Modern CTO

In this conversation with Jason Sobel, the Chief Technology Officer at The New York Times, he explores how technology is revolutionizing journalism. He discusses the alarming decline of journalism jobs and the rise of GenAI, emphasizing its role in supporting rather than replacing human reporters. Sobel shares insights into the Times' investments in audio and podcasts, and the challenges of balancing brand integrity with modern digital needs. He also offers valuable leadership advice on clarity in communication and hiring relentless problem solvers.

Join Brian Gruttadauria, CTO of Hybrid Cloud at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, as he dives into the transformative power of agentic AI in hybrid cloud infrastructure. Discover how HPE achieved a remarkable rise in GitHub Copilot adoption from 20% to 92% and the importance of a human-in-the-loop approach for effective AI strategy. Brian shares insights on building trust in AI adoption, the critical role of security, and innovative customer use cases that harness GreenLake Intelligence. Plus, learn about his personal AI projects and valuable career advice!

Adrian McDermott, CTO at Zendesk, shares his insights on how AI agents are revolutionizing customer service. He argues that rather than replacing teams, automation expands their capabilities and drives innovation. Adrian explores three AI application modes and the evolution of support from phone calls to intelligent agents. He highlights the need for strong REST APIs to support automation and discusses the financial shift to outcome-based pricing. Adrian's personal approach to leadership leans on being adaptable and prioritizing grit when hiring.

Mark Porter, CTO at dbt Labs, shares invaluable insights on team management and communication. He emphasizes the importance of knowing your audience for effective messaging and discusses strategies for cascading information across an organization. Mark reveals how psychological safety is crucial for escalating concerns without fear and suggests role-playing to enhance communication skills. In hiring, he advocates for high standards and unconventional tactics, like soliciting negative references, to ensure a strong team fit.

Rouzbeh Yassini-Fard, known as the 'Father of the Cable Modem,' revolutionized broadband amid skepticism about the internet's future. He shares how tangible product testing outperforms PowerPoint hype and discusses the evolution of cable broadband and its vital role in today's AI landscape. Rouzbeh touches on the importance of collaboration in the cable industry, the economic impact of broadband, and the need for honesty in technology solutions. He also emphasizes learning from failures and fostering trust in leadership.

In this engaging conversation, Rebecca Carr, CEO of SmartRecruiters, shares her experience leading an AI transformation in just 18 months. She reveals how AI agents now complete 58% of job applications and discusses the necessity of a fast, AI-enabled hiring process. Rebecca reflects on the need to redesign organizational structure for agility and performance and boldly mentions the end of traditional jobs in five years. She also emphasizes the importance of transparency and communication during this shift, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of recruitment.

In this engaging discussion, Jay Owen, CEO of Business Builders and church leader, delves into the intersections of leadership in business and ministry. He explores how lessons from church have shaped his approach to agency management, emphasizing that the loneliness experienced at the top is often a choice. Jay also highlights the transformative role of AI in creating affordable custom solutions, while advocating for the importance of in-person communities to combat isolation. His insights on leadership dynamics and the value of genuine support networks are particularly thought-provoking.

In this engaging talk, Chris Hewish, President at Xsolla and savvy expert in gaming business models, dives into the collapse of Web3's first gaming phase, exposing how speculation led to pyramid schemes. He highlights a promising shift: integrating blockchain technology into gameplay for better user experiences. Chris also discusses the potential of creator economies and regulated secondary markets, emphasizing the importance of clarity in crypto regulations for future investments. His insights could reshape how we view gaming's intersection with Web3.

Scott Henderson, CTO and co-founder of Celigo, discusses his journey from a stable job to launching a startup in a garage. He highlights the importance of minimal AI autonomy and how the future of SaaS might shift to chat-based validation. Scott shares insights on adopting AI swiftly to avoid costly mistakes and explains the concept of atomic agents in AI workflows. He also compares Celigo’s focus on enterprise integration with Zapier and reveals the risks of overtrusting AI, emphasizing the need for monitoring outputs.

Henrik Plate and Amod Gupta from Endor Labs dive into the intersection of AI and software security. They discuss how AI coding assistants are inadvertently creating new vulnerabilities, with 90% of security issues lurking in unused code. The duo highlights alarming trends like malware exploiting local AI agents to steal credentials. They emphasize the importance of prioritizing security alerts based on reachable code paths and integrating safeguards directly into AI-assisted code generation, offering practical advice for enterprises navigating this fast-evolving landscape.