In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Malcolm Gladwell speaks with Ric Lewis, IBM’s Senior Vice President of Infrastructure. They discuss how hardware capability has enabled the matrix math required to run large language models. Furthermore, they delve into some creative examples of how to put AI to work: from your bank to your local coffee shop. Ric underscores the importance of infrastructure in unlocking the potential of AI, helping businesses harness their data to drive...
Jan 28, 2025•55 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast To deploy responsible AI and build trust with customers, businesses need to prioritize AI governance. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Malcolm Gladwell and Laurie Santos discuss AI accountability with Christina Montgomery, Chief Privacy and Trust Officer at IBM. They chat about AI regulation, what compliance means in the AI age, and why transparent AI governance is good for business. Visit us at: ibm.com/smarttalks Explore watsonx.governance: https://www.ibm.com/products/watsonx-governa...
Dec 10, 2024•27 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Malcolm Gladwell speaks with Jason Kelley, GM, Strategic Partners and Ecosystems at IBM, and Kristy Friedrichs, SVP and Chief Partnership Officer at Palo Alto Networks. They discuss the challenges and opportunities that the rapid development of AI brings to the cybersecurity space. Jason and Kristy also underscore how implementing a zero trust strategy can help enterprises enhance cyber resiliency and simplify operations. Together, IBM and Palo Alto Netw...
Oct 22, 2024•40 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Jacob Goldstein speaks with Rebecca Finlay, CEO of Partnership on AI, about the importance of advancing AI innovation with openness and ethics at the forefront. Rebecca discusses how guardrails — such as risk management — can advance efficiency in AI development. They explore the AI Alliance’s focus on open data and technology, and the importance of collaboration. Rebecca also underscores how diverse perspectives and open-mindedness can drive AI progress...
Oct 08, 2024•34 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast As the scale of artificial intelligence continues to evolve, open technology like many of IBM’s Granite models are helping enhance transparency in AI and improve efficiency across businesses. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Jacob Goldstein sat down with Maryam Ashoori, the Director of Product Management and Head of Product for IBM’s watsonx.ai, where she spearheads the product strategy and delivery of IBM’s watsonx Foundation Models. Together, they explored the shift from large general...
Sep 24, 2024•31 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast The role of AI in the classroom is evolving rapidly. When students and teachers embrace this technology, it has the ability to democratize access to education through programs like IBM SkillsBuild. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Dr. Laurie Santos, host of Pushkin’s The Happiness Lab podcast, spoke with two innovators in the space. Justina Nixon-Saintil is Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, IBM Corporate Social Responsibility, and April Dawson is an Associate Dean of Technology a...
Sep 10, 2024•42 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast In a rapidly evolving AI landscape, open-source models can further accelerate the pace of progress and help expand access to all. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Malcolm Gladwell sits down with Mo Duffy, Software Engineering Manager at Red Hat. They discuss InstructLab and the benefits of open-source technology, such as flexible deployment and the ability to enhance transparency, as well as the power of partnerships and collaboration. Mo explains how a community-based approach is essen...
Aug 27, 2024•39 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast As AI technology progresses, its impact on our daily lives—including how we consume our favorite sports— will grow alongside it. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Jacob Goldstein, host of Pushkin’s own What’s Your Problem? , sat down with Brian Ryerson, Senior Director of Digital Strategy at the US Tennis Association. They discuss the impact of data on the fan experience, the role that storytelling plays in sports, and how AI has unlocked innovative features, such as AI Commentary and Ma...
Aug 13, 2024•33 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast Major breakthroughs in artificial intelligence research often reshape the design and utility of AI in both business and society. In this special rebroadcast episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Goldstein explore the conceptual underpinnings of modern AI with Dr. David Cox, VP of AI Models at IBM Research. They talk foundation models, self-supervised machine learning, and the practical applications of AI and data platforms like watsonx in business and technology. When we fi...
Jul 16, 2024•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a rapidly evolving world, we need to balance the fear surrounding AI and its role in the workplace with its potential to drive productivity growth. In this special live episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell is joined onstage during NY Tech Week by Rob Thomas, Senior Vice President of Software and Chief Commercial Officer at IBM. They discuss “the productivity paradox”, the importance of open source AI, and a future where AI will touch every industry. Watch the video podcast: https...
Jun 25, 2024•43 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Smart Talks with IBM returns with a new season on Tuesday, June 25th. This season, we’re diving back into the world of artificial intelligence, but with a focus on the powerful concept of “open,” and how it applies to AI. Host Malcolm Gladwell will invite curious colleagues from Pushkin Industries to explore how openness is already reshaping industries, ways of doing business, and our very notion of what's possible. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. Visit us at ibm.com/smarttalks See omnyst...
Jun 18, 2024•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Entire industries are being reshaped around the new capabilities of generative AI. In this special bonus episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Tim Harford leads a conversation between two leaders in the field. Srinivasan Venkatarajan is the Director of Global Partner Business at Microsoft, focusing on Azure Data & AI and Azure OpenAI. And Chris McGuire is the General Manager of the Global Microsoft Partnership for IBM. They discuss the efforts by IBM and Microsoft in the generative AI space, how...
Apr 10, 2024•12 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast As artificial intelligence progresses, healthcare providers are exploring how the technology can be used to offer personalized care at scale. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Dr. Laurie Santos sits down with Alice Crisci, co-founder and CEO of fertility-care provider Ovum Health. They discuss the barriers to healthcare access, the ways in which AI can be leveraged to expand the reach of healthcare providers, and how Ovum Health’s partnership with IBM and their use of watsonx has been en...
Mar 19, 2024•34 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast The capabilities of artificial intelligence are increasing at a breakneck speed. Companies must leverage generative AI to transform everyday customer and employee experiences. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Jacob Goldstein sits down with Susan Emerson, Senior Vice President of Product: AI, Analytics & Data at Salesforce & Matthew Candy, Global Managing Partner of Generative AI at IBM Consulting. They chat about the latest evolution of the two tech innovators’ decades-long relat...
Nov 28, 2023•40 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast In order to stay competitive in a rapidly changing marketplace, businesses need to adapt to the potential of generative AI. In this special live episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell is joined onstage at iHeartMedia’s studio by Dr. Darío Gil, Senior Vice President and Director of Research at IBM. They chat about the evolution of AI, give examples of practical uses, and discuss how businesses can create value through cutting edge technology. Watch the video version of the conversation...
Nov 14, 2023•52 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast To deploy responsible AI and build trust with customers, businesses need to prioritize AI governance. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Laurie Santos discuss AI accountability with Christina Montgomery, Chief Privacy and Trust Officer at IBM. They chat about AI regulation, what compliance means in the AI age, and why transparent AI governance is good for business. Visit us at: https://www.ibm.com/smarttalks/ Explore watsonx.governance: https://www.ibm.com/products/wat...
Oct 17, 2023•27 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast Open-source innovation is the future of AI. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Malcolm Gladwell and Tim Harford discuss the open-source AI community with Jeff Boudier, head of product and growth at Hugging Face. They chat about the history and future of open-source AI, its critical importance to AI progress, the IBM watsonx partnership with Hugging Face, and how businesses can leverage open-source AI for their specific needs. Visit us at: https://www.ibm.com/smarttalks/ Learn more about t...
Oct 03, 2023•31 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Major breakthroughs in artificial intelligence research often reshape the design and utility of AI in both business and society. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Goldstein explore the conceptual underpinnings of modern AI with Dr. David Cox, VP of AI Models at IBM Research. They talk foundation models, self-supervised machine learning, and the practical applications of AI and data platforms like watsonx in business and technology. Visit us at: https://www.ibm.c...
Sep 19, 2023•39 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast As businesses adopt AI, a new era of problem-solving, innovation, and creative decision making can be brought to scale. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Goldstein explore the future of AI for business with Kareem Yusuf, Senior Vice President of Product Management and Growth for IBM Software. They discuss the advent of foundation models, how AI can transform data storage and decision making, and how next-generation AI platforms like watsonx from IBM can empower ...
Sep 05, 2023•32 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Smart Talks with IBM returns next Tuesday, September 5th. This season, host Malcolm Gladwell and a team of correspondents from Pushkin Industries explore how businesses can integrate AI into their workflows — to help them do exponentially more — drive real change, and thrive in this new era of AI. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. Visit us at ibm.com/smarttalks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Aug 29, 2023•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Education has the power to show students a path they had never considered before. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Dr. Laurie Santos take on tech education at HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) with Dr. Derrick Warren, Dean of the College of Business at Grambling State University (former Associate Dean at the Southern University College of Business). They talk about the partnership between IBM SkillsBuild and Southern University to co-create a cyber...
Jun 19, 2023•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast After a historic 355 days in orbit, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei returned to Earth on March 30, 2022, breaking the record for the longest single spaceflight by an American. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Mark Vande Hei discuss conducting experiments in space, the impact of extended spaceflight on humans, and the spiciness of space chili peppers. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Feb 14, 2023•31 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast On the season finale of Smart Talks with IBM, host Malcolm Gladwell and NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei discuss conducting experiments in space, the impact of extended spaceflight on humans, and the spiciness of space chili peppers. Listen to the season finale of Smart Talks with IBM on Tuesday, February 14th. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 07, 2023•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Salesforce platform can empower businesspeople to create digital solutions without writing code. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Jacob Goldstein, host of What’s Your Problem?, and guest Phil Weinmeister, Head of Product, Salesforce Americas, at IBM. They discuss human-centric design, the low-code/no-code approach, and how IBM Consulting powers digital transformations with the Salesforce platform. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. See om...
Nov 29, 2022•32 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast Having a good data strategy can streamline the way a company does business. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Ronald Young Jr., host of Solvable, and guest Nicholas Renotte, Data Science and AI Technical Specialist at IBM. They discuss how data literacy can help make a business more efficient, the fundamentals of data management, and why data is step one to AI solutions. A study quoted by Nicholas and referenced in this episode can be found here ....
Nov 15, 2022•30 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Intelligent automation can help combat the human biases that can lead to discriminatory hiring practices. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM , Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Jacob Goldstein, host of What’s Your Problem? , and guest Angela Hood, founder and CEO of ThisWay Global. They discuss how intelligent automation can accelerate inclusive hiring practices, why machines can mitigate bias but not remove it, and why diverse companies are more competitive. This is a paid advertis...
Oct 25, 2022•24 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast Sustainable supply chains are good for the planet and good for business. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Tim Harford, host of Cautionary Tales, and guest Sheri Hinish, IBM’s Global Sustainability Services Leader and Offering Leader for Sustainable Supply Chain, known as the “supply-chain queen.” They discuss the supply-chain crisis and why transparent, responsible supply chains are imperative for our future. This is a paid advertisement from IBM...
Sep 27, 2022•34 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast The world’s first autonomous vessel to cross the Atlantic Ocean is signaling a new era in maritime technology. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Lauren Ober, host of The Loudest Girl in the World, and guests Brett Phaneuf and Don Scott, the engineers behind the Mayflower Autonomous Ship project. The two explain how automation and AI allowed them to reimagine the design and use of a ship at sea and their implications beyond maritime navigation. Thi...
Aug 30, 2022•29 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast The headlines tell us cyberattacks are a big, consistent threat to business data – and ours. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Tim Harford, host of Cautionary Tales, and Stephanie “Snow” Carruthers, Chief People Hacker for X-Force, IBM. Snow and her team are finding creative solutions to test their clients’ security, including hacking into their systems before criminal hackers do. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. See omnystudio.com/listener ...
Jul 26, 2022•29 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Advocating for artificial intelligence to be built and deployed ethically is no longer just a compliance issue but more of a business imperative. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Dr. Laurie Santos, host of The Happiness Lab, and Phaedra Boinodiris, Trust in AI Practice Leader within IBM Consulting. Phaedra’s team at IBM is creatively tackling the global need to build trustworthy AI by approaching the challenge holistically, implementing design th...
Jun 28, 2022•27 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast 
