AI's reality check: Why Sharon Goldman is looking beyond the hype

This episode is sponsored by: Adobe Acrobat

This week on The Media Copilot, Pete Pachal sits down with veteran AI journalist and former Fortune reporter Sharon Goldman to discuss the growing disconnect between AI's promise and public perception. As Sharon launches her new Substack, Ground Level AI, she shares why she's shifting her focus away from model releases and Silicon Valley headlines to examine how AI is impacting communities, businesses, governments, and everyday people.

"To say you're covering AI today is like boiling the ocean." — Sharon Goldman

From AI data centers and cybersecurity risks to job displacement fears, media disruption, and public trust, Sharon offers a grounded perspective on where the AI conversation is headed next.

What we cover

• Why AI companies are struggling to win public trust

• The growing backlash against AI and what's driving it

• How data centers, infrastructure, and policy are becoming major AI stories

• Whether AI's impact on jobs is being overstated

• The future of journalism in an AI-powered information ecosystem

• Why independent voices matter more than ever in technology reporting

• How Sharon uses AI as a reporting partner, editor, and research assistant