logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
31m 59s

AI Hot Takes (2025 Edition)

Knownwell
About this episode

We're turning up the heat once again! After last year's sizzling Hot Takes episode, we had to run it back for 2025.

Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker is joined by CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product & Technology Officer Mohan Rao to deliver their boldest AI predictions yet. What shifts are coming in AI? Which trends are about to fizzle out? And what might shake up the industry in unexpected ways?

In our expert interview segment, Pete Buer sits down with AI and digital transformation expert Dr. Henna Karna, a Harvard Fellow and former Google executive. She shares practical strategies for business leaders to ensure AI is solving real problems and not just creating new ones. From cost concerns to strategic adoption, Dr. Karna explains how companies can maximize AI's potential without getting caught up in the hype.

Grab your milk, ice cream, or (according to Mohan) hot chocolate—this one's gonna be on fire!

www.knownwell.com 

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0ST1zZV4MNU 

Episode Highlights

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:00 Setting the Stage for 2025 Predictions
  • 02:18 First Hot Take: The End of AI-Powered Marketing
  • 04:00 Second Hot Take: Data is Dead
  • 06:40 Third Hot Take: The Decline of Open Source Models
  • 08:41 Fourth Hot Take: OpenAI's Impending Implosion
  • 13:47 Google's Edge in AI Integration
  • 16:32 AI in Business Strategy
  • 17:09 Interview with Dr. Henna Karna
  • 18:38 AI's Role in Strategic Planning
  • 24:08 Cost and AI Adoption
  • 26:41 Customer-Centric AI Solutions
  • 29:57 Conclusion and Future of AI

Show Notes 

Up next
Nov 17
The Widening AI Value Gap
<p data-start="18" data-end="680">Only 5% of companies are getting real value from AI—so what are they doing differently?</p> <p data-start="18" data-end="680">Courtney, David, and Mohan unpack the "AI value gap," spotlighting what it actually takes to move from spinning up pilot ... Show More
32m 30s
Nov 10
The Rise of the AI Operating Partner
Is it time to redefine the consulting playbook with AI as your new operating partner? From Cognizant's bold move with Anthropic to the shifting role of human consultants, the team looks at how embedded intelligence is reshaping strategy execution and value creation in professiona ... Show More
23m 2s
Nov 3
The AI Reset: When to Pause, When to Pivot, and When to Double Down
AI pilots were hot in 2024—but by 2025, nearly half are being scrapped before they ever hit production. So how do you know when your AI initiative is a breakthrough in waiting… and when it's time to walk away? Courtney Baker returns with Knownwell's David DeWolf and Mohan Rao to ... Show More
25m 23s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2023
Introducing Exponentially with Azeem Azhar
<p>Never before has it been harder for leaders to make sense of what’s going on in the world. As exponential technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) march on, the ability to make future-proof decisions is all the more important for leaders.</p> <p><strong>Azeem Azhar’s</st ... Show More
1m 50s
Jun 2025
It's not just Big Tech: How AI is disrupting every industry
AI is the future and investors need to prepare accordingly. In this episode of Stocks in Translation, TECHnalysis Research president Bob O’Donnell joins Markets and Data Editor Jared Blikre and Yahoo Finance Senior Reporter Allie Canal to discuss the impact of AI on technology, t ... Show More
24m 45s
Sep 29
20VC: OpenAI and Anthropic Will Build Their Own Chips | NVIDIA Will Be Worth $10TRN | How to Solve the Energy Required for AI... Nuclear | Why China is Behind the US in the Race for AGI with Jonathan Ross, Groq Founder
<p dir="ltr">Jonathan Ross is the Founder & CEO of Groq, the AI chip company redefining inference at scale. Under his leadership, Groq has raised over $3B from top investors. The company has reached a valuation of nearly $7B, positioning itself as one of NVIDIA's most formidable ... Show More
1h 21m
Apr 2023
AI is the future! AI is a fraud. Let's debate.
AI has captured the imagination of Silicon Valley seemingly overnight. And in all this excitement, it's hard to tell what's really going on. What is this technology, how does Silicon Valley plan to change our world with it, and what exactly has a bunch of smart people very worrie ... Show More
51m 30s
Jan 2025
DeepSeeking Power: China’s AI Gambit
A little-known Chinese AI startup just sent shockwaves through the global tech world—wiping off $593 billion from the market value of one of the world’s most valuable companies and challenging Silicon Valley’s dominance. How did DeepSeek, a newcomer, manage to rattle AI behemoths ... Show More
28m 53s
Oct 15
IM 841: Dust and Deli Meat - Open Source AI Revolution
Can open-source AI models really be truly neutral, or are they just another conduit for hidden agendas? Hear how the founder of Nous Research is battling Silicon Valley giants to put ethical, user-controlled AI in everyone's hands. TOpinion | The A.I. Prompt That Could End the Wo ... Show More
3h 3m
Jan 2025
China's DeepSeek has US questioning AI innovation pace: Snowflake CEO weighs in
AI is developing at lightning-fast speeds. What is seen as game-changing on a Monday could be seen as behind the curve by Friday. Investors have been reminded of that this week as AI darling stocks such as Nvidia (NVDA) get punished on fears of DeepSeek. The China-based model mak ... Show More
24m 14s
Sep 23
How Microsoft is Fixing the Biggest AI Agent Problem
Want the guide to create AI Agents? get it here: https://clickhubspot.com/fhc Episode 77: Are we nearing a future where AI agents can autonomously tackle our biggest challenges—while remaining efficient, safe, and truly aligned with human goals? Matt Wolfe (https://x.com/mreflow) ... Show More
30m 8s
Aug 21
Amazon is betting on agents to win the AI race
This is Alex Heath, your Thursday episode guest host and deputy editor at The Verge. One of the biggest topics in AI these days is agents — the idea that AI is going to move from chatbots to reliably completing tasks for us in the real world. But the problem with agents is that t ... Show More
53m 50s
Sep 21
From managing people to managing AI: The leadership skills everyone needs now | Julie Zhuo (Facebook VP, Sundial CEO, The Making of a Manager author)
Julie Zhuo is the former VP and Head of Design at Facebook (now Meta), author of the bestselling book The Making of a Manager, and co-founder of Sundial, an AI-powered data analysis company. Also, my first-ever podcast guest over 3 years ago!In our conversation, we discuss:1. The ... Show More
1h 36m