Podcasts

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.

Britain's £44 Billion AI Future: Is Everyone Included? Secretary of State Peter Kyle MP discusses Britain's record £44 billion AI investment, detailing a strategic vision to ensure the technology revolution empowers all parts of the country through infrastructure, widespread skills training, and a balanced approach to regulation, aiming for an inclusive 'Goldilocks moment' where creativity is the only limit. Cold-open quote: "I think people who think they can buy privilege in our society are in for a shock when AI is harnessed for the benefit of every young person equally right through the country.   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.

The CapCut for Music: Overtune's Blueprint for Creative Control Host David Savage sits down with Overtune founder Sigi Arnason and investor Nick Gatfield to explore the democratization of music creation. Discover how Overtune aims to be the "CapCut for Music," empowering aspiring artists and content creators to produce and release high-quality music in minutes, even without technical expertise. The discussion unpacks the platform's assistive AI features, emphasizing user control and creative involvement over full automation, much like adding an "egg" to a cake mix to ensure personal input. This episode delves into the "human decisions" behind making music accessible to the 90% of people who previously couldn't translate their ideas into sound, showcasing a new workflow that prioritizes genuine creative expression. 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.

I Used to Change My Accent: Why Emotional Intelligence is Tech's New Power Skill The tech industry often celebrates speed and disruption. But what happens when that pace overlooks the human element? Christina Lewis, a leader who navigated from higher education to scaling giants like Deliveroo and Bolt, shares a deeply personal truth: her initial instinct to change her Midlands accent to "fit in" to the London tech scene. This moment of personal adaptation forged her belief in the power of emotional intelligence (EQ). In this episode, we explore why EQ is now indispensable for everything from retaining female talent and building inclusive cultures to making critical decisions with real-world impact. As AI reshapes our workplaces, Christina argues that our most human skills—empathy, active listening, and understanding nuance—are tech's next great advantage. Join us as we challenge assumptions about leadership and reveal how leaning into our full, authentic selves makes tech truly 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.

AI's Real Challenge: Why Friction Points Trump 'Transformation' Strategy Organizations are under immense pressure to adopt AI, yet many are missing the mark. In this episode, Daemon's Chief Growth Officer Kyle Hauptfleisch cuts through the buzzwords, revealing why the relentless evolution of AI demands a shift from nebulous "AI strategies" to a laser focus on business friction points. He explains how boards are underestimating the blistering pace of change, the critical shift for humans from "instrument players" to "conductors" in the AI loop, and the often-overlooked process constraints that truly derail value creation.This description opens with an organizational tension (pressure vs. missing the mark), immediately introducing the core challenge. It then unpacks the strategic stakes, emphasizing the human-centred and substantive insights from the conversation without rehashing generic points.     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.

The Great Search Rewire: What AI & Video Mean for SEO's Future SEO is having its most fundamental shift in 25 years. Georgie Kemp, SEO Lead at VEED, unpacks how AI search and the rise of video are rewriting the rules of discoverability. Forget the 'blue links'—we're diving into 'search everywhere optimization' and what still matters for cutting through the noise in a rapidly evolving digital world. Is SEO dead? Georgie says it's thriving, and more creative than ever. 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.

“Last Women Standing": The Fight to Keep Women in Tech on the Map Amidst Funding Cuts The tech sector is facing a critical challenge: women are increasingly leaving the industry. But as Dr. Vanessa Vallely OBE, founder of We Are Tech Women, reveals, the answer isn't just about attracting new talent, but passionately fostering a vibrant, nationwide community for those already here. Inspired by Ada Lovelace Day, Women in Tech Week is a grassroots movement that defied expectations, growing from an idea to 70 events in its first year, spanning from Falmouth to Edinburgh. Despite facing significant funding cuts in the wider industry, Vanessa discusses how they've doubled corporate interest this year, spotlighting crucial topics like AI, cyber, and the impacts of the Lovelace Report. This conversation explores the power of community, the fight for visibility, and why putting "Women in Tech on the map" is more vital than ever to ensure a thoughtful and honest tech culture for all leaders, builders, and learners.   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.