In this week’s Practitioner Spotlight, we’re highlighting Linda Leopold, a strategic advisor and public speaker who has become a leading voice in navigating the human side of the AI revolution.
Linda’s background is a distinctive blend of journalism and senior tech leadership. Before launching her advisory practice, she spent seven years in AI leadership at H&M Group, most recently as Head of AI Strategy, leading initiatives in responsible AI, digital ethics, and generative AI for the global retail giant.
Today, she helps companies across Europe and beyond make sense of AI transformation, focusing on the intersection of leadership, people, and the collective responsibility we share as technology reshapes our world.
In this interview, Linda reflects on her transition from the creative industries to deep learning, the shifting public perception of AI, and why your “non-tech” background might just be your greatest superpower in the age of automation.
Hyperight.com: What’s the best way to describe your job to someone outside tech?
Linda Leopold: I just used to say “I work with AI” and people were always excited and curious to learn more. That was before ChatGPT. Today my answer is a bit more nuanced, and so are people’s reactions. I often describe my job as “helping companies make sense of how AI is shaping the world, and helping them make sure it goes well.”
Hyperight.com: What originally sparked your interest in AI/data, and what keeps you inspired today?
Linda Leopold: I worked as a journalist and editor-in-chief for many years. In 2013 I wrote a book about human intelligence, and this sparked my interest in deep learning. I wanted to better understand how the human brain works, and how machines could replicate human intelligence. After taking courses in machine learning and deep learning, I was hooked and felt that this was what I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing. Ten years later I’m still mesmerized by this field, some days excited, some days frightened. But never bored.
Hyperight.com: What is one challenge you’re trying to solve, and why does it matter?
Linda Leopold: I have spent many years making AI ethics work in practice for companies. Today, I’m also exploring the question of what collective responsibility for AI means. The technical development of AI is racing ahead, driven by a handful of companies, but the use of it is shaped by millions (soon billions) of people. As both risks and benefits increase with the increasing capacity of the technology, companies must start thinking beyond their own use of AI – and recognize the role they play in shaping how the technology impacts our world.
Hyperight.com: A tool you can’t live without (tech or not)?
Linda Leopold: Right now, I must say Claude. I’m also very fond of my piano.
Hyperight.com: What trend in data or AI do you think will shape the Nordic region the most?
Linda Leopold: I think the democratization of AI and technology that we see now (for example with vibe coding) will create a lot of business opportunities in the Nordics.
Hyperight.com: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to others entering the data and AI field?
Linda Leopold: Take advantage of your previous knowledge and experiences from other fields and bring them into your AI and data practice. My background in journalism and the creative industries has shaped how I think about AI in ways a purely technical path wouldn’t have.
