Mingis on Tech

Being in a leadership role today is no easy task. With nonstop challenges coming from all directions—technology, global events, workplace culture shifts—it can feel like you're constantly being pulled in opposite directions. In this episode of Today in Tech, Keith Shaw talks with Robert Siegel, Stanford lecturer and author of The Systems Leader, about how managers and executives can lead more effectively during turbulent times. Drawing from real-world examples and research, Robert shares a new leadership approach built for today's fast-paced, high-pressure environment. You'll hear stories from leaders at companies like Nike, Box, and 23andMe—and learn how they manage competing demands like: Delivering results while also driving innovation Balancing global strategy with local needs Showing strength without losing empathy Keeping up with internal goals and external expectations Whether you're a CEO, a CIO, or managing a team for the first time, this conversation will give you a fresh, practical perspective on what modern leadership really requires. :+1: Like this video if it resonates, drop a comment with your thoughts, and subscribe for more episodes of Today in Tech. #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #SystemsThinking #ManagementTips #TechIndustry #StanfordGSB #BusinessStrategy #ModernLeadership #TodayInTech

Everyone from Elon Musk to Mark Zuckerberg is declaring the end of the smartphone era — but is it hype or reality? On this episode of Today in Tech, Keith Shaw is joined by IDC analyst Ramon Llamas to explore whether smart glasses, earbuds, AI pins, or even brain implants will really replace your smartphone. From the rise of AR/VR wearables to the limitations of AI assistants, we dig into what's coming, what's hype, and why your phone isn't going anywhere — yet.

As the demand for high-quality training data continues to surge, synthetic data is emerging as a game-changing tool in the world of AI development. But is it the silver bullet enterprises need—or a potential minefield of risks? In this episode of Today in Tech, host Keith Shaw sits down with Alexius Wronka, CTO of Data and Growth at Invisible Technologies, to explore the advantages, limitations, and ethical challenges of using synthetic data to train large language models (LLMs) and enterprise AI systems. :mag: Topics Covered: What exactly is synthetic data? Key benefits vs. human-generated data Use cases in healthcare, autonomous vehicles, and enterprise AI Dangers of model overfitting and data hallucination Synthetic content, explainability, and detection tools The Matrix analogy: Are we training AI inside simulations? :point_right: Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes of Today in Tech! #SyntheticData #AITraining #InvisibleTechnologies #AlexiusWronka #TodayInTech #KeithShaw #EnterpriseAI #GenerativeAI #TechPodcast

Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and DALL·E are rapidly transforming how we create images, tell stories, and even build entire comic books. In this episode of Today in Tech, Keith Shaw sits down with Michael Todasco — an AI advisor, creative technologist, and visiting fellow at San Diego State University — to examine the explosive growth of AI image generators and the big questions they raise. Tadasco shares real-world classroom experiences showing how fast AI models evolve, explains how new image generation features are unlocking new forms of creativity, and discusses the legal and ethical issues around AI-generated art styles like Studio Ghibli and Disney characters. The conversation also covers how AI is being used to make pitch decks, logo designs, and slide presentations — sparking a debate about what jobs might be impacted next. :pushpin: Key topics in this episode: The rapid evolution of AI image creation tools Real classroom examples of model improvements The viral Studio Ghibli trend and copyright concerns Creating comics and slideshows with AI-generated visuals Future creative careers in the age of AI :art: Whether you're a designer, writer, educator, or just curious about the future of creative work, this episode offers insights on where AI is heading—and what it means for human imagination. :bell: Subscribe for more episodes on the future of technology, innovation, and AI trends. #AIArt #ImageGeneration #MichaelTadasco #ChatGPT #CopyrightAI #TodayInTech #KeithShaw #CreativityAndAI #Dalle3 #OpenAI #TechTrends

Generative AI is transforming customer service — but are companies ready? In this episode of Today in Tech, Keith Shaw talks with Glenn Nethercutt, CTO at Genesys, about the rise of AI-powered chatbots, agent copilots, and the shift toward empathetic, agentic AI in CX. From IVRs that frustrate to AI agents that anticipate your needs, we explore how companies are reimagining customer experiences. :small_blue_diamond: Where companies fall on the 0–5 scale of AI-powered CX :small_blue_diamond: Why "chatbot" is becoming a dirty word :small_blue_diamond: How AI copilots improve customer and employee satisfaction :small_blue_diamond: The surprising ROI of generative AI in customer service :small_blue_diamond: What's coming next: empathetic agents and full automation If you're exploring how AI is reshaping the customer journey — from automation to augmentation to agentic orchestration — don't miss this deep dive. :brain: #AIinCustomerService #GenerativeAI #CX #Genesys #TodayInTech #AgenticAI #CustomerExperience #KeithShaw

Insider threats are no longer just about disgruntled employees. In 2025, threat actors are recruiting from within—sometimes using underground "job boards" to find insiders willing to sell credentials, plant malware, or steal data. In this episode of Today in Tech, host Keith Shaw talks with Ryan LaSalle, CEO of Nisos, about how insider threats are evolving and how companies can detect and prevent them. :mag: Topics covered: How North Korean IT workers infiltrated U.S. companies remotely The rise of “polyworking” and fraudulent employment scams Real-world examples of sabotage and credential brokering Warning signs of insider threats: mental health, financial duress, disengagement Why remote and hybrid work has made detection harder Balancing employee trust with cybersecurity monitoring :loudspeaker: Don't miss this important discussion if you work in InfoSec, HR, or IT management. :+1: Like this video, subscribe to our channel, and comment below with your thoughts or experiences! #Cybersecurity #InsiderThreats #RemoteWork #ITSecurity #TodayInTech #Nisos #KeithShaw #RyanLaSalle #Infosec #DataBreach #WorkplaceSecurity

Can individuals and organizations still take control of their data — or has the privacy battle already been lost? In this episode of Today in Tech, host Keith Shaw is joined by Ron DeJesus, Field Chief Privacy Officer at Transcend (formerly with Grindr and Tinder), to explore the evolving challenges of data privacy, corporate surveillance, and cyber threats. Topics discussed include: The long-term impact of data collection by Big Tech and hackers Why seemingly harmless apps request access to sensitive data Consumer rights under state privacy laws — and how to exercise them The potential (and risks) of AI in managing personal data Whether it's still feasible to “go off the grid” in today's connected world The growing role of transparency, regulation, and digital hygiene Ron shares expert insights based on years of operational experience in privacy, offering actionable advice for both individuals and businesses looking to navigate a more complex digital landscape. If you care about digital rights, data security, and where privacy is headed, this is an essential conversation. :pushpin: Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share your thoughts in the comments. #DataPrivacy #CyberSecurity #TodayInTech #KeithShaw #RonDeJesus #Transcend #AIPrivacy #ConsumerRights #BigTech #DigitalSecurity #TikTokPrivacy #DarkWeb #BraveBrowser #SignalApp #ApplePrivacy #TechPodcast

Is AI about to cause the biggest workplace disruption in 25 years? In this episode of Today in Tech, host Keith Shaw sits down with Salesforce Chair and CEO Marc Benioff to explore the rise of AI agents—and how they're already transforming major companies like Singapore Airlines, Disney, Lennar, and Pandora. Marc shares insights from his recent global travels, real-world use cases of Salesforce AgentForce, and why AI agents go far beyond ChatGPT-style tools. From multi-language support in seconds to revenue-driving personalization, this conversation uncovers how digital agents are reshaping the future of work, healthcare, and customer experience. :mag: Topics Covered: Why AI agents are bigger than generative AI Real-world enterprise use cases (Disney, Lennar, Singapore Airlines, etc.) The economic model behind agentic AI Job loss vs. reskilling debate AI's future in medicine and customer service What's next for Salesforce and AI innovation :brain: “Technology isn't good or bad—it's what we do with it,” says Benioff, reflecting on 26 years of Salesforce innovation. :tv: Don't miss this in-depth and honest discussion about the future of AI, enterprise technology, and what it means for businesses and workers alike. :pushpin: Subscribe for more expert interviews, tech insights, and deep dives into transformative innovations. #MarcBenioff #AIagents #Salesforce #TodayInTech #KeithShaw #AgenticAI #EnterpriseAI #AI2025 #DigitalTransformation #TechInterview #GenerativeAI #AIinBusiness #OpenAI #ChatGPT #AgentForce #AIJobs #Reskilling #FutureOfWork

Generative AI is hot—but are companies wasting their money?

Generative AI has entered the world of software development—and it's making waves. In this episode of Today in Tech, host Keith Shaw is joined by Murali Sastry from Skillsoft and Eran Yanav from Tabnine to tackle the big question: Will generative AI replace mid-level software engineers? Or are developers evolving into AI-augmented leaders? From "vibe coding" and AI-generated pull request reviews to the future of entry-level coding jobs and computer science education, we explore how businesses are adapting and what skills developers need in this new era. :small_blue_diamond: Are companies still hiring coders? :small_blue_diamond: Is GenAI reliable for mission-critical code? :small_blue_diamond: What is “vibe coding,” and should you be worried? :small_blue_diamond: How is education shifting for the next generation of engineers? :point_right: Don't miss this deep dive into how AI is transforming the coding landscape. #GenerativeAI #SoftwareEngineering #TodayInTech #CodingWithAI #VibeCoding #AItools #TechTalk

Are passwords obsolete? With rising data breaches, weak password habits, and endless security layers failing us, it's time to rethink how we protect our digital lives. In this episode of Today in Tech, host Keith Shaw sits down with cybersecurity expert Gilad Shriki, co-founder of Descope, to explore the flaws in traditional passwords and discuss cutting-edge solutions for safer, smarter authentication.

Are passwords obsolete? With rising data breaches, weak password habits, and endless security layers failing us, it's time to rethink how we protect our digital lives. In this episode of Today in Tech, host Keith Shaw sits down with cybersecurity expert Gilad Shriki, co-founder of Descope, to explore the flaws in traditional passwords and discuss cutting-edge solutions for safer, smarter authentication.

Host Keith Shaw talks with Marci Maddox, vice president of research and content for IDC's Tech Buyer Digital Platform, about the ways in which artificial intelligence is shaking up the IT sourcing and procurement process for large companies. With agentic AI on the way and concerns around trust, accuracy and risk, how will AI be able to prove itself as a way to improve the procurement process?

Host Keith Shaw talks with Dustin York, an adjunct professor at the University of Florida who teaches a graduate-level class called “The science of going viral”. With social media becoming more of an entertainment media, many of the rules have changed around what content becomes a hit versus a flop. The two also discuss why so many companies fail at social media branding or whether they are trying too hard on their social channels.

Host Keith Shaw talks with Mika Yamamoto, chief customer and marketing officer at Freshworks, about their latest survey of 4,000 knowledge workers. The survey said not only are workers embracing AI in their jobs, they're demanding more from their employers and getting promotions because of the technology. Employees want more AI—and leaders are listening https://www.freshworks.com/theworks/performance/freshworks-global-ai-workplace-report-2024/ Two AI developer strategies: Hire engineers or let AI do the work https://www.computerworld.com/article/3836092/two-ai-developer-strategies-hire-engineers-or-let-ai-do-the-work.html

Host Keith Shaw talks with Ken Mingis from Computerworld and Macworld's Michael Simon about Apple's latest battles with the U.K. and Europe over protecting users' data from governments and side-loading applications on the iPhone. The Apple crew also discusses what we can expect from Apple in 2025, whether the company will be creating a follow-up product to the Vision Pro, and whether the company has moved on from the Steve Jobs legacy on the eve of what would have been his 70th birthday.

Within the financial services spaces, many companies are fast-moving when it comes to technology innovation, but in general the banking space has been slower moving and more conservative, due to regulations and concerns about data privacy. Will this likely continue as companies explore generative AI and agentic AI technologies? Olly Downs, Chief Technology & AI Officer at Curinos, joins the show to discuss where banks, credit-card companies and other financial services firms will deploy AI agents.

Going beyond traditional generative AI chatbots and even agentic AI workflows, the next phase within the workplace, especially for tasks that are mundane, will be performed by ‘digital employees' alongside humans. But what does this mean? Will digital employees be treated the same as other human co-workers? Will they have to sit through job interviews and meetings? (short answer: yes) Gou Rao, co-founder of NeuBird, chats with Keith about this brave new future of work that might be right around the corner.

Innovations in the AI space continue to disrupt the technology space, and recent news about Chinese startup DeepSeek not only disrupted financial markets, but enterprise concerns as well. Debo Dutta, Chief AI Officer at Nutanix, joins the show to discuss his top AI trends for 2025 and what businesses need to do now to prepare for the constant disruptions in AI.

Advances in artificial intelligence, networking and software are allowing sensor companies to create new use cases for “older” technologies. For example, millimeter wave technology once aimed at creating a better VR experience within the home can now be used to detect falls for older residents living at home. Gregg Rouse, president of Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM), joins the show to discuss advances in sensor technologies and what new use cases will emerge from them.

With new AI tools disrupting companies and workplaces around the world, are we soon approaching a new way of work that goes beyond the agricultural, industrial and information ages? What will happen if we get to a place where humans won't be ‘working' in a traditional sense that we've all grown up with? Aneesh Raman, the Chief Economic Opportunity Officer at LinkedIn, joins the show to discuss a new paradigm where humans still have jobs and will be ‘working', but where the nature of work is focused on skills rather than jobs and titles.

Is agentic AI technology the next phase of generative artificial intelligence, or are there some other AI technologies on the horizon? What is being overhyped versus actual projects that will have business impact? Michael Cohen, global chief data & analytics officer at Plus Company, joins the show to discuss the evolutionary nature of generative AI, and where the world is heading next.

With technology touching so many different parts of the business, companies have created so many different “Chief” officers that it now causes confusion about who is responsible for the technology vision. Would a new “Super Chief” role solve this confusion? John Spens from Thoughtworks and Thomas Davenport from Babson College, join the show to discuss this new IT organizational structure.

Many companies exploring generative AI now face the possibility of deploying the next phase of the technology, agentic AI, without yet fully getting a grasp on earlier genAI tools. This could spell disaster for many companies as AI agents inadvertently expose private data to employees or those outside the company. Anneka Gupta, a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the chief product officer at Rubrik, joins the show to discuss why companies need to get ready for AI agents now.

While generative AI, spatial computing, and citizen development all spurred disruptions to businesses in 2024, will those themes continue as we enter the new year? Mike Bechtel, chief futurist at Deloitte and one of the authors of their 2025 Tech Trends reports, joins the show to review the biggest technology trends for companies for the new year.

Has the rise of social media, artificial intelligence and other data tracking platforms broken the original idea of the Internet? Do we truly live in a post-truth society due to these problems? Can TikTok become a platform for good that allows people to decide what they want to see, rather than an unknown and secretive algorithm? Tomicah Tillemann, president of Project Liberty, joins the show to discuss these problems and a potential solution to address several of these bad parts of the Internet.

General Motors kills the robotaxi Cruise division, ceding the market to Waymo and Tesla; Embodied runs out of money, spelling doom for its Moxie robot. Guest co-host Lindsey O'Donnell-Welch joins the show to discuss what this means for the tech industry, along with other stories from recent weeks.

Is the Silicon Valley culture the same as it once was? Recent big technology leaders moving towards the political space is shining the light on a new generation of leaders and entrepreneurs that is different from previous generations. Rob Lalka, author of “The Venture Alchemists” and a professor of entrepreneurship at Tulane University, discusses these issues as well as the impact of artificial intelligence on future generations.

Intel says goodbye to Pat Gelsinger; Amazon invests heavily into an AI supercomputer and Panasonic aims to revive its founder via AI. Cybersecurity journalist Lindsey O'Donnell-Welch joins Keith and Chris to discuss these and other tech stories.

While 2024 was not as difficult than 2023 in terms of the number of technology job layoffs, there are still mixed signals in the job market. While tech unemployment remains low, anecdotally we are discovering that it's harder for many people to find a new job. What gives? Lucas Mearian, senior reporter at Computerworld, joins the show to discuss job hunting strategies, why companies continue to put obstacles in place on finding good candidates, and the impact of AI on the whole situation.

Recent cyberattacks on industrial facilities, including one of the country's largest water suppliers, has turned the spotlight on whether utilities and other critical infrastructure are properly protected from attacks. What challenges do groups face, and how will artificial intelligence affect potential future attacks or defense? Ian Bramson, vice president of global industrial cybersecurity at Black & Veatch, joins the show to discuss these and other issues facing industrial organizations.

While experts may speculate that an AI bubble burst is due to happen, someone forgot to tell companies that continue to spend money on the technology. A new report says business spending on generative AI has surged 500% this year, reaching $13.8 billion. Guest co-host Lindsey O'Donnell-Welch talks with Keith about this and other tech stories, including the latest financial firm data breach, and why it's so much work to monitor streaming services spending.

With a second Trump presidency on the horizon, many are wondering whether this will save TikTok from a complete U.S. ban (with a Jan. 19 deadline approaching) or if it continues to move ahead. Guest co-host Jack Gold joins the show to discuss this and other tech news from recent weeks, including OpenAI getting into the agentic AI space, AMD's layoffs and what this means for any Nvidia competition, and why people still use horrible passwords.

With more states and countries filing lawsuits against TikTok, the tide appears to be turning against companies in the social media space to get them to do more about protecting children and teens from addiction and self harm. Dr. Lisa Strohman, founder and CEO of the Digital Citizen Academy, talks about the latest movements in the TikTok lawsuits, but also provides warnings about other areas of technology that parents need to stay aware of when it comes to people looking to harm kids (gaming platforms, AI and VR ‘dark sides').

Apple Intelligence is about to be unleashed to iPhone users, but will its limited features appeal to customers who want to do more AI on their smartphones? RJ Bardsley joins as guest co-host to discuss this issue and other recent technology news, including some new possible reasons for return-to-office mandates, why the government doesn't want companies paying ransomware, and whether more business events are including “forced fun” activities such as pickleball and lazy river innertube races.

With new health-related trackers and devices coming to consumers in droves (led by Apple and other Big Tech companies), will we be heading down the path where every waking (and sleeping) moment is being tracked for health data? Will the future be better (being able to become healthier through data monitoring) or worse (tracking data sold off to companies for advertising or stolen by hackers)? David Liu, CEO of Sonde Health, joins the show to discuss the pros and cons of this new era of health data tracking, and how consumers and companies should brave these waters.

Amazon, Google and Microsoft are all investing millions of dollars into nuclear power, driven by a need for more power for both data centers and artificial intelligence processing. RJ Bardsley joins the show as guest co-host to discuss this stories and other tech news from recent weeks, including the good/bad news week for SpaceX and Tesla robots, and whether the logistics industry really cares about the porch pirate epidemic.

The start-and-stop nature of augmented reality and virtual reality got another start recently, after Meta showed off its Orion AR prototype glasses at its Connect event. While the glasses will never go on sale to the public, does this move the technology forward to a point where consumers and businesses will adopt the technology? And what does this mean for companies like Apple, Google and Samsung? Ramon Llamas, research director for mobile and AR/VR at IDC, joins the show to chat about these topics, as well as whether we'll be able to “ditch the screens.”

A series of lawsuits by state attorneys general spells more bad news for TikTok, whose use of algorithms that help kids get addicted to the app is at the heart of many of these lawsuits. Guest co-host RJ Bardsley joins the show to discuss this story and others, including whether robotaxis will ever take off, the dangers and scariness of infrastructure hacking, and why we should all use an AI tool to help us apply for 30,000 jobs on LinkedIn.

A recent survey of large enterprises about their AI implementation shows that companies continue to be concerned about security (hallucinations, data leakage and privacy), a shortage of in-house expertise, and the lack of compliance and regulations in the space. Adnan Masood, Ph.D., chief architect for AI & Machine Learning, UST, chats with Keith about how companies can overcome some of these hurdles, and what might be on the horizon with new LLMs and AI models.

The old-school AI assistants are now evolving into fully fledged AI agents, which can perform more action-oriented tasks than just giving answers, thanks to perception tools, sensors and the use of large language models. Ritu Jyoti, GM and group vice president, AI and data, IDC, joins the show to discuss how AI agents represent the new phase of artificial intelligence for consumers and businesses moving forward.

Most companies exploring the use of generative artificial intelligence are focusing on the accuracy side of the technology, but there are still some useful ways that the creative side can benefit end users and companies. We'll explore the current state of the art for creative AI endeavors with Mike Todasco, visiting fellow at the James Silberrad Brown Center for Artificial Intelligence at San Diego State University. Todasco is also an AI writer and advisor, and has conducted many different experiments using AI in the field of writing, image creation and song creations.

In our weekly technology news roundup, the Today in Tech crew chats about a report suggesting that demand for AI devices, hardware and servers will cause a global semiconductor and chip shortage. Analyst Jack Gold joins the show to discuss this and the potential rumors around Qualcomm and Intel merging, as well as Meta's new AR/VR and AI offerings, and what's going on with OpenAI and the potential for a Jony Ive-designed stand-alone generative AI device.

Some very high-profile headlines around the use of generative AI by lawyers, courtrooms banning the technology and concerns about the accuracy of results are giving many in the legal space a chance to re-evaluate whether the technology is beneficial. Ken Crutchfield, vice president and general manager of Legal Markets, Wolters Kluwer, chats with Keith about different ways lawyers are beginning to use generative AI tools, and whether we will see some innovative examples of the technology in the future.

In our weekly technology news roundup, the gang discusses Amazon's new return-to-the-office mandate for a full five-day workweek, how OpenAI's new ‘reasoning' model is still producing some “fibbery”, and how companies keep trying to push new AR glasses on a skeptical market. Analyst Jack Gold joins the show as guest co-host to discuss these and other news items.

Is the next phase of artificial intelligence now here? OpenAI's new ‘reasoning model' expands the technology that is trained to answer more complex questions in math, science and coding. Meanwhile, the death of James Earl Jones has raised the spotlight on whether the voice of Darth Vader will live on through AI technologies. Analyst Jack Gold joins the show this week as guest co-host to discuss these tech news stories and others.

The integration of generative AI with general-purpose and public-facing robots will enable companies to provide friendlier robots that assist humans with physical tasks, in addition to lessening any fears and other dystopian attitudes towards a robotic and AI future. Jerome Monceaux, founder and CEO of Enchanted tools, talks with Keith about the future of physical robots, as well as whether AI avatars will also be more human-looking or character driven.

Apple made a big splash with new iPhone models, watches and updated Airpods, but the big question on everyone's minds was the AI features. What would they be like, when is it coming? Computerworld's Ken Mingis and Macworld's Michael Simon discuss the Apple ‘Glowtime' event with Keith and Chris on our latest episode.

Despite some feelings of disillusionment around generative AI technologies, there continues to remain large investments in the space. Brandon Mahne, guest co-host, joins Keith and Chris to discuss the $1 billion of investment in Safe Superintelligence (SSI), Anthropic expanding to the enterprise, and OpenAI considering raising subscription pricing for its new large language models. The three also discuss failures of the streaming service advertising platforms, right on the cusp of political ads invading these services, and whether gamers will be able to play top games on AI-based PCs.

With a more than 10x explosion in the number of available large language models (LLMs) for companies looking to deploy a generative AI projects, you might assume that all of the models “are basically the same.” Vikram Chatterji, co-founder and CEO at Galileo, joins the show to discuss the major differences between LLMs and what parameters companies need to explore before choosing one for their project.