Is the price of safety the end of anonymity? UK retail is fighting back against rising crime with Facial Recognition technology like Facewatch. But this powerful tool comes with a massive ethical and legal question mark. In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I look at the undeniable success in tackling repeat offenders and boosting staff safety. But also, explore the serious risks of false positives, GDPR compliance, and the erosion of public privacy. It's not abo...

Is your organisation's AI strategy built on a solid foundation, or is it a fast-track to fragmentation and risk? In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I explore the shift from AI experimentation to responsible execution. I address the critical question of how do we use AI effectively, and in a way that works alongside human expertise. The concept of Human-in-the-Loop is more vital than ever! Human-in-the-Loop isn't about slowing down automation, it's about buildin...

In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I discuss the launch of Google DeepMind's Gemini 3. The podcast breaks down: 💡 Gemini’s massive jump in core reasoning power. 💡 The new Gemini Agent and the Antigravity Coding Platform. 💡 Google embedding Gemini 3 directly into Search from Day One. This episode is essential listening for anyone who wants to understand the shift from passive AI to agentic execution. Available on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | All major podcast...

This holiday shopping season, the battle for the future of e-commerce is being fought by Agentic AI assistants like Perplexity and Amazon's Rufus. In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I discuss the debate of Innovation vs. Immaturity with AI Assisted Shopping and breakdown the following: 💡 The Outdated Product Problem - Why generalist AI often recommends last-generation gifts. 💡 The strategic masterstroke of Perplexity's Instant Buy with PayPal. 💡 The power of Amazon's...

The recent global internet outage on November 18th, 2025, was a reminder of the fragility of our digital world. When a single configuration error at Cloudflare took down major services like OpenAI, X, Spotify, and thousands of others, it exposed a critical vulnerability in modern infrastructure. In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I look at the root cause of the Cloudflare incident that cascaded into a global catastrophe. This episode is a must-listen for anyone concerned w...

For the first time, we have a documented case of a major cyber-attack executed largely without human intervention. The attacker? An AI. In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I look at the alarming Anthropic incident, where a state-sponsored group manipulated the Claude Code AI model to act as an autonomous agent for espionage. This isn't just about faster hacking. It's a fundamental shift: The Trick – How did hackers bypass safety guardrails? By simply trick...

Vibe Coding is where AI generates code from natural language and it’s revolutionising how we innovate and build software at speed. But with this power comes significant risk. Are your organisation's security, compliance, and engineering standards ready for the AI-driven shift? In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders, I discuss how we need to balance innovation and control. I break down the major risks of Vibe Coding, from subtle security vulnerabilities and data leakag...

Just hours before Microsoft's earnings call, a massive Azure outage took down services globally. Was it a sophisticated cyber-attack, or something far simpler? In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I look at what caused the Azure Front Door problem. Listen in to learn more about: 💡 The root cause of the Azure Outage. 💡 How Microsoft maintained its financial momentum and managed the narrative despite the massive disruption. 💡 The data that shows most major outages ...

The recent AWS outage in the US-EAST-1 region was more than just a technical glitch, it exposed the critical vulnerabilities in a single cloud provider infrastructure. In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders, I look at what caused the outage and the global ripple effect that took down major apps, banking services, and even government portals. What you’ll learn in this episode: 💡The root cause of the failure. 💡The disproportionate impact on sectors like finance, gaming, and government. 💡...

Are you ready for AI to become a true partner in your daily work? In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I explore the release of Microsoft Agent Mode and Office Agent, along with the revolutionary concept of "vibe working" within Microsoft 365 Copilot. This isn't just about automation; it's about AI understanding your intent, orchestrating complex tasks, and even evaluating its own work! Discover how Agent Mode is transforming productivity in: 💡 Democratising advanced d...

We've hit 100 episodes! To celebrate this incredible achievement, the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast is thrilled to bring you a truly special guest, the phenomenal Sarah Armstrong-Smith! For the landmark 100th episode, I sit down with Sarah Armstrong-Smith, the Chief Security Advisor at Microsoft. Sarah is a true luminary in the cybersecurity world, renowned for her expertise in protecting digital landscapes, guiding organisations through complex cyber threats, and championing robust security...

Are you ready to navigate the complexities of modern tech leadership? In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I look at what it truly takes to be a visionary in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape. This episode explores: 💡 Beyond Operations - The shift from operational management to visionary leadership, embracing advanced AI, autonomous systems, and spatial computing. 💡 Fortifying the Digital Frontier - The critical role of tech leaders in cybersecurity, combating AI-dr...

In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I discus a timeless adage, this being that culture eats strategy for breakfast. While often attributed to Peter Drucker, its profound meaning for today's fast-paced technological world cannot be overstated. This episode explores how a thriving organisational culture is the true fuel for a successful technology strategy. I discuss the enduring wisdom behind this concept, its critical relevance in the modern tech landscape, and most importa...

In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I explore the alarming rise of supply chain cyberattacks, a threat that recently crippled European Airports and brought Jaguar Land Rover's production to a halt. These aren't just headlines, they're critical warnings for every IT leader. Our interconnected digital ecosystem means a breach anywhere can quickly become a crisis everywhere. I look at the common patterns of these compromises and arm IT leaders with actionable strat...

Is Apple falling behind in the AI race? For years, Apple has been renowned for its hardware and privacy, but its AI Strategy, particularly with Siri, has faced criticism for lagging behind. In this episode I look at the strategic rationale behind this unexpected alliance, exploring why Apple is leaning on Google’s advanced AI capabilities and what it means for the future of AI on your iPhone. I look at the inherent risks, including potential perceptions of weakness, privacy concerns with Goog...

Ever wondered what it takes to become one of the most influential voices in the UK Tech Industry? This week on the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I sit down with the incredible Georgina Owens, a leader who has been at the forefront of major technology transformations at companies like Vodafone and William Hill. We had a fascinating discussion about her journey, the challenges facing the industry, and her vision for the future of tech leadership. In this episode, we cover: 💡 The importance of...

Are superintelligent AI systems just around the corner, or is the hype overshadowing reality? In this episode I cut through the noise, offering a balanced yet optimistic perspective on where AI is truly heading by 2027. From the remarkable advancements in LLMs and AI-enabled medical devices to the changing economics of AI, this episode explores what's realistic, genuinely exciting, and what we should be preparing for. In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I explor...

What happens when AI, Sustainability, and Logistics collide? The result: smarter cities, greener fleets, and millions of optimised deliveries worldwide. In this episode, I talk with Richard Savoie, patent-holding engineer, entrepreneur, and CEO of Adiona Tech, the AI-powered delivery route optimisation platform trusted by Coca-Cola, Amazon, and Marley Spoon. In this episode we explore: 💡 Key lessons on leadership and innovation from a seasoned tech entrepreneur 💡 The inspiration behind focusi...

Are you tired of drowning in endless vendor comparisons and lengthy procurement cycles? Louise Baldwin from Archways talks about how to reduce the Vendor Research period and how we can start to recognise efficiencies across the organisation. Key points discussed in this episode: 💡 What's fundamentally broken about how organisations evaluate technology today 💡 Why CIOs face more complexity now than ever before (and how to cut through the noise) 💡 How to align IT, operations, ...

GPT-5 was released on the 7th August 2025, and has been making headlines in the tech world. In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I explore the following: 💡 GPT-5 now "thinks before it speaks" with internal chain-of-thought processing 💡 Massive reliability boost with a 26% reduction in hallucinations vs GPT-4o 💡 Strongest coding model yet, creating complete apps from simple descriptions 💡 Available to free users for the first time, breaking down barriers to advanced AI ...