The Data Diva E263 - Karen Smiley and Debbie Reynolds

Send us a textIn Episode 263 of The Data Diva Talks Privacy Podcast, Debbie Reynolds, The Data Diva, talks with Karen Smiley, Founder and Owner of She Writes AI LLC, about the complex ethical questions emerging as artificial intelligence systems leverage vast amounts of creative and personal data without clear permission or accountability. They examine how rapid innovation is challenging legacy rules around copyright, content reuse, and compensation, especially for creators whose work fuels AI models without acknowledgment or benefit. Karen explains why opacity in data sourcing and AI training has created a critical trust gap that reflects deeper societal risks.The conversation explores the hidden environmental and labor impacts that many users never see, including the enormous resources required to run large scale systems and the human labor behind data annotation and content moderation. Debbie and Karen discuss how misinformation, inaccurate outputs, and lack of transparency threaten both consumer well being and global cyber resilience, revealing a growing disconnect between hype and ethical responsibility across industries rushing to adopt AI.Listeners will hear how real awareness and education can empower individuals to ask harder questions, influence product choices, and demand systems that reflect fairness, safety, and truth. This episode highlights why companies must evolve from simply extracting value to earning user trust through ethical design, accountability, and consistent respect for the people who generate data and creativity that make AI possible.Support the showBecome an insider, join Data Diva Confidential for data strategy and data privacy insights delivered to your inbox. 💡 Receive expert briefings, practical guidance, and exclusive resources designed for leaders shaping the future of data and AI. 👉 Join here: http://bit.ly/3Jb8S5p Debbie Reynolds Consulting, LLC

Send us a textIn Episode 262 of The Data Diva Talks Privacy Podcast, Debbie Reynolds, The Data Diva, talks with Nicola Fabiano, Lawyer, Data Protection, Data Governance and Cybersecurity Advisor, and Author, about how defining artificial intelligence clearly is essential to regulating it effectively. They explain why the world must move beyond broad general terms and begin focusing on artificial intelligence systems to ensure that legal frameworks match the real operational and privacy impacts already influencing everyday life. Nicola shares his view that society is not entering the age of AI, but is finally recognizing its long standing presence and the complexity behind its rapid expansion.They explore the delicate balance between innovation and fundamental rights as advanced AI becomes deeply integrated into global business, government, infrastructure, and daily decision making. The conversation addresses gaps in traditional oversight, the need for practical governance tools, and how neural network development challenges prior assumptions about data, consent, control, and risk. Nicola outlines why privacy law cannot operate in isolation, but must link with technical standards and ethical expectations to truly protect individuals and prevent unintended harm.Listeners will gain insight into Nicola’s multi layer approach, which combines legal, scientific, operational, and ethical perspectives to keep AI growth aligned with human values. This episode underscores why collaboration across disciplines is critical for setting boundaries that encourage responsible progress, reduce uncertainty, and build trust in intelligent systems with global influenceSupport the showBecome an insider, join Data Diva Confidential for data strategy and data privacy insights delivered to your inbox. 💡 Receive expert briefings, practical guidance, and exclusive resources designed for leaders shaping the future of data and AI. 👉 Join here: http://bit.ly/3Jb8S5p Debbie Reynolds Consulting, LLC

Send us a textIn Episode 261 of The Data Diva Talks Privacy Podcast, Debbie Reynolds, The Data Diva, talks with Jesse Kirkpatrick, Co Director at the Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center at George Mason University, about the rapidly expanding adoption of generative artificial intelligence and the significant risks that accompany this high velocity of change. They examine the widespread excitement around AI and why its usefulness is intertwined with sensitive data that may be collected without boundaries or transparency, leaving the public in the dark. The discussion digs into why people cannot easily understand how their data is being used, whether informed consent is truly possible, and what happens when powerful systems learn from information that individuals never intended to share.Debbie and Jesse also evaluate how governments, major technology companies, and commercial applications rely on massive data acquisition to fuel model performance, raising questions about privacy protection, public safety, and whether surveillance harms can be reversed. They discuss the real dangers behind model hallucination, accuracy failures, security breaches, and malicious exploitation, especially when artificial intelligence is used for high stakes decisions without accountability.Listeners will learn why Jesse believes responsible innovation must precede scaled deployment and how transparency, enforceable obligations, and redress mechanisms can help society avoid severe consequences as these systems evolve. This episode highlights the urgent need for clear guardrails while encouraging deeper public understanding of how generative AI reshapes social trust, personal rights, and the boundaries of data use.Support the showBecome an insider, join Data Diva Confidential for data strategy and data privacy insights delivered to your inbox. 💡 Receive expert briefings, practical guidance, and exclusive resources designed for leaders shaping the future of data and AI. 👉 Join here: http://bit.ly/3Jb8S5p Debbie Reynolds Consulting, LLC

Send us a textEpisode 260 – Jon Bello: The Evolution of Privacy in the Philippines and Across AsiaIn this episode of The Data Diva Talks Privacy Podcast, Debbie Reynolds, The Data Diva, speaks with Jon Bello, Partner at MBS Law Offices and IAPP 2025 Vanguard of the Year, about how the Philippines has emerged as a regional leader in privacy and data protection. They discuss how the country transitioned from business process outsourcing compliance to a culture of national awareness, and how its unique cultural and legal frameworks continue to influence privacy in Asia. Jon explains that the Philippines was one of the first Asian nations to pass a comprehensive data privacy law after the EU Data Directive but before the GDPR. He and Debbie examine how the Filipino language lacks a direct translation for the word “privacy,” reflecting a family-centric culture that values openness and community. They explore how this cultural context has shaped attitudes toward data sharing and protection. Jon also highlights how the National Privacy Commission has creatively raised public awareness through social media, educational jingles, and outreach campaigns aimed at children.The discussion explores how the BPO industry contributed to the passage of the 2012 Privacy and Cybersecurity Laws and how many organizations now operate under three concurrent frameworks: U.S. privacy laws, such as HIPAA and PCI DSS, the Philippine Data Privacy Act, and the GDPR. Jon explains the importance of the Philippine requirement for a “privacy manual,” which goes beyond a privacy policy to define accountability and governance, as well as the legal requirement to register Data Protection Officers. Debbie and Jon also examine the region’s growing focus on AI governance, including Japan’s soft-law model and the Philippines’ proposed registration system for high-risk AI. The episode highlights the cultural diversity and context-specific nature of Asia’s privacy frameworks, underscoring their critical role in the global dialogue on privacy and technology.Support the showBecome an insider, join Data Diva Confidential for data strategy and data privacy insights delivered to your inbox. 💡 Receive expert briefings, practical guidance, and exclusive resources designed for leaders shaping the future of data and AI. 👉 Join here: http://bit.ly/3Jb8S5p Debbie Reynolds Consulting, LLC

Send us a textEpisode 259 – Andreea Lisievici Nevin: Building Global Privacy Leadership and CultureIn this episode of The Data Diva Talks Privacy Podcast, Debbie Reynolds, The Data Diva, speaks with Andreea Lisievici Nevin, Privacy, Digital, and AI Lawyer at PrivacyCraft, about how privacy leadership must extend beyond compliance to become an integral part of organizational culture and accountability. They discuss how privacy has evolved from a niche legal concern into a global business imperative that demands collaboration across legal, technical, and operational teams. Andreea explains that while many professionals understand the rules, the real challenge lies in translating those rules into effective, repeatable business processes. She and Debbie explore the difference between describing what compliance requires and operationalizing those requirements inside complex organizations.The discussion examines how privacy professionals serve as bridge builders between legal, business, and technical domains, using communication and practical governance to ensure accountability. Andreea describes the cultural differences between privacy leadership in the European Union and the United States, noting that U.S. privacy officers often take a more proactive and decision-making role, while EU data protection officers function as independent advisors rather than implementers. Debbie and Andreea also emphasize the importance of tone from the top, explaining that privacy culture cannot thrive without active leadership support and visible alignment with company values. They explore why accountability must be embedded through clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines, rather than being treated as a checkbox exercise. The conversation also covers the role of certification in the profession and why credentials alone do not ensure true capability. Andreea explains that continuous learning, mentorship, and collaboration are essential for sustaining privacy excellence. The episode highlights how communication, trust, and shared ownership define mature privacy programs and how strong leadership helps organizations transform compliance into enduring value.Support the showBecome an insider, join Data Diva Confidential for data strategy and data privacy insights delivered to your inbox. 💡 Receive expert briefings, practical guidance, and exclusive resources designed for leaders shaping the future of data and AI. 👉 Join here: http://bit.ly/3Jb8S5p Debbie Reynolds Consulting, LLC

Send us a textEpisode 258 – Terry Bollinger: Understanding the Limits of Artificial IntelligenceIn this episode of The Data Diva Talks Privacy Podcast, Debbie Reynolds, The Data Diva, speaks with Terry Bollinger, retired technology analyst at MITRE, about the limits of artificial intelligence and the growing risks of relying on systems that only mimic human understanding. They discuss how large language models operate as mimicry machines, imitating intelligence rather than achieving it, and how this design choice leads to fundamental weaknesses in trust, accuracy, and accountability. Terry explains that AI models based on probability and pattern replication erase uniqueness, creating false confidence in their results. He warns that by averaging data rather than analyzing meaning, these systems blur important distinctions, making it difficult to detect errors, anomalies, or malicious activity. Debbie and Terry explore why true privacy and security depend on identifying outliers —the small deviations that reveal hidden threats, rather than relying on average trends.Terry describes how traditional security systems are built on clearly defined boundaries, data paths, and verification processes, while modern AI systems often remove those controls. He emphasizes that when data is distributed, reweighted, and stored probabilistically, it becomes nearly impossible to verify what has been learned, lost, or leaked. The conversation examines the risks of utilizing LLMs in sensitive environments, where transmitting confidential data to remote commercial systems can compromise containment and integrity. Terry discusses how interpolation, or the act of filling in the blanks when data is missing, leads AI to generate convincing but incorrect answers, what he calls “random noise masquerading as insight.” Debbie and Terry also examine why intelligence, wisdom, and comprehension cannot be replicated through scale or speed. The episode concludes with a reflection on the importance of human judgment, accountability, and boundary control in an era where automation is expanding faster than understanding.Support the showBecome an insider, join Data Diva Confidential for data strategy and data privacy insights delivered to your inbox. 💡 Receive expert briefings, practical guidance, and exclusive resources designed for leaders shaping the future of data and AI. 👉 Join here: http://bit.ly/3Jb8S5p Debbie Reynolds Consulting, LLC

Send us a textThe Data Diva Talks Privacy Podcast – Episode 257 with Gina King, Cyber vCISO and Communications Consultant, King and Company CapitalStruggling to bridge the gap between business and technology teams? In this episode, Gina King shares how building trust and understanding unlocks stronger security outcomes. She also explains why companies rushing into AI without cleaning up their data first are putting their organizations at serious risk.Gina and I discuss how she bridges communication between technical teams and business leadership, and why understanding motivations and emotions drives better collaboration. We explore how overlooked “folklore processes” create hidden risks, how insider threats and employee churn accelerate knowledge loss during the AI rush, and why privacy and cybersecurity must work symbiotically. Gina explains why data problems almost always precede privacy problems, the dangers of AI drift and misapplied answers, and the legal risks created by unclear contracts, consent gaps, and ambiguous rights to use AI.We also examine the growing problem of fake AI companies, data-siphoning tools, and the risk they pose to small businesses, and why business leaders must align their data story before adopting AI.This podcast reaches listeners in 140+ countries and 3,000+ cities and features leaders shaping global privacy, AI, and emerging technology strategy. If you are a business leader, CISO, or privacy professional, this episode will help you prevent AI chaos by fixing your data story and building trust between teams.Subscribe to The Data Diva Talks Privacy Podcast for more conversations with global leaders shaping the future of privacy, data, and emerging technology.#dataprivacy #datadiva #privacy #cybersecurity #AI #datagovernance #businessriskSupport the showBecome an insider, join Data Diva Confidential for data strategy and data privacy insights delivered to your inbox. 💡 Receive expert briefings, practical guidance, and exclusive resources designed for leaders shaping the future of data and AI. 👉 Join here: http://bit.ly/3Jb8S5p Debbie Reynolds Consulting, LLC

Send us a textEpisode 256 – Jennifer Wondracek, Director of the Law Library and Professor of Legal Research and Writing, Capital University Law School, ABA Women of Legal Tech HonoreeWhat happens when courts rely on fake cases created by AI? Jennifer Wondracek examines the risks associated with AI in legal research and education.On The Data Diva Talks Privacy Podcast, Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva,” speaks with Jennifer Wondracek, Director of the Law Library and Professor of Legal Research and Writing at Capital University Law School, and ABA Women of Legal Tech Honoree, about the risks of AI in legal research and the responsibility of lawyers and educators to ensure its proper use. Wondracek highlights how courts have already faced real-world consequences when AI systems generated fabricated cases, exposing serious risks to professional practice.She shares her perspective as a leader in law librarianship and legal technology, describing the epidemic of misattributed citations in legal filings and the dangers of allowing AI to revise legal writing without proper oversight. Wondracek explains why lawyers must verify sources rather than rely blindly on AI outputs, and why technology competency is now a critical requirement in the profession. She traces the shift from print to digital research and considers how AI represents the next stage of transformation. The discussion also addresses how legal education must adapt to prepare students for AI-driven research and practice, ensuring the next generation is ready to use these tools responsibly.This episode offers valuable insights not only to lawyers and educators but also to anyone curious about how AI is reshaping trust, accountability, and knowledge in fields that impact society as a whole.Hosted by Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva,” bringing global leaders together on privacy, cybersecurity, and emerging technology.  Support the showBecome an insider, join Data Diva Confidential for data strategy and data privacy insights delivered to your inbox. 💡 Receive expert briefings, practical guidance, and exclusive resources designed for leaders shaping the future of data and AI. 👉 Join here: http://bit.ly/3Jb8S5p Debbie Reynolds Consulting, LLC

Send us a textEpisode 255 – Don Morron, Founder and CEO of Highland Tech, AI Agents for EnterpriseWhat does it take to build resilience in a world of constant cyber threats? Don Morron shares strategies for adapting without losing control.On The Data Diva Talks Privacy Podcast, Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva,” interviews Don Morron, Founder and CEO of Highland Tech, AI Agents for Enterprise, about how executives can build resilience into their organizations in the face of a constantly evolving cyber threat landscape. Morron shares lessons from his leadership journey in cybersecurity and explains why resilience cannot be bolted on after the fact but must be embedded into enterprise systems from the very beginning.The conversation covers how AI is reshaping cybersecurity, both by enabling attackers with new tools and by empowering defenders with advanced capabilities. Morron provides practical insights into managing enterprise security operations in rapidly changing conditions without compromising organizational control. He stresses the importance of communication and collaboration across teams, highlighting how siloed approaches undermine resilience. The episode also explains why proactive governance and long-term planning are far more effective than reactive firefighting.These insights are useful not only for executives and security leaders but also for anyone interested in how organizations adapt to technology-driven risks and build strength in uncertain times.Hosted by Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva,” bringing global leaders together on privacy, cybersecurity, and emerging technology.Support the showBecome an insider, join Data Diva Confidential for data strategy and data privacy insights delivered to your inbox. 💡 Receive expert briefings, practical guidance, and exclusive resources designed for leaders shaping the future of data and AI. 👉 Join here: http://bit.ly/3Jb8S5p Debbie Reynolds Consulting, LLC

Send us a textEpisode 254 – Bryan Lee, Founder and General Partner, Privatus ConsultingWhy do privacy programs fail even when companies want to succeed? Bryan Lee explains why communication is the missing piece.On The Data Diva Talks Privacy Podcast, Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva,” welcomes Bryan Lee, Founder and General Partner at Privatus Consulting, to discuss why effective privacy programs succeed through strong communication rather than technical jargon. Lee explains how privacy engineering serves as a critical link between policy, compliance, and technical teams, and why clear communication is often the deciding factor in whether organizations achieve their privacy goals.He explains why many companies fail at privacy, despite genuine intent, often because coordination among stakeholders breaks down. Lee reflects on his own career path, transitioning from intelligence work to privacy consulting, and shares insights into how organizations can overcome communication barriers to develop programs that are both compliant and effective. The conversation also covers the risks of misjudging AI, particularly the mistake of treating systems as if they were human, and how this misunderstanding creates governance and operational problems.This episode offers strategies for bridging gaps, enhancing collaboration, and addressing complex issues, resonating with privacy leaders, compliance professionals, and anyone seeking to understand how effective communication drives successful outcomes in organizations.Hosted by Debbie Reynolds, “The Data Diva,” bringing global leaders together on privacy, cybersecurity, and emerging technology.Thanks to our Data Diva Talks Privacy Podcast Privacy Ambassador Sponsor, Piwik PRO. Piwik PRO is a privacy-first analytics and customer data platform that helps organizations to make informed decisions across their websites, apps, and ad campaigns. They bring an unprecedented level of data transparency, so you know exactly how your data is collected, used, and protected. It is very cool. Marketers gain valuable insights, while legal teams rest assured knowing that your client data remains protected, even as the privacy landscape evolves.  Learn more at piwik.pro. Enjoy the show.Support the showBecome an insider, join Data Diva Confidential for data strategy and data privacy insights delivered to your inbox. 💡 Receive expert briefings, practical guidance, and exclusive resources designed for leaders shaping the future of data and AI. 👉 Join here: http://bit.ly/3Jb8S5p Debbie Reynolds Consulting, LLC