Betatalks the podcast

In this episode of Betatalks the podcast, Rick and Oscar talk with Ana Ines Urritia, a Microsoft MVP and digital transformation architect working at the intersection of HR, AI, and enterprise technology. Ana explains how her background in psychology and HR led her into software and AI-driven solutions, where she now bridges business stakeholders and IT, and how AI is reshaping HR through automation, analytics, and responsible, human-led decision-making. She also shows how art, design, UX, and data visualization help make complex AI systems more human, accessible, and effective for non-technical users. About this episode, and Ana Inés Urrutia in particular: you can find Ana on LinkedIn and via her website. Also, you can find her book The Microsoft AI Human Resources Handbook here (also on Amazon and Bol).About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

In this episode of Betatalks the Podcast, Rick and Oscar talk with Anjuli Jhakry, a .NET MAUI developer at 4Dotnet and Microsoft MVP who is building a startup app for people with food intolerances. She reflects on her move from Xamarin.Forms to .NET MAUI, noting how .NET 8 made the framework stable enough for production use. She explains how her app uses ML.NET to learn from user feedback and generate personalized dietary recommendations. They also highlight her rapid growth as a conference speaker and the importance of mentorship, the tech community, and keeping technical architectures simple. About this episode, and Anjuli Jhakry in particular: you can find Anjuli on LinkedIn.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

In this Christmas Special 2025 episode of Betatalks, Rick and Oscar reflect on how AI has moved this year from hype to practical use. They discuss real-world examples, the maturing AI ecosystem, and the challenge of adopting AI at the right time. We want to thank all our guests and listeners for an amazing year, and we hope to see you in 2026.  We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!About Betatalks: watch our podcast videos and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.

In this episode of Betatalks the podcast, Rick and Oscar talk with Amber Vanderburg, a dynamic leader and founder of The Pathwayz Group, passionate about developing leadership in technical fields. She describes stepping into the world of tech, learning to translate technical jargon into language that resonates with real people, and finding joy in helping teams build not only technical know-how, but also empathy and practical communication. She shares how curiosity and humility shaped her path and continue to guide her approach to people-focused leadership. Amber also highlights the value of continuous growth and adaptive leadership in a fast-changing, often remote workplace. About this episode, and Amber Vanderburg in particular: you can find Amber on LinkedIn.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

In this Betatalks episode, Rick and Oscar talk with Yasen Dinkov, an artist turned engineer and head of engineering at Blue10. Yasen shares how his love for visual arts led him to programming and how he sees both art and software as creative acts shaped by imagination and constraints. He explains how his team builds a SaaS platform that uses AI to process documents while blending seamlessly into users’ workflows, focusing on solving real problems rather than following every request. Yasen also reflects on how music and nature inspire his creativity, showing innovation as a journey driven by curiosity and collaboration.About this episode, and Yasen Dinkov in particular: you can find Yasen on LinkedIn.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

Rick and Oscar talk with Alvin Ashcroft, Senior Content Developer at Microsoft, about how AI is transforming developer documentation. Alvin explains how tools like Copilot and MCP servers help improve Microsoft’s technical content. They discuss the rise of local AI models, Windows AI APIs, and the shift toward open-source collaboration. Alvin also shares his career journey and passion for community-driven projects. About this episode, and Alvin Ashcraft in particular: you can find Alvin on LinkedIn and on his website. You can also buy his book here.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

In this Betatalks episode, Rick and Oscar talk with Paula Januszkiewicz, founder and CEO of CQURE, a Cybersecurity Expert, Microsoft MVP, and passionate speaker. Paula shares how cybersecurity evolved from curiosity-driven exploration to a professional, high-stakes discipline shaped by major technological shifts. She highlights the move from one-time penetration tests to continuous security practices and the power of storytelling in making cybersecurity engaging. Paula also reflects on her role as a woman leader promoting openness, learning, and continuous improvement in the tech community.About this episode, and Paula Januszkiewicz in particular: you can find Paula on LinkedIn.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

In this Betatalks episode, Rick and Oscar talk with Jelle Fremery, who moved from psychology into software development and now works as a Principal Cloud and AI Architect at Betabit. They discuss how his background influences his approach to technology and the rise of generative AI. They reflect on the power and unpredictability of Large Language Models (LLMs). Jelle stresses the importance of human oversight, security, and ethics in AI. They end with an optimistic look at AI’s future in software development. About this episode, and Jelle Fremery in particular: you can find Jelle on LinkedIn.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky. 

In this Betatalks episode, Rick and Oscar are joined by Jelle Fremery, Principal AI Architect at Betabit. They look back at the evolution of .NET and C#, discussing coding styles and records. They compare how newcomer TUnit stacks up against titans NUnit and xUnit. The hosts also discuss Azure’s growing tools, including Logic Apps and the Durable Task Scheduler, and share experiences adapting to new coding practices. They reflect on AI advances like GPT-5 and the importance of appreciating rapid technological progress. About this episode, and Rick, Oscar & Jelle in particular: you can find them on LinkedIn: Rick, Oscar & Jelle.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky. 

In this Betatalks episode, Rick and Oscar talk with Christian Peeters, a principal Cloud Architect at Betabit and a certified Microsoft trainer. They discuss the intersection of technology, teaching, and continuous learning in software development. They explore emerging tools like vector databases and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), breaking down their complexity while stressing the importance of grounding AI models in real data to ensure trustworthiness.About this episode, and Christian Peeters in particular: you can find Christian on LinkedIn.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky.