In this Meyer & Meyer in English episode, we talk with Karen Smiley – data strategist, AI and product leader with 30+ years of practical experience, author of Everyday Ethical AI (everydayethicalai.com). Maybe just on the "author of Everyday Ethical AI" part in the first paragraph?and holder of 14 US patents – about what “everyday ethical AI” actually looks like in real life.
We explore where AI is already shaping our lives far beyond chatbots: from recommendation systems and social media feeds to automated decisions at work. Karen breaks down the key risk zones – environmental impact, data and copyright misuse, hidden human labour behind AI, bias and discrimination, and the effects on jobs and mental health – and explains what we can realistically do about them without needing a computer science degree.
Together we look at how changemakers and sustainability professionals can use AI as a force multiplier instead of a blind spot: when AI is truly useful, when a simple tool is better, and how to set a personal “AI use policy” that protects our values, our data and our brains.

In this episode, we discuss:
- What “everyday ethical AI” means at home, at work and in activism
- The difference between generative AI and the “invisible” AI already all around us
- Environmental and social costs of AI: data centres, minerals, and hidden data workers
- How bias enters AI systems – and what we can do as users and decision-makers
- AI companions, deepfakes and what this does to relationships, democracy and trust
- How to define your own AI usage policy and keep your human judgement in the loop

Anna was also invited to Karen's Podcast! Yeahy! Her first time as a guest in an American podcast. Listen to this episode here: https://sixpeas.substack.com/p/aisw-088-ai-software-wetware-dr-anna-katharina-meyer-germany
And follow Karen's podcast for inspiring insights in the future.
If you work in sustainability, social impact or any mission-driven field and want to use AI without betraying your values, this conversation is for you.
Find more about our work at findingsustainia.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.