Andrew Grill’s 100th Episode of Digitally Curious

For the milestone 100th episode of his podcast, actionable futurist and AI expert Andrew Grill welcomes Kerry Sheehan, an award-winning AI policy and strategy expert, for a wide-ranging conversation about what responsible AI really looks like in practice.

Sheehan brings a compelling and unusual perspective, having journeyed from journalism to machine learning and AI policy. As a former strategic advisor to the Alan Turing Institute, her work spans the UK government's BSI AI Standards Group and a range of sectors including health tech and business. She is, in short, someone who has spent years working at the precise intersection where technology meets accountability. AmazonBuzzsprout

At the heart of the conversation is a vivid analogy: Sheehan compares AI guardrails to bowling alley bumpers, frameworks designed not to restrict innovation but to prevent technology from veering into harm. It is a framing that captures the episode's broader argument — that ethics and ambition are not in opposition, but that one is the foundation for the other. Amazon

The discussion turns to diversity, with Sheehan arguing that if the teams building AI systems do not represent those they will ultimately serve, the result cannot be considered ethical. Bias, she suggests, is like bad seasoning — it can corrupt an otherwise sound recipe if left unaddressed from the start. Amazon

The episode closes with actionable takeaways for organisations: audit existing AI systems for fairness, build governance frameworks clear enough to explain to others, add ethical reviews to project boards, and bring people with diverse lived experiences into design meetings. Apple Podcasts

It is a fittingly substantive episode to mark a significant milestone — and a timely reminder that the most powerful AI is not simply the most capable, but the most responsibly built.