Glue & Pizza: AI Safety in Practice with Tonia Osadebe

In this episode of Women in Product, host Shannon Peavey sits down with Tonia Osadebe, AI Safety Lead at OpenAI, for a candid and practical conversation about what it really means to build responsibly in fast moving AI environments. Tonia shares her path into AI Safety, from her early work on AI Agents and machine learning fairness to stepping into a role focused squarely on evaluating and mitigating risk in frontier systems. She reflects on her time at Google, including being part of the team navigating the widely discussed “Glue on Pizza” AI search result moment, and what those high visibility incidents teach teams about iteration, accountability, and resilience. At the heart of this conversation is a simple but powerful idea: safety work is collaborative. Tonia explains how cross functional teams come together to define acceptable risk, make principled tradeoffs, and agree to improve systems over time rather than striving for perfection before launch. 02:29 Where does safety start in a project?03:50 We’re mitigating - not eliminating - risk08:14 Trying not to break everything09:26 Let’s talk about glue on pizza11:34 What we don’t know YET14:06 How teams collaborate 19:02 We are not the “fun police”21:35 Tension is expected22:15 Measure where you can24:05 Sharing ownership25:15 Reflecting the real world 29:00 Access will change the way we dream32:50 Building safety into roadmap📚Resources:OpenAI - https://openai.com/Google AI Safety Principles - https://ai.google/safety/Google’s Pizza-Glue Scandal https://www.wired.com/story/google-cut-back-ai-overviews-before-pizza-glue/The U.S. Government’s AI Literacy Framework https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20260213🌟 Where to find Tonia:On LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonia-osadebe-a9b1a014/Where to find our host: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/

What does it mean to be the person responsible for AI ethics inside a 30,000-person company? Shelby Tallent lives this every day. As the leader of AI ethics, responsibility, and compliance for Alaska Airlines, Shelby works at the intersection of technology, governance, and human trust. Her career across Amazon, Nordstrom, and TeleSign has shaped a perspective that blends policy rigor with product execution. In conversation with host Shannon Peavey, Shelby shares why AI ethics is not about slowing innovation but about guiding it. She explains how ethical value systems become practical decision frameworks, how individuals can hold their ground when goals conflict, and why keeping humans in the loop is not optional. AI should not be looked at as a way to “get us out of things,” she said, rather, we should let it expand our capacity to do what once felt impossible.00:00 Introduction 01:49 How Alaska Airlines structures the AI Safety & Compliance role02:18 The ways responsibilities map to company values04:45 Where foundational principles for AI implementation originate05:50 Navigating different AI rules per country07:32 The “9-to-5” of AI Responsibility13:02 Types of risk and how we mitigate16:30 A path of many hats23:00 Keeping humans in the loop29:30 Why we should be optimistic33:00 Shelby’s challenge to your thinking and approach📚Resources:Alaska Airlines - https://www.alaskaair.com/International Association of Privacy Professionals https://iapp.org/Cloud Security Alliance https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/The EU AI Act - https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/GDPR - https://gdpr-info.eu/AI.gov - https://www.ai.gov/Microsoft CoPilot https://copilot.microsoft.com/ FigJam https://www.figma.com/figjam/🌟 Where to find Shelby:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/shetallent/Where to find our host: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/

If there is one thing we can agree on, AI is everywhere. It promises incredible gains in productivity, creativity, deep analysis, and progress in all kinds of fields from medicine to music. But - AI also brings anxiety, concern, and a great deal of unknowns. We wanted to find out exactly who is thinking about the future of AI in terms of morality, ethics, psychological and physical safety? (Is anyone working on this? Hello?) We are happy to report that indeed, they are. And we want you to meet them. In an exclusive new Product Rising podcast series, host Shannon Peavey explores the world of AI Ethics, Safety & Responsibility through conversations with experts working in AI policy, compliance, accountability, research and safety. She gets into the details to illuminate the ways these men and women are working hard to help shape a future we all want to live in. Whether you’re an individual contributor, leader, founder, or advisor, listen in to learn about this incredibly important field that touches all aspects of tech and quite possibly, will have a profound impact on all of our lives from here.00:20 What this series illuminates01:07 The AI truth is, we don’t know it all 02:34 It’s time to come to terms with AI03:40 Good people out there working on hairy problems05:07 Time to work on minimizing harm06:18 Our guests: consumer, LLMs, tech, policy08:45 Risk mitigation takes all kinds of backgrounds09:57 Causes for optimism11:54 The legacy of Google’s AI principles 14:20 First guest Shelby Tallent (Alaska Airlines)16:04 Our series starts March 24 and continues for 8 weeks: join us!📚Resources:Women in Product - http://womenpm.orgProduct Rising on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/product-rising/id1584224561Product Rising on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7bcyVhpdhw0hbiRr6O4h1UProduct Rising on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijcNLDj_QE2ge6Wqeh0MLx_qMKwot--9The U.S. government’s AI Literacy Framework https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20260213 Thank you so much to our guests:Shelby Tallent, Alaska Airlines https://www.linkedin.com/in/shetallent/Jen Gennai, T3 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-gennai-b333933/Tonia Osadebe, OpenAI https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonia-osadebe-a9b1a014/Rebecca Hinds, PhD https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-hinds/Angel Evan, AG Consulting https://www.linkedin.com/in/angel-evan/Tracy Pizzo Frey, Restorative AI https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-frey/Sara Tangdall, Nike https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-tangdall/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/

Julie Wenah joins Carmen Palmer for the second episode in our monthly series, In The Lead. Julie is an incredible storyteller. She shares her experience on building Civil Rights into products from the beginning and why that is critical in the era of AI. She also shares her experience of creating sustainable ambition and redefining success. 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. 00:41 Meet Julie Wenah01:51 Owning Every Identity04:50 Redefining Success08:43 Sustainable Ambition10:22 When Products Miss13:27 Carrying The Weight15:50 Who Thrives In Tension20:15 Embedding Civil Rights22:56 AI Fairness Window24:51 Access And Accountability28:31 Access And Human Stories29:37 Releasing Productivity Metrics33:58 Boundaries And Time Blocking36:21 Patience Brick By Brick38:06 Why Storytelling Grounds Us41:40 Justice At Scale Dilemma43:38 Ask And Listen Within47:44 Morning Pages And Resources📚Resources:The Artist’s Way - Book by Julie Cameron Digital Civil Rights Coalition - https://www.digitalcivilrights.com, @digitalcivilrights on Instagram, ✨Where to find Julie:On LinkedIn💫 Where to find Carmen:On LinkedIn 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/

In this episode of Product Rising, we look back at Cassie Campbell’s interview with Tami Reiss, an experienced product leader, speaker, author, trainer, and coach. Elizabeth Ames walks us through a number of clips from the interview that highlight the value of coaching, from early management and leadership roles through the highest levels of leadership. Tami shares what changes as leaders advance, where their time and attention must change. She also has some great advice on building and deploying influence and empathy skills to achieve business objectives, and key skills in communication and using the language of business that are required as you advance. She closes with some great advice on networking and it’s value in finding great opportunities.The original episode was published on May 27, 2025. You can listen to the full episode from that date as well.00:00 Welcome and Series Setup01:48 Why Coaching Matters03:11 Transitioning to Executive04:35 Strategy vs Execution Pendulum06:53 Influence and Empathy Skills10:01 Speaking Investor Language12:25 Networking for New Roles13:34 Wrap Up and Where to Listen✨Where to find Tami Reiss:On LinkedInTami’s Website - My Leader Within (with booking link)💫 Where to find Cassie:On LinkedIn At Cassie Camp - Learn more about product leadership coaching and fractional product leadership🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/

There is a lot of debate about the state of the job market today. We definitely hear a lot about layoffs in the big tech companies and also about AI eliminating positions. But AI may be having a bigger impact in the requirements for specific roles and even perhaps new types of roles. We will be having periodic conversations with leading recruiters, hiring managers, and others about the evolving job market and what it takes to get hired/noticed. Our first conversation is with Sally Thornton, CEO & Founder of Forshay, a firm that combines Executive recruiting with interim experts across Finance, HR, and Operations, and by aligning culture and leadership development skills to optimize team performance.02:17 Forshay Firm Overview03:27 Job Market Reality Check06:09 Entry Level Pipeline Crunch07:44 Where Hiring Is Growing08:33 What Employers Want Now09:56 Proving Curiosity in Interviews11:34 Influence as a Core Skill12:38 AI Transparency and Flatter Teams14:47 Fractional Leadership Explained19:36 How Orgs Are Reshaping for AI22:43 The Rise of the AI Scout24:55 Building an AI Experiment Team25:43 Choosing Tools That Fit27:16 AI in Hiring and Resume Filters29:19 Beating the Rejection Machine31:36 Community as Career Support32:14 AI as Reflective Hiring Partner34:37 Gut Instinct Versus Data37:40 Future Proofing Through Community39:56 Give More and Experiment Often41:16 Tools That Reduce Overwork43:42 Wrap Up and Where to Follow📚Resources:To Sell is Human, Daniel Pink🌟 Where to find Sally:On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallythornton/Forshay: https://forshay.com🙋🏻‍♀️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/

Building Community & Becoming a Super ConnectorIn this episode Ha Nguyen, Founder and Managing Partner of NextStep Advisory & Consulting, shares the work and life experiences that have led her to being an exceptional community builder and super connector. She joins host, Surbhi Gupta, to share the value of being a go-giver, and how visibility and being able to speak up has powered her career and can do the same for yours. 🎧 Episode Highlights:01:47 Ha’s Product Origin Story: eBay in 2000 to Product Leadership03:00 From Introvert to Speaking Up: HBS & Finding Your Voice05:20 Becoming a Super Connector: Community Building & VC Brand08:49 Visibility Isn’t Automatic: Ask for What You Want (Promotion Stories)14:05 When Leadership Isn’t Moving Fast Enough: Timing, Titles & Leaving17:12 Create Your Own Luck: Habits, Confidence, and Taking Risks20:58 Build a Personal Board of Directors (and Nurture Relationships)25:19 Finding Sponsors in Big Companies: Skip-Level Relationships & Persistence27:19 Make Better Asks: Follow-Ups, Value, and Time-Bound Requests28:29 Make the Ask Easy: Be Specific and Respect Their Time28:51 Add Value First: The Go-Giver Mindset (and Why Karma Works)30:13 Building Relationships with Your Skip: Do Great Work + Lead with Empathy33:40 Create Visibility Beyond Your Role: Coaches, Boards, and Career “Hacks”36:04 Personal Brand That Pays Off: Writing, Speaking, and Staying Top-of-Mind39:53 The Hidden Cost of Visibility: Too Many Asks & Setting Boundaries42:56 Who You Are Outside Work: Mission Alignment, Family, Hobbies, and Health45:55 Balancing It All: A 2x2 Framework for Goals vs. Joy + Daily Habits49:47 Visibility Skills That Scale: Speak Business/Finance + Customer Obsession52:19 Resources, Recommendations, and How to Connect (Final Wrap)Resources📚Resources:BooksGo-Giver book - https://thegogiver.comSeven Habits of Highly Effective People - https://www.franklincovey.com/courses/the-7-habits/Podcasts20VC - https://www.youtube.com/@20VCThis Week in Startups - https://thisweekinstartups.com🌟 Where to find Surbhi On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhi7/💫 Where to find Ha On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanguyen-spero/NextStep Advisory & Consulting Website https://nextstepfwd.com🙋‍♀️ 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/

Deb Liu joins Carmen Palmer for the first episode in our monthly series, In The Lead. Deb shares insights from her year away from titles and company affiliations - what she did, what she learned and the clarity she is carrying forward in 2026. As always, Deb has great insights and advice.In The Lead is a new monthly series on Product Rising. It will share thought provoking conversations hosted by Carmen Palmer, CEO of Women In Product, with a wide range of industry leaders. It uses a revolving set of questions to get an engaging combination of hot takes and deep insight into the current state of product, working and leading in today’s technology industry, and building effective organizations.00:45 Meet Deb Liu: Tech Executive and Author02:28 Defining Success in the New Year03:03 The Blank Name Tag Club04:58 Navigating Career Transitions09:27 Overcoming Failure: The Facebook Marketplace Story14:08 Building Perseverance Through Adversity18:43 The Evolving Role of Product Managers22:07 Understanding Customer Needs in AI Startups23:26 Understanding Customer Needs24:01 The Role of Product Managers25:14 Strategic Positioning in Companies26:09 Adapting to Technological Changes28:35 Leadership and Empathy29:33 Opportunities for Product Leaders in AI33:07 Personal Experiences and Insights36:07 Challenges in Corporate Life43:15 Future of Leadership and Technology45:59 Closing Reflections📚Resources:Perspectives Newsletter On SubstackTEDxSanDiego talk - Deb Liu✨Where to find Deb:On LinkedInPerspectives Newsletter On SubstackDeb’s  WebsiteTEDx Talk💫 Where to find Carmen:On LinkedIn 🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:On LinkedIn Website https://womenpm.org/Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/

Nik Sharma, CEO of Sharma Brands and one of Forbes’ 30 under 30 has a lot to say about visibility. In this episode he joins host, Surbhi Gupta, to discuss how the playbook he has developed for building visibility for big brands can also work for regular people. While Nik isn’t shy he also isn’t hung up on being perfect or creating the perfect content. What he is hung up on is delivering value. He is constantly thinking about how to provide value in the content he posts. Something many product leaders are familiar with! He also believes in putting in the work. Visibility doesn’t happen overnight, it takes effort and commitment but it can pay big dividends. 🎧 Episode Highlights:00:00 Introduction to Visibility02:29 Nick's Background and Expertise03:08 Defining Visibility04:51 Nick's Career Journey06:00 Building Personal Visibility11:42 Overcoming Hesitations and Myths15:58 Celebrating Wins and Company Culture17:58 Leveraging Social Media for Visibility22:40 Persistence and Authenticity in Content Creation24:26 Insights on Podcasting27:03 Professional Setup Tips for Content Creation27:49 Balancing Short-term and Long-term Visibility28:19 Building a Community and Setting Goals30:27 Impact of Small Tweaks on Visibility31:56 Lessons from the Director of Performance Marketing32:35 Visibility Strategies for Tech Professionals34:53 Overcoming Shyness and Building Confidence37:15 The Importance of Showing Up45:26 Crafting and Sharing Your Story48:00 Handling Negative Feedback and Staying Authentic49:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts📚Resources:Ship 30 for 30 Digital Writing Course - https://www.ship30for30.comWrite of Passage - https://writeofpassage.com🌟 Where to find Surbhi On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhi7/💫 Where to find Nik On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrniksharma/Website https://www.nik.coOn X @mrsharmaSharma Brands - https://sharmabrands.comNewsletter - https://sharmabrands.com/blogs/newsletter🙋‍♀️ 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/

”Visibility is how clearly our work, our impact, our leadership, are being recognized by our teams, our peers, the wider organization and broader community.  it's not about being seen, it's about ensuring that the value you add is acknowledged and understood,” Marily Nika, Ph.DIn this episode Marily joins host, Surbhi Gupta, to discuss how she has built her visibility to include work inside and outside of where she works. Marily has built a reputation as a product leader broadly by educating through courses, books, a substack newsletter and a LinkedIn profile filled with information. Her work is followed by over 124K people on LinkedIn and her courses on Maven have been taken by over 8,000 people. 🎧 Episode Highlights:00:00 Introduction and Welcome02:06 Defining Visibility03:10 Marilee's Journey to Visibility05:22 Building Technical Visibility07:05 Taking Risks and Early Success08:41 Overcoming Shyness and Anxiety09:58 Advice for Women in Tech12:01 The Importance of Networking17:09 Debunking Myths About Visibility20:17 Leveraging LinkedIn for Visibility27:49 Balancing Multiple Roles28:37 Creating and Teaching Courses31:39 Final Advice and EncouragementResources• 🌟 Where to find Surbhi On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/surbhi7/• 💫 Where to find Marily On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynika/On Substack https://substack.com/@marilynika?On Maven https://maven.com/marily-nika/ai-product-management• 🙋‍♀️ 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/