Stare Down the Bull EP 1 : How AI Has Developed From Early Stage to Today
By Susan Hunt
November 17, 2025
I’ve known Blade Kotelly for more than two decades, and every time we talk, he challenges how I think about technology and creativity. In this episode of Stare Down the Bull, Blade joins me to unpack a fascinating journey, from pioneering early voice systems to reimagining what AI can do for design, leadership, and even children’s literature.
We start where it all began: the early days of SpeechWorks and Nuance, when talking to a computer, still felt futuristic. Blade shares how treating users as smart people they were, helped define what good voice design should be. Fast-forward twenty-five years and those same principles are back in play as we design natural, conversational AI systems.
Blade also pulls back the curtain on how he teaches innovation and design thinking at MIT. Surprisingly, today’s students. immersed in technology, aren’t necessarily more fluent in AI. As Blade puts it, many are focused on fundamentals and are still learning how to think critically about what AI makes possible.
His current work helping enterprise leaders decide where AI truly belongs in their organizations is a big part of his focus today. Blade’s framework cuts through the hype, helping executives identify whether they’re solving real problems or just building cool demos that go nowhere.
His insight: the best innovations balance understanding, design, and execution, without losing sight of human needs.
Finally, we explore his personal and creative project: Is This My Home? A Puppy’s Journey. It’s a beautifully illustrated story that began as a Christmas menu and evolved into a touching children’s book, partially illustrated with AI. Blade shares how technology became his creative partner, accelerating ideas, refining language, and helping him visualize emotion on the page.
Hearing how schoolchildren connect with his book is a perfect reminder of why technology and humanity must coexist. Blade’s work, whether in the lab or on the page, proves that design, courage, and honesty always matter.
If you’re leading teams through digital transformation—or just wondering how AI fits into your creative life—this episode will give you fresh insight, inspiration, and a few goosebumps.
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