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The AI Reality Check: Digital Foundations Still Matter In this candid Tech Talks conversation, fractional and now permanent CIO John Whitlow offers a pragmatic reality check on AI implementation in the business world. While external pressure drives many organizations to "do something AI", John reveals that a significant number, particularly SMEs, are still in the "foothills" of their digital transformation journey, wrestling with foundational issues like poor data quality, where 80% of data can be useless. He argues that AI follows past technology shifts, with many organizations not yet prepared for large-scale implementations, despite the rapid early adoption sparked by tools like ChatGPT.  John also unpacks the paradox of a massive jump in demand for AI skills versus a lack of organizational training, emphasizing the need for a joined-up AI strategy across an entire organization, not just IT. He stresses the critical role of leadership in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) for high-performing teams, drawing from his own recruitment practices. The discussion further touches on the ongoing "rebound" in hybrid working models and the commercial realities driving—or delaying—sustainability initiatives in businesses. Ultimately, John Whitlow's insights make sense of complex tech realities by revealing the human decisions, trade-offs, and fundamental challenges that truly shape the future of business IT. Tech Talks Podcast  Tech Talks is a podcast that probes the minds of tech leaders, hosted by Technology Evangelist David Savage. Each week, the show releases three episodes with new guests, covering the latest tech news, exploring new products and cultural transformations that drive the tech industry. Founded in 2015 Tech Talks has published over 650 episodes and attracts over 18,500 streams a month from a global audience. The podcast offers insights and ideas from leading technologists on culture, innovation, finance, growth, sustainability, and more, providing a platform for the c-suite, founders, and senior figures to hear from others facing similar challenges and tap into a wider community. Find out more about Tech Talks here.

From 'Tuna Can Period' Scarcity to Hypergrowth: Bloq.It's Miha Jagodic on Building Green Logistics with Pragmatic Strategy Today's guest Miha Jagodic, co-founder and CEO of Bloq.It, recounts the journey of transforming his startup from its challenging "tuna can period" (a time characterized by extremely limited resources and relentless early development efforts) into one of Europe's hottest and fastest-growing companies.Bloq.It provides an end-to-end parcel locker solution, revolutionizing last-mile delivery by offering a convenient and cost-effective alternative to home delivery, which is particularly crucial for the booming e-commerce and second-hand marketplaces like Vinted and eBay. Miha emphasizes that this infrastructure significantly reduces CO2 emissions and courier miles, making the "green tech" aspect a vital and impactful part of their story.Jagodic offers candid reflections on his personal evolution as a founder, moving from an initial "rookie" stage to a CEO leading a team of 350 people, a shift that has seen his role become more managerial yet strategically hands-on. He shares valuable advice for fellow entrepreneurs, stressing the importance of maintaining focus and consistency, directly addressing problems with his "pregnancy test" concept rather than letting them fester, and adopting a pragmatic approach to fundraising. This pragmatic approach means securing investment not out of dire need, but when it is convenient and practical to negotiate favorable terms. The discussion also explores the dynamics of the Portuguese tech ecosystem, the rising prominence and "superior" business practices of Eastern European tech hubs, and the evolving questions faced by hyper-growth startups from investors. So take a deep dive with us into the human decisions and real impact behind scaling a successful tech business, and "Make Tech Make Sense". Tech Talks Podcast  Tech Talks is a podcast that probes the minds of tech leaders, hosted by Technology Evangelist David Savage. Each week, the show releases three episodes with new guests, covering the latest tech news, exploring new products and cultural transformations that drive the tech industry. Founded in 2015 Tech Talks has published over 650 episodes and attracts over 18,500 streams a month from a global audience. The podcast offers insights and ideas from leading technologists on culture, innovation, finance, growth, sustainability, and more, providing a platform for the c-suite, founders, and senior figures to hear from others facing similar challenges and tap into a wider community. Find out more about Tech Talks here.

Revolutionising Indie Film: Christopher Lombardi's Vision for Generative AI in "Princess Halle and the Jester" In this episode, host David Savage chats with Christopher Lombardi, a filmmaker and practicing doctor, about his groundbreaking work on "Princess Halle and the Jester (director's cut)."This film is described as the first fully generative AI-enhanced indie feature film. Lombardi explains how generative AI was leveraged not to create entire narratives from scratch, but to significantly enhance the film's environments, expand its scope, add digital crowds, and make the animation of digital creatures more fluid. This innovative hybrid approach allowed Lombardi to achieve a grander cinematic vision on an independent budget of around $150,000, for a film that would traditionally cost $40-50 million.He discusses the opportunity this technology presents for indie filmmakers to tell bigger stories previously constrained by budget, while emphasising the continued importance of human-driven storytelling and creative input.The director's cut of "Princess Halle and the Jester" is expected to stream on Amazon Prime around October 1st. Tech Talks Podcast  Tech Talks is a podcast that probes the minds of tech leaders, hosted by Technology Evangelist David Savage. Each week, the show releases three episodes with new guests, covering the latest tech news, exploring new products and cultural transformations that drive the tech industry. Founded in 2015 Tech Talks has published over 650 episodes and attracts over 18,500 streams a month from a global audience. The podcast offers insights and ideas from leading technologists on culture, innovation, finance, growth, sustainability, and more, providing a platform for the c-suite, founders, and senior figures to hear from others facing similar challenges and tap into a wider community. Find out more about Tech Talks here.

On Wednesday, 3rd September, Peter Kyle MP, the Technology Secretary, called on industry to match the UK Government’s ambition on AI in a speech at Mansion House. His message was clear, Britain is open for investment, and he wants AI companies to call the UK home. Before his speech, Peter Kyle sat down with Nash Squared’s Technology Evangelist, David Savage, for an interview now featured in our Tech Talks podcast. Their conversation focused on what AI investment really means and who stands to benefit. Decentralised growth at the heart of AI investment Since Labour took office, the UK has attracted a record £44 billion in AI and technology investment. A key focus of this strategy is ensuring growth reaches all parts of the country, not just London. Major projects include multi-billion-pound investments in data centres and national supercomputers in Edinburgh and Exeter, with a goal to increase sovereign compute capacity 20-fold by 2030. However, our own 2025 Nash Squared/Harvey Nash Digital Leadership Report (DLR) shows that while AI investment is accelerating, larger organisations are more likely to see returns due to their scale and resources. Peter Kyle’s focus on decentralising investment and doubling AI companies outside of London is designed to change that, ensuring talent and opportunity are spread more evenly across the UK, reducing the need for people to leave their regions for London or Silicon Valley. Democratising AI skills for a creative workforce Peter Kyle noted that the skills barrier to using AI is changing. The future isn’t about coding expertise, but about creativity and effective prompting. The DLR supports this shift, with 65% of digital leaders saying they’d now choose an AI-enabled developer with two years’ experience over a five-year veteran without AI skills, a huge change in hiring priorities. While technology has often been criticised for deepening social and economic divides, Kyle stressed that proficiency in prompt usage can be gained in as little as 2.5 hours of training, making it accessible to people from all backgrounds, including areas of deprivation. And with the DLR highlighting a lack of action on AI upskilling in many organisations, this ambition is an encouraging sign. A “Goldilocks moment” in AI governance and innovation The UK is pursuing what Kyle described as a “light touch, but assertive” approach to AI regulation, encouraging innovation while keeping people safe, without overly prescriptive laws that risk slowing progress. The AI Security Institute, working alongside Frontier Labs, monitors risks before deployment, while sector regulators assess AI’s impact in their industries. This balanced approach has even been described by Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA, as a “Goldilocks moment” for Britain. The DLR adds context, with 40% of digital leaders worried about the misuse of Generative AI, such as staff transferring sensitive documents into chatbots or acting on biased data. Kyle’s strategy aims to build trust while maintaining a pro-innovation environment. AI as a personal and societal equaliser Kyle shared his own experience of learning with Dyslexia, explaining how AI tools have supported his learning style and boosted his potential. He believes AI could “level up” opportunities, particularly for students in state schools and deprived areas, challenging the idea that privilege must be bought through expensive education. The DLR strengthens AI’s wide-reaching impact, describing it as an “everywhere” technology that’s already driving productivity and reshaping how businesses operate. While it doesn’t directly address educational equity, our research shows AI’s potential to upskill existing teams and free developers to take on more complex, creative challenges, which is closely aligned with Kyle’s vision of AI empowering individuals and expanding opportunity. Listen to the full conversation now on Tech Talks to hear Peter Kyle MP and David Savage explore the UK’s AI ambitions in depth.