Bernard Marr's Future of Business & Technology Podcast

In this engaging discussion, Adam Evans, Salesforce's Executive Vice President of AI, reveals insight into the revolutionary concept of the agentic enterprise. He explains the three essential use cases for AI success: enhancing customer service, boosting employee productivity, and implementing effective workflows. Evans also tackles the surprising 95% failure rate of AI pilots, emphasizing the transition from prototypes to scalable solutions. With practical advice on prioritizing impactful use cases and managing multi-agent systems, this talk sheds light on the future of AI in business.

💼 Cybersecurity is now a boardroom priority — and CFOs are at the center of it. In this conversation, I talk with Michael Wignall and Soriya Shariff from Microsoft about how finance leaders can navigate today’s AI-powered cyber threats and safeguard business resilience and profitability. #MicrosoftPartnership #Ad🔹 Why cybersecurity is a core business risk, not just an IT problem🔹 How CFOs can build strong partnerships with CISOs and CEOs🔹 The financial impact of security by design and default🔹 Smart budgeting for secure AI adoption and future growthThis episode is packed with actionable advice for CFOs and business leaders ready to strengthen their organization’s security and resilience in the age of AI.🔔 Subscribe for more insights on AI, technology, and the future of work.💡 Explore more from Microsoft and Gov.UK on Digital Security Defense and on building business resilience and secure AI adoption:👉Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2025: https://cdn-dynmedia-1.microsoft.com/...👉 Cyber Security Toolkit for Boards - NCSC.GOV.UK: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/bo...👉 Secure Future Initiative – Secure by Design | Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/trust...*Disclaimer: This interview took place before the launch of the new Microsoft Defense Report 2025, so references are made to the previous edition. The updated report has since launched and is available to read via the insight links above.

💼 At Dreamforce 2025, I sat down with Hannah Calhoon, VP of AI at Indeed, and learned what real AI transformation looks like at scale. Indeed serves 615 million job seekers across 60 countries, and they're not just experimenting; they're systematically reimagining work with AI. #Salesforcepartnership #Sponsored 📊 The measurement-first approach: Hannah's philosophy is refreshingly practical: "95% of enterprise AI pilots generate zero business value. My job is making sure we're in the 5%." Every department at Indeed picks metrics that matter, then tracks AI's impact relentlessly. Legal cut turnaround time by more than half. Over 80% of software engineers now use AI coding assistants, dramatically improving velocity and code quality.🤖 Real use cases, real impact: Take employer support. Linda West, VP of Business Systems, shared that 22% of requests were tied up in routine onboarding and account verification. Now Agentforce agents handle these autonomously - employers can ask in natural language about flagged issues and get guided through resolution in real time. Data Cloud and MuleSoft provide the context agents need for accurate, instant support.🎯 The adoption secret: "You can't just throw AI at people," Hannah explained. While 10-20% are natural early adopters, real transformation requires function-specific training. Indeed doesn't just give tools - they show marketers, lawyers, UX designers exactly which three tools to use and the five most useful ways to use them in daily workflows. The result? 75-80% of Indeed's 11,000 employees now use AI daily or weekly, with 80%+ satisfaction.💬 Honest about the journey: What I appreciated most was Hannah's candor. Some experiments fail. Employees are understandably concerned. The technology evolves faster than anyone predicted. Indeed's commitment? "We're going to bring you along. We'll give you the tools and training so whether your next job is at Indeed or elsewhere, you're ready for this AI revolution."🔮 On the future of work: Indeed's economics team has a unique vantage point - they analyze millions of job postings and resumes. Their finding? AI skills are mentioned in low single-digit percentages of postings. About 50% of jobs will see moderate AI transformation, but it's primarily human-AI collaboration, not replacement. "Most people won't become AI engineers - they'll use AI-enhanced versions of tools they already know."💡 Hannah's advice for any transformation:Tie AI to metrics that already matter to your businessDon't wait for perfect data - start experimenting with what you haveInvest heavily in role-specific education (more than you think)Be honest with employees about uncertainty and change🚀 The vision: Indeed is exploring 100 different Agentforce applications to systematically accelerate processes and free teams from repetitive work. The ultimate goal? Cut job seeker hiring time by 50% - accelerating opportunity for millions of people worldwide.This is the Agentic Enterprise in action: specific use cases delivering measurable value, guided by a transformation strategy that brings every employee along. Not just efficiency - real impact on people's lives.

Are we approaching AI development all wrong? In this eye-opening conversation, Dr. Sean Kennedy from Nokia Bell Labs challenges four widespread beliefs that are actually slowing down AI innovation.🔍 What We Cover:Myth 1: Regulation Kills Innovation Discover why uncertainty, not regulation itself, is the real barrier to AI progress and how Nokia's six pillars of responsible AI (fairness, reliability, privacy, transparency, sustainability, and accountability) provide a framework for moving forward with confidence.Myth 2: Scaling Models Will Lead To AGI Learn why simply making AI models bigger won't achieve artificial general intelligence and why we need "Gen AI Plus," combining fast intuitive thinking with symbolic reasoners, knowledge graphs, and physical world models.Myth 3: General Models Create Maximum Value Understand the hidden costs of general AI models and their impact on economic divides, particularly in rural communities versus metropolitan areas.Myth 4: More Data Equals Better AI Find out why quality trumps quantity when it comes to data and how medium-sized language models trained on clean, proprietary data can outperform massive general models while being cheaper and more sustainable.💡 Key Insights: ✅ How to build responsible AI frameworks that enable rather than constrain innovation ✅ The future of AI lies in hybrid systems, not just bigger models ✅ Physical world models are essential for the next leap in AI capability ✅ Why companies need to think beyond immediate metrics to societal impactDr. Sean Kennedy leads artificial intelligence research at one of the world's most prestigious innovation labs. His work spans AI-native networks, generative AI applications, and responsible AI development.🎯 Perfect for business leaders, technologists, AI practitioners, and anyone interested in understanding where AI is really headed and what actually matters for progress.#Ad #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #AGI #MachineLearning #ResponsibleAI #GenerativeAI #AIEthics #NokiaBellLabs #TechInnovation #FutureOfAI #BusinessStrategy #DigitalTransformation #AIRegulation #DataScience #AIResearch #TechnologyTrends #Innovation #BernardMarr

Artificial intelligence promises to transform everything, yet it could also stall progress if we get it wrong. 🤖✨ In this conversation, I’m joined by Carl Benedikt Frey, Oxford economist and author of the new book "How Progress Ends", to explore why technological progress is never guaranteed and how AI could fuel growth or risk stagnation. We discuss the two phases of innovation, the impact of regulation, the battle between centralised and decentralised models in the AI race, what leaders must do to encourage experimentation, and how inclusion shapes the future of discovery. 🌍🚀

Surgery is being transformed before our eyes by robotics and AI 🤖🧠.I’m joined by Dr. Mark Slack, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of CMR Surgical, to explore how surgical robots are making keyhole procedures more accessible, the role AI plays in training and decision support, the future of autonomous surgery, and what this all means for global healthcare 🌍💉

AI is changing how we live, work, and even how we think 🧠✨In this episode, I am joined by Deepak Chopra, world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and bestselling author, to discuss his AI twin, the role of AI in self-reflection and wellbeing, consciousness, how technology shapes longevity and healthspan, and the risks and opportunities AI brings for humanity 🌍💡

What can 337 days in space teach us about leadership, innovation, and the future of humanity?In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Tom Marshburn, astronaut, physician, and executive at Sierra Space, to explore how space is shaping industries on Earth and opening new frontiers.We cover what it feels like to launch on three different spacecraft, how zero gravity is driving breakthroughs in medicine and semiconductors, why AI will be essential for missions to Mars, and the leadership lessons learned from commanding the International Space Station. 🌍✨If you are interested in the future of space, technology, healthcare, and AI, this is a must-watch interview.

AI is evolving from a tool into a true collaborator, reshaping how we communicate and create. I am joined by Grant Lee, co-founder and CEO of Gamma, to discuss the rise of agentic AI, how startups can grow efficiently with lean teams, the risks and opportunities of AI in the workforce, and what the next decade of business and technology will look like 🚀💡🎙️

Pete DeLaurentis, founder of TextJam, dives into the transformative role of AI in writing. He shares how TextJam enables seamless collaboration between humans and AI while preserving individual voice and creativity. The discussion highlights challenges with traditional tools like Word and Google Docs, innovative features like real-time collaboration, and TextJam's competitive strategy against big-tech giants. DeLaurentis also reflects on the evolving landscape of AI writing tools, emphasizing the need for transparency and user-centric innovation in the industry.