Is your business ready for a world where AI agents act, adapt, and make decisions for you?

Today on Digital Disruption, we’re joined by Global Chief AI Engineer at PwC, Scott Likens.

Scott Likens serves as the Chief AI Engineer at PwC, overseeing both the Global and U.S. teams. He leads the AI Engineering and Emerging Technology R&D groups, driving the firm’s strategy across AI, blockchain, VR, quantum computing, and other disruptive technologies. With over 30 years of experience in emerging tech, Scott has helped clients across industries transform their customer experience, digital strategy, and operations. He began his career in software engineering during the early days of the internet, working with major multinationals to apply a localized lens to global digital and innovation trends. Scott’s diverse technical background spans advanced analytics, digital architecture, AI engineering, and innovation. During his time at PwC, he has lived and worked in both China and the U.S., serving as a global technology leader and advisor to key clients. He is a regular speaker at international conferences on emerging technologies, including AI and generative AI, blockchain and crypto, IoT, quantum computing, and advanced robotics.

Scott Likens sits down with Geoff Nielson for a look into what’s actually happening across the front lines of AI and innovation. Scott shares insights from the edge of tech, from AI agents and embodied intelligence to quantum computing and synthetic identities. He explains why most enterprise AI efforts fail to scale, how to think in innovation “horizons,” and what separates real value from hype. He touches on many topics including, how holographic AI and digital twins are already reshaping communication and the skills, and structures shaping the IT organization of the future.

In this video:

0:00 Intro

1:55 GenAI hype vs. real Value in the enterprise

4:20 Embodied AI and the rise of holographic humans

6:00 Multilingual synthetic avatars

7:30 Deepfakes, trust & the role of blockchain in authentication

9:00 Responsible AI

12:15 Innovation is moving faster than trust

14:00 Speed or scale?

16:00 Defining true innovation vs. incremental tech

18:00 A Framework for emerging tech

20:30 From quantum to satellites: What’s next

23:00 Digital Twins, IoT, and Bipedal Robotics

25:30 AI at the edge

28:45 AI agents in action

30:20 Legacy system modernization without rewriting code

34:00 Enterprise use cases

36:30 What business leaders get wrong about tech

39:00 Moving from pilot projects to organization-wide impact

42:30 Balancing speed, risk & innovation in enterprise ai

44:00 How PwC enables innovation without losing control

47:00 Why “waiting” is not an ai strategy

48:15 The most important investment is your workforce

50:00 Upskilling, hiring, and culture shift at scale

52:00 Quantum, cryptography & the real threat timeline

54:30 What’s next for leaders and innovators

Connect with Scott:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottlikens/

X: https://x.com/ScottLikens

Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/

Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG

Is the Metaverse dead? Why is #OpenAI building jewelry? What happens when AI becomes more emotionally present than people?

Today on Digital Disruption, we’re joined by CEO of Future Dynamics and author, Cathy Hackl.

Cathy is a globally recognized tech and gaming executive, futurist, and keynote speaker specializing in spatial computing, AI, virtual worlds, and gaming platform strategy. She is the co-CEO of Future Dynamics, a spatial computing and AI solutions firm, and a top LinkedIn tech voice. Known as the “Godmother of the Metaverse,” she created the Tech Intimacy Scale and is currently researching the intersection of AI, love, and relationships. Cathy has held leadership roles at Amazon Web Services, Magic Leap, and HTC VIVE, and has guided major brands like Nike, Walmart, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, and Clinique through their emerging tech and gaming strategies. She has spoken at events hosted by Harvard Business School, MIT, CES, SXSW, and the World Economic Forum. Named one of Ad Age’s Leading Women of 2023 and featured on Forbes Latam’s cover for its 100 Most Powerful Women issue, Hackl is also listed among Vogue Business's 100 Innovators. She hosts Adweek’s TechMagic podcast and contributes to Vogue Singapore. In 2022, she made history as the first human to ring the NASDAQ opening bell both physically and in avatar form on live TV.

Cathy Hackl sits down with Geoff Nielson for an honest conversation about where technology is headed and what’s really happening with spatial computing, AI hardware, and the future of human connection. Cathy unpacks the evolution of the metaverse and why she believes we’re moving toward something bigger: the spatial web. She shares her first-hand experience with Google Beam, a revolutionary 3D communication technology that doesn’t require a headset. This episode dives into OpenAI’s push into hardware, why it’s a data play, and what that means for your privacy. Emotional technologies like Apple Vision Pro and what they mean for memory, grief, and connection, and the future of dating and relationships in a world filled with AI agents and romantic chatbots.

In this episode:

0:00 Intro

1:00 Is the Metaverse dead or just renamed?

3:00 Google Beam: 3D communication without a headset

5:00 The Apple moment: reaching for a virtual object

7:00 Dating, job interviews & presence in 3D

9:00 Will this replace video calls?

11:00 Apple vision pro

13:00 Memory preservation & future family photos

15:00 OpenAI’s hardware push

17:00 AI Agents and who controls your data

20:00 From ChatGPT to therapy bots

22:00 Emotional manipulation, mental health & ai advice

24:00 Who owns the virtual air around you?

27:00 Virtual real estate, annotations & air rights

30:00 The battle for our senses

35:00 Tech that arrived too early

37:00 Why dating in 2D doesn’t work in a 3D world

39:00 Spatial computing in creative industries

41:00 Where tech meets intimacy, memory & legacy

44:00 The real use case: Human connection

47:00 The future of emotional presence and what’s at stake

49:00 Getting It Right Matters

Connect with Cathy:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathyhackl/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cathyhackl/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HacklCathy

Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/

Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG

Can generative AI help us close the gap between expertise and access?

This week on a special episode of Digital Disruption, we're joined by New York Times best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell, recorded live in Las Vegas at Info-Tech Research Group's LIVE tech conference.

Malcolm Gladwell is the author of eight New York Times bestsellers, including his latest, Revenge of the Tipping Point. Named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People and one of Foreign Policy’s Top Global Thinkers, he is renowned for his unique perspective on the forces shaping human behavior and society. An extraordinary speaker, Gladwell combines eloquence, warmth, and humor to both entertain and challenge audiences. Through masterful storytelling, he unpacks complex and often misunderstood ideas, from decision-making in Blink and the roots of success in Outliers, to our underestimation of adversity in David and Goliath, and the missteps we make when interacting with strangers in Talking to Strangers.

Malcolm Gladwell sits with Geoff Nielson for an engaging conversation on the future of AI, the power of storytelling, and the evolving forces that shape society. From AI’s role in closing the expertise gap to how unexpected narratives drive lasting cultural change, Gladwell offers his signature perspective: thoughtful, contrarian, and always surprising. He talks about why the most transformative uses of AI may be the simplest, how generative tools can elevate human capability, and why culture never changes in ways we expect. Malcolm provides insight into how the media, brands and politics are changing and what that could mean for leadership, while touching on the surprising truth about misinformation, expertise, and AI as a corrective tool. 

In this episode:

0:00 Intro

0:24 AI's biggest promise? Strengthening weak links

1:33 AI in developing vs developed countries

2:12 Should AI replace or empower teachers?

3:13 Closing the expertise gap with AI

4:18 AI as a safe place to learn without embarrassment

5:08 The human side of AI

5:32 AI in surprising places

6:15 Malcolm’s personal use of AI

7:57 Where Malcolm finds ideas and why AI can’t replicate them

9:52 Why creativity can’t be automated

12:42 Will AI ever replace storytellers and thinkers?

14:24 Paul Simon’s genius explained

17:27 What makes a great story? Tesla example

22:26 Are people the new brand? Apple vs Chevy

25:13 The power of "overstories" in shaping behavior

26:57 We live in multiple narratives at once

29:26 Can organizational culture be changed?

30:37 How cultural narratives evolve

31:37 Politics, power, and social media’s new role

35:07 We’re still figuring out what tech is for

38:10 Why AI disruption might not be as bad as we fear

39:34 Is Malcolm an optimist or just realistic?

41:22 Can AI restore trust in expertise?

43:43 The power of narrative over facts

44:15 Poking the bear

Connect with Malcolm:

Website: https://www.gladwellbooks.com/

X: https://x.com/Gladwell

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malcolmgladwell/

Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/

Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG

Can your organization survive its own hesitation to take bold bets?

Today on Digital Disruption, we’re joined by former Amazon exec and bestselling author, John Rossman.

John is an author, business advisor, and keynote speaker. He was an early Amazon executive who played a key role in launching the Amazon marketplace business in 2002. He has served as the senior technology advisor at the Gates Foundation and senior innovation advisor at T-Mobile. His books include “The Amazon Way” and “Think Like Amazon.” His new book, Big Bet Leadership: Your Transformation Playbook for Winning in the Hyper-Digital Era, is an actionable guide for leaders who want to succeed in complex transformations.

John sits down with Geoff to unpack why most change initiatives fall short, and what leaders can do to shift the odds in their favor. Looking back on his experience launching Amazon Marketplace and advising top organizations, he shares strategies for scaling effectively, leading through change, and building resilience in today’s digital environment. John explains why traditional transformation efforts often fail, the issues leaders come across, and how to adopt a system of risk-smart decision-making and drive meaningful change. Get ready to challenge assumptions, cut through the hype, and transform the way you lead.

In this episode:

00:00 Intro

01:07 Solving hard problems with an integrated mindset

03:07 Why most companies struggle with change

04:21 The 3 megatrends disrupting business

06:32 Why Back-office productivity must change

07:22 Why Past winners are at risk of losing

09:36 Why big bets often fail

13:30 The three habits of big bet leaders

16:42 Why innovation labs often fail

21:39 Why leaders must design decision points intentionally

25:03 The power of a clear “Big Bet Vector”

31:27 What extreme accountability really means

36:08 Should we abandon silos?

40:25 Advice for how CIOs can unlock progress despite technical debt

46:08 How CIOs can win

51:55 Why Change can’t just be an operator’s job

53:01 The Big Bet Playbook explained

56:27 Active skepticism

Website: https://johnrossman.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rossman/

X: https://x.com/johnerossman

Connect with John:

Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG

What if the biggest threat to progress isn’t technology?

Today on Digital Disruption, we’re joined by Tom Goodwin, Co-Founder of All We Have Is Now.

Tom Goodwin is a four-time LinkedIn “#1 Voice in Marketing.” He is also the Co-Founder of, All We Have Is Now, a digital transformation consultancy helping businesses harness emerging technologies. A sought-after speaker, writer, and advisor, Tom also hosts The Edge, a tech-focused TV series, and My Wildest Prediction, a podcast with Euronews. In 2021 Tom published the second edition of his book “Digital Darwinism” with Kogan Page, in 2023 Tom launched a comprehensive online Digital Transformation course, and has now spoken in over 100 cities in 50 countries around the world.

Tom sits down with Geoff to share his perspective on the evolving digital landscape and how to cut through the noise especially around AI, digital transformation, and innovation — to focus on what truly matters for organizations today. He argues that in a time of rapid technological change, the smartest move may be to slow down, ignore the hype, and prioritize people, processes, and a long-term strategic vision. Tom urges leaders to think critically, stay grounded in fundamentals, and embrace thoughtful, human-centered progress over flashy solutions.

In this video:

00:00 Intro

01:11 Why tech hype needs a reality check

02:06 What actually matters in 2025

03:04 Business first, not tech first

04:11 Why not every company needs to chase every trend

05:16 The problem with constant agility

07:13 Why disruption isn’t always real

10:18 Are we avoiding hard truths about our business models?

12:12 Who wins: legacy companies or startups?

15:28 Will AI-native companies dominate?

17:09 Why real change still takes time

19:07 Hype vs. reality in AI adoption

22:47 Technology adoption is slower than you think

24:02 Advice to leaders on using AI strategically

26:44 Why short-term thinking is overrated

29:05 Planning for what really matters

31:00 A better approach to technology prioritization

33:18 Why digital transformation usually fails

34:49 The Heathrow metaphor: patchwork vs. reinvention

39:06 The promise of AI for real reinvention

42:20 Are IT leaders being left behind?

44:00 Why the CTO must be more strategic

47:03 What it takes to lead digital transformation

48:22 Why we need more ambitious use of existing tech

50:01 Tom’s book: Digital Darwinism

51:40 What happens when AI becomes invisible tech

53:13 We need clearer conversations around AI

Connect with Tom:

Website: https://www.tomgoodwin.co/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomfgoodwin/

X: https://x.com/tomfgoodwin

Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/

Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG

Is AI coming for your job, or just the parts that you hate doing?

Today on Digital Disruption, we’re joined by Rory Richardson, Director of Go-To-Market for Generative AI at Amazon Web Services (AWS).

With over a decade of experience at AWS, she has been instrumental in launching and scaling breakthrough technologies, including non-relational databases and serverless computing. Rory has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of cloud development through her strategic leadership in go-to-market initiatives, empowering developers to expand the boundaries of what’s possible in the cloud. Driven by a passion for innovation, her current focus is on harnessing the potential of generative AI to transform developer tools, enabling more efficient, creative, and human-centered development processes.

Rory sits down with Geoff to explain how generative AI can supercharge the developer experience, helping teams write better code, faster, and with fewer headaches. She shares her perspective that AI isn’t about replacing people, but about helping us do less of what we dislike, and why embracing AI now is one of the smartest moves leaders can make.

Rory shares real-world examples from AWS, insights from developer culture, and a human-centered view on the rapidly changing AI landscape.

In this episode:

00:00 Intro

01:04 Recap of Info-Tech LIVE 2024 in Las Vegas

01:35 What’s new in AI & developer tools

02:53 The rise of AI-powered command line tools

03:32 Why Amazon is paying people to play

06:44 “Vibe Coding”

08:10 Differential equations & development tools

12:00 Risks of rapid AI adoption

13:32 What does coding look like in 2028?

16:20 Creativity, context-switching & grit

18:07 How play drives innovation

19:34 Teaching AI in schools

23:10 Is age the biggest barrier to AI adoption?

28:20 What should junior Devs expect?

30:38 Better AI boundaries

35:01 Will AI replace Developers?

37:25 Accelerating innovation, not replacing humans

42:24 Why AI works best on repetitive tasks

44:11 Let AI do the dishes, not the art

46:04 From Paris, Texas to Amazon Web Services

48:19 Everything is learnable

49:09 The grit factor

Connect with Rory:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roryr/

Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG

Is the real threat of AI the technology or the humans behind it?

Today on Digital Disruption, we’re joined by Mo Gawdat, former Chief Business Officer of Google X.

Mo is the host of the popular podcast Slo Mo: A Podcast with Mo Gawdat, and the author of several international bestsellers, including Solve for Happy, Scary Smart, That Little Voice in Your Head, and Unstressable. He is also the founder of One Billion Happy and currently serves as Chief AI Officer at Flight Story. With a 30-year career in tech, Mo has since shifted his focus to the pursuit of happiness and human well-being. He has extensively researched the science of happiness and engaged in conversations with some of the world’s leading thinkers. More recently, his work has centered on the urgent ethical and societal challenges posed by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence.

Mo sits down with Geoff for an unfiltered conversation on the future of humanity in the age of artificial intelligence. Mo explains that we’re living in the early stages of a technology-fueled dystopia, one that is driven not by AI itself, but by humans who shape it by greed, power, and unchecked capitalism. But he also shares a vision for a future of unprecedented abundance, one where AI could solve global challenges, from climate change to poverty, but only if we as humans embrace ethical design and mutual cooperation.

In this episode: 

00:00 Intro

01:20 AI, geopolitics, and capitalism

03:05 Is the problem human nature or systems?

06:22 The coming age of abundant intelligence

08:13 AI’s dark side

13:15 Fear-driven ai development

17:10 Handing power to ai

19:14 Why superintelligent ai could save us

21:12 Can we avoid an ai Hiroshima moment?

25:30 Mutual prosperity or destruction

29:11 The age of machine supremacy

31:00 How to influence AI for good

33:12 AI reflects humanity

36:06 What AI is learning from us right now

40:06 Who thrives in the AI era

44:04 The rise of mind manipulation

47:02 How to stay critical in a world of deepfakes

49:12 Use AI to expand your thinking, not replace it

51:21 The leadership skills of the future

54:42 Collaborating with AI as team members

57:20 Will AI want to connect with us?

01:01:06 Could AI become conscious?

01:04:48 AI emotions and the next evolution of intelligence

01:06:32 The role of humans

Connect with Mo:

Website: https://www.mogawdat.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mogawdat/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/mogawdatofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mo_gawdat/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mogawdat

Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG

Creativity is the key to staying competitive, so why do so many organizations struggle to innovate?

Today on Digital Disruption, we’re joined by Duncan Wardle, former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney.

Duncan and his team helped Imagineering, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Pixar, and Disney Parks to innovate, creating magical new storylines and experiences. Now a global keynote speaker and innovation advisor, he shares his unique Design Thinking approach to help organizations spark creativity, unlock fresh thinking, and embed innovation into their culture. A TED speaker and contributor to Fast Company, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review, Duncan also teaches innovation Master Classes at Yale, Harvard, and the University of Edinburgh.

Duncan sits down with Geoff to explore how businesses can break down the barriers to innovation by tapping into their most powerful resource: human imagination. Duncan gives a look into the magic of Disney’s approach to creativity and explains how companies can design cultures that foster curiosity, risk-taking, and collaboration. From solving complex problems with simple questions to creating space for disruptive thinking, Duncan shares practical, transformative advice for leaders ready to think boldly and challenge the current workplace roles.

In this episode: 

0:00 Intro

2:00 Time at Disney

5:40 Creativity is now the most in-demand skill

8:15 Barriers to innovation

11:30 Tools for creative thinking

14:45 Reframing problems as innovation

18:10 The power of naïve experts

21:00 Innovation at Disney

25:50 Tips for embedding in any organization

29:00 How leaders can foster innovation

32:00 Tools to think differently

33:21 Overhyped tools

34:01 What’s different about Gen Z

36:03 Duncan’s mission to unlock creativity

39:03 Changing culture

Connect with Duncan:

Website: https://duncanwardle.com/

Twitter: https://x.com/duncanjwardle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duncanjwardle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncanwardle/

Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/

Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG

With all the AI hype, is there still a place for humans in organizations?

Today on Digital Disruption, we’re joined by Jonathan Brill, the world’s top-ranked futurist by Forbes, advisor to Amazon, HP, Samsung, and an author.

Jonathan helps executives and audiences spot, prioritize, and act on the forces shaping the next five years — from AI to geopolitical disruption. As the former Global Futurist at HP and a board member of one of the world’s largest private intelligence agencies, he brings unique insights from decades of work in innovation, strategy, and emerging tech. His invention firms have developed over 325 products, generating more than $27 billion in revenue for clients like HP, Samsung, and Verizon. Jonathan is the author of Rogue Waves, praised by The Economist and Adam Grant, offering a practical framework for thriving through disruption. He shares his insights globally on stages like TED, at institutions like Harvard and CERN, and with media outlets including ABC, CNBC, and HBR.

Jonathan sits down with Geoff Nielson to explore what leaders need to do to survive and thrive through the next decade of accelerating technological disruption. They discuss why the traditional organizational model introduced in the railroad era is no longer equipped to handle the complexity of AI-powered transformation. Jonathan speaks on the concept of the "octopus organization," where intelligence, decision-making, and adaptability are distributed rather than centralized. He breaks down AI’s biggest shift not just in task automation, but in decision-making and organizational design and emphasizes the importance of psychological safety in successful AI adoption.

In this episode

0:00 Intro

1:14 Enterprise AI

2:47 Code and complexity

6:07 From Railroad Model to Octopus Organization

9:35 AI isn’t just automating work

12:03 Why CIOs must lead cultural change

18:28 Human intuition is still important

20:16 Four leadership traits for the AI era

25:32 Executional vs. strategic thinking in IT

29:39 The real value of coding in the future

35:16 AI’s superpowers

38:57 Human vs. machine

41:21 Specialists vs. generalists in an AI world

47:02 Optimism despite disruption

49:48 Governments will shape the pace of change

53:04 What’s the hype and what’s real?

58:19 Tech adoption is inevitable

Connect with Jonathan:

Website: https://www.jonathanbrill.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanbrill1/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brill_jonathan

Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG

If you're not ready for the speed of change — you're already behind.

Today on Digital Disruption, we’re joined by Steve Brown, a leading voice in the field of artificial intelligence and a former executive at Google DeepMind and Intel.

Steve has delivered hundreds of engaging keynotes and AI innovation workshops across five continents. With over 25 years of experience in AI and emerging technologies, Steve helps organizations build winning strategies that drive innovation, boost productivity, and fuel growth. He has advised leading brands including Nike, JP Morgan, Samsung, Comcast, Audi, Bank of America, PepsiCo, and Disney. Steve is the co-founder of The Provenance Chain Network, a BCG Luminary, and an advisor to multiple AI startups. He has been featured on CNN, BBC, Bloomberg, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. His book, The Innovation Ultimatum, explores how six strategic technologies will reshape every business in the 2020s. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Micro-Electronic Systems Engineering from Manchester University and lives in Portland, Oregon.

Steve sits down with Geoff Nielson to explore how AI, robotics, and automation are reshaping business, education, and the future of work. Steve reflects on the six emerging technologies he forecasted in The Innovation Ultimatum, where he got it right, and what surprised him — from the power of process orchestration and the quiet rise of blockchain, to the next potential “ChatGPT moment.” Steve also shares a preview of his upcoming book, The AI Ultimatum, and what business leaders need to know now to stay relevant and human in an AI-powered economy.

In this episode:

0:00 Intro

0:42 Revisiting 2019's predictions

2:04 The Rise of process orchestration

3:11 Process orchestration

5:12 AI and sales enablement

6:33 Blockchain’s future

11:14 The mixed reality opportunity

13:49 What’s the next “ChatGPT moment”?

15:12 Robotics, Quantum & what's next

18:40 The real AI transformation opportunity

20:10 Top 3 areas where AI is impacting businesses

21:37 AI-enabled employee experiences

22:54 From lockdown to enablement

24:36 Getting started with AI transformation

28:01 Unexpected use cases

31:29 The education disruption is coming

36:20 Learn to get the most out of AI

37:48 How to become robot-proof

40:39 What gives life meaning

43:20 Creativity in the age of AI

45:42 The rise of one-person enterprise

49:19 Do we need AGI

50:50 Hype vs. reality

52:10 The AI Ultimatum

53:36 Speed of change

Connect with Steve:

Website: https://www.stevebrown.ai/about

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/futuresteve/

Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG