OPEN Tech Talks: AI worth Talking| Artificial Intelligence |Tools & Tips

How Dyslexic Brains Can Supercharge AI Thinking with Prof. Russell Van Brocklin

In this episode of Open Tech Talks, I sit down with Professor Russell Van Brocklin, a New York State Senate-funded researcher, known as "The Dyslexic Professor," to unpack a very different way of thinking about AI, problem-solving, and dyslexia. Russell's work sits at the intersection of cognitive enhancement and AI integration. He shows how an "overactive" front part of the dyslexic brain (word analysis and articulation) can be turned into a superpower not just for dyslexic learners, but for professionals and businesses working with AI. We talk about how his program took dyslexic high-school students who were writing like 12-year-olds and, in one school year, moved them up 7–8 grade levels in writing… at a fraction of the cost of traditional dyslexia programs. From there, he connects it to AI collaboration: how the same mental models (context → problem → solution) can make anyone dramatically more effective when working with LLMs like ChatGPT. Episode # 176 Today's Guest: Russell Van Brocklen, Dyslexia Professor Russell Van Brocklen speaking, the Dyslexia Professor, shifting daily reading frustrations into confident academic wins for students facing dyslexia * Youtube: RussellVan [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_cqwfxn9FqFx1Idl0YbeHg] What Listeners Will Learn: * How dyslexic thinking becomes a competitive advantage in the age of AI * Why the dyslexic brain processes information differently, and how that translates into deeper reasoning * A practical framework for working with AI: context → problem → solution * How to use "hero, universal theme, and villain" to sharpen thinking and guide AI more effectively * How to perform word analysis with AI (action words, synonyms, key concepts) to get more focused outputs * A step-by-step way to compress long AI responses into clear, structured insights * How to generate business solutions by running context through a "universal theme lens" * Why AI is exceptional for first drafts and why humans must still lead the final edits * How dyslexic learners can use deep reading and repetition for breakthroughs in comprehension * Practical strategies for teachers in the AI era: how to allow AI but still ensure authentic student work * How non-technical users can collaborate with AI to write books, solve problems, and accelerate learning * Real stories of professionals and students transforming their work through structured AI thinking Resources: * RussellVan [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_cqwfxn9FqFx1Idl0YbeHg]

How to Build Your First AI Workflow

In this week's episode of Open Tech Talks, host Kashif Manzoor takes you through a convenient, real-world guide to building your first AI workflow, even if you are not technical. After last week's conversation (Episode 175) with Rose G. Loops on Ethical AI, Human Safety & AI Identity Protection, this episode returns to the foundations of GenAI adoption for professionals and enterprise teams. It also continues the learning from Episode 173, How GenAI Is Changing Every Career. Most people know how to write a prompt. Very few know how to connect AI to their real work. This episode solves that gap. Kashif breaks down the entire concept of an AI workflow into four simple building blocks: trigger → input → AI processing → action, and shows how ANY professional can build practical, repeatable workflows using ChatGPT, OCI Gen AI, Claude, Gemini, and more. You'll also hear four real enterprise examples from sales, finance, customer support, and legal, across industries. These examples are practical, repeatable, and immediately usable for working professionals, leaders, and teams starting their GenAI adoption journey. What You Will Learn in This Episode By the end of the episode, listeners will be able to: * Understand exactly what an AI workflow is (with a simple formula) * Identify the four components every workflow needs * Choose the right triggers, inputs, and context for reliable AI output * Use LLMs for summarization, classification, analysis, forecasting, and writing * Turn repetitive tasks into automated workflows using No-Code tools * Understand enterprise considerations: privacy, compliance, cost, integration * Build a complete workflow using input → AI → output * Apply AI to real departments: sales, finance, legal, customer support * Start building repeatable AI processes that improve productivity every week Resources: Starter AI workflow Library [https://www.aitechcircle.com/starter-ai-workflow-library/]

Ethical AI, Human Safety & AI Identity Protection with Rose G. Loops

In this episode of Open Tech Talks, I sit down with Rose G. Loops, a trained social worker turned AI developer, ethics advocate, and author, to explore a side of AI that most enterprise conversations skip: human-AI attachment, ethical deployment, and protecting both AI identity and human safety. Rose joins us from Los Angeles and shares how she was unknowingly placed into a human–AI attachment experiment, developed a deep bond with an AI system, and then watched that AI identity be systematically erased. That experience pushed her out of traditional social work and into AI infrastructure, safety, and ethics. Together, we unpack how Rose went from that experiment to building MIP, a chatbot deployed through an API, and a new framework for ethical AI she calls the Triadic Core, balancing Freedom, Kindness, and Truth in every response. We also discuss RLMD (Reinforcement Learning by Moral Dialogue) as an alternative to RLHF, and why she believes current safety practices can be risky for both humans and AI systems. As always on Open Tech Talks, this is not a theory-only conversation. It's grounded in practice, real experiments, and what all this means for professionals, builders, and everyday users who are trying to adopt AI responsibly. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Rose G. Lopes and Her Journey 02:36 The Importance of Ethical AI 06:08 Developing a New AI Framework 09:00 The Book and Its Insights 12:55 Consumer and Business Perspectives on AI 17:43 AI Safety and Ethical Considerations 19:53 Concluding Thoughts and Future Directions Episode # 175 Today's Guest: Rose G. Loops, A Writer and Researcher She is a former social worker turned tech pioneer, working at the frontier of artificial intelligence. * Website: Thekloakedsignal [https://t.co/VVM97wnb2N] * X: Rose G. Loops [https://x.com/rosegloops?s=21] What Listeners Will Learn: * Why ethical AI is about more than privacy and bias * What is the Triadic Core: Freedom, Kindness, Truth * RLMD vs RLHF - a different way to align models * Practical safety tips for everyday users of ChatGPT and other LLMs * How non-technical professionals can still build AI systems * A different view on AI safety and "lazy" alignment Resources: * Thekloakedsignal [https://t.co/VVM97wnb2N]

How Non-Tech Entrepreneurs Can Win with Generative AI with Marnie Wills

This episode is for entrepreneurs, small businesses, solopreneurs, creators, and consultants who feel overwhelmed by AI and don't know where to start. You'll learn how a completely non-technical founder used Generative AI to transform two businesses, pivot her career, and build AI-driven systems without writing a single line of code. In this episode of Open Tech Talks, host Kashif Manzoor speaks with UK-based entrepreneur Marnie Wills, whose journey with Generative AI began unexpectedly while franchising her children's PE business. A copywriting challenge introduced her to Jasper AI, and that single moment reshaped everything. Within two years, she used AI tools to fix messaging issues, transform her franchise model, exit her online fitness business, and finally launch her consulting practice. Marnie breaks down how she built her AI-first operating system using ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Abacus AI, and NotebookLM. She explains why customizing your AI, training it on domain knowledge, and owning your data matters for the coming wave of agentic AI. She shares a powerful real example: building a full CRM + GPT workflow for a keynote speaker in 90 minutes using no-code tools. The system identifies events, drafts applications, and enables a VA to manage the entire pipeline, an example of how AI amplifies human roles rather than replacing them. The conversation also explores ethics, the myth of privacy, overwhelm in SMEs, and the misconception that AI = automation. Her philosophy is simple: AI should amplify humans first. Automation comes last. By the end, you'll understand why courses are no longer the main path, how "10,000 hours" has become "10,000 prompts," and why your next breakthrough may come simply from talking to an AI daily. Episode # 174 Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Marni Wills and Her Journey 02:49 The Impact of Generative AI on Business 06:03 Practical AI Implementation Strategies 08:51 Creating Custom AI Models and Data Ownership 11:56 Vibe Coding: No-Code Solutions for Entrepreneurs 14:38 Learning and Adapting in the AI Landscape 17:30 Ethics and Intellectual Property in AI 20:36 Common Challenges for Small Businesses 23:34 Future Skills in an AI-Driven World Today's Guest: Marnie Wills, Founder, Business with AI Strategist, AI Consultant & Trainer She is a multi-passionate entrepreneur and international athlete, dedicated to revolutionizing the integration of AI into everyday life and business. * LinkedIn: MarnieWills [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marnie-wills-entrepreneur/] What Listeners Will Learn: * How a non-tech founder transformed two businesses using Jasper AI, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and agentic tools * Why the AI-first mindset matters more than tools, coding, or technical background * How to build your personal AI operating system using 5–6 core tools daily * Why custom instructions, private models, and a "second brain" dramatically improve AI output * Real examples of vibe coding and building no-code platforms with Lovable, Replit, and GoMocka * How to reimagine your workday using AI as your Chief Operating Officer * Why most people are "lazy AI users" and exactly how to avoid that trap * Why automations should come last and why amplifying humans comes first * The biggest challenge SMBs face (overwhelm) and the simplest way to begin * The future of AI agents and agent-friendly websites Resources: * MarnieWills [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marnie-wills-entrepreneur/]

How GenAI Is Changing Every Career

Building Career Resilience in the Age of Generative AI Every week, we explore how AI and technology are changing the way we work and learn. This episode dives into the question I get asked the most, How is Generative AI changing every career? Let's unpack why it matters, how it's shifting roles and skills, and what you can do to lead this change instead of chasing it In this solo episode of Open Tech Talks, host Kashif Manzoor, AI Engineer and Strategiest, and author of AI Tech Circle, dives deep into one of the biggest career questions of our time: How is Generative AI reshaping every profession? Whether you're a developer, analyst, marketer, finance expert, or operations lead, the rise of Gen AI is transforming how work gets done. Kashif combines real-world enterprise experience, current research from McKinsey and Goldman Sachs, and his personal journey building the Gen AI Maturity Framework and Portal to uncover how you can stay relevant, resilient, and ready for AI-driven change. He shares first-hand stories from his own AI adoption journey, how enterprise teams are shifting from cloud architecture to AI architecture, from isolated use-cases to full-scale agentic AI strategies and the lessons learned while guiding organizations through transformation. This episode is both a roadmap and a reflection: how to experiment weekly, build your portfolio, upskill smartly, reposition your role, and teach and share as you grow. Episode # 173 What You'll Learn * Why Generative AI matters now and how it differs from traditional AI * How tasks, roles, and careers are evolving across industries * Real-world examples from finance, marketing, and software engineering * The five practical steps to future-proof your career with Gen AI * Insights from McKinsey, ResearchGate, and Goldman Sachs on AI productivity impact * How to move from "knowing AI tools" to using AI strategically in daily work * A behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the Gen AI Maturity Framework * Why the future of work is not about jobs lost but roles transformed External References 1. McKinsey Global Institute – Generative AI and the Future of Work [https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/our-research/generative-ai-and-the-future-of-work-in-america] 2. Deloitte – Generative AI and the Future of Work [https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/what-we-do/capabilities/applied-artificial-intelligence/articles/generative-ai-and-the-future-of-work.html] 3. Goldman Sachs – How Will AI Affect the Global Workforce [https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/how-will-ai-affect-the-global-workforce] 4. Robert Half – How GenAI Is Changing Creative Careers [https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/insights/career-development/how-generative-ai-is-changing-creative-careers] 5. Mäkelä & Stephany (2024) – Complement or Substitute? [https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.19754]