Recap: Make AI a Powerful Ally – Navigating Change with Confidence and Clarity
What does it really mean to make AI a powerful ally—and how can women use it to lead with confidence in times of change? That question anchored the kickoff of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability’s (WCS) 2025 AI Workshop Series on April 17th, “Make AI a Powerful Ally: Navigate Change and Achieve Your Goals.”. In a session that blended clarity with inspiration, attendees explored how artificial intelligence can support creative thinking, reduce overwhelm, and open new doors in their careers, organizations, and daily lives.
The event featured a keynote from Sunita Kannan, Global Head of AI Strategy at Microsoft, who made the complex world of AI feel approachable and empowering. A dynamic panel followed, with insights from executive coach Paula Schmidlin, design strategist Dr. Francesca Barrientos, and moderator Darlene Crane. Together, they unpacked not just the tools—but the mindset shifts—needed to use AI intentionally, ethically, and strategically.
Keynote: The Human Side of AI with Sunita Kannan
Sunita Kannan set the tone for the day by breaking down the fundamentals of AI and Generative AI in a way that was both accessible and empowering. She highlighted the evolution from traditional machine learning, used to predict outcomes based on historical data, to generative AI tools that can collaborate with users to create content, make decisions, and improve workflows.
“Think of AI as a co-pilot, not an autopilot,” she said. “You’re still the driver. But now, you have a partner who can help get you where you want to go—faster and more efficiently.”
Using real-world examples—from fraud detection in finance to PowerPoint automation in Microsoft Copilot—Sunita showed how AI can transform tasks that once took hours into results delivered in minutes. But she was quick to caution: AI is not perfect, and human oversight is essential.
“Use your judgment. Review the output. Be the human in the loop,” she emphasized.
Sunita’s talk grounded the audience in optimism and realism. She reminded us that AI has already been in our lives in subtle ways—from email suggestions to voice-to-text—and that learning to wield it with intention is a skill anyone can develop.
Grounding in Change: Tools for Calm and Clarity
Following the keynote, Paula Schmidlin, an expert in organizational effectiveness and executive coaching, led participants through a calming box-breathing exercise to ease AI-related anxiety and create space for mindful learning.
“When we face new technology, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. The first step is calming the nervous system so we can approach change with a grounded mindset,” she said.
Paula provided practical techniques like movement, journaling, and breathing to help participants regulate stress and stay present. She emphasized that embracing AI requires not only technical curiosity but also a growth mindset and a willingness to take small, manageable steps forward.
She also offered a critical insight:
“AI isn’t perfect. It’s built on imperfect data. That’s why we need to bring our own critical thinking and self-awareness to every interaction.”
AI as Mirror, Muse, and Thought Partner
Dr. Francesca Barrientos, a design strategist with a PhD in Computer Science from UC Berkeley, added nuance by sharing how she “plays” with AI as a way of seeing ideas more clearly and surfacing insights she didn’t know she had.
She described feeding articles into various AI tools, like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, comparing their outputs to spark new perspectives. One experiment with a piece on the “glass cliff” helped her see nuances she’d missed on first read.
“AI helped me better understand what was interesting to me. It’s like a well-read conversationalist who never gets bored—but can be a little flaky,” she joked.
Francesca stressed that using multiple AI tools, reframing prompts, and observing discrepancies can deepen your understanding of a topic and yourself. It’s not about passively receiving answers, she said, but about collaborating with the tools to think more expansively.
From Anxiety to Agency: Becoming Strategic AI Users
The panel explored how to move from AI users to AI strategists. Darlene emphasized the need for women, especially those mid-career or shifting industries, to use AI to reclaim power in decision-making spaces where they’ve historically been excluded.
“We are often outsiders in rooms where big decisions are made. AI can help us prepare for those moments by simulating scenarios, surfacing biases, and helping us rehearse key conversations,” she said.
The conversation also tackled big themes: how to trust AI, how to spot and question bias, and how to ensure that we as women—and especially women of color—don’t get left out of the next tech wave.
Francesca added:
“Bias is real. These tools reflect the internet and all the problematic patterns that come with it. But we can shape the future of AI by showing up, asking new questions, and even building new models ourselves.”
Paula encouraged attendees to keep practicing discernment: “Whether you’re using AI for your business, a job search, or personal development, know why you’re using it. Don’t be passive. Be intentional.”
Big Ideas, Small Steps: Using AI to Build Confidence and Take Action
The panel shared personal stories about how AI helped them grow in confidence. Francesca described how she used Claude to work through anxiety and affirmations during a challenging week. Paula noted that even small wins, like using AI to simplify a business process, can restore a sense of momentum and self-trust.
“AI can support our self-learning. It doesn’t replace real community, but it can help us get unstuck—and be brave enough to put our ideas into the world,” Darlene said.
Audience Takeaways
Attendees were invited to explore AI with playfulness and purpose. Some of the most valuable insights from the session included:
- Use AI as a thought partner, not a truth-teller.
- Choose tools based on your needs (e.g., Claude for writing, ChatGPT for research, Gemini for Google integration).
- Scrub data before uploading, especially if it’s private or proprietary.
- Use AI to simulate conversations, pitch decks, and strategic decisions.
- Don’t wait for perfection. Start where you are, and learn as you go.
Thank You to Our Speakers and Sponsors
We extend our deepest thanks to the powerhouse women who brought this conversation to life:
- Sunita Kannan, Global Head of AI Strategy, Microsoft
- Dr. Francesca Barrientos, Design Strategist & Former NASA Researcher
- Paula Schmidlin, Executive Coach & Change Consultant
- Darlene Crane, President & Chief Value Creator, The CraneWorks (Moderator)
A huge shoutout goes out to Product Rehab for sponsoring this important conversation.
