Tech Talks Daily
Neil C. Hughes
If every company is now a tech company and digital transformation is a journey rather than a destination, how do you keep up with the relentless pace of technological change?
Every day, Tech Talks Daily brings you insights from the brightest minds in tech, business, and innovation, breaking down complex ideas into clear, actionable takeaways.
Hosted by Neil C. Hughes, Tech Talks Daily explores how emerging technologies such as AI, cybersecurity, cloud computing, fintech, quantum computing, Web3, and more are shaping industries and solving real-world challenges in modern businesses.
Through candid conversations with industry leaders, CEOs, Fortune 500 executives, startup founders, and even the occasional celebrity, Tech Talks Daily uncovers the trends driving digital transformation and the strategies behind successful tech adoption. But this isn't just about buzzwords.
We go beyond the hype to demystify the biggest tech trends and determine their real-world impact. From cybersecurity and blockchain to AI sovereignty, robotics, and post-quantum cryptography, we explore the measurable difference these innovations can make.
Whether improving security, enhancing customer experiences, or driving business growth, we also investigate the ROI of cutting-edge tech projects, asking the tough questions about what works, what doesn't, and how businesses can maximize their investments.
Whether you're a business leader, IT professional, or simply curious about technology's role in our lives, you'll find engaging discussions that challenge perspectives, share diverse viewpoints, and spark new ideas.
New episodes are released daily, 365 days a year, breaking down complex ideas into clear, actionable takeaways around technology and the future of business.
Every day, Tech Talks Daily brings you insights from the brightest minds in tech, business, and innovation, breaking down complex ideas into clear, actionable takeaways.
Hosted by Neil C. Hughes, Tech Talks Daily explores how emerging technologies such as AI, cybersecurity, cloud computing, fintech, quantum computing, Web3, and more are shaping industries and solving real-world challenges in modern businesses.
Through candid conversations with industry leaders, CEOs, Fortune 500 executives, startup founders, and even the occasional celebrity, Tech Talks Daily uncovers the trends driving digital transformation and the strategies behind successful tech adoption. But this isn't just about buzzwords.
We go beyond the hype to demystify the biggest tech trends and determine their real-world impact. From cybersecurity and blockchain to AI sovereignty, robotics, and post-quantum cryptography, we explore the measurable difference these innovations can make.
Whether improving security, enhancing customer experiences, or driving business growth, we also investigate the ROI of cutting-edge tech projects, asking the tough questions about what works, what doesn't, and how businesses can maximize their investments.
Whether you're a business leader, IT professional, or simply curious about technology's role in our lives, you'll find engaging discussions that challenge perspectives, share diverse viewpoints, and spark new ideas.
New episodes are released daily, 365 days a year, breaking down complex ideas into clear, actionable takeaways around technology and the future of business.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 17, 2025 • 48min
3388: The Case for Digital IDs in Recruitment, Renting, and Beyond
Hamraj Gulamali, Head of Legal and Compliance at Zinc and a former barrister, dives into the transformative power of digital identities. He discusses how digital IDs could revolutionize recruitment and renting by making processes faster and more secure. Hamraj highlights the shift of data ownership back to individuals, enabling automation in background checks and compliance. However, he also addresses resistance in certain sectors and the critical role of regulators in building public trust. The future of digital identities could unlock significant changes across industries.
Aug 17, 2025 • 32min
3387: How Tableau’s Srinivas Chippagiri Thinks About Responsible AI and Cloud Systems
Srinivas Chippagiri, a senior technology leader at Tableau and author, shares insights from over a decade in tech. He emphasizes the balance between AI innovation and responsible design, discussing challenges like data fragmentation and compute costs. Srinivas dives into the rise of hybrid computing and the necessary ethical frameworks for AI systems. He advocates for hands-on learning through small projects and open-source contributions, while exploring how engineering roles are evolving with generative AI and prompt engineering.
Aug 16, 2025 • 26min
3386: Kinsta on Why 93% of Customers Still Prefer Human Support
Roger Williams, Community Manager at Kinsta, champions human support in a tech world moving towards automation. He reveals that 93% of customers prefer speaking to humans over AI chatbots, emphasizing the value of empathy in customer interactions. Kinsta's success hinges on blending human expertise with AI, achieving a 98% satisfaction score. Roger discusses the pitfalls of viewing AI solely as a cost-saving tool and shares insight on the future of open web hosting and the potential of mentorship in career growth.
Aug 16, 2025 • 21min
3385: How Vasion Balances Short-Term Wins with Long-Term Vision
JD Carter, Chief of Staff and Strategy at Vasion, is on a mission to make digital transformation achievable through SaaS solutions. He discusses the dynamic relationship between short-term wins and long-term vision in strategy formation. JD emphasizes AI readiness, outlining a five-stage process for effective implementation. The importance of a customer-first culture and adapting to market changes is highlighted, revealing how organizations can thrive amidst rapid technological shifts. His insights into continuous learning underscore the need for agile responses to evolving business landscapes.
Aug 15, 2025 • 27min
3384: MariaDB’s Roadmap for Cloud, AI, and Performance Leadership
Vikas Mathur, Chief Product Officer at MariaDB, discusses the company's impressive resurgence in the open-source database market. He highlights how MariaDB combines enterprise-grade reliability with open-source freedom, offering features like Vector Search that boost performance while slashing costs compared to Oracle. Vikas dives into the integration of AI capabilities and real-time analytics, revealing how MariaDB is set to capitalize on changing customer expectations and the evolving database landscape, making it a compelling alternative to MySQL and Oracle.
Aug 14, 2025 • 34min
3383: Denodo Technologies on Balancing AI Innovation with Data Integrity
Charles Southwood, Regional General Manager of Denodo Technologies, brings over 35 years of tech experience, previously as a civil engineer. He discusses the challenge of ensuring data reliability in generative AI to prevent misinformation. Southwood highlights innovative data management strategies like data virtualization, balancing AI innovation with data integrity. He believes 2025 will be a pivotal year for achieving true business agility. The conversation also addresses essential skills for launching a tech career in AI and the integral role of data in enterprise success.
Aug 13, 2025 • 36min
3382: Akamai CTO on Why Real AI Assistants Are Still Far from Iron Man’s JARVIS
Bobby Blumofe, CTO at Akamai Technologies, discusses the stark contrast between AI expectations and reality, particularly when comparing today's systems with the fictional JARVIS. He argues that instead of pursuing larger models, the focus should be on optimizing existing technologies for better efficiency. Bobby highlights the potential of semi-autonomous AI agents that integrate with existing systems and believes smaller, specialized models could outperform expansive LLMs for specific business tasks. His insights delve into the future landscape of AI, emphasizing mentorship and personal growth along the way.
Aug 12, 2025 • 33min
3381: Cognizant AI CTO on Open Source, AI Trust, and the Road Ahead
Babak Hodjat, CTO of AI at Cognizant, is an expert in AI strategy and innovation, leading a team focused on multi-agent systems. He discusses how these systems are being integrated into business, enhancing decision-making and breaking down silos. Babak highlights the role of open-source models like DeepSeek in democratizing AI, paving the way for scalable, collaboration-capable agents. He also introduces Cognizant's Neuro-AI Network platform, aimed at ensuring trust and data control in AI applications while predicting a future of evolving, interconnected agent networks.
12 snips
Aug 11, 2025 • 23min
3380: EY Technology Pulse: The Shift From LLMs to Agentic AI in Enterprise Adoption
Joining the discussion is Ken Englund, a Partner at EY, specializing in advising high-tech growth companies. Ken dives into the EY Technology Pulse poll, revealing that nearly half of tech leaders expect over 50% of their AI deployments to become fully autonomous in just two years. He highlights a surprising optimism about AI’s potential, despite initial job loss fears, as only 9% anticipate layoffs. Instead, companies focus on re-skilling staff and hiring AI talent, marking a shift from reliance on large language models to applied AI for real-world business workflows.
Aug 10, 2025 • 28min
3379: How MachineQ, a Comcast Company, is Powering the Future of IoT
Steve Corbesero, Senior Director of Products and Solutions at MachineQ, talks about the challenges and opportunities in modern laboratories. He shares findings from a survey revealing that nearly 60% of labs struggle with unplanned downtime and rely on outdated manual monitoring. Despite these issues, there's enthusiasm for change, with 85% planning to adopt IoT solutions. Steve discusses how IoT and AI can transform lab management, enabling proactive approaches to operations and reducing reliance on spreadsheets, ultimately fostering smarter research environments.
