Data-driven decision-making is accelerating, and organizations need to ensure that they’ve got the data and infrastructure to fuel this imperative. Senior analyst James Curtis joins host Eric Hanselman to look at data about expectations for addressing hybrid computing environments, data movement and advanced database technologies and why they’re critical for digitization. The data we discussed and more on AI and ML uses is available here: https://www.spglobal.com/setthepace

AI and ML can help insurers, but the InsurTech world has a lot more going on. Automation is delivering faster quotes and improving customer experience. Senior analyst Thomas Mason joins host Eric Hanselman to look at the impacts of market opinion and interest rate increases. Market worries about tech are hitting stock prices, but investment portfolios could be helped by higher rates. There’s promise integrating insurance into consumer purchasing, similar to what’s happening with financing.

The year has been full of contradictory signals in technology markets, with some areas accelerating and others pulling back. Simon Robinson, head of TMT research returns to identify, if not make sense, of the forces at play with host Eric Hanselman. The winds of inflation, M&A and maturing expectations for ESG are beating across tech companies as they look to navigate a path through these choppy waters. Fintech advances in spite of the crypto winter and blockchain might actually get real.

Innovations in the payments world continue with the advances in Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL). It’s beloved by a new generation of online shoppers and big step from the layaway plans of old. Associate analyst McKayla Wooldridge joins host Eric Hanselman to delve into its appeal and look at recent study results that show both positive and negative angles for consumers and merchants. The latter want increased purchasing volumes, but the former are concerned about refund complexities and hidden costs.

While we’ve come a ways from Robby the Robot being society’s image of robots, there’s more useful nuance. Senior research analyst Ian Hughes returns to discuss a model of nine levels of autonomy with host Eric Hanselman and effects on applications of robotic technology. Self-driving vehicles are just a start and many of the enabling technologies are in early stages, but digital twins play a key role in training the models that are driving robots and link them to digital realms and metaverses.

The shift to subscription sales models is sweeping across many industries, but it’s a change that requires more than just a new way to buy. Senior research analyst Bruce Daly joins host Eric Hanselman to explore the shift in mindset it requires and the organizational challenges that many have faced. While customer success approaches can be supported by software systems, there’s an underlying organizational and operational change that’s required. More digitization complexity!

Supporting the communities that make up the modern enterprise requires visibility in ways that many might not have considered. Analyst Marie Froehlicher and Emily Jasper, President of the Global Pride Resource Group, join host Eric Hanselman to explore the path to greater understanding. Organizations have to understand that, unlike other corporate metrics, DEI perspectives are dynamic and have to consider language to capture the nuances of the constituencies that make up their community.

While information security budgets are increasing, the market isn’t being kind to infosec vendors and that could dampen M&A prospects. Returning guests Garrett Bekker and Brenon Daly join host Eric Hanselman to talk about those prospects and look at the implications of the huge Broadcom/VMware deal. That massive transaction has all of the hallmarks of a private equity deal and is an indicator of the shifting market dynamics that will be at play as we head back to an in-person RSA Conference.

Can cars make the transition to being a subscription service? Returning guests Mark Fontecchio and Johan Vermij join host Eric Hanselman to sort out what works in this transition and what’s possible. Consumers see value in vehicle-specific services, but have grown accustomed to using personal devices for functions like navigation and entertainment. Security is a very different matter, as consumers want greater control over data and where it’s used. Greater trust could unlock many options.

The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) is growing rapidly, but there’s not a lot of visibility into the set of supporting capabilities that have to be in place to support it. Nick Patience returns to discuss the results of the latest AI/ML study and to dig into use cases and operations aspects with host Eric Hanselman. While a lack of data scientists has been a popular concern, there’s a lot more that’s needed to support AI/ML efforts. MLOps can come to the rescue!