Modern CTO

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.

Dylan Jacques, Chief Product and Technology Officer at The Telegraph, dives into the transformative impact of AI on journalism. He discusses the balance between rapid AI feature deployment and maintaining journalistic integrity. Topics include personalization in news consumption, the importance of trust amidst deepfake concerns, and the necessity of human oversight in AI outputs. Dylan shares his vision for agile product development, emphasizing experimentation and learning in the fast-paced tech landscape.

In this engaging conversation, Bryan McCann, CTO and co-founder of You.com, dives into the philosophical depths of AI and its implications on meaning and consciousness. With a background in philosophy and AI research, Bryan discusses how machines can create representations that we find meaningful. He urges CTOs to ponder ethical questions surrounding AI and emphasizes treating these technologies with respect. The discussion also touches on the evolution of You.com’s AI infrastructure, highlighting its role in shaping responsible AI tools.

Yotam Yemini, CEO of Causely and expert in causal reasoning and analytics, dives deep into the AI SRE hype. He highlights the crucial differences between AI's actual capabilities and the overblown expectations. Yotam discusses how companies can leverage AI to enhance operations and improve developer productivity while stressing the importance of understanding language model limitations. He also shares insights into building a diverse team and the challenges organizations face in adopting AI solutions effectively.

Art Hu, the SVP & CTO of Lenovo with extensive experience as a CIO, discusses Lenovo's major shift towards a services-led and AI-focused model. He delves into the future of personal computing, predicting that voice interactions and personal AI twins will shape user experiences. Art emphasizes the importance of adapting CTO roles for AI advancements and shares insights on managing innovation while adopting responsible practices. He also explores the evolving integration of AI in industries, highlighting robotics' role in enhancing safety and efficiency.

Lee Zen, the CTO at Yahoo, shares insights into the company's evolution in the digital landscape after 30 years. He discusses how Yahoo is using AI and cloud technology to enhance user experience and navigate the complexities of the internet. Lee emphasizes the importance of authenticity and transparency in tech leadership, along with innovative AI features like email summaries and fantasy sports tools. He also highlights the mix of modern and legacy systems at Yahoo and the cultural shifts required for successful AI integration.

Zach Kass, former head of go-to-market at OpenAI, played a crucial role in launching ChatGPT, the fastest-growing product of all time. He discusses the importance of user experience in AI adoption and highlights how teenagers have driven consumer interest. Kass emphasizes responsible AI practices, including transparency about machine decision-making and the need for effective legislation against tech-enabled fraud. He also touches on societal thresholds that dictate what technology we should embrace and shares insights from his upcoming book on AI integration.