AI Proving Ground Podcast: Exploring Artificial Intelligence & Enterprise AI with World Wide Technology

The artificial intelligence hype cycle pushed enterprises to stockpile GPUs — but how are they being used today? In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, Chris Braun and Andy Moser break down how organizations are maximizing their GPU investments, the rise of fractional GPUs and the new skills IT teams need to run AI workloads efficiently. They also explore GPU power and cooling challenges, what’s next in AI computing and whether GPUs will remain the backbone of artificial intelligence or if new architectures are set to take over.Learn more about this week's guests:Chris Braun brings over 20 years of IT experience across roles such as Helpdesk, Systems Administrator, and Technical Architect. Currently a Technical Solutions Architect at the ATC, he evaluates a wide range of technologies including hyper-converged infrastructure, SDDC, networking, and more.Chris's top pick: Hands-On Lab Workshop: Liqid Disaggregated Composable InfrastructureAndy Moser is a Solutions Architect with deep expertise in IT infrastructure, specializing in next-generation data center and cloud solutions for large enterprises. At World Wide Technology's Advanced Technology Center, he designs complex proof of concepts, leveraging his knowledge in compute, virtualization, and automation across leading OEM technologies to support customers and field sales teams.Andy's top pick: A Deep Dive into AWS and NVIDIA NIM IntegrationThe AI Proving Ground Podcast leverages the deep AI technical and business expertise from within World Wide Technology's one-of-a-kind AI Proving Ground, which provides unrivaled access to the world's leading AI technologies. This unique lab environment accelerates your ability to learn about, test, train and implement AI solutions. Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground. The AI Proving Ground is a composable lab environment that features the latest high-performance infrastructure and reference architectures from the world's leading AI companies, such as NVIDIA, Cisco, Dell, F5, AMD, Intel and others. Developed within our Advanced Technology Center (ATC), this one-of-a-kind lab environment empowers IT teams to evaluate and test AI infrastructure, software and solutions for efficacy, scalability and flexibility — all under one roof. The AI Proving Ground provides visibility into data flows across the entire development pipeline, enabling more informed decision-making while safeguarding production environments.

Many enterprises see the promise of artificial intelligence but stall when faced with risks, legacy infrastructure and data chaos. In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT experts Mike Trojecki and Ina Poecher reveal how to overcome these barriers by starting with small, high-impact AI use cases, unlocking value from existing data and aligning technical capabilities with business strategy.For more about this week's guests:Ina Poecher is a Technical Solutions Architect at World Wide Technology (WWT), and collaborates with customers and internal teams to design and validate innovative technology solutions. Working within WWT’s Advanced Technology Center, she leverages extensive experience across IT infrastructure, cloud, networking, and automation to develop and test complex architectures that drive business outcomes and support strategic initiatives.Ina's top pick: Data Maturity ModelMike Trojecki began his career in the U.S. Air Force supporting missions for the White House and Air Force One. He later led emerging tech practices at firms like ePlus and Logicalis, with expertise in security, networking, cloud, and AI. Now leading the AI Practice at WWT, he focuses on high-performance architectures, data management, and AI data center design, delivering innovative solutions that drive business transformation.Mike's top pick: Building for Success: A CTO's Guide to Generative AIThe AI Proving Ground Podcast leverages the deep AI technical and business expertise from within World Wide Technology's one-of-a-kind AI Proving Ground, which provides unrivaled access to the world's leading AI technologies. This unique lab environment accelerates your ability to learn about, test, train and implement AI solutions. Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground. The AI Proving Ground is a composable lab environment that features the latest high-performance infrastructure and reference architectures from the world's leading AI companies, such as NVIDIA, Cisco, Dell, F5, AMD, Intel and others. Developed within our Advanced Technology Center (ATC), this one-of-a-kind lab environment empowers IT teams to evaluate and test AI infrastructure, software and solutions for efficacy, scalability and flexibility — all under one roof. The AI Proving Ground provides visibility into data flows across the entire development pipeline, enabling more informed decision-making while safeguarding production environments.

AI strategy without execution is just a dream — but execution without strategy is a nightmare. In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT experts Jeff Fonke and Matt Halcomb break down what it really takes to build AI-ready infrastructure. From data centers to high-performance architecture, they explore how organizations can align strategy and execution to unlock the full potential of artificial intelligence.Learn more about this week's guests:Jeff Fonke is a passionate technology leader who leads new and growth solutions areas at World Wide Technology, including High-Performance Architectures that support AI and Data. With over 25 years of experience in the tech industry at WWT, he has a proven track record of building scalable data center architecture solutions within WWT's own IT organization, WWT's Advanced Technology Center, leveraging those experiences to help advance customers along their journey to simplify the complex.Jeff's top pick: Pure Storage FlashBladeMatt Halcomb is a Data Center Principal Solutions Architect with over 25 years in IT, including 17+ at WWT. He is part of the Global Solutions Development Team, focused on creating and deploying innovative technologies in WWT’s Advanced Technology Center. His expertise spans compute, storage, hyperconverged, software-defined, and composable infrastructure, with an emphasis on next-gen solutions that incorporate ESG and sustainability principles.Matt's top pick: Enterprise-Ready Supercomputing: The HPE Cray XD Approach to Agile AI InfrastructureThe AI Proving Ground Podcast leverages the deep AI technical and business expertise from within World Wide Technology's one-of-a-kind AI Proving Ground, which provides unrivaled access to the world's leading AI technologies. This unique lab environment accelerates your ability to learn about, test, train and implement AI solutions. Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground. The AI Proving Ground is a composable lab environment that features the latest high-performance infrastructure and reference architectures from the world's leading AI companies, such as NVIDIA, Cisco, Dell, F5, AMD, Intel and others. Developed within our Advanced Technology Center (ATC), this one-of-a-kind lab environment empowers IT teams to evaluate and test AI infrastructure, software and solutions for efficacy, scalability and flexibility — all under one roof. The AI Proving Ground provides visibility into data flows across the entire development pipeline, enabling more informed decision-making while safeguarding production environments.

WWT AI researchers Brian Vaughan and Jason Lu unpack the latest advancements in large language models (LLMs) and reasoning artificial intelligence. From DeepSeek’s efficiency breakthroughs to the shift from simple pattern prediction toward true reasoning, they explore how these innovations are reshaping enterprise AI. The conversation also dives into the rise of agentic AI and what it means for businesses looking to stay competitive in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.Learn more about this week's guests:Jason Lu is a Chief Data Scientist, consultant and advisor at World Wide Technology, specializing in data and AI. In this role, he leverages his expertise in mathematics and natural sciences to develop innovative solutions for complex business challenges. Based in San Diego, California, Jason has contributed significantly to the field through various publications and events. He has a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Stanford University.Jason's top pick: Machine Learning Models for Route ConsolidationBrian Vaughn is co-lead and co-founder of the Business and Analytics Advisors Team at WWT, with 20 years of experience in management consulting, analytics, and solution development. He currently focuses on AI and machine learning solutions in the mining industry. He holds a PhD in Physics from Stanford University and a BA in Physics from Oberlin College.Brian's top pick: MLOps Platforming WorkshopThe AI Proving Ground Podcast leverages the deep AI technical and business expertise from within World Wide Technology's one-of-a-kind AI Proving Ground, which provides unrivaled access to the world's leading AI technologies. This unique lab environment accelerates your ability to learn about, test, train and implement AI solutions. Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground. The AI Proving Ground is a composable lab environment that features the latest high-performance infrastructure and reference architectures from the world's leading AI companies, such as NVIDIA, Cisco, Dell, F5, AMD, Intel and others. Developed within our Advanced Technology Center (ATC), this one-of-a-kind lab environment empowers IT teams to evaluate and test AI infrastructure, software and solutions for efficacy, scalability and flexibility — all under one roof. The AI Proving Ground provides visibility into data flows across the entire development pipeline, enabling more informed decision-making while safeguarding production environments.

Deepfakes powered by artificial intelligence are getting smarter — is your security strategy keeping up? On this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, cybersecurity veterans Kent Noyes and Chris Roberts expose the latest AI-driven deepfake tactics used by cybercriminals, discuss real-world attacks that have cost companies millions, and share strategies for staying ahead of this artificial intelligence–fueled threat. They also unpack the regulatory landscape and the broader geopolitical stakes at play.Learn more about this week's guests:Kent Noyes began his WWT career over 20 years ago as a consultant and became the first to earn the title of Distinguished Solutions Architect. His expertise includes Enterprise Segmentation, Zero Trust, SASE, and Cyber Resilience. Today, he focuses on AI Security, advising enterprise clients and addressing complex business challenges in this evolving space.Kent's top pick: Shadow AI: The Threat You Didn't See ComingChris Roberts is a seasoned technologist at World Wide Technology with deep experience across aerospace, identity, cryptography, AI/adversarial AI, and deception technologies. He has founded or collaborated with organizations focused on human research, data intelligence, and cybersecurity. Today, he drives industry conversations around risk, maturity, and collaboration, and is known for his engaging, thought-provoking presence in both technical and public forums.Chris's top pick: Deepfakes for Good? How AI is Powering the Next Era of PersonalizationThe AI Proving Ground Podcast leverages the deep AI technical and business expertise from within World Wide Technology's one-of-a-kind AI Proving Ground, which provides unrivaled access to the world's leading AI technologies. This unique lab environment accelerates your ability to learn about, test, train and implement AI solutions. Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground. The AI Proving Ground is a composable lab environment that features the latest high-performance infrastructure and reference architectures from the world's leading AI companies, such as NVIDIA, Cisco, Dell, F5, AMD, Intel and others. Developed within our Advanced Technology Center (ATC), this one-of-a-kind lab environment empowers IT teams to evaluate and test AI infrastructure, software and solutions for efficacy, scalability and flexibility — all under one roof. The AI Proving Ground provides visibility into data flows across the entire development pipeline, enabling more informed decision-making while safeguarding production environments.

Artificial intelligence is evolving beyond simple prompts and responses. The future is agentic — AIs that think, act and collaborate to achieve complex goals without constant human guidance. But with this power comes new challenges in control, ethics and implementation. In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT’s Marc DeSantis and Andy Weisman dive into the world of agentic frameworks — how they extend AI’s capabilities, what it takes to build them, and why a human-in-the-loop approach is still essential.Learn more about this week's guests:Marc DeSantis is Senior Director of IT at World Wide Technology, leading the ATC Platform, Gen AI, and UX Design teams. Since joining WWT in 2005, he has advanced from Developer to key IT leader, driving innovation in AI and user experience. Marc is passionate about generative AI and agentic architectures and actively contributes to WWT’s AI strategy, including co-hosting the AI Proving Ground podcast and speaking at events like AI Day.Marc's top pick: Building AI-Powered ChatbotsAndy Weisman is a Lead Solutions Architect at World Wide Technology, where he leverages extensive experience to design and implement innovative technology solutions for clients. With a strong background in IT infrastructure, cloud computing, and system integration, Andy specializes in creating tailored solutions that drive business transformation. He collaborates with cross-functional teams to ensure optimal technology deployments, aligning solutions with client objectives and industry best practices.Andy's top pick: How to Build an AI Center of ExcellenceThe AI Proving Ground Podcast leverages the deep AI technical and business expertise from within World Wide Technology's one-of-a-kind AI Proving Ground, which provides unrivaled access to the world's leading AI technologies. This unique lab environment accelerates your ability to learn about, test, train and implement AI solutions. Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground. The AI Proving Ground is a composable lab environment that features the latest high-performance infrastructure and reference architectures from the world's leading AI companies, such as NVIDIA, Cisco, Dell, F5, AMD, Intel and others. Developed within our Advanced Technology Center (ATC), this one-of-a-kind lab environment empowers IT teams to evaluate and test AI infrastructure, software and solutions for efficacy, scalability and flexibility — all under one roof. The AI Proving Ground provides visibility into data flows across the entire development pipeline, enabling more informed decision-making while safeguarding production environments.