The Cusp with Paul Fain

Hosted by Work Shift

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Jun 2025

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About the show

The Cusp is a new Work Shift podcast about AI’s impacts on education and work. Hosted by veteran journalist Paul Fain, The Cusp will feature interviews with decision makers and innovators at the forefront of how new technologies are changing the ways we learn and work.

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14 recent

June 11, 202539 min

Embracing AI: Tal Goldhamer on the Future of Work and Education

In the latest episode of The Cusp, host Paul Fain talks with Tal Goldhamer, a former partner and chief learning officer at Ernst & Young. Goldhamer has an interesting take on how to think about AI, and has had a ringside seat on the technology's adoption in the workforce. Since leaving EY last year, Goldhamer has been advising businesses and colleges on how to get the most out of AI.Subscribe to The Cusp wherever you get your podcasts. And check out Work Shift and The Job newsletter for agenda-free, in-depth reporting on connections between education and work.

April 30, 202530 min

AI and Online Education, with Greg Hart, Coursera's CEO

In the latest episode of The Cusp, host Paul Fain talks with Greg Hart, the president and CEO of Coursera, which is one of the world's largest online learning platforms. Hart previously was the longtime technical advisor to Jeff Bezos, among other high-level roles at Amazon. He talks about Coursera's global perspective on the demand for AI-related skills, and how the technology is reshaping jobs.Subscribe to The Cusp wherever you get your podcasts. And check out Work Shift and The Job newsletter for agenda-free, in-depth reporting on connections between education and work.

January 15, 202531 min

The Commerce Department's $2.9B Investment in Workforce Development, with Rachel Lipson from CHIPS for America

Welcome to Season 2 of The Cusp. In this episode, host Paul Fain talks with Rachel Lipson, a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Commerce and the co-founder of Harvard's Project on Workforce. Rachel describes the ambition of the department's strategy on regional competitiveness, which combines workforce development with economic development while seeking to forge lasting partnerships between employers and community colleges. Subscribe to The Cusp wherever you get your podcasts. And check out Work Shift and The Job newsletter for agenda-free, in-depth reporting on connections between education and work.

December 30, 202411 min

The Cusp Highlights from Season 1

Host Paul Fain introduces a quick run through of soundbites from the 15 guests who helped power the inaugural season of The Cusp brought to you by Work Shift. Special thanks to all of our guests, listeners, and supporters for a fantastic first season in 2024. Be on the lookout for more from us as Season 2 kicks off in 2025.

December 18, 202449 min

A Philanthropic Take on AI and Education with Ron Smith and Ellie Bertani

In the latest episode of The Cusp, host Paul Fain talks with Ron Smith, vice president of philanthropy at Salesforce. Smith, who has overseen more than $225M in giving, talks about how to be thoughtful about AI's rapid integration into education, to ensure that students aren't left behind. Ellie Bertani, president and CEO of the GitLab Foundation, also joins Fain for this episode. Bertani describes the foundation's data-based philosophy on AI and economic mobility. She also shares an optimistic vision for the future, with concrete suggestions about how to get there. Subscribe to The Cusp wherever you get your podcasts. And check out Work Shift and The Job newsletter for agenda-free, sophisticated reporting on connections between education and work.

October 2, 202433 min

AI and the Relationship Economy with Aneesh Raman, LinkedIn's Chief Economic Opportunity Officer

Aneesh Raman is LinkedIn's chief economic opportunity officer. He's a former war correspondent for CNN and speechwriter for President Obama, among other star turns. In this episode, Paul Fain talks with Aneesh about his humanistic take on the potential for artificial intelligence to usher in a more meritocratic job market and society. Aneesh takes a sweeping historical look at the coming technological disruption, with plenty of specifics, including data from LinkedIn. Subscribe to The Cusp wherever you get your podcasts. And check out Work Shift and The Job newsletter for agenda-free reporting on connections between education and work.

September 10, 202429 min

Measuring AI's Impacts with Julia Lane, NYU Economist and Expert on Public Data

Julia Lane is a renowned expert on public data. An economist, NYU professor, and regular advisor to the federal government, Julia recently advised the Commerce Department on President Biden's executive order on AI. In this episode, Paul Fain talks with Julia about her intriguing call for a new national center on data that would measure AI's impacts on jobs—a center that exists outside of government and would be stood up by philanthropy. Julia shares her thoughts about what we don't know about AI, and how her idea for a national center could answer big questions about how the technology is playing out in the labor market. Subscribe to The Cusp where you get our podcasts. And checkout Work Shift and The Job newsletter for agenda-free, sophisticated reporting on connections between education and work.

August 26, 202434 min

AI at Work: Expert Takes on the Tech's Impact on Jobs and Education

In this episode of The Cusp, host Paul Fain shares highlights from the midpoint of the show's first season. Among the experts featured are George Siemens, who discusses the integration of AI in universities, and Ben Armstrong, who shares research on AI's incremental effects on jobs. Katy Knight emphasizes the importance of keeping humans in the loop when tapping AI solutions, while Lydia Logan encourages educators to embrace AI tools. The episode also touches on the challenges of AI accessibility and the need for AI literacy in education, with perspectives from Alex Swartzel, Edith Yang, and Alex Kotran. Throughout these interviews, experts shared the importance of adaptability, critical thinking, and human skills in an AI-driven future, offering valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and workers as they navigate this technological shift.

July 16, 202454 min

The Democratization of AI Skills, with Lydia Logan, Tiffany Hsieh, and Alex Swartsel

The Center for Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Work from JFFLabs seeks to shape AI's impact on skills development, job quality, and equitable outcomes. In this episode, Paul Fain speaks with Alex Swartsel and Tiffany Hsieh, who help lead the center's work. They talked about AI-specific credentialing, how community colleges can best meet this moment, and much more. Lydia Logan also joined Fain for this episode. Logan is vice president of global education and workforce development for IBM, a vantage point that gives her rare insights on AI and the workforce. She discussed the value of durable skills in the age of AI, and the role for IBM and other big tech companies in AI skills training. Subscribe to The Cusp wherever you get your podcasts. And check out Work Shift and The Job newsletter for agenda-free, sophisticated reporting on connections between education and work.

June 11, 20241 hr 2 min

Preparing Students for Changing Careers, with Alex Kotran and Leigh Ann DeLyser

The AI Education Project seeks to help both educators and students with foundational AI literacy. Alex Kotran, the nonprofit's founder and CEO, talks with Paul Fainin the latest episode of The Cusp. Kotran says not knowing how AI will change job roles keeps him up at night. But he says we have more certainty about what the skills of the future will be. Leigh Ann DeLyser follows Kotran in the episode. The co-founder and executive director of Computer Science for All, DeLyser talks about resources educators can tap to develop an equitable AI strategy, and to judge whether it's a success. Subscribe to The Cusp wherever you get your podcasts. And check out Work Shift and The Job newsletter for agenda-free, sophisticated reporting on connections between education and work.