Inspired Changemakers Podcast

Human Expertise in an Automated World | A Conversation with Svetlana Makarova

Julia Healey

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0:00 | 36:19

About the Episode

In this episode of Inspired Changemakers, Julia Healey sits down with Svetlana Makarova for a timely conversation about artificial intelligence, human expertise, and leading responsibly in an increasingly automated world.

Svetlana is the AVP of AI Technical Product Management at IKS Health, where she leads the development of an agentic AI platform used by hospitals, physician groups, and other healthcare organizations. She previously led technical product initiatives at the Mayo Clinic Center for Digital Health and is a doctoral candidate in applied artificial intelligence and machine learning at George Washington University. A two-time TEDx speaker, her work explores how people and organizations can build resilience as AI becomes more integrated into everyday life and work.

Julia and Svetlana discuss how leaders can identify appropriate uses for AI, establish thoughtful guardrails, and balance greater efficiency with accuracy, authenticity, and human oversight. They also explore AI’s effects on education and content creation, the risks of delegating decisions without sufficient expertise, and why lived experience, empathy, and intuition remain uniquely human strengths.

Ultimately, Svetlana encourages listeners to approach AI as a powerful tool that can amplify human ideas and capabilities while remembering that people must remain responsible for the decisions, risks, and outcomes it produces.

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