Mindful AI

In this episode of Mindful AI, we sit down with Kirk Mitchell, a Google geospatial leader and long-time champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion, to explore what happens when AI is grounded in the physical world.Kirk traces his journey from hand-drawn cartography at RMIT to today’s planet-scale mapping systems, and explains why geospatial context is becoming a core ingredient for more reliable AI. We unpack “grounding” (connecting generative models to trusted, up-to-date maps data), and why this matters for everything from everyday navigation to reducing hallucinations in location-based queries.The conversation moves from maps as convenience to maps as human rights infrastructure, including how tools like Plus Codes can function as an address for communities that do not have formal street addressing. We also discuss what “local” really means in the Global South: two-wheel mobility, landmark-based directions, and safety-first design for riders.From there, Kirk shares some of the most compelling “AI for good” work happening right now:Project Green Light, using AI-driven recommendations to improve traffic signal timing and reduce emissions (including work in Boston).Contrail avoidance, where AI-informed routing can significantly reduce warming impacts from aviation contrails.Earth Engine, which makes large-scale Earth observation and analysis accessible for research and many noncommercial uses.We also go into the more nuanced terrain: autonomous vehicles and safety (and the second-order impacts on professional drivers), bias and perspective-taking, and Kirk’s caution that outsourcing creativity and spatial reasoning may come with hidden cognitive costs.If you’re interested in AI that is not just powerful, but situated, accountable, and human-centered, this episode offers both practical frameworks and philosophical pressure-tests.🔔 Subscribe to Mindful AI for more in-depth conversations on ethical AI and human flourishing.💬 Do you think AI will expand human creativity, or slowly replace the struggle that makes creativity meaningful? Tell us in the comments.🎙 Links from the episode:🔗 Grounding with Google Maps (Gemini / Maps grounding):🔗 Project Green Light (traffic signal optimization)🔗 Project Contrails (contrail avoidance research)🔗 Plus Codes (addresses without street addresses)🔗 Google Earth Engine
🔗 Waymo safety benchmarks (7M+ rider-only miles)
🔗 Book: The Second Machine Age (Brynjolfsson & McAfee) 🔗 Book: Could Should Might Don’t (Nick Foster):
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome, Tech Diversity Awards, and Kirk’s DEI roots
03:00 From cartography to Google: mapping at planet scale
05:34 Why AI is essential for high-definition, always-updated maps
06:17 Grounding AI in the physical world (and reducing hallucinations)
08:45 Addresses as a human right: Plus Codes and inclusion
10:05 Local navigation realities: two-wheelers, landmarks, and safety
13:11 Democratizing geospatial AI: prompts, “vibe coding,” and new builders
15:15 Earth Engine: geospatial AI for climate and sustainability
18:03 Maker tools vs autonomy: Waymo and the safety promise
23:23 Project Green Light: smarter traffic signals, lower emissions
25:12 Aviation contrails: AI-informed routing for climate impact
26:57 Mapping kelp forests: climate resilience in Australia
33:00 Bias, tribalism, and AI as a thinking partner
48:11 Practical advice: mindful AI use, diverse voices, and “shipwrecks”👉 Enjoyed this episode? Like, comment, and subscribe to support mindful, meaningful conversations on AI and ethics.

In this episode of Mindful AI, we welcome Nazareen Ebrahim, South African AI ethicist and founder of Naz Consulting International, whose work champions diverse voices in the global AI conversation.
From a pivotal conversation at Web Summit 2018 to mentorship with the World Economic Forum, Nazareen now educates healthcare professionals, schools, and communities across Africa about responsible AI. We explore why diverse representation matters, how Western-centric training data perpetuates bias, and what it means when one in three South Africans still don't know about AI.
The conversation tackles solutions in action: South Africa's AI maturity framework, healthcare regulations for practitioners, and Nazareen's forthcoming AI for Everyone Handbook. She argues for agency through education, better questions, and the African philosophy of Ubuntu—"I am because you are."
If you believe AI should reflect all of humanity, not just Silicon Valley, this conversation offers both critique and practical pathways forward.
🎙 Links from the episode:🔗 Centre for AI and Digital Policy: https://www.caidp.org/🔗 Lelapa AI (South African language models): https://lelapa.ai/🔗 Centre for Humane Technology: https://www.humanetech.com/
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Skateboarding Johannesburg and the journey to AI ethics
05:00 Web Summit 2018: the conversation that changed everything
10:00 Why diverse voices matter in AI ethics
18:00 Western-centric training data and the mirror problem
24:00 Indigenous AI research and language equity
34:00 Centre for AI and Digital Policy: building AI literacy
41:00 Solutions in action: education, maturity frameworks, and healthcare regulations
50:00 What we can do: asking questions and responsible digital citizenship
53:00 Ubuntu: AI can only be as mindful as the humans behind it

In this episode of Mindful AI, we speak with Mike Spaeth, Global Vice President at the United States Artificial Intelligence Institute (USAII). Mike’s journey spans politics in Washington DC, early AI personalization at Amazon, IBM’s Watson, and now leading global AI education across 160+ countries.
We explore the AI race, ethics, and education: from empowering young students in Nigeria and Ghana, to vendor-agnostic certifications, to the question of whether acceleration is overshadowing accountability. Mike shares why inclusivity, ethics, and AI literacy are essential if we want a future where technology serves human flourishing.
If you’re interested in AI for good, this conversation is packed with insight and inspiration.
🔗 Links from the episode:
• United States Artificial Intelligence Institute (USAII)
Chapters
00:00 – Welcome & Mike’s birdwatching practice
02:30 – What the USAII is and why ethics matters
07:00 – The global AI race and education in Africa
10:00 – Mike’s journey from politics to Amazon & Watson
13:00 – Jobs, dignity, and what humans do best
17:30 – Making AI literacy inclusive & jargon-free
21:30 – Ethics training for students, engineers, and C-suites
26:00 – Acceleration, military pressure, and healthcare promises
33:00 – What listeners can do today to influence AI’s future
38:00 – The literacy gap in HR and schools
44:00 – Energy, infrastructure, and affordability
49:00 – Why Big Tech holds the keys
52:00 – Black boxes, explainability, and risks
59:00 – Positive use cases of AI and closing reflections
Follow Mindful AI for more in-depth conversations on ethical AI and human flourishing.

In this episode of Mindful AI, we speak with Mary Adewunmi, a rising force in medical AI whose work is transforming cancer diagnostics and chronic disease treatment.
Mary is a PhD candidate at the Menzies School of Health Research, founder of CARES AI, and a recipient of multiple prestigious awards for her deep learning research. But behind her technical achievements is a deeply personal story: a tragic misdiagnosis in her own family sparked her journey into healthcare AI.
We explore the promise—and the pitfalls—of AI in medicine: from democratizing diagnosis to the urgent need for ethical oversight, bias mitigation, and human-centered design. Mary shares how empathy, co-design with communities, and data accountability must guide the future of AI in healthcare.
If you’re passionate about AI for good, this conversation will leave you inspired—and better informed.
🔔 Subscribe to Mindful AI for more in-depth conversations on ethical AI and human flourishing.
💬 What role should AI play in healthcare? Let us know in the comments!
🎙 Links from the episode:
🔗 CARES AI: https://caresai.org/
🔗 Menzies School of Health Research: https://www.menzies.edu.au/

📌 Chapters
00:00:00 Introducing Mary Adewunmi
00:00:45 A personal tragedy sparks a mission
00:03:00 From computer science to cancer care
00:07:00 Why cancer research became her focus
00:10:00 What CARES AI is doing differently
00:12:00 AI outperforming doctors: promise and pitfalls
00:15:00 Empathy and accuracy in AI models
00:17:00 Democratizing healthcare with AI
00:20:00 The role of AI in treatment and clinical support
00:24:00 Ethical concerns: bias, black boxes, data privacy
00:28:00 Policy gaps and real-world consequences
00:33:00 Human-in-the-loop and co-design with patients
00:38:00 Can AI be truly creative?
00:45:00 Final thoughts and what needs to change
00:46:30 Subscribe & stay tuned for Part 2
👉 Enjoyed this episode? Like, comment, and subscribe to support mindful, meaningful conversations on AI and ethics.

In this episode of Mindful AI, we sit down with Merve Hickok, a leading voice in AI ethics and policy. As the President of the Center for AI and Digital Policy and Founder of AIethicist.org, Merve has been at the forefront of shaping global AI governance.
She shares her journey from corporate innovation to championing human rights in AI, offering insights into:
• The biggest ethical challenges of AI
• How policymakers influence responsible AI
• The impact of AI on marginalized communities
• How she stays balanced in the fast-moving world of AI—and how scuba diving plays a surprising role in her mindfulness practice
If you care about the future of AI and its role in society, this episode is a must-listen.
🔔 Subscribe to Mindful AI to stay updated on thought-provoking discussions with leaders shaping the future of artificial intelligence.
💬 What are your thoughts on AI governance? Share your insights in the comments!
📌 Chapters
00:00 – Introducing Merve Hickok
00:12 – From corporate innovation to AI ethics
00:25 – Why AI governance matters now more than ever
00:32 – The biggest ethical risks in AI today
00:42 – How AI affects marginalized communities
00:55 – Scuba diving and staying grounded in AI ethics
01:10 – The role of policymakers in responsible AI
01:25 – What individuals can do to shape AI’s future
01:40 – Hope for the future of AI governance
01:55 – Final thoughts & where to learn more
02:10 – Subscribe & leave a review!
🔗 Links from the Episode
🌐 AIethicist.org
🌐 Center for AI and Digital Policy
🌐 OECD AI policies
👉 Enjoyed this episode? Like, share, and subscribe to support more meaningful conversations on AI and ethics!