“AI isn’t here to replace us—it’s here to help us do what we already do, only smarter and faster.” — Andy Hashimoto, Vice President, Insight Financial Services
Artificial intelligence isn’t just a trend. It’s changing how every industry operates. From meeting productivity to personal learning, AI is becoming a trusted assistant that helps professionals save time, gain insight, and stay ahead of the curve.
In this episode of Vetted by Mark Vetter, Mark sits down with Andy Hashimoto, Vice President of Insight Financial Services, to explore how AI is reshaping his business practices and what educators can learn as schools begin to adopt similar tools.
Andy first approached AI the same way many educators do, with curiosity. “At first, I just wanted to learn how it worked,” he explains. But soon, he began integrating it into daily routines.
By using AI-powered meeting transcription, Andy can stay fully present during client conversations. Instead of frantically taking notes, he lets AI create summaries and action items within minutes, freeing him to focus on people, not paperwork.
It’s easy to draw a parallel to education: imagine a teacher leading a lesson while AI quietly documents the discussion, tracks learning targets, and generates next-day feedback. The result? More time for teaching and reflection, less time on manual documentation.
Andy also uses AI as a kind of personal coach. After key meetings, he asks the tool to act as a “world-class sales trainer” and analyze what could have gone better. The AI identifies missed opportunities, suggests stronger phrasing, and even creates role-play scenarios for future practice.
For educators, this same capability could provide immediate, non-judgmental feedback on lessons, presentations, or communication. AI-driven reflection could help teachers grow faster, just as it’s helping business professionals refine their craft.
As powerful as AI can be, Andy stresses the importance of data security and awareness. Early on, he didn’t think much about what information was being uploaded to public tools like ChatGPT. But today, his organization uses Microsoft Copilot to keep sensitive data protected.
Mark drew an important connection for educators: just as we safeguard student data in our schools, we must also safeguard what we share with AI systems. Knowing which account you’re using and who owns that data is a vital new digital-literacy skill.
Andy also shared his perspective as a parent. He believes kids should learn about AI early, but safely. “I want to educate my kids so they understand it, not fear it,” he says. “But I also want them to be mindful. What they type into AI today could still exist years from now.”
For school districts, that means building AI literacy and digital citizenship lessons into the curriculum. Students should understand not only how to use AI effectively, but also how to protect their privacy and integrity online.
AI has the potential to transform both classrooms and offices, but only if we use it responsibly. Like Andy and his team, districts can start small:
Pilot AI for transcription, summaries, or workflow support.
Provide professional development around data privacy and safe usage.
Encourage curiosity and reflection while setting clear boundaries.
As Andy put it, “AI is amazing. It helps me work faster and think bigger. But we have to balance the excitement with responsibility.”
That’s a message worth carrying into every classroom, meeting, and district technology plan.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation on Vetted by Mark Vetter
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