Tech Disruptors

“The average knowledge worker is interrupted every two minutes during work hours,” according to Microsoft Chief Marketing Officer Jared Spataro. “You’re getting an email, a meeting kind of request, a chat coming in, and if you do the math, that’s 275 times a day.” On this episode of Tech Disruptors, Spataro joins Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Technology Analyst Anurag Rana to discuss emerging trends in the way employees work and how AI is already changing the game. The two define the “Frontier Firm” and discuss why this is a big year for such organizations. They also talk about the introduction of new research and analyst AI agents and the future of head count and staffing needs.

Helping small businesses manage all things human resources — payroll, benefits, tax compliance and employee onboarding — is Gusto’s central focus, which presents unique challenges given the fragmented customer base. Chief Technology Officer Mike Tria outlines the company’s product-portfolio suite and the evolution of the human-capital management industry over the past 10 years from a technology angle. In this Tech Disruptors podcast episode, BI analyst Niraj Patel sits down with Tria to discuss Gusto’s appeal across small and medium-sized business (SMBs), the leverage of its technology infrastructure (Ruby on Rails) to scale up for asynchronous workloads, the software ecosystem, its “Gus” AI solution and more.

Pasquale DeMaio, VP of Amazon Connect at AWS, shares his insights on transforming contact centers with AI. He argues that the focus should shift from reactive to proactive customer engagement. DeMaio highlights the challenges traditional firms face in data integration, emphasizing the power of cloud platforms. The conversation also covers how AI can create personalized service experiences and the complexities of consumption-based pricing in this new landscape. Exciting innovations in AI are poised to redefine customer expectations and interactions.

US tariffs won’t change the cyclical journey in tech, with artificial intelligence set to be the dominant force for years to come the same way the Internet was, according to Rodrigo Liang, CEO of SambaNova, which builds AI hardware and software platforms. Liang joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s analyst Mandeep Singh on the Tech Disruptors podcast to discuss SambaNova’s cloud’s differentiation for inferencing workloads. They also talk about the demand for AI infrastructure, adoption of open-source large-language models and focus on power efficiency as AI compute remains scarce.

Artificial intelligence is opening up new possibilities for computer simulation, offering lower costs and expedited processes in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, financial services, energy and other industries. In this episode of the Tech Disruptors podcast, Jim Scapa, founder and former CEO of Altair, speaks with Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Niraj Patel about the company’s portfolio expansion and broader customer reach beyond these verticals. He discusses the major consolidation drivers in simulation technology that have fueled recently announced M&A, including Siemens-Altair. Scapa offers his insight on Altair’s unique pricing model, differentiators among simulation-software technologies, customer retention, the impact of third-party generative-AI models, instantaneous design and simulation enabled by AI technology, and more.

David Risher, CEO of Lyft, shares insights on the ridesharing industry’s current duopoly and the potential for growth within the gig economy. He discusses the crucial connection between rider satisfaction and driver loyalty while exploring the optimization of algorithms for better service. The conversation delves into the landscape of autonomous vehicles and their integration into ridesharing, examining partnerships, psychological barriers to adoption, and future innovations powered by AI. Risher emphasizes prioritizing service quality over competition in this rapidly evolving market.

In this insightful discussion, Steve Schmidt, Amazon's Chief Security Officer, emphasizes that security is fundamentally a people and culture issue, not just a technology problem. He delves into the cybersecurity landscape in the age of generative AI, highlighting the risks of both open-source and proprietary technologies. Schmidt also tackles the diverse motivations of cyber threat actors and stresses the importance of building a proactive security culture across organizations. Additionally, he addresses the urgent need for skilled cybersecurity professionals and innovative solutions like AI to enhance decision-making.

Simone Severini, Director of Quantum Technologies at Amazon Web Services and a PhD expert in quantum computing, engages with analyst Anurag Rana on the future of quantum tech. They discuss the critical metrics of qubits, highlighting quality and scalability. Severini delves into the challenges of quantum hardware development and the innovative strides AWS is making, including the Ocelot chip. The conversation also touches on the transformative potential of quantum computing across industries and the importance of understanding realistic expectations for its evolution.

Jim Stratton, Chief Technology Officer at Workday with over 12 years of experience, discusses the transformative role of AI in HR and financial software. He emphasizes Workday's unique dual strategy for AI integration, enhancing existing functionalities while introducing advanced machine learning. Stratton highlights the significance of customizable AI applications and the complexities of pricing models in the enterprise sector. He also dives into the role of AI agents as co-pilots for business operations and the importance of security in managing these digital workforce components.

Debanjan Saha, CEO of DataRobot and former leader at Google Cloud and AWS, shares insights on the growing demand for domain-specific AI solutions. He discusses how enterprises can leverage predictive analytics to tackle specific business challenges. The conversation delves into the importance of governance in AI deployment and the balance between software licensing and consumption pricing. Saha also highlights the innovative 'dogfooding' approach within DataRobot, using internal AI tools to enhance growth and address key challenges in AI adoption.