Making Data Simple
Technology
About
Hosted by Al Martin, WW VP of Technical Sales at IBM, Making Data Simple cuts through the hype to reveal how data and AI reshape the modern enterprise. Thought leaders, researchers, and innovators share firsthand lessons on leading teams, scaling analytics, and driving real-world impact—delivered in Al’s signature straightforward, witty style. Tune in to Making Data Simple today. From data and AI breakthroughs to leadership hacks, top experts drop actionable gems that help businesses thrive in a data-driven world. #MakingDataSimple #AI #Leadership
Episodes
- The Rapidly Evolving World of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)
Manav Gupta, VP & CTO of IBM Canada, joins Making Data Simple to discuss the evolving world of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), including its potential timeline, risks, regulation, and impact on the future of work.
- In case you missed it: David Hirschfeld; CEO of Tekyz. What it takes to make a startup successful - is it the founder or the technology?
David Hirschfeld, CEO of Tekyz, joins the podcast "Making Data Simple" to discuss startup success. He shares data-backed insights on what makes or breaks a startup, including the #1 reason startups fail, the value of validation, and produc…
- Chief Operating Officer of IBM Infrastructure, Barry Baker, oversees the world’s most critical systems – including the iconic IBM Z.
Barry Baker, Chief Operating Officer of IBM Infrastructure, discusses critical systems including IBM Z, mainframe modernization, AI acceleration, and the future of cloud and enterprise-grade solutions. He also shares insights on production…
- In case you missed it — The Way Elite CEOs Actually Think: Dave Martin on Mega Thinking, High-Stakes Decisions & What's Holding You Back
In this episode, Dave Martin discusses his "Mega Thinking" process for making leadership decisions under pressure. He shares insights from his experience coaching executives from various industries.
- Still Essential: Ruchir Puri on AGI, Jensen Huang's Bold Prediction, and Why Reasoning Is the Missing Piece {Replay}
In this episode, Ruchir Puri discusses artificial general intelligence (AGI), including Jensen Huang's prediction for its arrival and IBM's approach to open models for enterprise AI. He introduces a framework for AGI as IQ + EQ + RQ, empha…
- The Partner X Factor: What IBM's SVP Kareem Yusuf Knows About Ecosystems That Most Leaders Miss
Kareem Yusuf, SVP at IBM, joins the "Making Data Simple" podcast to discuss ecosystems and strategic partnerships. He shares insights on building successful partnerships, navigating tech ecosystems, and effective prioritization.
- Making Developers and AI Agents more productive with an Enterprise MCP. An in depth review with Craig McLuckie, Founder and CEO of Stacklok.
Craig McLuckie, CEO of Stacklok, discusses his company, an Enterprise MCP Platform designed to enhance the productivity of developers and AI agents. He also shares insights on smaller models, market readiness for such platforms, and the co…
- The Man Who Built Kubernetes Is Betting Everything on This New Idea: Craig McLuckie Founder and CEO of Stacklok
Craig McLuckie, the creator of Kubernetes and founder of Stacklok, discusses his journey from Kubernetes to his new venture, Stacklok. He also explores the future of enterprise AI infrastructure, the evolving role of developers, and his hi…
- Still Essential: Ruchir Puri, IBM Chief Scientist, on the Death of Prompt Engineering and the Rise of Agentic AI {Replay}
This episode of Making Data Simple features Ruchir Puri, IBM Chief Scientist, discussing the evolution of AI, specifically addressing the decline of prompt engineering and the emergence of agentic AI. He also covers topics such as inferenc…
- The Data You Never Collected: Adam Kamor Co-Founder & Head of Engineering, Tonic.ai, on Synthetic Data's AI Revolution
Adam Kamor, Co-Founder & Head of Engineering at Tonic.ai, discusses how synthetic data is used to build AI systems. He also shares insights into Tonic.ai, a platform for synthetic data.
- From Two Phones to Crystal Balls — A CISO's Unfiltered Take on AI and Security with Josh Scott, CISO and VP of Security at Hydrolix
This episode of Making Data Simple features Josh Scott, CISO and VP of Security at Hydrolix. He discusses AI adoption, cybersecurity priorities, and how organizations can use data to enhance security while maintaining performance and manag…
- The Hidden Laws Behind Every Decision You Make — with Princeton's Tom Griffiths and his new book, The Laws of Thought
Tom Griffiths joins the show to discuss his book, 'The Laws of Thought,' which explores computational cognitive science and AI. The discussion covers decision-making, neural networks, and artificial general intelligence.
- From Hollywood to High-Tech: Marco Rota’s, VP Strategic Technology Alliances at Lumen Technologies, Blueprint for Cultural Transformation {Replay}
Marco Rota, VP of Strategic Technology Alliances at Lumen Technologies, shares insights on cultural transformation, drawing lessons from the entertainment industry to drive success in technology. He explains how fostering a vibrant culture…
- Taming the Messy Data Reality: Turning AI Training Chaos into an $80T IP Asset Class with Andrea Muttoni, President and CPO of Story
Andrea Muttoni, President and CPO at Story, joins the show to discuss tackling messy data in AI. He explains how Story is building AI-native infrastructure for intellectual property and training data, aiming to make the $80T IP asset class…
- This Episode is Deep into the Tech! From Graph DB Fundamentals to Grid Security: Engineering the Next-Gen Infrastructure
Prasad Calyam explores how knowledge graphs, modern data platforms, and AI are reshaping power grids and cybersecurity. He discusses graph database fundamentals, research projects, and how industry can utilize university work.
- From Sovereign AI to Social Impact: The Big Shifts You Need to Watch with IBM VP and CTO of IBM Canada, Manav Gupta
Manav Gupta, VP & CTO at IBM Canada, discusses the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. He shares insights on sovereign AI, its social impact, and industry trends.
- Say What!? Bad ideas are the key to to better innovation? Dive in for this contrarian take and more on AI for organizational intelligence with Phanish Puranam, Professor of Strategy and Organizational Design {Replay}
In this episode of Making Data Simple, Phanish Puranam, Professor of Strategy and Organizational Design at INSEAD, discusses AI, organizational science, and intelligent design. He explores the evolving relationship between humans, algorith…
- The End User Advantage: How Smart Software Asset Management Unlocks Performance and Savings with Agnelpoint's Ron Brill and Kris Johnson
Ron Brill and Kris Johnson from Anglepoint discuss software asset management, including licensing, IT asset optimization, and navigating compliance challenges. They also cover Anglepoint's origins and future in the SAM space.
- AI Power Plays: How IBM’s Clarity Levels Up Every Customer Conversation with Paul Zikopoulos, Matt Bateson, and Kyle Sava
This episode of Making Data Simple discusses how IBM’s AI technology, IBM Clarity, enhances training and learning for customer conversations. It covers sharpening technical knowledge, boosting confidence, and mastering interactions from pi…
- Fresh off a high-profile appearance on CNBC! Jure Leskovec, Chief Scientist at Kumo and a Stanford Professor who's fundamentally reshaped how we understand networks {Replay}
Jure Leskovec, Chief Scientist at Kumo and a Stanford Professor, discusses why structured data is still lagging behind the AI revolution and what comes next for predictive AI on relational data. He also explores how techniques like Graph N…
- Warm Hearts, New Skills! – The Mindful Response with Estela Zuheros {Replay}
This episode of Making Data Simple features Estela Zuheros, who discusses the intersection of social impact, reskilling, and mindfulness. She also provides practical reflections on avoiding burnout.
- From Disengaged to High-Performing: Dave Garrison’s Data-Driven Playbook for Team Buy-In
Dave Garrison joins the podcast to discuss his strategies for improving team engagement and performance. He explains how a lack of team buy-in can negatively impact organizations and presents his data-driven playbook for fostering high-per…
- How to Choose, Use, and Trust AI Models with Manav Gupta, Vice President and CTO, IBM Canada {Replay}
This episode of Making Data Simple features a discussion with Manav Gupta, VP and CTO of IBM Canada, about large language models. He offers practical guidance on selecting and using AI models, balancing innovation with governance, and deve…
- Bright Ideas, Bold Bets: Entrepreneurship, Agentic AI, and Career Gold with Lighthouse CEO Ben Lowe. {Replay}
This episode of Making Data Simple features Ben Lowe, CEO of Lighthouse Technology. He discusses entrepreneurship, building a company, and the application of Agentic AI in enterprises, offering insights for those in innovation and startups.
- Replay: Agentic AI and the End of Deterministic Decision Trees with Megan Gallagher from Maven AGI
This episode of Making Data Simple features a replay of a discussion with Megan Gallagher from Maven AGI, focusing on agentic AI. She makes a case for agentic AI, explaining how AI agents can operate with autonomy over enterprise workflows…
- How Do You Build AI That Actually Works 99.999999% of the Time? With Tina Tarquinio Chief Product Officer of IBM Z and LinuxONE
Tina Tarquinio, Chief Product Officer of IBM Z and LinuxONE, discusses building AI that works on mainframes. She explores how mainframes are evolving with AI, hybrid cloud, and future-proofing strategies for business decisions, including o…
- Data Unstuck: Jure Leskovec on Unleashing the Power of Networks
Jure Leskovec, Chief Scientist at Kumo and Stanford Professor, discusses reshaping the understanding of networks and how Graph Neural Networks are unlocking the potential of structured data, with real-world applications. The episode covers…
- 🎧 Are you successful… but not satisfied? Redefining Success — Kris Kluver on Building a Business and a Life You Love {Replay}
In this episode, Kris Kluver discusses redefining success. He explores how to align business ambition with personal well-being, creating freedom, balance, and impact.
- The AI Storyteller Geoff Thatcher, Founder and CCO Creative Principals
Geoff Thatcher, Founder and CCO of Creative Principals, shares insights on AI for live experiences. He discusses the possibilities and challenges of using AI to enhance connections and universal storytelling.
- Replay: Writing That Moves the World — Vinca LaFleur of West Wing Writers on Crafting Ideas That Stick
Vinca LaFleur of West Wing Writers discusses crafting ideas and writing words that resonate. She shares insights on presentations, speeches, and the art of delivery, including knowing when a message is impactful. LaFleur also touches on th…
- Unlocking the Power of AI & Data: Expert Insights from Douwe Kiela, CEO of Contextual.ai
Douwe Kiela, CEO of Contextual.ai, discusses AI and data. He shares insights on deploying AI agents, data privacy, security, and making data simple, effective, and secure.
- Databases That Think: Building AI-Ready Systems with MongoDB’s Richmond Alake {Replay}
Richmond Alake, Developer Advocate at MongoDB, discusses how databases power AI, including RAG best practices and the essential components of AI databases. The episode explores building scalable systems for AI with MongoDB.
- Anaconda Unleashed: Python Powers the AI Jungle with Peter Wang, Chief AI and Innovation Officer, co-founder of Anaconda {Replay}
Peter Wang, co-founder of Anaconda, discusses Python's role in AI, Anaconda's AI incubator, and the future of GenAI. He also touches on security, branding, and AI risks.
- ⚡ Riding the Data Wave: Surviving (and Thriving) in the AI Flood with Time-Series, AI, and the Future with Ajay Kulkarni, CEO and co-founder of TigerData
In this episode of Making Data Simple, Ajay Kulkarni, CEO and co-founder of TigerData, explores strategies for navigating the rapidly evolving data landscape. The discussion covers the challenges and opportunities in building and scaling t…
- Making Data Simple: Live Data, Smarter AI with Snow Leopard founder Deepti Srivastava
Deepti Srivastava, founder of Snow Leopard, discusses how her company is transforming enterprise data access with intelligent data retrieval, semantic intelligence, and a governance-first approach. The episode explores how companies revolu…
- The BOLD Advantage: Show Up (hint, this will make sense after you listen) and hear Fred Joyal’s Guide to Confidence, Networking & Growth {Replay}
This episode of Making Data Simple features Fred Joyal. He discusses topics such as confidence, networking, growth, and boldness.
- 🎙️ Talking Data with Dima Spivak, Director of Product Management, StreamSets {Replay}
This episode features Dima Spivak, Director of Product Management at StreamSets. The discussion covers data integration, real-time decision making, StreamSets in regulated industries, data fabric, AI, and streaming use cases.
- Stop, Start, Succeed: Jacob Hicks on Time Management & Coaching with Guest Host Katherine Mayne
This episode features Jacob Hicks discussing time management, productivity, and AI in coaching. The conversation covers strategies for optimizing workflow and personal potential.
- In case you missed it.... Master the 3 Circles – Focus, Influence & True Leadership with Executive and Leadership Coach, Lynne Snead
This episode of Making Data Simple features Lynne Snead, who discusses the Three Circles Model. She explains how to maintain focus, expand influence, and lead with intention, also differentiating between managers and leaders.
- Powering the Future: Leadership, AI, and the Next Era of IBM Power with Tom McPherson, GM of IBM Z and LinuxONE and former GM of IBM Power
Tom McPherson, former GM of IBM Power, shares insights on leadership and the future of IBM Power Systems. He discusses AI integration, hybrid cloud strategies, and client use cases for Power infrastructure.
- 🎙 Symbolic AI, QLattice, and Mind-Bending Ideas with Casper Wilstrup CEO of Abzu {Replay}
Casper Wilstrup, CEO of Abzu, discusses Symbolic AI, QLattice, consciousness, simulation theory, and panpsychism. The conversation also covers the mission of Abzu and its use cases.
- Streaming the Future: Dr. Sean Falconer, AI Entrepreneur in Residence at Confluent on AI, LLMs, and the Contrarian View
This episode of Making Data Simple features Dr. Sean Falconer, AI Entrepreneur in Residence at Confluent. He discusses the future of AI, data streaming, and managing multiple LLMs.
- {Replay} AI Risks, Ethics & Law — with Christina Montgomery Chief Privacy Officer, General Motors and former IBMer
This episode features Christina Montgomery, Chief Privacy Officer at General Motors. She discusses AI risks, ethics, and law, including generative AI, global regulation, and synthetic data.
- Beyond the Buzz: Mastering Prompts & Agents with Jonathan Mast
This episode of Making Data Simple features Jonathan Mast, an AI consultant and coach. He shares his Perfect Prompting Framework, a 4-step method for effectively using large language models and AI agents.
- From Burnout to Breakthrough: Dave Garrison on the Science of Motivation (Part 2)
This episode, part 2 of a discussion with Dave Garrison, explores psychological drivers of motivation including autonomy, mastery, and purpose. It covers strategies to stop employee churn, combat burnout, and the use of AI in leadership de…
- 🎙️ The Hidden Cost of Disengagement: Dave Garrison on Leadership That Sparks Innovation
This episode features Dave Garrison, a CEO and leadership strategist. He discusses employee engagement as a key to reducing turnover, boosting innovation, and transforming businesses. The conversation covers practical strategies for leader…
- From 9× Safer Cars to Hallucination-Free LLMs: Inside Sama with Duncan Curtis SVP for GenAI & AI Product + Technology
Duncan Curtis, SVP for GenAI & AI Product + Technology at Sama, discusses de-risking GenAI, including training data, and production-ready GenAI. He talks about Sama Automate, which cuts annotation time by 40 percent.
- CEO David Hirschfeld of Tekyz on the Startup Lie That’s Killing Your Company. Hint: It’s not about the tech — it’s about the problem you're solving.
David Hirschfeld, CEO of Tekyz, joins the podcast to discuss startup challenges. He shares insights on why startups fail, the importance of validation, and achieving product-market fit, advising founders to focus on solving client problems.
- 🎯 Strategic Sales, AI Smarts & Pixar Roots: Ralph Gootee CTO of TigerEye Tells All
Ralph Gootee, CTO and co-founder of TigerEye, discusses reshaping strategic sales intelligence with a data-driven approach. He shares his journey from Pixar, Sony, and PlanGrid to building tools for sales leaders, covering topics like Tige…
- In case you missed it....The Future of Risk, Powered by AI with Kathy Stares, EVP of North America at Provenir
This episode of Making Data Simple features a discussion with Kathy Stares, EVP of North America at Provenir, about AI-powered risk decisioning. She explains how Provenir's software processes billions of transactions annually and impacts r…