Lenovo presents: A Smart Perspective

This month on A Smart Perspective, host Simone Larsson sits down with Lucas Perruadin, founder of AI to Market, for a practical conversation about how organisations can move from AI experimentation to meaningful, well-governed transformation.​ 

Lucas shares why the shift to AI feels less like a single technology trend and more like a tidal wave of change for every business. But amid the noise, he argues that the right starting point is not the latest model, tool or agent. It is understanding where the real problem sits: which processes need to improve, what work should remain rooted in human judgement, and where AI can genuinely help.​ 

Together, Simone and Lucas explore the opportunities - and the pitfalls - of agentic AI. From avoiding a patchwork “Frankenstein” architecture to controlling runaway token use, they discuss the importance of intentional design, clear ownership and orchestration. The conversation also tackles the question many people are quietly asking: will AI take my job? Lucas’s view is refreshingly grounded. 

This is an optimistic but clear-eyed episode about leaning into AI with purpose: build for the real need, and make the technology work for people - not the other way around.​ 

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Learn more about AI To Market and connect with Lucas Perraudin. 

In the first episode of A Smart Perspective Series 2, new host Simone Larsson is joined by David Fearne, Co-Founder and CTO of Imitation AI, for a wide-ranging conversation about the relationship between people, knowledge and artificial intelligence.​ 

From growing up fascinated by robots to a career shaped by data and AI, David reflects on the moment large language models moved from an intriguing technology to something that could fundamentally change how we work. But this is not a conversation about replacing people with machines. At the heart of David’s thinking is a more human ambition: helping organisations capture the judgement, experience and tacit knowledge that often sits inside people’s heads - and making it useful at scale.​ 

Simone and David explore why so many organisations remain stuck between promising pilots and real production use. They tackle the anxieties around jobs, skills and the pace of change as AI becomes increasingly capable of using tools. ​ 

David shares his philosophy for IT leaders today: create the conditions for curiosity - encourage people to experiment responsibly, learn what AI is genuinely good for, and see it as a form of co-intelligence. ​ 

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These ideas are explored further in David's upcoming book The Curiosity Economy. Read the opening chapters: ⁠https://curiosity-economy.imitation-ai.com

For the final episode of the series, A Smart Perspective goes trackside -recorded at Formula 1®’s legendary HQ and Media & Technology Centre in Biggin Hill. Per Overgaard sits down with Claire Sparks, Head of Portfolio and Technical Initiatives at F1, to explore what it really takes to run one of the most technologically advanced operations in the world.

F1 is synonymous with speed, but behind the scenes, the pace is just as relentless. Claire reveals how a four‑year remote broadcast operations roadmap was condensed into just 10 weeks during Covid, how race weekends operate like precision‑engineered disaster‑recovery rituals, and how F1 captures and processes massive volumes of data - 3.5GB per car, per race - to elevate the experience for 827 million fans, only 1% of whom ever attend a race in person.

Claire’s career story is just as compelling. From recruitment to early IT days with Lotus Notes and printer rescues, she’s built a career defined by curiosity, continuous learning, and thriving in high‑stakes transformation environments. She and Per dive into the power of partnerships, women in motorsport, the rise of AI skills across every function, and what responsible IT leadership looks like in a world of unprecedented change.

They explore whether AI must prove ROI, why enriched data underpins every use case, and why the future belongs to leaders who can guide their teams - confidently and humanely - through rapid evolution.

Tune in for a thrilling finale at the intersection of speed, data, and human ingenuity. Find out more about Lenovo’s partnership with F1 here: https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/sports-partners/formula1/

This month on A Smart Perspective, Per Overgaard sits down with Sharon Prior, a game-changing CIO to explore the profound question at the heart of today’s digital age: What does it mean to be human in a world increasingly shaped by technology?

Ever wondered if AI could unlock superhuman abilities? What about digital referees revolutionizing sports, or feeling overwhelmed by non-stop tech advancements? In this episode, Tobias Hooton, the visionary Founder and CEO of Stelia, chats with Per Overgaard to dive headfirst into the frontier of innovation.

While Per was stranded mid journey thanks to a cancelled flight, the team flew into Bologna, Italy – known as Motor Valley: the land where speed was born. We took the unique opportunity to get behind the doors of Ducati HQ, and the chance to speak with Federico Benassi, Ducati Corse Race IT Manager.

In this slightly different format, Federico enables us to dive into the world of motorcycle innovation and the relentless pursuit of speed. From the evolution of bikes through cutting-edge technology to the secrets behind building a winning team year after year, we learned more about the high stake’s environment of MotoGP and the challenges that come with always thinking about how to improve technology on and off the track. 

Federico explains how he combined his love for bikes and technology into a dream career, offering insights and advice for anyone looking to follow in his footsteps. He also shares his thoughts on the role of AI at Ducati Corse - not as a job replacer, but as a tool to push the boundaries of what’s possible, faster than ever before. But does all this tech take away from the pure joy of riding? And what is it about Italians that fuels their passion for speed and success?

Special thanks to the Ducati team who allowed us to record this episode during a very busy week. Find out more about Lenovo’s partnership with Ducati Corse here: https://news.lenovo.com/tag/ducati/

In the very first episode of A Smart Perspective, host Per Overgaard travels to Bonn, Germany to meet Christian Klie, Business Owner of Future Cloud Infrastructure at T-Systems. Known by many as a mobile network provider, T-Systems is in fact a major player in global cloud innovation—and Christian brings a wealth of insight from the front lines of hybrid cloud transformation.

In a wide-ranging and candid conversation, Per and Christian discuss everything from the challenge of balancing data sovereignty with innovation, to who should be responsible for regulating AI in today’s fast-moving tech landscape. Christian shares how his own passion for technology began with learning to code - just so he could play the same games his friends were enjoying - and how that curiosity has carried him through a global career that’s included an MBA in Australia and early roles in cybersecurity consulting.

They explore what it really means to be a tech leader today, and why finding the right talent is just as critical as choosing the right tools. Christian calls it the “war for talent,” and says that at the heart of it, working in technology is being in the people business. He also shares why he believes data is the resource of the future and why trust in the systems that store and process it is more important than ever.

From leadership philosophy to cloud strategy, and from career reflections to thoughts on the future of AI, this episode sets the tone for the series with insight, energy, and real human perspective.

Introducing A Smart Perspective - a new podcast series from Lenovo that goes beyond the technology to explore the human stories, bold decisions, and leadership philosophies shaping digital transformation today.

Hosted by Per Overgaard, each episode features conversations with CIOs and IT leaders from some of the world’s most innovative companies. It’s about the why behind the what, and the people behind the progress.

Subscribe now and get ready for real stories, smart insights, and a fresh perspective on the future of IT. Full episodes launch every third Monday of the month.