Modern CTO

In this engaging conversation, Chris Barton, the visionary founder of Shazam, shares the incredible journey of transforming a four-digit phone service into a $400 million app. He reveals the challenges Shazam faced during six years of losses and how the launch of the App Store became a game-changer. Chris also discusses the magic behind the app's name, the innovation of robust audio fingerprinting, and the critical lesson of eliminating user friction for massive adoption. His insights underscore the blend of perseverance and creativity in tech entrepreneurship.

Celebrate the season with a festive greeting from the hosts! They share exciting previews of next week's nostalgia, highlighting Chris Barton's journey in building Shazam, culminating in its impressive $400 million sale to Apple. The hosts also sprinkle in some heartfelt holiday wishes, leaving listeners eager for what's to come.

In this engaging conversation, Micha Kiener, CTO at Flowable, shares his expertise in business process orchestration. He discusses how Flowable transformed customer onboarding from five days to just seven minutes. Micha emphasizes the importance of orchestration over mere automation, explores the concept of agentic AI, and explains how proper context engineering can enhance performance. He also touches on challenges like regulatory fragmentation and the need for enterprise readiness to thrive in the evolving tech landscape.

In this engaging conversation, António Vieira, Director of Global Apps Engineering at Sky, shares insights on scaling the Peacock streaming service to handle millions of users. He discusses the complexities of live streaming compared to video on demand, revealing how they manage 30% of internet traffic during major NFL games. António also dives into AI's role in personalizing viewer experiences, from synthetic voice recaps to innovative real-time features like multi-view highlights. His perspectives on leadership and engineering culture are both inspiring and thought-provoking.

Sam Ransbotham, AI editor at MIT Sloan Management Review and host of the Me, Myself, and AI podcast, delves into the evolving relationship between humans and AI. He highlights that 76% of executives now consider AI as coworkers rather than tools. Sam discusses the challenges of outdated healthcare privacy laws in the age of advanced AI and presents insights on how cheaper coding is predicted to create programming jobs. The conversation also explores the implications of agentic AI adoption and the future of organizational design.

Brad Parks, CloudOps and Private Cloud leader at HPE, shares groundbreaking insight on Morpheus—essentially a 'Google Translate' for cloud operations. He explains how this platform revolutionizes on-premises infrastructure by facilitating hybrid cloud adoption. Parks highlights the importance of eliminating vendor lock-in and maintaining workload portability. He also discusses HPE's integration of Morpheus and the impact on industries like healthcare and telecommunications, showcasing the flexibility and efficiency it brings to IT teams.

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.