Keeping data in the heart of AI adoption  

AI is reshaping how organisations generate insights from their data, changing both processes and expectations. But how do leaders make the business case for AI while managing risk in safety-critical environments?  

GHD’s Tom Bedeman (Data Insights Business Group Leader) and Jon Jarritt (Data & Insights Market Leader) return in the final part of this three-part series to discuss how to navigate this AI shift.  

Some organisations are already investing in multiple AI tools intended to accelerate performance. But done too quickly, this can introduce new risks across their systems and decision-making. There is a clear momentum for organisations to join this AI journey and progress does not need to come at the expense of safety.  

By putting data first — clarifying meaning and strengthening data — organisations can position themselves to adopt AI in a way that suits their operations and risk profile. 

Listen to the final episode of our three-part series on putting data at the heart of the AI revolution.  

Find out more about Transform by GHD here:

https://www.ghd.com/en/campaigns/transform---tomorrows-thinking-today

Modernising legacy systems: Is AI the answer?

We rely on applications to turn data into insight. Over time, organisations have invested in new platforms to modernise these applications. While this approach has delivered benefits, especially when it comes to legacy applications, it’s also introduced new challenges.

In this episode of Transform, we explore how the industry tackles these shifts. GHD’s Tom Bedeman (Data Insights Business Group Leader) and Jon Jarritt (Data & Insights Market Leader) unpack why technology alone rarely fixes data challenges. From platforms layered over legacy systems to automation powered by AI, they explore why insight still breaks down when data lacks clarity and shared meaning.

AI is reducing the cost and time needed to build systems and platforms, making it easier to automate data aggregation and system interoperability. But this pace of progress raises an important question: are we moving too quickly without fixing the foundations? Because with or without AI, insight is only as strong as the data behind it.

Listen to part two of our three-part series on data and tune in to understand the evolution of data insights.

Find out more about Transform by GHD here:

https://www.ghd.com/en/campaigns/transform---tomorrows-thinking-today

The cost of clarity: Shared challenges in infrastructure data   

The importance of data systems is clear to both public and private sectors. The challenge is turning data into workable insights.  

In this episode of Transform, GHD’s Tom Bedeman (Data Insights Business Group Leader) and Jon Jarritt (Data & Insights Market Leader) explore the common challenges in data infrastructure, drawing on their work across the UK and a recent trip across Australia, where they spoke with 27 infrastructure clients across multiple asset sectors. 

This episode tackles a fundamental question: when everyone is investing in similar technology, why do results still vary so widely? 

Some of these gaps are foundational. When systems use different or unclear definitions for the same data, results become harder to trust. Another gap is treating data investment as a one-off capital expense rather than the ongoing operational capability it needs to be.  

Part one of a three‑part series on data foundations, this conversation explores why technology alone isn’t the answer and why leadership and shared meaning matter more than ever. 

Find out more about Transform by GHD here: https://www.ghd.com/en/campaigns/transform---tomorrows-thinking-today

Designing safer roads must include an understanding of how people drive on them.

In this episode GHD’s Frank Penry (Senior Traffic Project Manager) and Sarah Dods (Technical Director – Advanced Analytics) explore how driver behaviour data is changing the way we identify risk and improve road safety.

Drawing on observations from Australia and the United States, they unpack how drivers in both countries respond differently to speed limits, congestion and emerging hazards, and why approaches that work in one country can fall short in another.

The conversation encourages listeners to look beyond crash data alone, using near‑misses and braking events to help reveal patterns of risk earlier and test whether safety interventions are actually working.

Listen for a practical perspective on how driver behaviour insights can support safer transport decisions.

Find out more about Transform by GHD here.

With water increasingly sitting at the intersection of economic, environmental and social outcomes, collaboration and long-term thinking are becoming essential capabilities for water leaders.

In this episode, we explore how water planning is evolving, from taking a more holistic view of water’s role across industry and community, to the growing importance of adaptability and partnership. Drawing on insights from the Connected by Water conference and examples across Western Australia, the conversation examines how organisations can avoid locking into the wrong solutions too early, including how tools like adaptive pathways planning can help decision makers keep options open as conditions change.

GHD’s Sophie Barton is joined by Petja Albrecht (Industrial Water Leader, GHD) and Daniel Visser (Technical Director – Water Treatment & Desalination, GHD) to reflect on what these shifts mean for industrial water planning in Western Australia and around the world.

Find out more about Transform by GHD here

We’re asking whether collaboration and real-time data can truly transform our transport networks and what it takes to deliver smarter, safer and more inclusive mobility for all.

In this episode of Transform, GHD’s Divya Sarin sits down with Darren Henderson, Technical Director, GHD, and Declan Lucas. Vice President of Business Development, Transmax, to explore the urgent challenges facing global transport systems. The conversation covers how digital technology and bold leadership are reshaping the way we plan, move and connect. 

They also dive into the power of partnership, the role of AI and real-time data in optimising networks and why equity and community engagement must be at the heart of transport innovation.

Listen now for insights on future-proofing transportation infrastructure.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

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We’re asking whether data centres can thrive beyond the grid, and how regional infrastructure is unlocking new possibilities for AI and digital equity.

In this episode of Transform, GHD’s Andrew Morrison (Australian Market Leader for Property and Buildings, GHD) continues the conversation with Tai Hollingsbee (Head of Sustainability, Asia Pacific), Samuel Benson (Co-Founder, OceanBit) and Harqs Singh (CTO and Co-Founder, InfraPartners). This time, the focus shifts to the future — regional data centres, sovereign AI models and ultra-low latency infrastructure. 

They explore how decentralisation is changing the investment landscape, why regional hubs are critical to closing the digital divide and how sustainable innovation is driving new forms of community value.

Listen to hear insights on the next wave of data centre development and what it means for the future of intelligence, infrastructure and inclusion.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re exploring how infrastructure constraints are reshaping the future of data centres, and why innovation is breaking rules to keep up with demand.

In this episode of Transform, GHD’s Tai Hollingsbee (Head of Sustainability, Asia Pacific) is joined by Andrew Morrison (Australian Market Leader for Property and Buildings, GHD), Samuel Benson (Co-Founder, OceanBit) and Harqs Singh (CTO and Co-Founder, InfraPartners).

Together, they unpack the challenges of powering data centres in a world of limited grid access, rising AI demand and evolving sustainability expectations.

 From behind-the-meter energy solutions to prefabricated construction and offshore data centres, the conversation dives into how the industry is responding with bold, unconventional strategies.

Listen now, the race to innovate is just beginning.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are examining how AI and emerging technologies can support deeper connections, enhance insight, and enable community leaders to make more informed, evidence-based decisions.

In this episode of Transform, host Divya Sarin is joined by Emily Gallant, Technical Director of Engagement, Innovation and Partnerships, GHD, and Daniel Fusca, Manager of Public Consultation, Parks and Recreation Department, City of Toronto, to examine how our engagement processes are transforming across industries. From qualitative data analysis to deliberative dialogue, they discuss how innovation is opening new doors to building trust and fostering collaboration.

Tune in to hear insights on the shifting culture of engagement, the balance of technology with human connection and the challenges of integrating AI into traditional practices.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As wildfires grow in frequency and intensity, emergency response planning is entering a new era - one powered by data, simulation, and collaboration.

In this episode of Transform, host Divya Sarin (Senior Manager – Digital Strategy and Innovation at GHD) is joined by Enrico Ronchi (Associate Professor at Lund University), Dan Stockdale (Senior Advisor – Movement Strategies, GHD), and Kamryn Kubose-Peutz (Transportation Planner, GHD) to explore how climate change is reshaping emergency management.

From the challenges of evacuating communities in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) to the development of cutting-edge simulation tools like WUI-NITY, the conversation dives into how technology, planning, and community engagement are converging to build more resilient futures. Tune in to hear the role of VR and AI in planning and the cultural and policy shifts needed to adapt to a rapidly changing climate.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.