Product Rising

Hosted by Women In Product

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136

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Oct 2026

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Meet product and technology leaders who are shaping what comes next in a world driven by AI, rapid innovation, and global complexity. Every week, we explore the ways bold women and men are navigating change, leading with impact, and redefining the future of product leadership.

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October 20, 2026Episode 5652 min

Diane Sadowski-Joseph on Fear, Trust, & AI Transformation

In this episode of Product Rising, host Shannon Peavey talks with Diane Sadowski-Joseph, co-founder and Head of Product at Clarinet.io, about what it takes to lead people through profound workplace changes created by artificial intelligence. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in organizational transformation, Diane explains why successful AI adoption requires more than new tools. Organizations must address human behavior, systems and processes, and the broader organizational ecosystem, including incentives, expectations, governance, and accountability. The conversation examines the emotional reality beneath AI transformation: fear of missing out, fear of jumping in, fear of job impact, ego pain, fatigue, and uncertainty about whether hard-earned expertise will retain its value. Diane offers a practical definition of psychological safety and explains why leaders build trust by being honest about what is known, what remains uncertain, how decisions are made, and where employees genuinely have influence. Diane and Shannon also explore the limits of bottom-up AI experimentation, the need for leaders to become capable AI decision-makers, realistic timelines for organizational change, and why time saved is not automatically a return on investment. For product leaders carrying the dual burden of building AI into products while also changing how their teams work, Diane shares concrete ways to learn out loud, automate work chores, use customer transcripts as organizational intelligence, and create progress without expecting people to operate like machines. If you are trying to move an organization forward while acknowledging the human costs and uncertainties of AI-driven change, this episode offers a candid, grounded, and hopeful guide. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:32 An approach to durable organizational change 02:58 Why AI change feels faster & more pervasive than past transformations 05:20 The speed-psychology link and the fears shaping AI adoption 07:02 Why relentlessly positive AI messaging can alienate employees 08:32 The truths leaders avoid 09:45 What psychological safety means 12:09 Building trust through transparency 14:20 Supporting leaders through change 16:03 Handling emotional reactions 18:09 Ego pain and the threat to professional identity 23:24 A more honest response to 'AI will not take your job' 24:57 Why bottom-up experimentation is not an AI strategy 27:39 How to improve difficult decisions 32:31 Common AI transformation scenarios 35:55 Being AI-native takes time 37:56 Measuring ROI 43:06 A practical starting point 44:51 Learning out loud 46:15 The dual AI challenge facing product leaders 47:44 How to automate internal work before burnout 48:48 Transcripts, work chores, and AI-enabled product learning 50:57 Final takeaway 52:02 Closing remarks Resources Where to find Diane Sadowski-Joseph https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianesadowski/ Clarinet https://clarinet.io/ People and Organizations Mentioned Claude Code | Anthropic Anthropic's coding tool Anthropic Academy Official Anthropic learning resources for building fluency with Claude OpenAI Academy Free official courses and learning resources for developing practical AI skills.https://academy.openai.com/ Invisible Technologies The AI operations company mentioned in connection with Clarinet product leader Salim Mahdi. Where to find our hosts: Shannon Peavey https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/ 🙋🏻‍♀️ Where to find Women in Product: On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/ Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/ Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561 Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1U Product Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

September 29, 2026Episode 5547 min

Molly Graham: Starting Strong in a High Stakes Role

Some people seem to move forward quickly, like taking on larger roles, driving meaningful change, and increasing their impact, while others with similar experience and capability stall. The gap widens, especially in highly ambiguous and uncertain times with no playbooks to fall back on. As AI accelerates execution and organizational structures become less defined, the way product leaders create impact is changing. Roles are more ambiguous, influence is less tied to title, and expectations continue to expand without clear boundaries In this new series hosted by Jo Saunders, a long time member of the Women In Product community and founder of AscendFaster, the discussion focuses on how to increase your impact. Jo's guest, Molly Graham, is a writer, speaker and the host of the TED podcast WorkLife. She writes the popular substack, Lessons. And has had a long successful career in tech. Molly is definitely someone who has had real impact in many roles and has written and spoken about what it takes to succeed in those high pressure and sometimes ambiguous environments. 📚Resources: WorkLife with Molly Graham - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/worklife-with-molly-graham/id1346314086 Glue Club - https://glueclub.com/ 🌟 Where to find Molly Graham Website: - https://mollygraham.com/ On LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mograham/ On Substack - https://mollyg.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips 🌟 Where to find Jo Sanders On LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannsanders/ 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product: On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/ Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/ Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561 Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1U Product Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

September 15, 2026Episode 5437 min

Changemakers: This year’s Women In Product Conference with Carmen Palmer

Elizabeth Ames flips the script and interviews Carmen Palmer about this year’s Women In Product Conference. Titled Changemakers: Leadership Edition. The conference is designed to bring together executive level women to share, collaborate and learn from one another as we address the rapid changes all around the tech industry. Carmen Palmer is the CEO of Women In Product. Prior to joining Women In Product she was the CPO at MarketCast. She has held senior product roles at NBCUniversal, Yahoo! and DemandMedia. Carmen holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley. In this episode Elizabeth and Carmen discuss this year’s Women In Product Conference at the Computer History Museum in October. Carmen shares details on the speakers, the format, the theme and most importantly the goal. They also discuss some of the key overall programs of Women In Product and how to be a part of this vital community. 00:00 Welcome and Setup 00:57 Theme Change Makers 03:05 What Attendees Gain 06:31 Interactive Format Overview 06:54 Keynotes and Tracks 09:48 Beyond AI Topics 15:25 Networking as a Superpower 21:07 Who Should Attend 24:33 Programs for All Levels 28:11 Career Advice Embrace Uncertainty 32:33 Life Outside Work Authentic Self 35:12 Final Invitation and Wrap In The Lead is a monthly series on Product Rising sharing conversations with a wide range of industry leaders hosted by Carmen Palmer, CEO of Women In Product. Where to find more information on the 2026 Women In Product Conference including an incredible line up of speakers. ✨Where to find Elizabeth: On LinkedIn 💫 Where to find Carmen: On LinkedIn 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product: On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/ Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/ Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561 Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1U Product Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

August 25, 2026Episode 5350 min

Shraddha Sunil & Mudit Saraf on AI in Recruiting

The job market today is tough. AI is making it more difficult for companies to find qualified candidates, and for qualified candidates to standout. Two tech industry veterans dug in to find out what is going on and wrote an eye opening article in the Harvard Business Review about what is going on and how to improve the system for everyone. Shraddha Sunil and Mudit Saraf spoke with Elizabeth Ames about their recent article and recommendations for improving the system for all participants. 00:00 Welcome and HBR Article 02:07 Why Study Recruiting AI 03:11 Research and Interviews 05:39 AI Flooding Applications 08:22 Recruiters Lose Resume Trust 10:23 Broken Signals and School Filters 12:41 Interview Cheating and Proxy Hires 17:26 Entry Level vs Senior Roles 19:37 Company Costs and ATS Changes 22:44 AI Interviewing Tools Explained 25:59 Rubrics Privacy and Bias 31:54 Surfacing Hidden Talent 33:28 Structured AI Interviews 36:07 Fixes for Hiring Leaders 40:18 Risks of Closed Hiring 43:18 Advice for Job Seekers 46:32 Build Projects and Specialize 48:21 Wrap Up and Thanks 📚Resources: HBR article “AI Has Broken Hiring. Here’s How To Fix It” 🌟 Where to find Shraddha Sunil & Mudit Saraf: On LinkedIn Shraddha Sunil https://www.linkedin.com/in/shraddhasunil/ On LinkedIn Mudit Saraf https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudit-saraf/ Where to find our hosts: Shannon Peavey https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/ Elizabeth Ames https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethames/ 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product: On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/ Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/ Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561 Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1U Product Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

August 11, 2026Episode 521 hr 5 min

Kasha Stewart on Making the Leap To Startup Founder

The job market today is tough. So why would you step away from a secure job with a big tech company to start a company from scratch? Turns out there are plenty of reasons. Kasha Stewart took that leap of faith this year and she hasn’t looked back. She’s building, learning and bringing all of her knowledge and skills to bear as she leads a Ed Tech startup with her two co-founders. It’s easy to get focused on staying in a safe job, or stepping into the grind of looking for a new one. Turns out there are other options. Here’s one of them. 00:00 Welcome Back Kasha 01:11 Why She Left Adobe 03:42 Pride And Plateau 07:02 Choosing Entrepreneurship 08:57 Founder Story Spark 12:05 The Problem To Solve 16:13 Creative Roots To Product 19:07 Startup Honeymoon Reality 23:23 Founder Resources Communities 27:09 Talking To VCs Early 29:10 Advisors Equity Basics 30:20 Validate Market And TAM 31:36 Clarity And Focus 33:10 Systematic Execution Habits 33:38 Pilots Metrics And Ambiguity 34:27 Profitability Reality Check 35:17 Rejection And Storytelling 38:48 Pitching Lessons In Real Time 41:17 AI Speed For Founders 44:50 Human Creativity With AI 47:10 Jobs Skills In The AI Era 51:42 Preparing To Make The Leap 54:21 Mindset Market And Small Tests 01:00:08 Final Advice And Wrap Up 📚Resources: FoundHer & FundHer - https://foundherandfundher.com Tech Kickstarters 🌟 Where to find Kasha: On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kashastewart/ Where to find our hosts: Shannon Peavey https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/ Elizabeth Ames https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethames/ 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product: On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/ Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/ Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561 Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1U Product Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

July 28, 2026Episode 5145 min

Catherine Fisher on LinkedIn’s 2026 Guide for Graduates Entering the Job Market

There’s been a lot of conversation lately about how AI is shaping the job market, especially for those just starting out. For recent grads, it can feel unclear where the opportunities are or even where to begin. To help make sense of it, Catherine Fisher, VP of Communications and Career Expert, joins Elizabeth Ames to talk about LinkedIn’s Grad’s Guide. The guide is based on data from LinkedIn as well as information gleaned from conversations with new grads across different roles and industries, as well as those who've taken less traditional routes. The guide arms entry-level professionals with the data and insights on the fastest-growing jobs, industries and locations for entry-level job opportunities. In a challenging job market, the Grad’s Guide helps anyone entering their first full-time role with insights on the entry-level job market, showcasing where opportunity is growing and how to approach their job search more strategically. 00:00 Welcome and LinkedIn Research 03:02 Why the Grads Guide Exists 05:21 A Tougher Job Market Now 07:39 Rethinking Entry Level Paths 10:42 Storytelling Your Experience 14:21 AI and Adaptability Advantage 15:53 Report Highlights Industries Jobs Cities 18:15 Creative Skill Building Alternatives 22:10 Networking That Actually Works 26:22 Ask Specific Favors 27:14 Fifteen Minute Outreach 28:26 Industry Events Strategy 29:37 Networking Into Jobs 31:05 Strategic Job Applying 33:14 LinkedIn Jobs Match 34:12 Getting Interview Feedback 38:02 Practice And Nerves 40:18 New Grad Playbook 42:28 LinkedIn Gym Mindset 44:42 Final Thanks And Links 📚Resources: LinkedIn’s Grad’s Guide 2026 How Graduates Can Find the Best Job Opportunities in 2026 Never Search Alone 🌟 Where to find Catherine: On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinefisherlinkedin/ Where to find our hosts: Shannon Peavey https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/ Elizabeth Ames https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethames/ 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product: On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/ Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/ Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561 Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1U Product Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

July 14, 2026Episode 5052 min

Rita Khan on Digital and Personal Transformations

Rita Khan is a board member and advisor for a variety of organizations including a global consulting firm, a marketing agency, an internationally recognized Art Center. She was recently the Chief Consumer Officer at Optum, a UnitedHeath Group company that provides technology services, pharmacy-care services and various direct healthcare services. Rita has also served as Chief Digital Officer for the Mayo Clinic and has worked extensively as an executive in consumer retail, healthcare and digital services. In this episode Rita shares her journey leading digital transformation in retail and healthcare. She shares her insights on managing teams through transitions and how AI is impacting healthcare. Rita also shares how she is transitioning to a portfolio career - what that looks like and how she has prepared and through about it. In The Lead is a monthly series on Product Rising sharing thought provoking conversations with a wide range of industry leaders hosted by Carmen Palmer, CEO of Women In Product. 00:00 Welcome and Intro 01:31 Retail Roots to Product 04:26 Early Product Pioneers 06:44 Jump to Healthcare 09:06 Mayo Digital Officer Role 12:22 Culture and Change Agent 15:53 Measuring Outcomes in Health 18:15 Shipping Fast in Regulated 21:29 AI in Healthcare Today 24:32 Agentic Future for Patients 26:13 Trust and Transparency 26:52 Leading Through AI Change 29:35 Building a Portfolio Career 32:49 Designing the Flywheel 35:41 Whole Self and Networks 39:11 Burnout and Boundaries 41:54 Empathy in High Pressure 44:25 Women Shaping AI Future 46:48 Courage and Finding Voice 48:56 Sponsors and Mentors 50:08 Healthcare Automation Vision 51:21 Final Charge to Lean In ✨Where to find Rita: On LinkedIn 💫 Where to find Carmen: On LinkedIn 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product: On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/ Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/ Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561 Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1U Product Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

June 30, 2026Episode 4945 min

Chef Kelly Anderson Connects AI to Better-for-You Food

In this episode of Product Rising's AI Safety, Ethics & Responsibility series, host Shannon Peavey sits down with Kelly Anderson, founder and CEO of DyeConverter, an AI-powered platform helping food and beverage companies replace synthetic dyes with natural alternatives. Kelly's path to entrepreneurship is anything but typical. A chef-technologist and the first chef in the world certified by MIT in AI and Machine Learning, she has spent more than a decade leading innovation, R&D, and product development initiatives for brands including Nestlé, Disney, Impossible Foods, Panera Bread, Starbucks, and US Foods. As regulators, consumers, and food manufacturers grapple with the future of food ingredients, Kelly saw an opportunity to apply AI to one of the industry's most complex challenges: reformulating products that rely on synthetic colors. If you've ever wondered how artificial intelligence can move beyond content generation and help solve real-world scientific and operational challenges, this episode is for you. 00:00 Introduction to Kelly Anderson and DyeConverter 02:08 What is a "chef-technologist"? 03:01 How culinary training shaped Kelly's approach to AI and innovation 04:08 From executive chef to food innovation leader 05:28 Discovering a broken food system and finding an AI opportunity 08:10 Why replacing synthetic food dyes is harder than it sounds 10:11 Health, regulatory, and manufacturing risks of natural color alternatives 12:41 How DyeConverter works 14:20 The role of the human in the loop 17:55 Flavor transfer, consumer expectations, and reformulation challenges 19:12 Which food dyes are being phased out? 20:40 AI-powered color matching and the Color Studio 22:42 Data sharing, trade secrets, and AI collaboration in food 25:01 Why the food industry needs food people building food technology 26:28 Beyond food dyes: the future of ingredient reformulation 28:05 Ultra-processed foods, consumer demand, and healthier products 30:22 Why business incentives matter more than good intentions 31:34 Food regulations around the world and lessons from Europe 34:07 What every industry should know about AI adoption 35:40 Consumer rights, transparency, and AI disclosure 36:21 How food companies are using AI today 38:14 AI, sustainability, agriculture, and the future of farming 39:32 Supply chain transparency and food traceability 40:38 Predictions for food, health, and AI over the next decade 42:18 Will healthier food become more affordable? 43:38 Resources for following innovation in food and CPG 44:18 Kelly's favorite cuisine and why she loves classic French cooking 45:15 Closing remarks 📚 Resources Where to find Kelly Anderson: Kelly Anderson on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyai/ Where to find DyeConverter DyeConverter https://dyeconverter.com/ Learn More US Foods https://www.usfoods.com/ Nestle https://www.nestle.com/ U.S. Regulatory Requirements https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/hhs-fda-phase-out-petroleum-based-synthetic-dyes-nations-food-supply U.S. FSMA Food Traceability Requirement https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-requirements-additional-traceability-records-certain-foods Grow to Market Substack https://substack.com/@growtomarket Julia Child’s Coq au Vin recipe https://www.theendlessmeal.com/julia-childs-coq-au-vin/ Where to find our hosts: Shannon Peavey https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/ 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product: On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/ Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/ Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561 Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1U Product Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

June 23, 202643 min

Moritz Sudhof: Why Being a Skeptic Creates Better AI Outcomes

What separates people who achieve remarkable results with AI from those who struggle to get reliable, accurate, or useful outcomes from the exact same tools? In this episode of Product Rising, host Shannon Peavey sits down with Stanford researcher and BigSpin AI founder Moritz Sudhof to explore one of the most overlooked challenges in AI adoption: the human factor. Drawing on research conducted with Stanford professor and Bigspin co-founder Chris Potts, Moritz shares surprising findings from the analysis of tens of thousands of real-world AI conversations. Their work reveals that the difference between successful and unsuccessful AI use often has less to do with the model itself and more to do with how people interact with it. Why do expert users encounter more AI failures than novices, yet achieve dramatically better outcomes? Why do so many users unknowingly accept flawed outputs? And what skills, behaviors, and product design choices can help close the growing divide between AI power users and everyone else? This conversation explores the emerging field of AI fluency, the risks of treating AI like an oracle or a vending machine, and why the future of successful AI products depends on designing not just the model, but the interaction between humans and machines. Moritz is part of our exclusive Product Rising series on AI Ethics, Safety & Responsibility, where host Shannon Peavey speaks with researchers, builders, policymakers, and practitioners working to shape a future where AI delivers meaningful value while preserving human judgment, agency, and trust. Whether you're a product leader, founder, builder, manager, or everyday AI user, this episode offers practical insights into how to get better outcomes from AI and why your own behavior may be one of the most important variables in the equation. CHAPTERS 00:00 Why Some People Get Better Results from AI 01:22 Moritz's Journey: From Language Research to AI Products 03:42 AI Is Not a Human Replacement 06:49 The Coaching Experiment That Changed Everything 09:14 Same AI, Different Outcomes 10:43 Designing User Behavior, Not Just AI Behavior 12:13 The Research Behind AI Fluency 15:14 The User Fluency Paradox 17:01 Why Expert Users See More Failures 19:18 Invisible Failures and Silent Mistakes 21:12 The Skills Every AI User Needs 21:55 Embrace the Skeptic Mindset 23:22 The Biggest Misconceptions About AI 25:42 The Vending Machine Problem 26:16 The Growing Divide Between AI Users 28:08 Introducing Bigspin 30:47 Bringing Product Builders Back Into the Room 32:33 Why AI Adoption Isn't a Tool Rollout 34:45 Passengers vs. Pilots 36:24 Improving Your AI Outcomes Today 37:49 What Product Builders Should Demand 40:16 Advice for Product Leaders Building AI Products 42:00 We're Designing Interactions Now 43:15 Final Thoughts and Where to Learn More 📚 Resources Bigspin AI https://bigspin.ai/ Stanford University https://www.stanford.edu/ BetterUp https://www.betterup.com/ Where to find Moritz Sudhof: Moritz Sudhof on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sudhof/ Where to find Chris Potts - Chris Potts on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-potts-505611321/ -Chris Potts at Stanford https://web.stanford.edu/~cgpotts/ Where to find the paper Chris and Moritz authored called “A Paradox on AI Fluency” - https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.25905 Where to find our hosts: Shannon Peavey https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/ Elizabeth Ames https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethames/ 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product: On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/ Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/ Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561 Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1U Product Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9

June 16, 2026Episode 4746 min

Lacey Picazo on the Nuances of AI in Healthcare

How do we introduce AI into high-stakes human environments without losing trust, safety, judgment, or effectiveness? This episode features a conversation with Lacey Picazo, CEO and founder of ZoCo Design, a research and design consultancy focused on helping organizations build human-centered digital products and AI experiences. Lacey, a professional product designer by trade, is a serial entrepreneur with strong opinions on the ways customer behavior interplays with AI and can change depending on the application or the environment. With host Shannon Peavey, Lacey discusses a case study where her firm worked with mTuitive, a leader in digital pathology and cancer care, in order to illuminate the way behavioral science, workflow design, and human-centered product thinking can shape whether AI succeeds or fails in clinical environments. Rather than treating AI adoption as a purely technical challenge, this episode explores how clinicians and patients respond emotionally, cognitively, and behaviorally when AI enters decision-making processes, and why “more automation” is not always better. This is a thoughtful discussion about innovation, responsibility, understanding the rewards - as well as the risks - of a future that is reckoning with finding the right formulas for human-machine collaboration. Importantly, it also addresses the ways we can support the next generation in an AI-shaped world. Lacey is part of our exclusive new Product Rising podcast series, where host Shannon Peavey explores the world of AI Ethics, Safety & Responsibility . 00:00 Intro to the topic: AI enters healthcare 01:33 Why healthcare is different from other industries 04:05 Consumer product thinking doesn't always work 05:54 The stakeholder problem: patients, providers, payers, and more 07:02 Trust is kind of a big deal 08:29 Today it's easy to build, but still not easy to get adoption 09:55 Tempted to skip testing? Don't. 12:16 Why human behavior matters more than product features 14:23 Understanding clinicians as users 18:09 Where AI creates hesitation and bad friction 20:09 Professional identity: "Am I the kind of person who uses this?" 21:14 The mTuitive cancer care case study 24:21 Challenging assumptions before building 26:18 How clinician research actually works 28:31 What clinicians really want from AI 30:44 Will resistance to AI fade over time? 32:31 Finding the balance between efficiency and safety 34:23 Why some friction is actually good 36:40 Are companies overestimating automation? 38:35 The skill every AI product leader still needs 40:05 How to build customer intimacy in the AI era 42:56 Ambient listening and the unintended consequences of AI 44:22 The food bank story: how fear shapes behavior 45:58 Slow down: AI's hidden human costs 46:55 Closing thoughts 📚Resources: ZoCo Design https://zocodesign.com/ ZoCo Design’s mTuitive Case Study https://zocodesign.com/case-studies/mtuitive-case-study mTuitive https://www.mtuitive.com/ Melissa Perri https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissajeanperri/ Teresa Torres https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresatorres/ Women in Product’s Podcast Episode with Teresa Torres https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/continuous-discovery-with-teresa-torres/id1584224561?i=1000672408840 Shreyas Dosi’s Maven course https://maven.com/shreyas-doshi/product-sense?promoCode=MAVEN100&promoCode=MAVEN100 Where to find Lacey: Lacey Picazo, ZoCo Design https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/ Where to find our hosts: Shannon Peavey https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmad/ 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product: On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-product/posts/ Website https://womenpm.org/ Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/ Product Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561 Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1U Product Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9