Welcome to The Next Thing Now—a podcast for bold thinkers and entrepreneurial spirits shaping the future of business.
Hosted by CxOs Rob Borley & Kev Smith, each episode dives into the cutting edge of innovation, exploring:
Tailored for CxOs, senior leaders, and ambitious professionals, The Next Thing Now delivers the inspiration, insights, and fresh ideas you need to stay ahead of the curve. With a lively, conversational tone, we make complex concepts accessible and actionable, helping change makers like you spark innovation within your organisation.
If you’re ready to embrace what’s next and turn disruption into opportunity, The Next Thing Now is your go-to source for actionable insights and forward-thinking ideas.
Why Listen?
The future is being built every day—join us to uncover The Next Thing Now.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to The Next Thing Now—a podcast for bold thinkers and entrepreneurial spirits shaping the future of business.
Hosted by CxOs Rob Borley & Kev Smith, each episode dives into the cutting edge of innovation, exploring:
Tailored for CxOs, senior leaders, and ambitious professionals, The Next Thing Now delivers the inspiration, insights, and fresh ideas you need to stay ahead of the curve. With a lively, conversational tone, we make complex concepts accessible and actionable, helping change makers like you spark innovation within your organisation.
If you’re ready to embrace what’s next and turn disruption into opportunity, The Next Thing Now is your go-to source for actionable insights and forward-thinking ideas.
Why Listen?
The future is being built every day—join us to uncover The Next Thing Now.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Most companies talk confidently about net zero — but few can prove it. In this episode of The Next Thing Now, Rob and Kev sit down with Owen from Fynlo AI to explore one of the biggest hidden challenges in sustainability: the accuracy of carbon reporting.
From freight fleets to finance teams, the data behind emissions reporting is often guesswork. Owen explains why this matters, how inaccurate data undermines trust, and what his team is doing to close the gap with AI-powered precision tools.
If you care about sustainability, data integrity, or how AI can be used for real-world impact, this conversation is for you.
In this episode:
Watch now to learn how accuracy can become your most valuable sustainability strategy.
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OpenAI’s Agentic Commerce Platform (ACP) signals the next evolution of e-commerce, replacing user interfaces with intelligent, intent-driven agents. e013 The Next Thing Now Podcast.
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How AI Agents Are Transforming Financial Services | ProveIt x Dootrix
In this episode, we speak with Adrian Defta, founder and CEO of ProveIt, about how AI agents are revolutionising financial services—starting with underserved communities.
Adrian shares the journey behind ProveIt, a bootstrapped startup helping UK-based Romanians navigate financial complaints and reclaim lost money. What began as a TikTok experiment quickly turned into a hands-on support service, and now, with the help of Dootrix and the Agentic Incubator, it's evolving into an AI-powered system using intelligent agents to scale trust, compliance, and customer support.
🔍 Topics Covered:
🎧 Whether you're a fintech founder, product leader, or just AI-curious, this is a must-watch on the future of intelligent automation in regulated industries.
📌 Learn more:
ProveIt: https://proveitweb.co.uk
Adrian Defta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriandefta
Dootrix: https://dootrix.com
#AgenticAI #FinancialServices #Startups #ProveIt #AIForGood #DigitalTransformation #CustomerSupport #AIagents #Dootrix #AgenticIncubator #AIinFS
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🎙️ Episode 011 – Hope, Hype, and Heating Engineers: Agentic AI Gets Real
In this episode of The Next Thing Now, Rob and Kev dive deep into the maturing world of agentic AI — and the quietly powerful new standard driving it: MCP.
We explore:
Plus, a healthy dose of healthy cynicism on Apple’s AI intentions and why everyone’s talking “agentic” now.
Whether you're a product leader, a dev, or just trying to keep up, this is the episode to understand the infrastructure that might define the next decade of software.
🧠 No fluff. Just insight, laughs, and the odd Matrix reference.
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The conversation delves into the recent redundancies at Microsoft, exploring the implications of AI integration in the workplace and the evolving dynamics of job roles. The discussion highlights the shift towards efficiency and productivity through AI, the future of work, and the challenges posed by ambient computing and SaaS products. Additionally, the conversation touches on the intersection of AI and human cognition, as well as the ongoing copyright issues related to AI training and content creation in the digital economy.
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In this conversation, Kevin and Rob delve into the recent acquisition of Johnny Ive's design company by OpenAI, exploring the implications of this move in the context of AI technology and design.
They discuss the potential dystopian future of AI, the rise of wearable technology, and the evolving expectations surrounding AI development. The conversation highlights the challenges and adaptations users face as they navigate the rapidly changing landscape of AI tools and their applications.
In this conversation, Kevin and Rob explore the evolving landscape of AI adoption and its implications for the workforce. They discuss the challenges organisations face in integrating AI technologies, the potential transformation of job roles, and the importance of adapting interview techniques to identify candidates who can thrive in an AI-centric environment.
The discussion also touches on the quest for enhanced virtual presence in remote interactions, highlighting the need for innovative solutions to improve engagement and collaboration.
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In this episode of the Next Thing Now Podcast, Ang McKenna, an award-winning head of people and culture, shares her journey in HR and the evolving landscape of workplace culture. She discusses the importance of mental health, the shift from traditional HR to a people-centric approach, and the impact of AI on employee anxiety and job security.
Ang emphasises the need for organisations to build trust, adapt to generational differences, and foster resilience among employees. The conversation also explores the challenges of remote work, the role of leadership in navigating change, and the future of work in a technology-driven environment.
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In this conversation, Rob details his AI lead weekend trip. He just did as he was told. And it was an interesting experience!
Rob and Kev explore the nature of AI as a predictive tool, drawing parallels between AI behaviour and human cognition. What does it mean as the AI enters the era of experience.
They discuss the potential for AI to learn and adapt like humans, the challenges of integrating AI into organisations, and the critical role of leadership in navigating these changes.
The conversation emphasises the importance of individual responsibility in adapting to the rapidly changing technological environment.
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Rob Borley and Kevin Smith discuss the evolution of software development.
They explore the complexities of traditional software engineering, the importance of maintaining quality and safety in software, and the balance between rapid prototyping and thorough development.
Thinking fast, build slow. This is Vibe Coding for grown-ups. This is how professional should use the new wave of tools and techniques. And what to avoid.
The discussion also touches on the need for new training approaches for developers, the integration of AI in software development, and the rapid pace of technological change.
The conversation also explores the dual nature of OpenAI, discussing its evolution from a research-focused organisation to a commercial entity. The speakers delve into the complexities of OpenAI's model naming conventions, the emergence of agentic models, and the impact of AI on creativity and development.
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In this conversation, Kevin Smith and Rob Borley discuss the rapid advancements in AI technologies, focusing on the emergence of new standards such as MCP and A2A, and the implications of fine-tuning AI models with LoRA.
They emphasise the urgency for businesses to adopt AI technologies, likening it to the transformative impact of the internet and electricity.
The discussion also highlights the challenges organisations face in adapting to these changes and the importance of taking employees on the journey of AI integration.
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In this conversation, Rob Borley and Kevin Smith explore the rapid advancements in AI.
They discuss the implications of these technologies for creativity, the challenges faced by organisations in adopting AI, and the evolving role of CIOs in navigating these changes.
The conversation highlights the tension between innovation and legacy systems, emphasising the importance of governance and the human element in technology adoption.
They discuss the implications of AI on various sectors, particularly focusing on the fear of technological disruption, the impact on employment, and the integration of AI within media companies.
They explore challenges faced by established companies like Apple in adapting to AI advancements, and the potential future of consumer technology as AI continues to evolve.
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In this conversation, Rob and Kevin delve into the evolving landscape of AI, particularly focusing on image generation, the importance of prompt quality, and the emergence of specialised AI tools.
They share personal experiences with various AI models, discussing their strengths and limitations, and explore the future of AI in creative fields.
Rob and Kevin discuss the evolution of AI writing models, focusing on their unique characteristics and capabilities. They explore the importance of memory in AI interactions, how it shapes user relationships, and the implications for data privacy. The concept of digital doppelgangers is introduced, highlighting the potential for AI to act on behalf of users. The discussion also touches on the economics of personal AI ownership and the definition of agents in AI, emphasising the need for clarity in understanding their roles in software development.
The implications of AI in web development, particularly focusing on the ability to clone websites using AI agents are discussed. They explore the ethical concerns surrounding AI-generated content and the potential for scams.
The discussion also touches on emerging AI tools, the evolution of AI in public, and the importance of establishing standards in AI development. They conclude by examining the competitive landscape of AI models and the future of AI integration into everyday applications.
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In this conversation, Rob Borley and Kev Smith discuss the rapid advancements in technology.
They explore how AI tools are transforming the workforce, the implications of quantum breakthroughs, and the emergence of new models like diffusion language models and AI agents.
The discussion highlights the convergence of various technologies and the challenges and opportunities they present for the future. In this conversation, Rob and Kev explore the fascinating world of autonomous agents and their implications for the future of work.
They discuss the rise of AI startups leveraging these technologies, the impact on knowledge workers, and the challenges posed by shadow IT and citizen developers.
The conversation also delves into the evolution of AI reasoning and the need for a balance between fast and slow thinking in AI systems.
And of course they teach AI to play Rock, Paper, Scissors
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