Empowering women in technology through education, mentorship, and networking—this is the mission of Christine Bongard, the co-founder and CEO of the WIT Network, a global non-profit organization dedicated on providing professional development, technology training, and leadership development for women. In this #shifthappens episode, we explore the impact of AI in the technology industry, addressing both the opportunities and challenges AI presents for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Portugal is experiencing a cultural and digital shift with the bring-your-own-AI trend spanning across generations. According to the 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report from Microsoft and LinkedIn, 85% of Gen Z employees and 73% of boomers are already bringing their AI skills and knowledge to the workplace. Andrés Ortolá, General Manager of Microsoft Portugal, shares his insights on AI's potential to digitally transform traditional industries like education, healthcare, and justice, as well as the importance of responsible AI implementation.

According to the Microsoft Work Trend Index, 88% of knowledge workers in Vietnam use generative AI, higher than the global average of 75%. Vietnam has long been known for its young, open-minded, and tech-savvy population. Tram Nguyen, General Director of Microsoft Vietnam, shares fascinating insights into how the country is now taking giant leaps in technology adoption, particularly in AI innovation.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the global business landscape, and Australia and New Zealand are no exception. In this episode of the #shifthappens podcast, Chandima Kulathilake, Account Technology Strategist for Microsoft ANZ Public Sector, shared valuable insights on AI adoption trends, challenges, and opportunities in the region. He emphasized that successful AI implementation depends on factors such as digital skilling, maturity, and the availability of quality data sets that people can trust.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept but a transformative tool reshaping industries and revolutionizing the way we live, learn, and work. In this episode of #shifthappens Alex Pearce, a Microsoft MVP and a Chief Strategist for Microsoft and Education at Softcat, shares insights on leveraging Microsoft's Copilot capabilities to maximize investments and drive innovation in education, healthcare, and the workplace.

Many businesses are concerned about the impact of AI on content creation and SEO. Greg Brooks, Partner and CMO at SearchTides, offers a balanced perspective suggesting that AI should be viewed as a powerful assistant rather than a replacement for human expertise. AI can significantly boost productivity but maintaining authenticity in an AI-driven world remains crucial for creating truly valuable content for better customer experience.

How can writers strike a balance between the human element and AI collaboration? In this engaging episode of #shifthappens, Nick Usborne, a pioneer in digital copywriting with over four decades of industry experience, delves into effectively leveraging generative AI with prompt engineering and creating powerful content with emotional storytelling. He also shares insightful perspectives on the industry transformation to a more data-driven approach and potential pitfalls of overreliance on AI making it harder to differentiate your content and to connect with audiences.

It’s not always about successes and failures, each step and experience are just as important in your journey to transformation. In this episode of #shifthappens, Michael Frew, a technology veteran with more than 20 years of experience in the industry, shares his insights on the pros and cons of acquiring a business and navigating the challenges that come with ownership. He also discusses the impact of AI on business valuations and the importance of finding the right fit for both the company and the talent involved.