This Is Woman's Work with Nicole Kalil

We've traded ancient oracles and crystal balls for algorithms, but our desire to predict the future hasn't changed. Today, AI predictions influence everything from hiring and healthcare to loans and personal decisions. But predictions aren't facts, and prophecy isn't destiny. So who's really in control?

Carissa Véliz, Oxford AI ethics expert and author of Privacy Is Power and Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI, joins Nicole Kalil to explore the intersection of prophecy, artificial intelligence, privacy, and power — and why we should think twice before letting algorithms decide our future.

We explore:

Why AI is a prediction machine, not a truth machine

How AI predictions influence hiring, healthcare, loans, and major life decisions

What ancient prophecies can teach us about modern algorithms

How algorithmic bias and self-fulfilling prophecies threaten fairness and freedom

Why ChatGPT can sound convincing while being completely wrong

The hidden privacy risks of using AI tools

How to protect critical thinking, personal agency, and decision-making in an AI-driven world

AI can make life easier, but that doesn't mean it should make our decisions. Understanding how these systems work helps us question their predictions, protect our privacy, and reclaim our power.

Prediction is not destiny. Data is not the whole story. And an algorithm doesn't get to decide what's possible for us.

The future isn't something we wait to have predicted. It's something we create.

Thank you to our sponsors!

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Connect with Carissa:

Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/759692/prophecy-by-carissa-veliz/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carissa-v%C3%A9liz-a5781555/

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Unmasking AI with Dr. Joy Buolamwini | 259

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What happens when a confidence expert has a wardrobe malfunction in front of hundreds of women? One hell of a lesson in self-trust.

After an 11-week European sabbatical, Nicole Kalil returned to the keynote stage feeling rusty, nervous, and full of self-doubt. Despite 20 years of teaching confidence, her brain was busy imagining everything that could go wrong.

Turns out, none of those things happened. Instead, her left boob decided to make its own keynote presentation.

In this unfiltered and unhinged solo episode, Nicole shares what an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction taught her about overcoming self-doubt, letting go of perfectionism, and trusting herself when life doesn't go according to plan.

We explore:

Why even confidence experts struggle with self-doubt

How overthinking and catastrophizing fuel fear of failure

Why perfectionism can't protect us from embarrassment

The power of vulnerability, humor, and embracing imperfection

How to build real confidence by trusting yourself through the unexpected

Confidence isn't knowing everything will work out. It's trusting that we'll be okay even if it doesn't.

And sometimes, that lesson comes with a little unexpected exposure.

Thank you to our sponsors!

To see what Scribe could look like for your team, head to https://scribe.how/TIWW and mention TIWW for your first month of Scribe Capture free on select plans

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Connect with Nicole:

Subscribe to Nicole’s Substack: https://nicolekalil.substack.com/

Related Podcast Episode:

On Sabbaticals, Reinvention, and Getting Older | Unfiltered & Unhinged

When a One-Star Review Means You’ve Officially Arrived | Unfiltered & Unhinged

Am I Being a Bitch… Or Just Finally Being Honest? | Unfiltered & Unhinged

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Comparison is the thief of joy. Or so we've been told. But what if comparison isn't the problem? What if the real problem is what we do with it?

We compare everything. Careers, salaries, bodies, relationships, parenting, success, and whose kids somehow unload the dishwasher without being threatened. And thanks to social media, we can feel inadequate about all of it before we've even had our morning coffee.

But here's where things get interesting: What if envy isn't something to overcome, but something we can actually use?

Dr. Stacy Kim is a social scientist, life coach, founder of Life Junctions, and author of Envy: Why Wanting What They Have Is the Key to Getting What You Want. She's challenging everything we've been taught about envy, jealousy, and comparison, revealing how these uncomfortable emotions can become powerful tools for self-discovery, personal growth, and building confidence.

We explore:

The difference between envy and jealousy — and why understanding it matters

How to recognize benign envy versus malicious envy, and turn comparison into motivation instead of resentment

What the Korean approach to envy can teach us about admiration, ambition, and wanting more

How the SIREN framework helps uncover what envy is really trying to tell us

Why what we envy isn't always what we actually want, and how to identify the deeper desire

How social media comparison can impact confidence and self-worth

Why some feelings of envy disappear quickly while others deserve our attention

Practical ways to turn envy into action, personal growth, and meaningful change

Envy is information, not instruction. It can point us toward what matters, but we still get to decide what we want and what we're willing to do about it. So instead of letting someone else's success derail our confidence, let's get curious about what it's telling us — and use it to build a life that actually feels like our own.

Thank you to our sponsors!

To see what Scribe could look like for your team, head to https://scribe.how/TIWW and mention TIWW for your first month of Scribe Capture free on select plans

Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/work or use code WORK and get 70% off your first year

Connect with Stacy:

Website: https://stacyskim.com

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Envy-Wanting-What-They-Getting/dp/1538776715;

IG: https://www.instagram.com/stacykim.phd/;

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacyskim/

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We've all done it. Avoided the conversation, hoped the problem would magically disappear, or convinced ourselves that someone should just know what we need without us having to actually say it.

And how's that working out?

The truth is, the conversations we avoid don't go away. They take up space, create resentment, damage relationships, and sometimes turn a relatively small issue into a full-blown shitshow.

In this episode of This Is Woman's Work, Nicole Kalil sits down with Christina Wing, Harvard Business School senior lecturer and author of Unspeakable: The Taboo Topics We Avoid and How to Talk About Them, to explore why we're so damn uncomfortable talking about the things that matter most.

In this episode, they discuss:

Why avoiding uncomfortable conversations often creates bigger problems than having them.

How talking about someone instead of to them can fuel resentment and unnecessary drama.

Why money conversations feel so personal and how to separate financial circumstances from self-worth.

The difference between a difficult conversation and a difficult moment.

How to recognize when it's your place to speak up and when it's better to stay out of it.

What to do when someone becomes defensive or refuses to engage.

Why everyday annoyances can turn into major relationship problems when left unaddressed.

The two biggest mistakes people make when approaching difficult conversations.

Why conversations about estate planning, death, and our final wishes need to happen sooner rather than later.

Having the conversation doesn't guarantee we'll get the outcome we want. But avoiding it almost guarantees we won't have a voice in what happens next.

Because sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is stop overthinking, stop rehearsing, and just say the damn thing.

Thank you to our sponsors!

To see what Scribe could look like for your team, head to https://scribe.how/TIWW and mention TIWW for your first month of Scribe Capture free on select plans

Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/work or use code WORK and get 70% off your first year

Connect with Christina:

Website: https://www.christinawing.com/

Book: https://www.christinawing.com/book/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/christina.r.wing/

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For years, remote work has felt like a win. No commute, more flexibility, fewer pointless hours spent proving we're working simply because someone can see us. And for women, especially caregivers, that flexibility can be a game changer.

But what if there's a downside we're not talking about enough?

In this episode of This Is Woman's Work, Nicole Kalil sits down with economist Natalia Emanuel, co-author of In Person: How Working Together Fuels Creativity, Productivity, and Growth, to challenge some deeply held beliefs about remote work.

In this episode, they discuss:

Why working face-to-face can improve learning, creativity, and career advancement.

The surprising connection between remote work, isolation, and mental health.

Why being in the office isn't the same as meaningful in-person collaboration.

How remote work can disadvantage younger employees and those starting new roles.

Why mentorship and workplace culture need to be valued and rewarded.

The complicated trade-offs between workplace flexibility and caregiving responsibilities.

Five factors organizations should consider when deciding how much in-person work is necessary.

Why predictable schedules and workday social activities matter, especially for women.

How AI could make human connection even more valuable.

The answer isn't all remote or all in person. It's about being intentional with our time, challenging outdated workplace expectations, and creating environments where people can actually thrive.

Thank you to our sponsors!

To see what Scribe could look like for your team, head to https://scribe.how/TIWW and mention TIWW for your first month of Scribe Capture free on select plans

Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/work or use code WORK and get 70% off your first year

Connect with Natalia:

Website:https://www.nataliaemanuel.com/

Book: https://inpersonbook.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliaemanuel?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name

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