The SME Growth Podcast by Wellmeadow

Artificial intelligence has moved beyond being a novelty or a specialist tool, it is now fast becoming a core part of how modern businesses operate. In this episode, we reflect on the book 'Co-Intelligence: Living & Working With AI' by Ethan Mollick, using it as a springboard to explore what it really means to work with AI rather than simply deploy it. Rather than focusing on tools or trends, we discuss how leaders should be thinking about AI as a colleague: capable, fast, sometimes flawed, and always in need of human judgement. We share practical experiences from our own work, particularly how AI is already reshaping decision-making, sales, strategy and leadership conversations. From the idea of the “jagged frontier”, where AI can be brilliant at one task but hopeless at a closely related others, to the risks of delay and the power of early learning, this conversation is about mindset, responsibility and competitive advantage in an age of rapid change. Chapters: 00:00:00 – Why AI Is No Longer Optional for Business Leaders 00:01:45 – Introducing Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick 00:03:30 – From Automation to AI Team-Mate 00:05:30 – Will AI Replace Jobs or Change How We Work? 00:07:45 – Treat AI Like a Junior (But Very Fast) Colleague 00:10:05 – What AI Is Surprisingly Good (and Bad) At 00:12:00 – The “Jagged Frontier” of AI Capability 00:14:15 – Experimentation Beats Prediction 00:16:45 – Bringing AI Into Sales and Commercial Decisions 00:19:10 – AI in Meetings, Proposals and Boardrooms 00:21:40 – Human in the Loop: Why Accountability Still Matters 00:24:00 – Treating AI Like a Person (and Why It Works) 00:26:20 – This Is the Worst AI You’ll Ever Use 00:28:45 – Risks, Ethics and the Bigger Picture 00:31:00 – Why Delay Is a Strategic Error 00:32:45 – Final Reflections on Living and Working with AI Key Topics Discussed: AI as a team-mate, not a replacementWhy delay is a strategic error when it comes to AI adoptionThe concept of the “jagged frontier” of AI capabilityTreating AI like a junior but very fast colleagueWhere human judgement, ethics and accountability must remainExperimentation as the only reliable way to understand AI’s strengthsThe risks of passive or superficial AI useHow AI is already changing sales, strategy and leadership workflowsWho Is This Episode For: This episode is aimed at business owners, directors, senior leaders, sales leaders and marketers who want to move beyond surface-level AI use and understand how it can genuinely improve the way they think, decide and operate. If you’re responsible for growth, performance or strategy, and wondering how AI fits practically into your role, this conversation is for you. Quotes To Remember: “Treat it like a junior, but a very fast one"."Delay is a strategic error, and early learning compounds”.“This will be the worst AI you’ll ever use”. Actionable Takeaways: Invite AI into more conversations, even when you’re unsure it can help.Stay firmly the ‘human in the loop’: sense-check outputs and own the decisions.Experiment broadly and cheaply, prediction is far less reliable than testing.Use AI to surface blind spots, not just to save time.Be specific with instructions: context, role and expectations matter.Review where AI adds insight, not just efficiency, especially in sales and strategy.Start now, early familiarity compounds into long-term advantage. 🎧 Listen on YouTube & Apple Music here: https://anchor.fm/wellmeadow 🤳 Like & Follow/Subscribe for weekly episodes on growth, marketing, and making smart business decisions. Got feedback or questions? Drop a comment below – we read them all! 👇 #SMEGrowth #BusinessLeadership #AIForGood #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #BusinessStrategy #LeadershipDevelopment #DigitalTransformation #SMEBusiness #UKBusiness #GrowthMindset #SalesLeadership #MarketingStrategy #DecisionMaking #ProductivityAtWork #HumanInTheLoop #BusinessPodcast #LeadershipPodcast