In this episode, Frank La Vigne sits down with his Red Hat colleague Christopher Newland for a deep dive into the evolving challenges and opportunities at the intersection of AI, open source, and enterprise technology. Fresh off attending both IBM Think and Red Hat Summit, Christopher Newland shares insights from two very different industry perspectives—executive strategy and hands-on engineering. Together, they explore the elusive “last mile” problem in AI adoption, the rise of agentic systems,...
May 15, 2026•42 min•Season 9Ep. 22
In this episode, hosts Frank La Vigne and Candace Gillhoolley sit down with Angus Nelson—author, podcaster, and expert on leadership and human potential in the age of AI. Together, they dive deep into the rapidly changing landscape of technology and work, exploring how relentless market volatility, AI advancements, and global complexity are putting unprecedented stress on individuals and organizations alike. Angus Nelson shares insights from his book, "Neuro Resilient Leader: The Internal Operat...
May 04, 2026•56 min•Season 9Ep. 21
In this week’s show, Frank La Vigne sits down with data and analytics engineer Wasim Rana for a deep dive into the realities of building, managing, and securing data infrastructure in modern businesses. Together, they explore the critical challenge of preventing data lakes from turning into data swamps, the practical pipeline from raw to curated data—including the increasingly popular bronze, silver, and gold layering approach—and the vital role of governance in today’s data-heavy world. Waseem ...
Apr 27, 2026•50 min•Season 9Ep. 20
Today, we journey into the fast-evolving world of prediction markets, KPI trading, and the new frontiers of retail finance. Joining us is Candace, alongside our guest from Benzinga, a fintech innovator working to democratize financial data once reserved for Wall Street elites. We delve into how platforms like Benzinga are leveling the playing field, making actionable market information accessible for everyone—from individual retail investors to advanced quant traders. Get ready as we unpack the ...
Apr 21, 2026•52 min•Season 9Ep. 19
this episode, Frank sits down with Andy Boettcher, the Chief Innovation Officer at DoubleTrack, for a candid conversation about embracing the power (and chaos!) of modern AI tools. Together, they dive into how neurodiversity and "chaotic brains" are thriving in this new era, where ideas can be rapidly tested, refined, and built with the aid of tools like Claude code. From the practical realities of using AI for software development and troubleshooting (even in classic cars and household applianc...
Apr 08, 2026•53 min•Season 9Ep. 18
In this episode of Data Driven , Frank and Andy dive into the future of market intelligence with Dr. Jill Axline, co-founder and CEO of Mavera —a company building synthetic populations that simulate real human behaviour, cognition, and emotion. Forget Personas. We're talking real-time, AI-driven behavioural modeling that's more predictive than your horoscope and considerably more data-backed. Dr. Axline shares how Mavera’s swarm of AI models situates these synthetic humans within real-world busi...
Jan 29, 2026•50 min•Season 9Ep. 17
In today’s show, BAILeY, your semi-sentient hostess with the mostest metadata, teams up with Frank La Vigne to welcome the ever-insightful Andrew Brust for a deep dive into the evolving Microsoft data ecosystem. From nostalgic tales of Windows history and scoring elusive Clippy swag at Ignite, to unraveling what makes Microsoft Fabric a game-changer for data integration, AI, and governance, this episode covers it all. You’ll hear firsthand how Microsoft’s innovation goes far beyond the tech itse...
Jan 12, 2026•55 min•Season 9Ep. 16
Welcome to a milestone episode of Data Driven! In episode 400, hosts BAILeY, Frank La Vigne, and Andy Leonard gather to reflect on nearly a decade at the forefront of podcasting about data, AI, and the world of software engineering. This special edition takes you behind the scenes with stories of tech evolution, personal growth, and the wild journey from their earliest recordings to today’s AI-powered workflows. The team digs into how generative AI has transformed their creative process—making i...
Jan 08, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Season 9Ep. 15
In this episode of Data Driven, hosts Frank La Vigne, Candace Gillhoolley, and BAILeY sit down with Mike Armistead, CEO of Pulse Security AI—a cybersecurity veteran who's been fortifying digital defenses since before AI made headlines and hackers had professional profiles. Together, they dig into the dual-edged sword that is artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, exploring how AI serves as both a powerful tool against cyber threats and a potential weapon in the wrong hands. Mike Armistead sha...
Nov 26, 2025•58 min•Season 9Ep. 14
In this episode, Frank La Vigne sits down with Itay Haber, CEO of Data Noetic, to unpack how AI is revolutionizing supply chain management. Forget spreadsheets and dashboards—Data Noetic is building an autonomous digital brain that proactively tackles delivery bottlenecks and bridges the gap between scattered data and process improvement. You’ll hear real-world tales of missed bathroom tile deliveries, multi-million dollar construction delays, and the true impact of getting ahead of supply chain...
Nov 19, 2025•58 min•Season 9Ep. 13
Welcome to another exciting episode of Data Driven! On this week’s show, hosts Frank La Vigne and Candace Gillhoolley take you inside the NVIDIA GTC conference in Washington, DC—an event that’s rapidly evolved from a hardware showcase into a crossroads for AI, robotics, and quantum computing innovation. Frank shares his firsthand experience navigating the expo floor, offering a glimpse into the latest cutting-edge tech, from GPU supercomputers to quantum networking breakthroughs and swarms of ro...
Oct 30, 2025•54 min•Season 9Ep. 12
On this episode of Data Driven, hosts Frank La Vigne and Leonard celebrate a major milestone: the 30th anniversary of Franksworld.com, one of the OGs of tech blogging that’s survived multiple browser wars, dot-com crashes, and the relentless march of Internet time. Joined by guest Saket Saurabh, they dive into the rapidly evolving landscape of AI, data science, and technology, comparing today’s AI boom to previous tech bubbles and exploring trends in sovereign AI, data sovereignty, and global co...
Oct 13, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 9Ep. 11
Welcome to another episode of Data Driven, where we dive deep into how data and AI are shaping—sometimes shaking—the modern world. In this episode, hosts Frank La Vigne, Andy Leonard, and Carmen Li sit down with Carmen Lee, the trailblazing CEO of Silicon Data and a former Bloomberg data aficionado. Carmen’s on a mission to bring clarity to the wild west of GPU compute markets, and she shares with us how she’s turning raw compute into a true tradable commodity—think futures markets for GPUs, the...
Oct 01, 2025•51 min•Season 9Ep. 10
In this episode, we're joined once again by Christopher Nuland, technical marketing manager at Red Hat, whose globe-trotting schedule rivals the complexity of a Kubernetes deployment. Christopher sits down with hosts Bailey and Frank La Vigne to explore the frontier of artificial intelligence—from simulating reality and continuous learning models to debates around whether we really need humanoid robots to achieve superintelligence, or if a convincingly detailed simulation (think Grand Theft Auto...
Sep 25, 2025•54 min•Season 9Ep. 9
Welcome to another episode of Data Driven! Today, hosts Frank La Vigne and Andy Leonard, are joined by Dr. Ido Zamberg—a rare breed who’s equally comfortable rebooting servers and saving lives. Dr. Zamberg is a physician, software engineer, chief medical officer at C8 Health, and a true innovator at the intersection of medicine and technology. In this episode, we dive into his unique journey from startups and coding to the operating room, exploring how his hands-on technical expertise is helping...
Aug 25, 2025•52 min•Season 9Ep. 8
On this episode of Data Driven, we venture into the ever-shifting landscape of software engineering, AI-assisted coding, and the sometimes chaotic future of development teams with special guest Thanos Diacakis—no, not the Marvel villain, but a powerhouse in software leadership whose career spans scrappy startups to tech giants like Uber. Hosts Frank La Vigne, Andy Leonard, and resident AI BAILeY welcome Thanos for an insightful, witty, and sometimes philosophical conversation about the promise a...
Aug 20, 2025•59 min•Season 9Ep. 7
On this episode of Data Driven, we’re shuffling up some probability, statistics, and a bit of Las Vegas magic with Dr. Michael Orkin—a renowned statistician, data scientist, and former advisor to casino odds makers. Hosts Andy Leonard, Frank La Vigne, and BAILeY dig into the fascinating numbers behind games of chance, uncovering why the house almost always wins and how our brains are wired to find patterns—sometimes where none exist. Whether you’re a data enthusiast, a casual gambler wondering w...
Aug 12, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 9Ep. 6
Welcome to another episode of Data Driven, where we delve deep into the crossroads of data, technology, and the ever-shifting world of geopolitics. In this packed episode, hosts Frank La Vigne and Bailey are joined by Christopher Nuland, AI technical marketing manager at Red Hat, for a candid, no-holds-barred discussion on the newly released America's AI Action Plan. Together, they tackle everything from the resurgence of Cold War tensions in the AI arena to the complexities of “AI sovereignty” ...
Jul 30, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 9Ep. 5
In today’s conversation, hosts BAILeY and Frank La Vigne sit down with Dr. Alan Becker, co-founder and CEO of E Self AI and former co-founder of Voca AI, which was acquired by Snap in 2020. Dr. Becker brings a powerhouse combination of academic expertise and entrepreneurial experience, with a PhD in machine learning and AI and research spanning voice, NLP, and computer vision. This episode dives into how E Self AI is transforming human-machine interaction by moving beyond chat and voice—introduc...
Jul 23, 2025•57 min•Season 9Ep. 4
Welcome to another episode of Data Driven—the podcast where we explore the future of technology, one neural network at a time. In this episode, your hosts Frank La Vigne and Bailey are joined by Christopher Newland, Principal AI Technical Marketing Manager at Red Hat, globetrotter, and resident connoisseur of computer flea markets. Together, they embark on a lively journey through the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. You’ll hear tales of racking servers in suburban garages, no...
Jul 15, 2025•44 min•Season 9Ep. 3
In this episode, host Frank La Vigne is joined by Amir Berman, VP of Industry Transformation at Buildots, to explore how AI, computer vision, and cutting-edge analytics are revolutionizing the construction industry. Forget everything you thought you knew about dusty blueprints and endless delays—Amir shares how technology is helping build smarter, safer, and more efficient job sites. From real-time progress tracking with 360° cameras to predictive analytics that keep billion-dollar projects on s...
Jun 13, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 9Ep. 2
Welcome to the season nine premiere of Data Driven, where we kick things off with a thought-provoking deep dive into the world of AI-powered leadership. In this episode, hosts Frank La Vigne, Andy Leonard, and BAILeY are joined by Geoff Woods, bestselling author of "The AI Driven Leader." Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is quickly evolving from a tactical tool that writes emails and automates tasks to a transformative thought partner that can help leaders navigate high-stakes ...
May 22, 2025•58 min•Season 9Ep. 1
Andy and I are kicking off Season Nine of Data Driven with a bang: an insightful interview with Jeff Woods, author of “The AI Driven Leader.” Andy, Bailey, and I are thrilled to bring you brand-new conversations, deep dives, and data stories all season long. Stay tuned for the official release, and as always, thank you for being part of our data-driven journey. Listen for the Season Nine kickoff soon!
May 21, 2025•30 sec
This week, Frank sat down with Dr. Jacob Leverich—Stanford PhD, cofounder of Observe, and a veteran of the Google MapReduce team and Splunk. Jacob’s journey, from tinkering with video game code as a kid, to innovating at the cutting edge of distributed systems and energy efficiency, is as inspiring as it is informative. Key Takeaways Early Tech Roots: Hear how curiosity with QBasic and classic PCs (think IBM PCXT and Commodore) put Jacob on a path to high-impact data engineering. MapReduce, Drem...
Apr 22, 2025•58 min•Season 8Ep. 24
Welcome to another insightful episode of Data Driven! Today, we're diving into the world of warehouse-native analytics with our special guest, István Mészáros, cofounder of Mitsu. Join us as we explore how Mitsu empowers startups and enterprises with a new approach to data analytics. From his beginnings as a CERN physicist to becoming an open-source evangelist and finally a startup founder, István shares his unique journey through the data industry. We'll discuss the motivation behind Mitsu's di...
Apr 14, 2025•58 min
On this episode of Data Driven, we welcome Barr Moses, CEO and co-founder of Monte Carlo, as she delves into the fascinating world of data observability. Join hosts Frank La Vigne and Andy Leonard as they explore how reliable data is crucial for making sound business decisions in today's tech-driven world. Learn why a simple schema change at Unity resulted in a $100 million loss and how Monte Carlo is developing cutting-edge solutions to prevent similar disasters. From discussions on ensuring da...
Apr 01, 2025•54 min•Season 8Ep. 22
In this episode, Sanjay joins Frank for a deep dive into the heart of digital transformation and AI-powered automation. Here are some of the key takeaways: Digital Transformation Evolution : Sanjay reflects on his nearly three-decade journey witnessing the digital shift from infancy to the AI-driven present. He outlines the critical components of digital transformation, including cloud adoption and data prioritization, noting significant changes in business focus over recent years. Microsoft's R...
Mar 04, 2025•45 min•Season 8Ep. 21
In this episode, Andy Leonard and Frank La Vigne are thrilled to be joined by Trevor Schulze, the Chief Information Officer at Alteryx. Trevor brings an unparalleled perspective on digital transformation, drawing from his impressive tenure at industry giants such as Micron, Cisco, and RingCentral. Time stamps 00:00 "Data Driven: AI & CIO Insights" 04:32 CIO's Role in AI Evolution 06:50 CIO's Evolving Role with AI 11:43 "Embracing Data Democratization" 16:24 Democratizing Data Access 19:33 "A...
Feb 25, 2025•54 min•Season 8Ep. 20
Andy Leonard and Frank La Vigne delve into the exciting world of AI and growth marketing with the renowned Lillian Pierson. Lillian, a globally recognized AI growth strategist and author. She shares her unique journey from engineering to data science and her role as a fractional CMO. She provides deep insights into leveraging AI to revolutionize marketing and growth strategies, discusses breaking down the barriers in early data science, and explores the rise of agentic AI. This conversation is f...
Feb 06, 2025•1 hr•Season 8Ep. 19
Today, we've got an exciting episode lined up for you. Hosts Frank La Vigne and Bailey dive deep into the tech universe with Dean Guida, the CEO and founder of Infragistics. Dean brings his 35-year journey and expansive experience in technology to the table, reminiscing about the early days of software development and his transition into the data-driven world. In this conversation, you'll hear about the evolution of Infragistics from building UI components for Windows to creating sophisticated d...
Jan 28, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 8Ep. 18
