Make it Happen by Being You with Ali Meehan
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Make it Happen by Being You with Ali Meehan
AI Without the Fear: Susanne Drews on Using Artificial Intelligence Wisely, Ethically, with Confidence
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In this episode of the Make It Happen by Being You Podcast, I'm joined by Susanne Drews, AI educator, sociologist, app founder, based on the Costa del Sol. Susanne has spent 20 years living in Spain and has built her business around something that a lot of us find either fascinating or terrifying (sometimes both at the same time) - artificial intelligence.
What makes Susanne different is that she doesn't just talk about what AI can do. She teaches people how to use it ethically, critically, confidently; starting with the basics and building from there. She is particularly passionate about helping women overcome the confidence barrier that stops so many of them from engaging with AI tools at all.
In this conversation we get into how AI actually works, why it's not so different from the human brain, how Spain is outranking most of Europe in AI adoption, and how Susanne used Google NotebookLM to help her 12-year-old daughter stop drowning in school revision.
We also talk about her new app for empathetic leadership (yes, it is nearly ready!), her vision of speaking on a TED stage, and the book that changed her relationship with money.
This episode is practical, grounding, and genuinely useful for anyone who is curious about AI but not quite sure where to start.
About Susanne Drews
Susanne Drews is an AI educator and sociologist who has been based on the Costa del Sol for 20 years. She teaches individuals and businesses how to use artificial intelligence practically, ethically, and with confidence, starting with the fundamentals and building up to more advanced applications. She is currently building an app for empathetic leadership that uses AI to support middle managers, including a wellbeing tracker for sleep, nutrition and energy. Susanne speaks regularly at events across the Costa del Sol and is passionate about bringing AI education to wider audiences.
Connect with Susanne:
- Instagram: @susanne.ia
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanne-drews/
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Today in the Make It Happen studio, I'm delighted to be joined by Suzanne True. Suzanne is a sociologist and she uses artificial intelligence as an AI educator to help us learn how we can be using artificial intelligence for our businesses and in our lives too. Come and meet Suzanne.
Susanne DrewsI see that a lot of people there really are having fears and concerns. When it comes to fears, I think the only thing we can do is jump into the cold border and try this tool out. Because the more you also use it and the more you play around with it, the more you understand how it works, and the more you can detect then also what's uh fake and what's real.
Ali MeehanWell, hello Susanne. Hi Annie. For the ladies who haven't met you before, could you tell us a bit more about Susanne and also what an AI educator is? Okay, so my my name is Susanne.
Susanne DrewsI am originally from Germany, living over here in Costa Vesol for 20 years now. Um, and my business is um yeah, AI educator, because I think this is really the term um for education, AI. Um, this expert and specialist, I don't think it covers really because you cannot be an expert of such a wide wide field um of AI, and then also education means really going into depth um in the ethical use uh of AI, into what to do, what not to do, uh, which data to upload, which not, um, how I can even trust this uh these tools. So I'm really starting with education, with uh explaining how these models work, um, what's the architecture behind, and then we take it from there. Yes.
Ali MeehanYeah, amazing. Because we are in a trust recession, aren't we? So a lot of people, um, particularly women, are not trusting what they're seeing, what they're reading, the interactions they're having with people. So, how can you how can we address that?
Susanne DrewsUm yeah, I see that a lot of people there really um they're having fears, um concerns. Um, when it comes to fears, I think the only thing we can do is jump into the cold water and try this tool out because the more you also use it and and the more you play around with it, the more you understand how it works, and the more you can detect then also what's uh fake and what's real.
Ali MeehanI think we do have to jump in. It's just some people find it quite a scary thing to take that initial leap. Yes, how would you recommend people actually start using AI? Are there is there a specific tool that you think they should start with? Because there's so many AI platforms now. Yeah.
Susanne DrewsTotally depends on what they want to achieve with AI, but I would say the the um the like you're saying already, normal chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, um, they are quite easy to use. Because then also what what um we see already also in data is um many women don't use AI because uh not lack of uh knowledge, but the lack of confidence. Um so they need to get confident in the use. So I would recommend something easy to start with, like these uh chatbots, and play around with it and um start some some maybe also some prompting sessions to see how I can um refine my result when I change the prompt and start with these simple exercises, also some content creation for social media, um, and to see also if the outcome is what we really want to achieve.
Ali MeehanYeah, I think the whole problem for a lot of people is understanding the prompts, isn't it? And actually creating the right sort of questions rather than just asking it what you would normally ask Google, for instance.
Susanne DrewsExactly. Yeah, we also we need to understand that uh ChatGPT is not Google. Google is a search engine, and um, these language, large language models, they are here to create content, not to find existing data, and that's really a difference.
Ali MeehanYou've done some work around neuroscience, and you you came up with a beautiful phrase which I'm gonna repeat back to you because I think it's so interesting. Neuroscience confirms that the human brain does not objectively record relativity, it constantly predicts patterns, filling in the gaps with prior expectations. That's why AI and we share the same Achilles heel, both optimised internal coherence, not external truth. And I think that is so true. We're not aware that actually we are similar in so many ways in how we look at problems and how we look at the world.
Susanne DrewsYeah, yeah. At the end, um, we are also um like programmed on patterns, which are our emotions, our experiences we we have uh gone through in our life. And this is exactly what also AI is doing, it's trained on the experience of the society, on the patterns of the society.
Ali MeehanSo you've got a degree in sociology? Yes. How has that helped you understand the human impact on this new technology?
Susanne DrewsI'm not sure if I understood it. The you understanding human being is quite difficult. Um, I'm still my way there. Um, but I find it very interesting how the society yes really interacts, also how human beings interact um within certain groups. You will always have the the pro and the con group, you will have the defenders, um, you will have the the people who are panicking. Um, and all these interactions together, I think they're very, very interesting to observe. Um, and then also, yeah, as uh as we said before, what can we do that people are not panicking? Um, with this. So we need to see also um what happened in our society before. Um what what has uh I mean we have been in these phases when um the the movies came out, when television came out, when radio came out, and it was always the same situation. Remember 2000 when the internet uh was launched and everybody thought this that's world's end. Um so I think yeah, the the impact there is really because um you have people, you have groups of people who take it as an opportunity, and you have groups of people who blame these external factors then also on their let's say non-success.
Ali MeehanOh interesting, and I I completely agree with you. I I remember first using the internet back in the day, and you know, everyone was saying, Oh, it's gonna steal all our jobs and it's gonna ruin the world, and yeah, now we can't live without it. Um and yeah, it'd be interesting to see how AI develops, especially around the work.
Susanne DrewsUm around the work. I mean, we we say that the white colours they will leave, I think at a certain point. Yes. Um, but they will also they will get different um tasks in in their work, and I do believe that AI is also here to make um important inventions, maybe when it comes to medicine. I mean, we've seen already uh on diagnostics, it's very powerful. Um, also when it comes to power and resources. I think we will find also a solution there, maybe um to to produce uh green electricity in a better way thanks to AI.
Ali MeehanAnd it's it's always good to look at the positive for everything. Did you have any business roadblocks? And if so, did you overcome them? So that it could be around using AI initially, or yeah.
Susanne DrewsTo be honest, I think I was my my own roadblock at some point. Um, because I started actually when when I started as a as a freelancer, as a self-employed uh person, I had a clear vision. I want to do a leadership coach for the German market. So look where I am now. Um I'm an AI educator and actually more on the Spanish market now than other markets, um, which is really funny because I had this clear vision, and uh everybody who said, Yeah, but maybe you could go let's say for the Spanish market, I said, No, I'm doing the German market. So it didn't turn out well, it it really did not work out. So this that's when I started also to listen to my environment, to my friends, family, uh, and I took these pieces of advice and I changed my my business model. And yes, so so when I really started to see that I'm the block world over here and I need to do something with my um perspective, um, things became much clearer and easier.
Ali MeehanHow would you say the AI usage has been accepted by the Spanish market?
Susanne DrewsUm well, there are already stats that actually the Spanish um users are in a very high ranking um within Europe. So, like France, uh the northern countries, uh also Germany, Denmark, Sweden, all these countries, they are ranking very, very low down there. Meanwhile, um Spain is in the top 10. Um Spanish people tend to go for technology hypes. Um, you could see it also when WhatsApp was um launched. I think there was also Spain, like the first European market. Spanish people are really keen on technology. I would not say that they always are very ethic in usage, or they're they're not always using their critical thinking, which they should, um, but they're super happy to use technology.
Ali MeehanYeah, really interesting because some people think that the Spanish um business market are behind in a lot of ways, but it shows that they're not really, are they?
Susanne DrewsNo, they are not, and also when when you look, I mean, when you look at the Costa de Sol over here and um the the impact the the tech park of Malaga has. Um now also Marbella is becoming a technology hub. Um there there is really a lot over here we can do. Yesterday I read an article that there are actually 3,000 um technical positions open over here in the province of Malaga they need to cover. Yeah. Wow.
Ali MeehanAmazing. Did you have a business role model who helped you happen, helped make it happen for you in business and why?
Susanne DrewsUm globally, I would say um I'm uh I'm really huge fan of the of the Walmart founder. He passed away already, but I um read about his story and how he created his business from this little store at the corner up to this huge supermarket chain, and that actually the business only worked um because um when it became very, very big, um, his task was to travel around the country to be with his employees. So he he did no what we call the micromanagement, uh nothing at all. He really delegated all what he could uh delegate and he focused on the people. And I think that's um a very good point. How to build a business because businesses are always built around people. Um I would look in my environment, um, actually at Costa Women, um, there are a few. Um I uh do um I feel very inspired when when I when I um see or talk to to Nicoline Um about also then human design and business and how she explains it. And now I see her also in in social media everywhere, uh giving keynotes and inspiring people. I said, wow, she's such a powerhouse. Um and yes, you Ellie, as well. I I I admit you really inspire me when you when you um when you're in networking events and you tell your story, when you explain how everything um started for for you 15 years ago and what you did in 15 years to connect um all these uh beautiful people together. Um that's extremely inspiring.
Ali MeehanThank you. And actually, I'm inspired by the amount of talks you're doing at the moment, much already. But yeah, very inspiring. Your business has obviously grown around the AI space, including talking at a lot of events. What's three things we can learn from how you've developed it in a very short space of time, really, isn't it? You haven't actually been doing what you're doing now for very long.
Susanne DrewsNo, um, right now I'm saying it's like a year something. Yes. Um I so so what helped me? Um, like for example, also in in the startup I have the the um mobile application I'm I'm building with the team, uh I would say really um communication. We communicate within the team a lot. Um, also sometimes you think it's just nonsense to talk about, but talking, really talking, as I said before, uh, to people, transparent communication about everything, and then also give people the chance to give advice, to be heard. Um and um then also reflect on myself. Um, how I'm doing it helped a lot. I would say um, second, I also had to learn with age, put everything down in your calendar or agenda, um, even really family slots, um, because um it will come the the part where you really forget stuff, and I always thought I will never forget anything, um, but I do forget stuff, so I put everything in my in my agenda, my Google Calendar. Um, and that also I think would link then to the third part. Um, take really time for for family. Um it actually goes in the private life, but since this is a fluent uh thing, business and uh private, uh I really try to block time for my kids. Um, because yes, as we say, time goes so fast. And um this also gives me then time to relax. And this is actually the part when new ideas come, when I do not think in business.
Ali MeehanYeah, I think that's a misconception that a lot of people have, don't they? That they feel they need to be doing, doing, doing, and actually those ideas can't come because their brain is too busy doing, doing, doing, and not actually giving itself time for creativity.
Susanne DrewsExactly, right? Just laying, for example, on the terrace on the grass and counting clouds, like we did um as kids as well. I do with my kids. This is exactly when it says boom, next idea coming.
Ali MeehanYeah, yeah, yeah. We should do more counting clouds. Oh, yes.
Susanne DrewsI would say especially um also do not wait for the perfect moment because the perfect moment will never come. Um, I think more of us need to be also not that everything to wave and just jump and just launch, even if you're not uh confident with the product right now. Um, but there's also this saying if you're already that confident with the product, then it's already too late to launch it. So that's some advice, I I think.
Ali MeehanI you you mentioned there your AI um app, which I know about, but nobody else does. Tell us more about why you built it.
Susanne DrewsUm yes, this comes from from the from the leadership uh general moment uh situation generation. Um when when I was in leadership positions and I saw a lot of things I would love to change, but obviously we cannot uh change the world in a day. Um so I always wanted to be a bit more involved in leadership coachings and such, but as I said, it didn't turn out that well for me. Um and I thought, okay, why not building an app around, but really a holistic app around it, not only something that helps us to draft an email, um, but also for me very important that leaders, uh, especially middle managers, because they're always in the fire zone, um, that they take care of themselves. Uh, so we implemented a well-being tracker where you can also track your sleep and your water intake and what you eat and everything. So, yes, that's that's the app for empathetic leadership with AI, because obviously, um, with AI, it makes it much easier to implement such features.
Ali MeehanAnd is the app available to download yet? Not yet.
Susanne DrewsNot yet. That is really a struggle we have still because the app is ready actually, but we are waiting for for the app store to give us the green flag.
Ali MeehanOkay, that's well, we can add it to the show notes after, whenever you're ready. So that'll be good. Have you read a book in this last year which made a difference to your life? And if so, why?
Susanne DrewsYeah, actually, in the uh beginning of this year, I read from Napoleon Hill, uh Think and Grow Rich. And it's I think it's super fascinating because it's actually almost, I think, yeah, 100 years old when he wrote it, and it's so up to date um when it comes to this uh also business mindset. Um, so it's about how yeah, I in short with how to become a millionaire. Um I've become yet a millionaire, but um this this mindset, actually positive mindset also around money that um that changed a bit my my um let's say situation also because I think also special women we have like a little doubt uh if we really uh uh are allowed to to to be wealthy, not rich, but at least to have enough money. Um that money maybe is dirty, and uh yeah. So with this book, uh my mind changed a lot.
Ali MeehanYeah, I love that. And you're absolutely right. Women do struggle with the whole concept of charging their worth, which is really important for us to talk to and get them to realize that they are worth it. What is your superpower?
Susanne DrewsMy superpower, that that's a really tricky one, and I'm really happy that um you gave me a little bit of a of a hint that you asked that question. Uh because I so I thought for myself, so my superpower is maybe yeah, uh getting up in the morning every single day. Um, because yeah, there were I had to be honest, with also shitty situations in my life, but I always got that. Uh but then um asking friends and family, um they all uh tend to have the same um answer that um probably I'm I'm good in explaining difficult mater in a very easy way so people find their way around and understand it. So I would say that's that's the one.
Ali MeehanDefinitely 100% agree with them. But it is a superpower because I've been to various talks you've given, and you really do break down your topic so that we can, whatever level we're at, we can understand it and and get benefit from what you're sharing. So I totally think that is your superpower. And actually, um talking to that, you have found a really cool way to help your children with their schoolwork using AI. I don't know if you want to share that because I think it's really useful to hear how you do it.
Susanne DrewsYeah, exactly. So so my my uh older uh daughter, she's 12, she really struggled with um these uh exams over here, Spanish public school. It can be four exams in a week, and it's a lot of material. Uh so she was sitting in front of her notepad and she couldn't really this material didn't enter her her brain. So I said, you know what? There's this cool tool uh from Google Notebook LM, and it does audio and video, so it does like a sort of um podcast. Uh so this is what what I did with with the material. I did all pictures from her textbooks, feeded notebook with it, and um created uh short uh podcasts for her to to study the material and since then she's also not that overwhelmed with uh with all this um material she has to learn.
Ali MeehanYeah I think that's such a good use of AI. So it's showing how you could use it for the good which is really good.
Susanne DrewsWhat's something you've achieved before the end of the year um yeah the talking about speaking um I want to speak more and more um no actually actually my vision is we I really want to educate people yeah in in AI in that it's not a magic pen um to do everything. It is a very useful tool but there are a few buts you need to you need to respect and um that's that I want to do this year. By the end of the year I want to be maybe on a bigger stage and tell tell PPAI uh it's super fancy and cool and useful but use it the right way we'll see you on a TED stage yeah yeah maybe would you have advice for a younger susanne a younger susanne I would I would say yeah be be more patient with yourself um might be also my my Sodiac sign uh Capricorn we we tend to be yeah this perfectionism um yeah be more patient and take some time to relax every now and then yeah sounds sounds very wise advice especially with two teenagers so how can people best connect with you and follow the course of the app and hopefully download it um where I'm always uh on online is uh Instagram susanne dot IA because actually uh more a Spanish um channel and a LinkedIn so Susanne drives my name on LinkedIn these are the two um channels I'm always to find perfect and if you know the TED's tool coming up near you Susanne is interested brilliant thank you for talking to me Susanne look forward to seeing you soon thanks for the invite thank you I really hope you enjoyed this latest recording of the Make It Happen series and I'd love you to subscribe to our podcast channel we'd love you to continue hearing more of our Make It Happen interviews.
Ali MeehanIf you're not a member of Costa Women yet but you're a woman who is living in Spain or a woman who is thinking about moving to Spain do come and join us at costowwomen.com. It's completely free to join. In the meantime I look forward to sharing more Make It Happen interviews with you. Bye bye for now