Welcome to a podcast that dives deep into the fascinating crossroads of data, AI, privacy, and cybersecurity. Hosted by data and AI expert Kate Carruthers, this series explores the cutting-edge frontiers of our digital world, where data is forging an entirely new economy. Tune in to stay ahead of the curve and uncover the opportunities, challenges, and innovations shaping our future.
Welcome to a podcast that dives deep into the fascinating crossroads of data, AI, privacy, and cybersecurity. Hosted by data and AI expert Kate Carruthers, this series explores the cutting-edge frontiers of our digital world, where data is forging an entirely new economy. Tune in to stay ahead of the curve and uncover the opportunities, challenges, and innovations shaping our future.
In this episode of the Data Revolution podcast, host Kate Carruthers chats with James Kavanagh, an expert in AI governance. They discuss the challenges and opportunities in building AI systems that are safe, secure, and lawful. James shares his journey from engineering to AI governance, emphasising the importance of human oversight and the evolving landscape of AI regulations. The conversation covers topics such as the role of AI in society, the impact of regulations like the EU AI Act, and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in AI governance.You can find James online here: https://blog.aicareer.pro/ And his free course here: https://governance.aicareer.pro/
https://datarevolution.tech/2025/10/future-of-ai-governance/
In the latest episode of the Data Revolution podcast, host Kate Carruthers delves into what’s new in the transformative landscape of AI as we approach the end of 2025. With a focus on the pivotal changes and some AI innovations, this episode offers a glimpse into the future of technology and some implications for business and society.
Key Highlights
Agentic Models: Discover how autonomous agents are set to revolutionise business processes by operating independently and unsupervised.
Small Language Models: Hear about the shift towards more efficient, smaller models that are driving innovation at the edge and enhancing privacy-sensitive applications.
Geopolitics: Hear how the current geopolitical landscape is driving innovation in some unexpected ways.
Regulatory Challenges: Explore the evolving regulatory landscape and the need for effective governance as AI continues to advance rapidly.
Emergent Properties: Understand the unpredictable nature of AI’s emergent properties and the importance of addressing these challenges.
More info here: https://datarevolution.tech/2025/10/whats-new-in-ai-in-2025-so-far/
In this episode of the Data Revolution podcast, host Kate Carruthers interviews Gerard Solden, from Multiverse Partners, who shares his journey from banking to AI infrastructure. They discuss the reality of AI technology, the importance of accuracy and reliability in AI systems, and the innovative concept of agentic frameworks. Gerard explains the potential of Manus AI and the future of custom AI models tailored to individual needs. The conversation also touches on the significance of auditing AI responses, the intersection of AI and blockchain, and the impact of quantum computing on AI advancements. They conclude with predictions for the future of AI and the importance of cultivating talent in the field.
My guest this time on the Data Revolution podcast is Jonathan Mast, who runs White Beard Strategies, a business that helps folks to use Generative AI to power their sales and marketing activities. We had a great chat about how people can get started in using Generative AI in their everyday activities.
In this chat, Jonathan Mast discusses the transformative role of AI in various aspects of life and business. He emphasises that AI amplifies human skills and experience, making it a useful tool for individuals of all ages. The discussion covers practical applications of AI in daily tasks, its impact on business productivity, and the importance of navigating privacy concerns. Jonathan also explores the evolving landscape of content creation and SEO in the age of AI, and he shares insights on how individuals can adapt their skills to leverage AI effectively. The chat concludes with actionable tips for those looking to integrate AI into their lives.
In this episode of the Data Revolution podcast, I speak with Jodie Miners about the importance of cybersecurity for small businesses, focusing on the SMB 1001:2025 standard. We discuss the challenges small businesses face in implementing cybersecurity measures, the benefits of achieving certification, and practical steps to enhance data protection. Jodie shares valuable resources available for small businesses to improve their cybersecurity posture and emphasizes the need for data governance and business continuity planning in the face of rising cyber risks.
Links to the items discussed are here https://datarevolution.tech/
In this episode of the Data Revolution podcast, I speak with Dr. Tama Leaver about the evolving role of data and AI in society, particularly focusing on children's interaction with generative AI, the implications for privacy and consent, and the challenges of educating young people in a rapidly changing technological landscape. We discuss the biases inherent in AI tools, the importance of critical engagement with technology, and the need for a more nuanced understanding of privacy in the digital age. Our conversation emphasises the agency individuals have in shaping the future of AI and the importance of equipping the next generation with the skills to navigate this complex environment.
Takeaways
Articles discussed
Leaver, T., & Srdarov, S. (2025). Generative AI and children’s digital futures: New research challenges. Journal of Children and Media, 19(1), 65–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2024.2438679 [Free to access Preprint: https://zenodo.org/records/14741236 ]
Srdarov, S., & Leaver, T. (2024). Generative AI Glitches: The Artificial Everything. M/C Journal, 27(6), https://doi.org/10.5204/mcj.3123 [Open Access]
Leaver, T. & Srdarov, S. (2023), ChatGPT Isn't Magic: The Hype and Hypocrisy of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Rhetoric, M/C Journal, 26(5), https://doi.org/10.5204/mcj.3004 [Open Access]
Great to have old friend, Gladwin Mendez, back on the podcast to talk about the emergence of the new role of fractional Chief Data Officer (CDO).
The rise of fractional CDOs reflects the growing recognition of data's strategic value in modern businesses. As organisations increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making, many are turning to fractional CDOs - experienced professionals who offer their expertise on a part-time or project basis. This flexible model allows companies, particularly SMEs and startups, to access high-level data leadership without the cost of a full-time executive. Fractional CDOs help businesses to start on their data journey ensuring compliance, optimising analytics, and driving innovation, all while aligning data strategies with broader organisational goals.
Welcome to season 3! My guest for this episode is Dr David Bray He has been thinking deeply about AI for many years. We had a wideranging chat about AI, cybersecurity, new AI’s, state actor attacks and the ongoing greyzone war, the need to use data to maintain free societies, and the importance of working locally and building community.
Some things that we touched on were the need to secure our hardware and data supply lines, the need for human agency – data as a kind of human voice. David is a big advocate for data rights to be managed via existing contract law, which seems like a good idea to me.
My guests for this episode are Kane Murdoch and Shaun Lehmann. They work in the area of academic integrity at one of Australia's major universities and have been thinking seriously about the problems facing us in academia of ensuring that students behave with integrity in their assessments. The issue is typically referred to as "contract cheating" which includes students outsourcing completion of their work, or *contracts it out, to a third party. This practice risks devaluing university degrees and destroying trust in the quality of degrees.
Kane and Shaun argue that the way to combat this practice in the age of AI is to change the way that we assess students in higher education. Have a listen to their arguments and let us know what you think.
This time my guest is my friend Ross Dawson. He is always on the cutting edge of new stuff, as you would imagine for a futurist. We had an amazing chat about his current passion for cognitive AI and how it is going to change the world of work. I loved his ideas for humanity working together with AI.
"Ross Dawson is a world-renowned keynote speaker, strategy advisor, and entrepreneur he inspires with powerful, practical insights into the future and how to seize today’s opportunities."
This time my guest is Dr Emma Briant, globally renowned researcher on misinformation, disinformation and propaganda. We had a great chat about how these are now the new battlegrounds and how data underpins them. Of course we mentioned the US (a bit). Emma shared her new research and some other resources such as her Patreon. I commend all these resources to you – they are amazing resources for understanding this hotly contested area.
Resources and links
Had a great chat with Kobi Leins about some good feedback on the Australian Governments Microsoft Copilot pilot (full story here: Australian Government trial of Microsoft 365 Copilot). We also had a wide-ranging chat about the upcoming training deficit all organisations have in respect of AI, the recent changes in the federal AI space.
Links to stuff we mentioned:
https://www.digital.gov.au/initiatives/copilot-trial/microsoft-365-copilot-evaluation-report-full
https://www.industry.gov.au/news/four-new-centres-help-australian-businesses-adopt-ai
This time my guest is Dr Brandon Rohrer. He is a data scientist who originally started in researching robots to assist with stroke recovery, and who now works on solving data challenges. Brandon, whom I tracked down via his online discovery work on https://e2eml.school/blog.html where I was captivated by his journey in understanding AI. It is a great resource, and I did show it to my team who also loved it.
We had a fascinating and wide-ranging chat that went from the demise of Twitter to the challenges of getting robots and AI to be more human.
My guest for this episode is Lynn Gribble. She is an Associate Professor at UNSW Sydney Business School who is passionate about embracing new technology to help in the education process. Lynn has been at the forefront of new technology in education, from pioneering voice feedback to innovating with technology for grading and feedback. She is multi-awarded and a though leader in her field, even presenting to a Parliamentary inquiry on the impacts of Artificial Intelligence in education. Lynn is also a cat lover, ice skater, and YouTuber and an all around nice human being.
We chatted about how we need to start rethinking everything now, including how we assess students in the age of AI. I am definitey asking Lynn back on the podcast as we only covered a small fraction of the stuff I wanted to chat about
Kate shares her thoughts on us being at the very start of the AI revolution - we are in the Netscape stage of the journey (not the TikTok stage). She also discusses how Generative AI might just be the start of a new generation of user interfaces. And how AI will merge into autonomous systems - which will make things much more interesting.
Episode post here
Show notes are here.
This time my guest is the intriguing Quinn Dombrowski, whom I have been keeping an eye on via social media for ages due to their Textile Makerspace project and general all-round niceness and humanity. We had a fascinating chat about some non-traditional approaches to data visualisation. You can even study data visualization with Quinn at Stanford.
This time my guest is an old friend, Ray Fleming from InnovateGPT, who is co-host of the AI in Education podcast. And this a joint podcast where we had a chat about the future of education in the age of AI.
This time my guest is Mark Nicholls. He is CEO of the Information Professionals Group , who help businesses to leverage digital technology to achieve their business objectives. We had an excellent chat about all of the IT good practices that still need to be done to ensure that good clean data can drive our business processes.
A bit about Mark:
“With experience across almost every industry, Mark Nicholls brings more than 30 years of accumulated knowledge to each and every project, leading technology transformation within organisations across Australia. A member of the Australian Information Industry Association Board, Mark is at the forefront of technology transformation. Known for his ability to engage people at every level, he is adept at honing in on client priorities and finding the right formula to help organisations grow their way.
My guest this time is Adam Sharman from data consultants to the manufacturing sector https://dsifer.com/ - who “combine extensive experience in manufacturing, primary and food processing with world leading data analysis to help business leaders embrace the future of productivity”.
We had an excellent chat about the uses of data in manufacturing businesses and, as so often, we came back to the secret sauce really being change management and understanding that at the end of the day data is about people.
My guest for this episode is the charming and erudite Catherine Flick, who is an ethics researcher (and newly minted Professor) working with the Digital Observatory Research Cluster. We have been friends on social media for ages, most recently on the dear departed Pebble, and this was our first chance to chat.
We had a fascinating discussion about her research findings using access to a unique and large gaming dataset.