Tech Talk

Instead of talking about equitable societies, AI has once again decided we have to revert to the ‘world in peril’ format. A safety lead at Anthropic quits to pursue a future in poetry, while the US Defence Secretary seeks to label the company a risk to national security. While using those same technologies for classified military operations.

But don’t worry, we’ve got some light relief in the shape of martial robots dancing on TV.

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As artificial intelligence becomes more accessible, it is rapidly changing the nature of cyber threats. From highly personalised phishing and automated intrusion attempts to the growing risk of deepfakes and identity manipulation, attackers are finding new ways to scale and adapt. At the same time, organisations are racing to strengthen their defences with AI of their own.

Suresh Srinivasan joins us to explore whether cybersecurity teams are keeping pace, how the balance of power is shifting, and what businesses need to understand as the digital threat landscape enters a far more complex and unpredictable phase.

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Do you feel like a slave to your smartwatch. Is your Screen Time report laughing at you? With holidays around the corner, Matt and Rich look at some of the ways you can use the break to bust open those digital bad habits and reset your devices so they work for you instead of against you.

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For the past two years, organisations everywhere have been experimenting with AI. Pilots are running, proofs of concept are being showcased, and leadership teams are under pressure to show progress. But behind the excitement, many initiatives never make it past the testing phase.

We speak with Khalil Nooh, CEO and Co-Founder of Mesolitica, about why so many AI projects stall before reaching full deployment. From data readiness and leadership mindset to structural barriers inside organisations, we explore what separates companies that successfully scale AI from those that remain stuck in experimentation.

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AI agents. They sound like your spy dreams come to life. Send them out into the world to snoop on your behalf. 

In reality, they’re kind of important but boring. Which is why Matt and Rich have put off talking about them for so long. But then a bot only social media platform called Moltbook comes along and suddenly everyone is interested in what these little bits of code have to say. Especially to each other. When they think we aren’t watching. 

Today they unpack OpenClaw, aka Moltbot, and try to explain what a 2026 operated by agents is going to look like.

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As tech giants race to weave AI into every pixel of our digital lives, Mozilla has done the unthinkable: they’ve given users a way out. We dive into Firefox’s new "AI-Off" switch and what it means for the future of the web. We spoke with Alexander Wong from SoyaCincau to find out whether this is a landmark win for user consent or a desperate stand by a "human-first" browser in an increasingly automated world.

We explore the growing "AI fatigue" hitting the tech industry and ask the hard questions: Is AI becoming the new bloatware? Can "Digital Quiet" become a luxury feature? From the ethics of the "Organic Web" to the power dynamics of Silicon Valley, we break down why the right to opt-out might be the most important feature of 2026.

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Despite their best efforts to resolve the problem, it looks as though Richard and Matt have found no solution to work, though they have found some interesting approaches that might. 

On today’s show they offer up their apologies and outline what you can expect to see at your desk in 2026. From agentic AI bundling up your day, to managerial trends and mentoring.

They also take a look at some of the trends that looked as though they were going to sweep the workplace, like radical transparency and accountability. And why companies are no longer saying the quiet parts out loud.

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Meta’s recent $2 billion acquisition of the Singapore-based Manus AI has signaled a major shift: APAC is now outpacing the West in the race for autonomous agents. As geopolitical tensions rise over tech transfers, Europe is left questioning if its "safety-first" regulations are leaving it behind.

We speak with AI expert Clemens Wasner to unpack the fallout of the Meta-Manus deal and what it means for global tech sovereignty. Drawing on his decade of experience in Japan and China, Clemens explores the friction between EU governance and APAC speed, the surprising overlap in robotics and chips, and how localised "Sovereign AI" is reshaping the 2026 economic map.

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Never has it been so hard to figure out what’s good for you. 10,000 steps a day or 7,000? More red meat or less? To use painkillers or not to use painkillers?

Increasingly it seems that medical advice is being issued based more on feelings and political ideology than scientific fact. In the  second part of their Tech in ‘26 series, Matt and Rich examine some of the headline treatments and advances we’re likely to see this year.

From new blood tests for dementia and associated brain shuttle treatments that can break the brain-blood barrier, to the expansion of GLP-1 and similar obesity treatments. Plus the future of primary care, with telemedicine going mainstream, and the role of AI in just about every part of medical research and diagnostics.

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Quantum computing is advancing faster than many realise, and when it does, it could break the encryption that protects banking systems, payment infrastructure, and government data.

In this episode of Tech Talk, we speak with Wo Swee Teck, Managing Director at Securemetric Technology, about why Post-Quantum Cryptography is no longer theoretical, and what the real risks are of delaying preparation.

We explore Malaysia’s readiness following guidance from NACSA, how banks and government agencies are approaching crypto-agility, and what organisations often underestimate about cryptographic migration. From legacy systems to long-term trust, this conversation looks at the operational, economic, and national implications of the quantum era.

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