Send us a text A fake contractor calls the help desk, a password gets reset, and suddenly a national retailer has hackers inside. We open the door on the human side of hacking—how believable stories and helpful habits become the first domino—then trace the technical steps that turn a small foothold into a system‑wide crisis. We walk through the anatomy of the Marks & Spencer breach: social engineering as the entry point, slow‑burn privilege escalation, and the moment attackers reached th...

Send us a text Finally, a podcast that explains how AI, LLMs, and ChatGPT work without any hype, fluff, or hyperbole. This episode is aimed at smart people who aren’t in tech and just want to be able to understand the basics. Join host Hannah Clayton-Langton as she discusses the topic with former Google VP and OG AI expert, Hugh Williams. We start by separating AI, machine learning, and LLMs, then explain why generative systems are not search. Instead of retrieving pages, an LLM synthesises n...

Send us a text What happens when a search engine is driven by a text file of hand-written rules? You get a Jaguar car ranking first for an iPod query on eBay, and you get the perfect setup for a practical tour of how AI actually creates value. We unpack the journey from brittle if-then logic to machine learning that learns relevance from real outcomes. In this episode, we break down AI, machine learning, and large language models (LLMs) in clear terms, showing how they fit together and where...

Send us a text Tinder's #swiperight gesture changed how millions decide and revolutionised dating. Tinder didn’t just explode into the public consciousness, it was also the most successful dating product in history and one of the fastest companies to $100m in revenue. Hannah and Hugh sit down with Tinder co‑founder Jonathan Badeen to trace the unexpected path from a flashcards epiphany to a cultural verb, and why #swiperight wasn’t meant to be the defining feature until a college studen...

Send us a text Catastrophic software failures can seem like acts of chaos, but behind every major tech outage lies a story of human decisions, technical constraints, and cascading consequences. The July 2024 CrowdStrike incident—which Hannah describes as "the single biggest outage in the history of computing"—offers a perfect case study into what happens when critical systems fail. Hannah and Hugh dive deep into how a seemingly minor error (a file with 21 fields when the software expected 20...

Send us a text Ever wondered what's really happening behind the scenes when you tap that app icon on your phone? From the sensors tracking your every move to the complex business decisions determining which features you get access to, the world of mobile apps is fascinating. Hannah Clayton-Langton and Hugh Williams, former VP at Google and eBay, break down why companies invest millions in app development instead of just using mobile websites. The answer lies in the incredible capabilities of...

Send us a text Ever wondered what makes your favorite apps work so seamlessly—or why others feel frustratingly clunky? The secret often lies in the mysterious realm of product management. Join Hannah Clayton-Langton and Hugh Williams to learn more. Hugh Williams, former engineering vice president at Google and eBay, and a senior engineer at Microsoft, takes us behind the digital curtain to reveal how great technology products actually get built. With insider stories from his career, Hugh exp...

Send us a text Ever wondered what coding actually is but felt too intimidated to ask? You're not alone. In this beginner-friendly exploration of programming basics, we break down complex technical concepts into digestible, relatable pieces. Our Episode 1 pilot explores the world of coding fundamentals through a metaphor: baking a cake. Just as bakers follow recipes with specific steps, measurements, and repeated actions, programmers create instructions for computers to follow. We also ...

Send us a text Tech Overflow is coming on Monday September 15 to wherever you get your favourite podcasts! In Series 1, co-hosts Hannah Clayton-Langton and Hugh Williams demystify technology for anyone who's interested in tech. They talk about coding, product management, building apps, what happens when a site goes down, all about AI and how it works, and have a few special guests on the show. The first episode is all about coding: what is it, what do software engineers do, and will they be r...