The Business of Tech

Can AI ever be truly trustworthy when the stakes are high? That's what machine learning and artificial intelligence researcher Jessica Zosa Forde hopes to achieve with her studies at Brown University.

She joins us to discuss her work on ensuring less common languages don't get forgotten - and how efforts with te reo Māori are leading the way. 

She also highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in these technologies as they become more pervasive in our lives.

Plus, an interview with HP's president of personal systems Alex Cho about how AI-powered PCs may enhance worker satisfaction and productivity.

The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business.

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In this sponsored episode, 2degrees chief technology and information officer Stephen Kurzeja talks about the intricate process of merging the systems of two large telecommunications companies: 2degrees and Vocus.

Kurzeja shares the thought process behind choosing what to keep and what to retire, where to add new products, and where to reign it in.

He discusses company culture, AI and maintaining a laser focus on customer experience during such massive transitions.

Plus, ComCom's call for better coverage maps and Australia's mulling of mandatory AI guardrails.

The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business.

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We sit down with Dr. Will Reedy, who leads health for Accenture NZ, to discuss the transformative potential of AI in healthcare. 

Reedy explains how generative AI can enhance NZ’s health system, boosting both frontline and back-office operations and addressing workforce shortages. 

He also raises the ever-looming spectre of the need to truly aggregate resident's health data, a must-have if we want to realise the full potential of generative AI.

Plus, an interview with Jack Pugh, the NZ winner of the James Dyson Award for design, about his winning medtech device.

The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business.

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We're kicking off a series on AI in industries with a deep dive into AI in education.

Hengjie Wang, co-founder of ed-tech company Kami, joins us to explore how AI is transforming the classroom.

Wang explains how Kami currently uses AI to save teachers time and make education more accessible and engaging for students.

He also considers whether generative AI could be the foundation for a future of widely accessible, AI-driven learning aids.

Plus, Apple's latest products and upgrades.

The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business.

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We dive deep into the world of venture capital with Robbie Paul, managing director of Icehouse Ventures.

Paul looks back at the last 14 years to reflect on startup successes and failures and how NZ's VC landscape has evolved.

He also shares some killer lessons for entrepreneurs and investors, such as the value of people and the dangers of chasing trends.

Plus, Beam's scooter scandal, what Elon Musk's volatile behaviour could mean for Starlink in NZ, and AWS's entry into the satellite broadband market.

The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business.

Show notes were written with the help of generative AI.

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Hamish Rumbold, the recent winner of the CIO of the Year award, joins us to reflect on his five years at Kiwibank, where he oversaw the company through major challenges from hauling legacy systems into the digital age, to facing an ever-increasing cyber threat landscape.

Rumbold is on the hunt for his next role, fuelled by the goal of adding $10 billion in value to the companies he works with.

We also touch on the performance and future of Spark and Chorus, and discuss the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.

The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business.

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Show notes were written with help from generative AI.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a banger of a year for Gentrack, joining the NZX50 and reaching a $1 billion market capitalisation.

In this episode, we talk to Gentrack's chief technology officer Mark Rees, who joined the company early this year after a decade at Xero.

Rees offers insight into how Gentrack's software is helping utility companies manage at a time of massive disruption for the energy generation market and explains how AI and hyper-personalisation could create an even more resilient and affordable energy system.

He also opens up about what it's like to be in the top tech exec role at a global tech company.

Plus, what's all this fuss about the Commerce Commission and open banking?

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Searching for information online has been more or less the same since Google dominated the industry more than two decades ago but now, new forms of artificial intelligence are poised to change everything.

Search expert Ryan McMillan from SEO advisory Atlas Digital joins us to share his insights on what those changes mean for online advertising, and how businesses can be prepared for those changes.

Plus, Auckland University of Technology associate professor of journalism Helen Sissons explains how social media created a world where kooky stories can morph into dangerous political opinions.

The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business.

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Dr Michelle Dickinson, also known as Nanogirl, has been working on taking her passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to as many people as possible.

During covid, Dickinson was a key part of a team getting the word out about how to keep as safe as possible and for her efforts, had her personal details published online and received threats.

Undeterred, she has spent years building up her business demystifying tech for businesses, and promoting STEM as a career choice for young people across NZ and beyond.

But in the last year, cuts to funding of science initiatives across the country have left her concerned that fewer young people than ever will be given the resources, space and support to learn to love science.

The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business.

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"The question is, who supports the bill? Well, honestly, basically everyone."

That's what Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly said about the Customer and Product Data (CPD) Bill at its first reading, and sure enough, every other party representative followed with their support.

The CPD Bill is the legislative force that mandates the sharing of customer data by organisations, starting with financial institutions - in other words, open banking.

So what is it about the Bill that has earned cross-party support? What changes will it bring for people across NZ? And why is NZ's open banking rollout already looking more promising than the UK's and Australia's?

Fintech leaders Josh Daniell from Akahu and Adrian Smith from BlinkPay join us to answer those questions and more.

Plus, what happened at Soul Machines, and Minister Judith Collins' big plans to bolster AI uptake.

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