Everything AI: 5 Real-World Lessons from a Founder in the Know — ft. Ann-Mary Rajanayagam
AI is more than a trend — it’s a cultural, ethical and technological shift that’s changing how we live, work and create. For students, founders, and future changemakers, knowing how to engage with this shift isn’t just helpful — it’s essential.
In this episode of Launch Pad Radio, we spoke with Ann-Mary Rajanayagam, founder of Alderon — a consulting firm helping businesses make smarter, more responsible decisions about AI.
After leading major tech and data transformation projects in New York, London and Sydney, Ann-Mary now advises executive teams on how to navigate the fast-changing tech landscape. She’s also a LinkedIn AI Top Voice and a passionate advocate for diversity in tech.
With deep experience and a human-first mindset, Ann-Mary helped us explore the future of AI in a way that felt both practical and empowering — especially for students and early-stage founders ready to step into this space.
Responsible AI: Designing Technology That Includes Everyone
With the rapid rise of AI tools in everything from education to recruitment, it’s easy to assume that the progress is unbiased. But Ann-Mary emphasised that who builds the tools matters just as much as what they do.
“We have to think about how these models were developed and trained and by who.”
Bias in AI systems isn’t accidental — it reflects real gaps in representation. When algorithms are trained on incomplete or skewed data, they reinforce inequality rather than reduce it. Ann-Mary pointed out infamous incidents of algorithmic bias, like image misclassification and skewed hiring platforms, to illustrate just how real and high-stakes these issues are.
Her solution? More diversity in AI development — especially women and minorities in STEM.
“We’ve all seen biases come to play… The best way to move forward is to make sure that we have better representation in terms of who are building and training the models.”
The Hidden Risk of Over-Reliance
We often think of AI as a way to enhance our productivity — but what happens when it starts replacing thinking altogether? Ann-Mary shared her concern that people are using AI tools not to stretch their ideas, but to shortcut them.
“There is absolutely an issue there where we become over-reliant on AI… it doesn’t allow the learning for us to actually progress to the higher-order value-add tasks.”
Drawing from her experience working with investment analysts, she warned that relying on AI for the “easy” parts of a process can prevent people from developing the deep skills needed to master the more strategic tasks.
Her take? Use AI as a tool — not a crutch. Let it support your work, not replace the thinking that makes you valuable.
Creativity vs. Convenience: Can Human Art Survive Automation?
In a world where AI can now generate entire videos, illustrations and scripts in seconds, creatives and founders alike are asking: what does this mean for human originality?
Ann-Mary acknowledged the tension: “We’re used to commodities like factories bringing prices down. We’re not used to knowledge work being disrupted in that way.”
She explained that as automation drives down the cost of creative outputs, the value of human-made work might actually rise — not fall.
“If there’s a lot of AI art, human art will gain more value because it will stand out.”
Ann-Mary also emphasised the emotional and relational edge humans still have — things that can’t be faked by even the most advanced algorithm.
“Showing up as your authentic self is the only hope that we have in the future.”
For creators and communicators, the takeaway is clear: the way to stand out isn’t to compete with AI — it’s to be more human than ever.
AI and the Planet: Why Sustainability Can’t Be an Afterthought
While much of the hype around AI centres on productivity and innovation, Ann-Mary raised an often-overlooked consequence: its environmental footprint.
She reminded us that large-scale AI systems require massive energy and infrastructure — and that sustainability must be part of the conversation from the beginning.
“People talk about AI as this invisible force, but the data centres, the compute — it’s not free. It has a cost. That cost is environmental.”
For founders building AI-enabled startups, she urges consideration of the full lifecycle of technology — from training models responsibly to choosing greener providers and pushing for greater transparency in the industry.
Building AI Confidence: What Students & Founders Can Actually Do
Despite the complexity, Ann-Mary remains hopeful — especially for students and early-stage founders who are willing to experiment, stay curious, and engage with AI directly.
“Don’t be afraid. Experiment, try, learn, make mistakes.”
She firmly believes that the only people who will fall behind are the ones who avoid AI altogether out of fear or overwhelm. So how do you get started?
Here are Ann-Mary’s top recommendations:
1
Attend Local Events
“If you go onto Eventbrite or Luma and just type in ‘AI event’ in your area, you’ll find every university has something.”
She stressed the value of hearing experts speak and meeting others in the same boat.
2
Learn from Trusted Sources
“Andrew Ng… he’s got incredible videos on AI — very easy to understand. He has courses as well on his Learning Academy.”
These foundational courses offer students a way to build literacy without needing a deep tech background.
3
Don’t Just Learn — Apply
Whether it’s testing an AI tool for fun or using ChatGPT to help you structure a pitch deck — start playing. The best learning happens when theory meets practice.
4
Build Your AI Community
“Meet others who are in the same boat as you, because community helps in terms of learning AI and getting more comfortable with it.”
Being surrounded by others who are experimenting, failing, and learning together helps you stay engaged and motivated in the long run.
At Ignition, Launch Pad accelerates YOU as well as your business. We provide support at each step of your growth journey, empowering you to become a resilient founder.