 20 years of consulting and business management. His software has grown internationally and with over a billion dollars annually going through the software. Using his Accounting degree, Aaron will be talking about his organizational ways to get things done. Hi ...
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continue reading
The official podcast of Rampver Financials. Delivering the best talks, advice, and recommendations about personal finance, investing, entrepreneurship, and success. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
…
continue reading
It didn’t all change in March 2020. Not really. The UK high street has been in the throes of a gradual revolution for decades. From the rise of ecommerce, to the birth of mobile, social commerce, and a growing emphasis on experience, change has been underway for a while. In fact for many, the pandemic has acted as a wake-up call. Digital transformation was no longer a ‘nice to have’ but a matter of survival. Necessity sparked innovation and customers are enjoying more flexibility and conveni ...
…
continue reading
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…
continue reading
Call them changemakers. Call them rule breakers. We call them Redefiners. And in this provocative podcast, we explore how daring leaders from across industries and around the globe are redefining their organizations—and themselves—to create extraordinary impact in today’s rapidly changing world. In each episode, Russell Reynolds Associates Leadership Advisor Hoda Tahoun and former CEO Clarke Murphy host engaging, purposeful conversations with leaders in and out of the business world who shar ...
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continue reading
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continue reading
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