Unvarnished - Emma Farquharson, Ph.D.: Treat AI Like a Thought Partner
AI is everywhere, but are businesses truly harnessing its potential? Emma Farquharson, Ph.D., CEO and founder of SharedIntel AI, says most aren't even scratching the surface.
In the latest episode of "Unvarnished," Emma joins hosts Chris Hyde and Darin Painter to cut through the AI noise, debunk common misconceptions and share how businesses can apply AI in a way that actually drives results.
"This is the last year where you can adopt AI on your own terms before the market dictates it for you."
Emma's Journey from Science to AI Strategy
With a PhD in molecular genetics, Emma initially worked on engineering viruses for food and water safety. But after seeing her research struggle against industry barriers, she pivoted — realizing AI’s potential to solve real-world problems at scale. As an early beta tester of ChatGPT, she saw firsthand how AI could transform businesses, not by replacing people, but by amplifying their expertise.
“I believe AI can solve any problem we’re able to articulate,” she said. “But fear and misunderstanding keep many businesses from using it effectively.”
She Sees a Common Mistake
Emma’s AI expertise isn’t limited to theory — she grew up in the print industry. Her father, Bill Farquharson, is a well-known print sales expert, which means Emma spent her childhood at industry trade shows and conferences.
That deep industry connection gives her a unique perspective on AI’s role in print — and she sees massive opportunities beyond content generation or automated design.
“The biggest mistake I see is people using AI superficially — throwing in a one-line prompt and expecting magic,” Emma explained. Instead, she advocates for a conversational approach, where users train AI to ask the right questions before generating solutions.
“If you just say, ‘Find me the best vertical markets for 2025,’ you’ll get generic results,” she said. “But if you tell AI who you are, your specialties, past successes, and goals, it can deliver truly contextualized, high-quality insights.”
She encourages businesses to treat AI like a thought partner — one that can refine ideas, identify gaps and even challenge your assumptions to improve decision-making.
The Urgency: Why 2025 Is the Year to Act
For companies hesitant to embrace AI, Emma has a warning: waiting too long could be a costly mistake.
“If it’s 2028 and you haven’t incorporated AI into your workflows, you’re probably not around anymore — at least not as a competitive business,” she said. “This is the last year where you can adopt AI on your own terms before the market dictates it for you.”
She believes AI will separate companies into two groups: those who use it effectively and those who struggle to keep up. And while she acknowledges the concerns around AI replacing jobs, she argues the real threat is not knowing how to use it at all.
On April 10, Emma Will Help You Build Your Own GPT
Emma is bringing her AI expertise to Edge Long Beach this May with a high-impact session called AI in Action: Supercharge Your Lead Gen. Her presentation will help your team learn how to use AI for market research, identifying high-quality leads and streamlining sales outreach. She’ll demo practical tools that businesses can implement immediately.
For Edge attendees who register before March 31, she’s also leading a preconference webinar on April 10 called Build Your Own GPT: A Step-by-Step Guide for Your Business. It's a hands-on session where she’ll teach attendees how to train AI specifically for their company, eliminating the need to start from scratch every time.
