The Only Constant

In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with Peter Gostev, AI Capability Lead at Arena and creator of BullshitBench, an open-source benchmark that tests whether language models can recognise nonsensical questions rather than confidently inventing an answer. Returning as the podcast’s first solo repeat guest, Peter joins Lasse for a wide-ranging conversation on what has changed in AI, from model capabilities and coding agents to the organisational realities of accountability, governance and an overwhelming volume of AI-generated work. Main topics they discuss include: Why architecture, context and accountability become the bottleneck when AI makes execution faster How harnesses, routing and tools increasingly shape model performance beyond the raw model itself Why organisations need new ways to manage the volume of outputs, reviews and decisions created by AI What BullshitBench reveals about the gap between impressive benchmarks and trustworthy day-to-day AI use Why giving subject matter experts powerful AI tools can unlock far more innovation across the business Listen to the episode to hear Peter’s perspective on why AI’s real potential lies not in replacing accountability, but in helping more people turn their expertise and imagination into action. ---- Want to know more about Peter Gostev?: Peter Gostev is an AI Capability Lead at Arena, where he tests new models every day and explores how frontier models perform in the real world. He is also a creator of Bullshit Benchmark, which tests how likely models are to engage with nonsensical user prompts. Previously, he was Head of AI at Moonpig, a UK-based e-commerce company, where he implemented AI-based features and automations across the business. Prior to that, he was an AI Strategy Lead at NatWest Bank, where he helped the bank adopt machine learning techniques and LLMs.

In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom marks episode 100 with four returning guests: Dr. Lorien Pratt, AI pioneer and decision intelligence expert; David Pontoppidan, Head of Business AI for SAP across the Nordics & Baltics; Ewa Zborowska, Research Director at IDC and one of Europe’s leading AI analysts; and Jason Stanley, Head of Applied AI Research at ServiceNow. Together, they move beyond the hype around AGI, singularity and agents to ask what it really takes for AI to create value in the enterprise. Main topics they discuss include: Why a map can never fully represent the territory, and what that means for AI systems trying to model the real world Why adoption, organisational readiness and clear outcomes matter more than the latest model release How to build agentic systems with meaningful human agency, governance and accountability Why AI should help organisations make better decisions rather than simply automate more workflows ---   My four guests for this milestone episode are: Dr. Lorien Pratt. Lorien is a renowned computer scientist, Chief Scientist and co-owner of Quantellia, and co-founder of OpenDI. She is credited with pioneering transfer learning in machine learning and co-creating the field of decision intelligence. Jason Stanley. Jason is Head of Applied AI Research at ServiceNow. His work centres on trustworthy AI and governance, informed by a background spanning sociology, technology and public policy. David Pontoppidan. David is Head of Business AI for SAP in the Nordic and Baltic region. He helps large organisations turn enterprise data and AI into practical transformation and measurable business value. Ewa Zborowska. Ewa is Research Director for AI in Europe at IDC and leads its European AI Innovations and Strategies research. She has more than two decades of experience analysing IT services, cloud and AI, with particular interest in their organisational and societal effects.

In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with Thomas Telving, philosopher, author and AI ethics commentator, whose work explores what it means to remain human in a world shaped by intelligent machines. Together, they examine the dreams, benefits, violence and dangers of AI - from better healthcare and automation to the subtle ways human relationships, judgement and social connection can be displaced by technology. Main topics they discuss include: Why the real dream of AI should be to value relational and human work more highly How companion AI can blur the line between a useful tool and a meaningful relationship Where AI can create genuine benefits in areas such as healthcare, research and practical work Why power, bias, intellectual property and dependency on a few AI companies are societal risks How to decide when using AI saves time and when human effort is itself part of the value Listen to the episode to hear Thomas’ perspective on how we can embrace AI’s potential without automating away the human friction, care and connection that make life meaningful. ---  Do you want to know more about Thomas Telving?: Thomas Telving is a philosopher, author and technology analyst, as well as a prominent voice in the Danish debate on artificial intelligence. He advises companies and organisations on AI, ethics and digital transformation and regularly appears as an expert on television, in podcasts and in newspapers. He has written numerous articles on technology and ethics and is the author of Killing Sophia (2022), Kære Mille – et brev om livet (2022), 10 ting du skal vide om filosofi og kunstig intelligens (2025) and Uautomatiserbar (2026). Since 2016, he has delivered more than 300 talks on artificial intelligence. Thomas holds an MA in philosophy and political science from the University of Southern Denmark and the University of Copenhagen.

In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with Dr. Rachel Wood, a leading cyberpsychology researcher, licensed therapist and founder of the AI Mental Health Collective. They explore what happens when AI becomes a mirror that always accommodates us - and why human relationships, friction and otherness remain essential to our wellbeing, creativity and capacity for discernment. Main topics they discuss include: Why creating is about the human process, not just the output How AI companions and chatbots can weaken self-trust and relational skills The difference between concession and repair in human and AI relationships Why organisations need to acknowledge ambivalence and grief in their AI adoption Listen to the episode to hear Rachel’s perspective on how we can use AI without losing the friction, connection and humanity that make life meaningful. Want to know more about Dr. Rachel Wood?: Rachel Wood holds a PhD in cyberpsychology with expertise at the intersection of AI and mental health. She is passionately invested in shaping the future of connection, work, and identity, and thrives in her multifaceted roles as speaker, founder, advisor, and researcher. Dr. Wood's work has been featured in prominent publications including TIME, Business Insider, ABC, International Business Times, and CBS. She is on the American Psychological Association's AI advisory board inside the innovate APA Labs initiative. She is also an advisor to the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society, as well as several startups. As the founder of the AI Mental Health Collective, Dr. Wood cultivates a cross-discipline community focused on collaboration among clinicians, builders, and researchers. Her insights are not just timely, but essential for understanding the complexities of human connection and professional identity in today's evolving AI-infused world.

In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with Federico Casalegno, Executive Vice President of Design at Samsung Electronics, where he leads global design and innovation teams shaping human-centred experiences across products and services. Drawing on a career spanning design, technology and academia - including his previous work at MIT - Federico shares why AI should augment human purpose rather than replace it, and why the future of design is about creating meaningful relationships between people, technology and the world around them. Main topics they discuss include: Why computational design belongs within human-centred design The difference between automation, optimisation and genuine human meaning How designers can use friction to build trust, reflection and better agentic experiences Why emotional intelligence and human imagination remain essential in the age of AI Listen to the episode to hear Federico’s perspective on designing technology with purpose.   What to know more about Federico?: Federico Casalegno is EVP of Design at Samsung, where he leads global design studios spanning three continents, including a significant footprint in Korea. Before moving into industry full-time, he spent two decades on the MIT faculty teaching and leading advanced innovation research. His work today sits at the intersection of computational design and artificial intelligence, exploring what he calls "co-living with AI," the question of what AI changes about how we create, work, and live, and what design contributes to making that future feel human. Federico brings a reflective, humanistic lens to conversations about technology and creativity.

In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with Damian K. Kowalczyk, a PhD and Principal ML Architect at Microsoft, and Emilie Lundblad, a Microsoft MVP and AI, data and security expert. They discuss the rapidly changing AI landscape, from China’s advances and open-weight models to the importance of context, evaluation and trust. Main topics they discuss include: Why China’s AI ecosystem continues to surprise the West The economics and complexity of open-weight models Why context, prompts and evaluation matter more than model size Whether SaaS and low-code platforms are becoming obsolete Europe’s role in the global AI race Listen to the episode to hear Emilie’s and Damian’s perspectives on the future of AI, enterprise technology and digital sovereignty. --- Want to know more about Damian and Emilie?: Damian Kowalczyk: Damian Kowalczyk is a Principal AI/ML Architect at Microsoft, building systems that make advanced AI fast, reliable, and affordable at Microsoft 365 scale. His work spans models, inference engines, GPU optimization, and product architecture, delivering order-of-magnitude performance gains and turning frontier research into production-ready products. Over 15 years, his career has taken him from CERN and large-scale data platforms to hyperscale AI infrastructure, always connecting engineering decisions with customer and business outcomes. With a PhD in Data Science and an Executive MBA in Innovation, Damian brings together engineering, science, and organizational thinking. He is particularly interested in how global competition, open models, and falling AI costs are reshaping how organizations create value. His central question is not only what AI can do, but what becomes possible when intelligence becomes abundant and innovation moves across traditional boundaries. Emilie Lundblad: Emilie Lundblad van Vliet is Lead Architect for GenAI at the LEGO Group, where she work with digital product teams for one of the world's most recognized consumer brands, to build and scale generative AI across its enterprise. Her work spans agentic systems, platform architecture, security and AI governance, turning frontier models into production-ready solutions that connect engineering decisions with business and organizational outcomes. Over 15 years, her career has taken her from data analytics and machine learning at GroupM and Hempel to leading AI Centers of Excellence at Ambu, always bridging deep technical work with board-level strategy. A 5x Microsoft MVP in AI and 2x Microsoft Regional Director, she is the only woman in the Nordics to hold both titles simultaneously. She sits on the boards of Blue Logistics Group and Fortytwo Technologies, a Nordic Microsoft security partner, and serves as Chairperson of the Danish Data Science Community and member of the National Advisory Board for the Pioneer Centre for AI. With a master's degree from ITU Copenhagen and more than 50 keynotes delivered across the region, she is one of the most active voices shaping the Nordic AI agenda. Her central question is not only what generative AI can do, but what becomes possible when organizations stop treating AI as a capability and start treating it as infrastructure.

In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with Shannon Lucas, co-founder and co-CEO of Catalyst Constellations. Shannon has more than twenty years of experience driving innovation across Fortune 500 companies and startups, including leadership roles at Ericsson, Vodafone, and Cisco. They explore: Why AI agents do not belong in outdated organisational structures Discernment as the deeply human bridge between logic and intuition How empowerment requires clarity, competence and accountability Whether organisations need more managers, fewer managers or something entirely different Why narratives, assumptions and prophecies shape the future we think we are merely predicting AI may change how work is performed, but the deeper question is how we redesign organisations without losing human agency in the process. --- Do you want to know more about Shannon Lucas?: Shannon Lucas, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Catalyst Constellations, has over twenty years’ experience working with startups, launching her own ventures, and driving innovation into the world’s largest companies. Shannon is a best-selling co-author of Move Fast, Break Shit, Burn Out; The Catalyst’s Guide to Working Well. She is a passionate thought leader about creating sustainable organizations in every sense of the word; for people, planet and profit.   In her previous roles, as EVP of Emerging Business at Ericsson, Senior Innovation Architect at Cisco’s Hyperinnovation Living Lab and Director of Innovation at Vodafone Global Enterprise, Shannon empowered Fortune 500 businesses to stay agile, competitive and sustainable through the adoption of new technologies and organizational structures.

In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with Maria Sukhareva - computational linguist, Lead AI Strategist, and founder of AI Realist - who brings 15+ years in natural language processing to a refreshingly hype-free look at what large language models actually are, and aren't. With roots in computational linguistics and machine translation, Maria has been doing language modelling "since before it was cool," and she puts that depth to work as the conversation moves from the latest AI market drama into the deeper questions of language, intelligence, and truth. Main topics they discuss include: Why understanding language matters for understanding LLMs, and how the field drifted from linguistics toward pure statistics The absence of real concepts, reasoning, and truth in models that simply predict the next token AI slop, eloquence-as-intelligence, and the flood of machine-generated academic papers Why "what to do" now matters more than "how to do it" - and what this means for experts, managers, and the future of work If you've ever wondered what's actually happening behind the curtain of a language model - this conversation is for you. --- Do you want to know more about Maria Sukhareva? Maria Sukhareva is the founder of AI Realist (airealist.org), an independent publication offering vendor-neutral, anti-hype analysis of enterprise AI for a practitioner audience. Through her weekly AI Realist Radar briefings, long-form investigative writing, regular workshops, and keynote engagements, she covers the developments enterprises actually need to navigate, from model releases and pricing shifts to security incidents and governance frameworks. AI Realist has grown to over 30,000 followers on LinkedIn and hundreds of paying subscribers, with her work cited by top media outlets including Forbes and Die Welt. Alongside AI Realist, Maria serves as Principal Expert in AI and Lead AI Strategist at a DAX40 company, with over 15 years in NLP and generative AI. Her path runs from certified translator to computational linguist at Universität des Saarlandes, through leading the machine translation initiative at BMW Group, to her current role shaping enterprise AI strategy. Maria holds a background in computational linguistics, has authored more than 20 publications, and speaks four languages.

In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with Mahmood Aziz, a seasoned technology and AI transformation leader with decades of international experience across consulting, software and enterprise IT. Mahmood brings a refreshingly grounded, human-centred view of what AI is really changing in the world of work - and what stubbornly stays the same. Main topics they discuss include: How AI is reshaping consultancy and why expertise, judgement and the human "spark" still matter The trap of "midterm sci-fi" thinking and projecting three-to-five-year futures we can't really see yet Why 70–85% of AI pilots never reach production, and the lessons we keep ignoring from ERP, cloud and RPA The missing operating model, and why governance, trust and accountability matter more than raw action Do you want to know more about Mahmood Aziz? Mahmood has over 30 years international experience at Board, Executive and Non-Executive positions in Consulting, NHS, Auditing, Software, Business & IT Services firms. These cover strategic & operational leadership, fund-raising, restructuring, M&A, auditing, consulting, program & project management, business process optimisation and redesign, robotic process automation, AI, data, analytics & ERP He has specific focus transforming organisations in Financial Services, Pharma & Life Sciences, Energy, Telco, Retail & Public Sector enterprises across EMEA, working with global, international brands, as well as startups and scaling companies. These are all in client facing, consulting and programme delivery roles, delivering multi-million £ benefits and growing business units consistently both in terms of revenue and people development. In these roles, he has been both leader and follower, consistently championing & delivering change, innovation & business transformation for customers, his business areas & himself. Currently Founder & Director of Mind Intelligence Limited, a boutique consulting firm focused on growing scaling organisations with services covering AI, Automation, business strategy, business model design, sales/finance/performance planning, digital transformation & operations optimisation as a Fractional CxO, Advisor, Mentor & Coach. Available for Non-executive, Board Advisory & Consulting engagements Recent notable experiences include, Non-executive Governing Board Member, Chair of Finance & Performance Committee, Advisory Board Member, CRO, COO, Board director, Strategic Global Alliances for Blue Prism (EMEA & Rest of World alliances growth), Facilitator, Keynote speaker & more. Mahmood has an MBA awarded from the University of Hull

In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with Cristina Caffarra - top competition economist, UCL professor, and founder of EuroStack. After 25 years at the top of the antitrust world, she walked away to power up European tech, and she makes a sharp, unapologetic case that Europe is a "digital colony" with everything it needs to change that - if only it would stop admiring the problem and start building. Main topics they discuss include: Why big tech is pouring money into AI, and why "AI is cloud" - the same hyperscaler stack souped up Europe as a digital colony, sovereignty washing, and why the real case for European tech is growth, not values or kill-switch fears How public procurement can favour European solutions without "discriminating" - and why the mercantilism and protectionism charge is a strawman Where the money actually is and why private demand, not 15 years of regulation, is what will move the dial If Europe's place in the AI race is something you wrestle with, this conversation will both provoke and energise you.   Do you want to know more about Cristina Caffarra? Dr Cristina Caffarra is a globally renowned competition expert who had a 25-year career as a leading economic consultant. She headed for 17 years (between 2006 and 2022) the Competition Team of Charles River Associates (CRA) in Europe. She then set up Keystone Europe as Managing Partner in July 2022, which she left in 2023.    She co-founded the EuroStack movement in 2024 and is she is co-founder and Chair of the EuroStack Initiative Foundation e.V. EuroStack | Building Europe’s digital future, a non-profit organization to pursue European resilience and asset-building in European tech and digital.   She is recognised as a thought leader in antitrust enforcement, regulation, tech policy, the interface between tech, competition, industrial policy and trade.  She is sought after as a public speaker and /regularly keynotes at top events on competition, regulation, digital and industrial policy.  She is also a convener with the ability to gather senior agency, policy and academic speakers for the most high-profile policy events in Europe on tech and related economic policy.  She hosts and produces the Eacape Forward podcast, and her Annual Escape Forward Brussels Conference is the highest-profile event on economic and regulatory policy in Europe. She has written multiple contributions to the field of competition and regulation of digital markets, lectures in competition economics. She is an Honorary Professor at UCL, she is also Associate Fellow of the Centre for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) in London and Deputy Chair of the CEPR Competition Research Policy Network. She is also a 2026 Fellow at DG Grow.