Product For Humans | Learning AI out loud, one product at a time.

What if your AI strategy is making your team faster, but not actually smarter?

In this episode of The Learn-It-All™ Podcast, Damon Lembi sits down with Christa Hill, Co-Founder of Tacit Edge and Learnit's Chief AI Learning Officer, to unpack why so many leaders, teams, and organizations are still using artificial intelligence at what Christa calls "brochure-level." Playing around with ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, or Gemini might feel like progress, but real AI literacy starts when you stop treating AI like a shortcut and start using it to rethink strategy, decision-making, team workflows, and business value. Christa explains why most people are still operating at a grade three or four level of AI literacy, why productivity wins eventually cap out, and why leaders cannot keep approving AI tools they do not understand. She also breaks down one of the biggest mistakes companies are making right now: banning AI and accidentally pushing employees into risky "shadow AI" behavior. As Christa puts it, organizations do not have AI problems. They have very human problems surrounding the technology. Because AI may have more IQ points than us, but it does not have our judgment, empathy, lived experience, or what Christa calls "your proprietary data set." What You'll Learn: What "brochure-level" AI use is, and why surface-level productivity hacks are not enough Why Christa calls ChatGPT "Captain Confidence," and the final 30% only you can add How to avoid wasting money on AI adoption by solving one or two business problems first Why productivity wins cap out without connection to team goals and business strategy How meeting transcripts and AI can surface trends, risks, and new opportunities Why banning AI tools may be one of the riskiest moves a company can make The true human advantage: your judgment, empathy, context, and proprietary data set In This Episode: 00:00 Episode preview and introduction 01:22 Why Copilot doesn't make you AI literate 03:03 The mistake self-taught AI users keep making 08:16 The "Captain Confidence" problem with ChatGPT 10:30 Why most people are still at a grade three AI level 14:12 Productivity wins are not an AI strategy 16:52 How one team bought back time with AI literacy 19:09 Why your team needs "game one days" 23:15 Why AI literacy makes people less afraid of being replaced 24:25 Technical debt explained for non-technical leaders 27:01 Why every meeting should become usable data 28:52 The "yes, and" exercise that kills bad brainstorming 31:45 Why people don't have their best ideas on command 33:41 How leaders can capture ideas before they disappear 38:21 AI is a mirror, so what is it exposing? 39:37 Why Christa doesn't buy the AI replacement panic 42:18 The question every leader should ask AI but probably won't 45:13 Why banning AI might be your riskiest move 54:09 The executive AI questions leaders are afraid to ask 57:18 Smash or pass: the AI tools Christa actually recommends 01:01:41 The human advantage AI can't copy 01:03:21 How to know when you need real AI education About Christa Hill: Christa Hill is the Co-Founder of Tacit Edge and Chief AI Learning Officer at Learnit. With more than 20 years in technology, product management, and business transformation. Connect: Christa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christajhill/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christajhill/] Tacit Edge: https://tacit-edge.com/ [https://tacit-edge.com/] Learnit: https://www.learnit.com [https://www.learnit.com] Follow Learnit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/learn-it/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/learn-it/]

Debug Your Source Code - Understanding Decolonized AI

What if the biggest bug in AI isn't in the algorithm? What if it's in us? In this episode, I sit down with Christian Ortiz, Afro-Indigenous decolonial social scientist, technologist, and creator of Justice A.I. GPT, the first AI system built on a decolonial framework. We go deep on what decolonization actually means (explained like you're five), why AI is essentially a mirror of our inherited biases, and how tools like Justice AI are turning that mirror into a feedback loop that helps us do better. Christian's story is wild. From growing up in LA and New Jersey, to walking out of a corporate discrimination case, to beta testing ChatGPT in 2022 and immediately spotting the bias problem, to building his own AI that doesn't just flag what's wrong but walks you through how to fix it with empathy and emotional intelligence. We talk about what bias is actually costing organizations (hint: it's millions), why HR teams need tools like this more than ever, and why "ethical AI" and "decolonized AI" might just be the same conversation. Plus, we play Smash or Pass with AI tools. Christian has opinions. Strong ones. This one is heavy, hopeful, and deeply human. If your last episode was "We Built This Mess," this one is about what we do about it. Chapters * 00:00 Introduction to Christian Ortiz * 16:52 Decolonization and Its Impact * 28:00 The Role of Bias in AI * 33:30 Ethical AI and Its Impact * 49:35 AI Tools and Their Impact * 54:50 Accessing and Working with AI LINKS: Justice AI Website: justiceaigpt.ca [http://justiceaigpt.ca] Christian Ortiz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/modatlasmedia/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/modatlasmedia/] Mod Atlas Media: https://justiceaigpt.ca/modatlasmedia [https://justiceaigpt.ca/modatlasmedia] ABOUT YOUR HOST: Christa Hill is the founder of Tacit Edge Inc. and creator of Product for Humans. She teaches product management as a leadership discipline and helps organizations adopt AI with confidence, not fear. Learn more at tacit-edge.com [http://tacit-edge.com]. CONNECT: Website: tacit-edge.com [http://tacit-edge.com] Email: info@tacit-edge.ca [info@tacit-edge.ca] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christahill [http://linkedin.com/in/christahill]

We Built This Mess: AI, Power, and the Human Cost of Moving Fast With Katrina German

AI is changing everything, but the real crisis is trust, and leaders are not measuring the human cost. In this 2026 episode of Product for Humans, Christa Hill [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christajhill/] goes deep with Katrina German [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinagerman/], one of Canada’s clearest voices on ethical digital leadership. They start with what sparked Katrina’s recent media coverage: AI-enabled harassment and the rise of synthetic sexualized imagery used to silence women online. From there, the conversation zooms out to a bigger question: how did we go from early internet guardrails to today’s “terms of service as consent” reality, and what does that mean for Canadians trying to lead through platform power, misinformation, and fragile digital infrastructure? Then they shift to the human side. Katrina names the thing many leaders feel but cannot articulate: technostress. They talk boundaries, organizational clarity, and why leaders in 2026 have one job above all else: rebuilding trust. They wrap with a fast, fun “Smash or Pass” round on AI self-regulation, unenforced principles, and the myth that we are “too early” to govern. WHAT WE COVER * Why AI-generated sexualized imagery is being used to silence women online, and why platforms cannot shrug it off as “user responsibility” * The media problem: whose voices get airtime, and what it costs when expert women get clipped to one sentence * A practical solution for journalists and experts: Informed Perspectives [https://informedperspectives.org/], a network that helps match media with expert women * Regulation memory loss: what Canadians already regulated well (and why we stopped pushing for the same accountability in social platforms) * Platform power vs public interest: why commercial incentives are not the same as societal stewardship * Canada’s opportunity moment: and why “building our own” is back on the table * The human cost of constant change: technostress, burnout signals, and what leaders are asking people to carry * What leaders must prioritize in 2026: trust as a strategic pillar, not a brand value * Smash or Pass lightning round: self-regulation, terms of service, “responsible AI” without enforcement, and leadership literacy GUEST Katrina German [https://www.katrinagerman.com/] is the Founder and CEO of Ethical Digital. Her work focuses on ethical digital leadership, trust, and helping organizations build human-centered digital strategy with real accountability. https://www.katrinagerman.com/ [https://www.katrinagerman.com/] https://www.ethicaldigital.ca/ [https://www.ethicaldigital.ca/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinagerman/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinagerman/] Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Context of the Conversation 07:27 The Mess We Built: Regulation and Technology 26:00 The Human Cost of Not Measuring 26:58 Navigating Emotional Responses in a Digital World 28:29 The Importance of Self-Care in Tech 30:19 Understanding Techno Stress and Burnout 32:35 Strategies for Managing Tech Overload 36:49 The Future of AI: Integration or Opt-Out? 39:13 Building Trust in the Age of Technology 44:14 The Role of Ethics in AI Development

2025 Holiday AI Wrap with Renee & Christa

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2347813/open_sms] In this final episode of 'Product for Humans', Christa Hill and Renee Matsalla reflect on their journey throughout the year, discussing the impact of AI on their business and personal lives. They explore the challenges and successes they've faced, the importance of community engagement, and the lessons learned from navigating the AI hype cycle. The conversation emphasizes the need for continuous learning and collective action in the face of technological advancements, while also sharing insights on various AI tools and their effectiveness. As they look ahead to 2026, they encourage listeners to embrace education and empowerment in their own journeys. Don't miss the unforgettable AI Tool "Smash or Pass" segment! 20 tools rapid fire! Hosted by: Renee Matsalla [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmatsalla/] & Christa Hill [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christajhill/] Tacit Edge: * Website: tacit-edge.com [https://tacit-edge.com/] * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/tacitedge [https://www.linkedin.com/company/tacitedge/] * Instagram: instagram.com/tacit.edge [https://www.instagram.com/tacit.edge/] * YouTube: youtube.com/@TacitEdge [https://www.youtube.com/@TacitEdge] Find Christa Hill on social: * Instagram: instagram.com/christa.hill.ai/ [https://www.instagram.com/christa.hill.ai/] * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christajhill/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christajhill/]

Hot Girl AI Summer: Why You Need to Go AI-First — Now

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2347813/open_sms] In this energizing mid-year check-in, Christa and Renée dive into the accelerating pace of AI and why 2025 is the year to stop watching from the sidelines. From Canada’s shockingly low AI adoption stats to what it really means to build AI-first businesses, they break down the urgency for leaders, teams, and individuals to level up—fast.  💡 They cover:  * What “AI-first” means (and why “AI-last” is a risk)  * Why technical literacy is the new leadership currency  * The myth of AI replacing humans—and what’s actually happening in real companies  * Real-world use cases built for less than $5 (!)  * How strategic people (not just technical folks) are leading the AI charge  Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or already in the mix, this is your moment to get in the game.  🔥 It’s not just an AI moment. It’s a movement.  👉 Join us online for a free Hands on "Zero to One AI" lesson you can do over your lunch break:  Sign Up Here [https://www.linkedin.com/events/zerotooneinaiwithchrista7353865264813260802/theater/]    👉 Register for our next AI Business Leader webinar:  Sign Up Here [https://tacit-edge.com/lead-in-ai-live-webinar-1 ]   Hosted by: Renee Matsalla [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmatsalla/] & Christa Hill [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christajhill/] Tacit Edge: * Website: tacit-edge.com [https://tacit-edge.com/] * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/tacitedge [https://www.linkedin.com/company/tacitedge/] * Instagram: instagram.com/tacit.edge [https://www.instagram.com/tacit.edge/] * YouTube: youtube.com/@TacitEdge [https://www.youtube.com/@TacitEdge] Find Christa Hill on social: * Instagram: instagram.com/christa.hill.ai/ [https://www.instagram.com/christa.hill.ai/] * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christajhill/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christajhill/]