The Aboard Podcast

Talking about AI doesn’t have to feel like the end of the world. Join Rich Ziade, Paul Ford, and their guests as they discuss how AI is changing software development, business strategy—and everything else. New episodes every Tuesday.

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Episodes

OpenAI Goes Shopping

OpenAI’s $6.5 billion acquisition of Jony Ive’s startup might be grabbing the headlines, but the real shifts in AI right now are a lot less flashy—and point towards more long-term stability in the industry. On this week’s podcast, Paul walks Rich through some recent Big AI news and they pull out some key trends and takeaways, from the announcements at Google’s I/O 2025 to new capabilities at Anthropic to, in Paul’s words, “Agents, agents, agents, agents, agents.”

Jun 03, 2025•23 min•Season 2Ep. 161

AI Advice for the Confused CEO

This episode coaches confused CEOs navigating the hype and pressure around AI. It traces the journey from hearing about competitors' investments to facing board scrutiny and internal team presentations. The discussion highlights the pitfalls of skipping strategy for execution and the role of consultants. The key advice is for leaders to focus on specific business outcomes and allow for internal tinkering rather than demanding a generic 'AI plan'.

May 27, 2025•25 min•Season 2Ep. 160

Help Wanted: AI-First Companies Need Humans After All

Last year, the fintech company Klarna announced they were going AI-first—but now, they’re hiring humans again. Is this a sign that the AI pendulum is swinging back in tech? On this week’s podcast, Paul and Rich look back at Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski’s initial pivot, why that strategy probably didn’t get the job done, and what this move signals for the industry on a whole.

May 20, 2025•25 min•Season 2Ep. 159

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