In this episode of AI Leadership Lab, host Ryan Heath sits down with Larissa Schneider, COO and co-founder of Unframe AI, to discuss how her company is revolutionizing enterprise AI adoption. Larissa shares the origin story of Unframe, their unique "try before you buy" approach, and how they're helping Fortune 500 companies move from one AI use case to 17+ in just a few quarters.
Key Topics:
Why most AI vendors are taking value instead of providing it
The "Lego building blocks" approach to enterprise AI
How to get unstuck from data paralysis
Moving from 18-month consulting engagements to 45-minute discovery calls
Building a customer-first culture in a global startup
The future of AI in the workplace
More about the guest: Larissa Schneider is the COO and co-founder of Unframe AI, a platform that helps enterprises implement AI solutions quickly and efficiently. Previously, she worked at Noname Security and spent six years at Nutanix in enterprise sales and marketing. Larissa and her co-founders launched Unframe in early 2024 to address the gap between AI hype and actual enterprise value delivery.
Timestamps
[00:00] Intro - The try-before-you-buy AI model
[01:03] The origin story of Unframe AI
[03:05] The "Lego building blocks" approach to AI
[05:34] Breaking through data paralysis
[07:31] The overwhelming AI landscape in 2025
[09:30] Balancing hype with engineering truth
[12:19] How enterprises interface with the Unframe platform
[14:00] What Unframe got wrong initially and how they pivoted
[15:59] Building a customer-first culture
[17:40] Global adoption trends and surprises
[20:00] Ethical considerations and responsible AI
[22:01] The future of AI leadership, AI use in board meetings
[24:25] Where AI will be in 3-5 years
Key Quotes
"There's no other industry that can say, sure, I'll build it for you. You can try it and only if you like it, you'll pay me on an outcome-based pricing model."
"If a human can interact with it, the AI is smart enough to figure it out as long as it's tailored in the right direction."
"Software should fit the humans and the enterprise processes that they have evaluated, not the other way around."
Resources & Links
Unframe AI: https://www.unframe.ai/
Connect with Larissa Schneider: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schneiderlarissa/
Ryan Heath Consulting: ryanhealthconsulting.com
In this episode of AI Leadership Lab, host Ryan Heath sits down with Miriam Vogel, President and CEO of EqualAI, to explore the critical intersection of AI governance, literacy, and trust.
With half of Americans more concerned than excited about AI, Miriam offers a roadmap for building responsible AI systems that deserve public trust.
From discussing the litigation boom around AI to sharing real-world examples of companies getting it right, this conversation provides actionable insights for leaders navigating the AI revolution.
Trust is Earned, Not Assumed
AI adoption requires governance and transparency. Companies that deploy AI responsibly—with CEO involvement and clear accountability—see significantly higher trust and adoption rates than those that don't.
AI Literacy is Essential
Most people don't realize they're already using AI daily through GPS, news feeds, and streaming services. Closing the literacy gap requires acknowledging fears, explaining mitigation strategies, and demonstrating realworld benefits.
Speed Up Responsibility, Not Just Innovation
Rather than slowing down AI development, leaders should accelerate responsible practices. Existing laws already apply to AI, and litigation has increased six-fold over six years—expected to double or more.
Good AI Hygiene is Universal
Smart companies across industries—from banks to consumer goods—are converging on similar best practices: transparency, accountability, employee involvement, and continuous monitoring for model drift and new use cases.
Leadership Matters
Organizations that involve senior executives in AI rollout, prioritize employee upskilling, and treat workers as ambassadors rather than obstacles see dramatically better outcomes in both adoption and innovation.
Miriam Vogel is the President and CEO of EqualAI, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting artificial intelligence governance. A former policymaker, lawyer, and general counsel, Miriam brings practical expertise in helping senior executives, boards, and organizations implement responsible AI practices. She works with leading companies across industries—from financial institutions to consumer goods—advising on governance frameworks, risk mitigation, and building trust through transparency and accountability.
Miriam is the co-author of "Governing the Machine" (released October 28th), which examines AI gone wrong while spotlighting governance done right, showing that we don't need to slow innovation—we need to speed up responsibility. The book distills lessons from Microsoft, Google DeepMind, PepsiCo, and Accenture, as well as regulators from Singapore to the United States, giving executives a concrete, global playbook for safe, effective adoption. Her work emphasizes the inseparability of AI governance and AI literacy, viewing them as "hand in glove" necessities for successful AI adoption.
EqualAI Website: https://www.equalai.org/about-us/leadership/miriam-vogel/
Book: "Governing the Machine" - https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/governing-the-machine9781399426275/
AI Leadership Lab interviews C-suite leaders about their AI journeys, covering what's working, where they're getting stuck, how they pivot, and the lessons they take from the losses.
Host: Ryan Heath
Website: RyanHeathConsulting.com
In this episode of the AI Leadership Lab podcast, host Ryan Heath sits down with Fahad Hassan, CEO and co-founder of Range, to explore how AI is blowing up financial advice as we know it.
Fahad shares insights into how Range is leveraging AI to automate financial advice, aiming to replace traditional relationship-based models with technology-driven solutions, highlighting Range's journey in understanding customer pain points to build a fully autonomous advisory system.
Fahad discusses the philosophical and practical shifts in the industry, including Range's innovative pricing model that challenges the conventional asset-based fee structures. The episode also touches on the regulatory landscape and the importance of radical transparency.
With a vision of making financial advice accessible and efficient, Fahad outlines Range's commitment to delivering personalized solutions for 99.9% of people who want wealth management support.
In this episode of the AI Leadership Lab, host Ryan Heath engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Ryan Steelberg, CEO of Veritone, a leading enterprise AI software company. The discussion delves into the evolution of AI in the ad tech industry, exploring how cognitive AI models have transformed the landscape of media and advertising.
Steelberg shares insights into the importance of structuring data and the role of AI in solving complex problems for enterprises. Listeners will gain valuable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in regulated industries and network-isolated environments.
Steelberg emphasizes the need for a clear understanding of business needs when integrating AI solutions, cautioning against the allure of shiny new technologies without a solid foundation. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of AI, media, and business innovation.
Host Ryan Heath dives into the transformative impact of AI on Search and Answer Engine Optimization with Zak Ali, the US General Manager of Finder.
Zak shares his journey into AI, highlighting his initial apprehensions and quick embrace of the tech that is upending his industry.
The episode explores the delicate balance between leveraging AI for efficiency and maintaining the human element that adds authenticity and value to digital content.
Ryan and Zak tackle the broader implications of AI on the digital ecosystem, including the potential decline of traditional web browsing and the rise of AI-driven search experiences, emphasising the need for a thoughtful approach to privacy and data usage.