S2E15: AI's Misuse in Crime, Brands Choosing Enemies Again + The Future of Buying Cars

Welcome to Label Sessions Presents... the podcast bringing you what you need to know right now if you want to lead change at work, and introducing you to the leaders from the world's leading innovation expert network.

This week, join Nick Sherrard + Josh Nixon of Label Sessions alongside leaders Tammy L Madsen + Rehan Hafiz to showcase their stories as well as delve into the latest innovation in business, tech, sustainability, and more.

For the full list of stories mentioned in this episode check out:

How can we generate more spin-outs from universities?

In the UK, the trade body for universities says that a lack of funding risks making the Uk an ‘incubator nation’ where all the economic benefits of the IP universities generate is taken overseas.

What is it that some universities and some countries get so right, whilst others seem to get it so wrong? And is funding the only problem for countries like the UK? https://www.insider.co.uk/news/university-spin-outs-could-lost-34891724

What do the misuses of AI, and even the criminal uses of AI, teach us about the future?

This week we saw gangs using to blackmail people, and ChatGPT is getting sued for defaming people.

Are these isolated cases or do they show us something important about the future of AI and how we need to use it (or even regulate it). https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/19/chatgpt-hit-with-privacy-complaint-over-defamatory-hallucinations/ https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/gangs-using-ai-to-target-victims-7219850/

How will we buy cars in the future?

Banks and car finance companies are facing big bills for past offences in the UK, and the reputation of car finance as an industry globally is not the most positive.

There’s an old saying that leaders should never waste a good crisis. So is now the worst time or in fact the best time to be an innovator in car finance. If you are an ambitious leader in this sector where would you be looking for the future of the industry? https://www.ft.com/content/b028a116-ce57-409b-86ca-ab028c417981

Brands are choosing enemies again. Is this a fad or strategic play?

It seems like a new kind of challenger brand is emerging. They are not taking a Patagonia-style ethical position, nor making a Brewdog-style disruptor position. But they are making very clear who their enemies are.

Bluesky is selling t-shirt mocking Mark Zuckerberg (and making more money from that then selling custom domains) and Kia are posting stickers on their cars saying ‘I bought this after Elon went crazy’

Is this a key play for brands now? Or a fad they should be wary of?

https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/19/bluesky-made-more-money-selling-t-shirts-mocking-zuckerberg-than-custom-domains/ https://www.creativebloq.com/creative-inspiration/advertising/kia-trolls-tesla-with-scathing-elon-musk-callout