EP178: Why AI Still Needs Humans: The Future Of Trust, Policy and Brand Risk

Ever wonder why some brands feel confident showing up in new digital spaces while others seem to hold back? In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Stephanie Posner from DoubleVerify about something a lot of people worry about when it comes to AI: trust.  Stephanie’s career path has taken her from diplomatic work in the Middle East to Netflix to TikTok and now to DoubleVerify, and she brings all that experience into how she thinks about protecting brands online. Stephanie shares what it actually takes to build a team that blends human judgment with machine learning and why that combo tends to work better than leaning on AI alone.  Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. About Stephanie Posner: Stephanie Posner is VP of Policy, Safety & Global Affairs at DoubleVerify (NYSE: DV), the industry's leading media effectiveness platform. She leads the global team responsible for the policies and standards that underpin DV's AI-powered brand suitability products — the classification solutions used by the world's largest advertisers to protect their brands across the open web, social platforms, and streaming TV. A recognized policy strategist, public speaker, product leader and trust & safety practitioner, Stephanie has driven landmark initiatives including DV's AI Slop detection product (first-to-market on YouTube and Meta), the Internet Watch Foundation child safety partnership, and the DoubleVerify News Accelerator Publisher Council. She has deep expertise in machine learning, responsible AI, content classification, ad-tech, brand integrity, trust and safety, and international tech regulation from her time at TikTok, Netflix & DoubleVerify. Prior to DV, she led Monetization Product Policy at TikTok and helped shape Netflix’s global content and risk strategy. She is passionate about responsible AI, transparent advertising standards, and building a better internet for everyone. Before entering the tech industry, Stephanie was a senior diplomatic advisor in London.  She holds an MBA and MA in Global Affairs from Yale University, where she served as editor-in-chief of the Yale Journal of International Affairs. Stephanie also holds a BA in Classics from Cambridge University and was a Kennedy Scholar at Harvard University. She can be reached on LinkedIn. About Tessa Burg: Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at [Tessa.Burg@ModOp.com](mailto:Tessa.Burg@ModOp.com).