Tech Talks Daily

• 3488: How Akeneo Sees the Future of Product Experience in an AI First Retail World

  What happens when AI becomes the centre of how we shop, yet trust still determines whether any of it works? That question shaped my conversation with Romain Fouache, CEO of Akeneo, who joined me to unpack the latest consumer data on AI driven shopping experiences. Retail giants might be setting the pace, but the real story sits in how everyday shoppers feel about these new tools. Akeneo's recent research caught my attention when it revealed that eighty four percent of consumers who acted on an AI recommendation were satisfied with the purchase. The appetite is clearly there, yet trust remains fragile, especially when only forty five percent feel confident in AI powered suggestions and even fewer enjoy their chatbot interactions. Romain sees this moment as both a turning point and a warning, one that demands honest conversations about transparency and product data. As we worked through the findings, Romain explained why good AI depends entirely on high quality product information and why poor data is still the biggest threat to customer confidence. He argued that brands can reduce friction, improve discovery, and deliver more relevant experiences by grounding their AI tools in reliable product knowledge rather than guesswork. He also spoke about why many chatbots continue to miss the mark. The issue is less about the technology and more about the lack of strong product foundations beneath it. When recommendations go wrong, trust erodes quickly, and rebuilding that trust will require clear communication about how data is used and why certain suggestions appear. I found his view on privacy particularly interesting, especially his belief that better intent based interactions could lower the industry's dependence on invasive data collection. Looking ahead to 2026, Romain shared why he expects conversational shopping to become a primary way people browse and evaluate products. He believes the shift away from keyword driven search is already happening and that smaller retailers should not feel outpaced by the largest platforms. With the right product experience strategy, he says, AI opens new opportunities for global reach and category diversification. The conversation also touched on why product experience, rather than product data alone, will determine the brands that build loyalty in an increasingly competitive environment. It left me wondering how ready businesses truly are for a world where product information must be accurate, real time, and aligned with the way AI tools interpret customer intent. What do you think matters most for building trust in AI powered shopping? Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by NordLayer: Get the exclusive Black Friday offer: 28% off NordLayer yearly plans with the coupon code: techdaily-28. Valid until December 10th, 2025. Try it risk-free with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

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• 3487: vFairs Explains the Next Chapter of Event Tech

  What happens when events become the most human channel in a world increasingly shaped by AI? That thought set the tone for my conversation with Muhammad Younas, founder and CEO of vFairs, who has spent years helping organisations design in-person, virtual, and hybrid experiences at a remarkable scale. With more than fifty thousand events delivered and over one hundred million attendees served, he has a front row view of how event technology is changing and why the next wave will look very different from what planners have relied on until now. Rather than fearing the impact of AI, Muhammad sees a near future where mundane tasks fade into the background and planners focus on strategy, creativity, and connection. Throughout the discussion, Muhammad returned to a simple idea. Every event is unique, and technology should adapt to that reality rather than forcing people into rigid templates. He believes the next chapter of event tech will focus on specialised workflows that understand industry needs, whether that is a job fair, a healthcare gathering, a global town hall, or a conference that carries an entire community's voice. He also sees events becoming one of the most important expressions of first party marketing as digital channels get louder and harder to trust. When people choose to attend, they bring intent, time, and attention, and no online algorithm can replace that. We also explored why virtual events and webinars continue to grow long after the urgent push of the pandemic. Muhammad explains that these formats thrive because they offer reach, convenience, and year round value. They generate content that fuels engagement far beyond the event itself, and they remove the barriers that keep global audiences locked out of traditional venues.  Meanwhile, vFairs keeps pushing forward, from smart matchmaking on trade show floors to tools that help planners capture meaningful connections and follow through on them. In an era driven by AI, he argues that events will matter even more because they protect the authenticity and human contact that many feel is slipping away. Muhammad's own story, from running hundreds of events himself to building a platform chosen by global brands, adds a human layer to all this technology. It raises an important question. As AI reshapes the work behind the scenes, how will event planners and organisations reimagine the experiences people value most? I would love to hear what you think. Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by NordLayer: Get the exclusive Black Friday offer: 28% off NordLayer yearly plans with the coupon code: techdaily-28. Valid until December 10th, 2025. Try it risk-free with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

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• 3486: Augury on Why AI Literacy Is Becoming a Core Skill for Every Worker

  What does it say about the future of work when AI competency starts to feel as expected as basic reading? That question sat with me throughout my latest conversation with Artem Kroupenev, VP of Strategy at Augury, who returns to the show with a perspective that lands with fresh clarity. Workforce costs remain high, industries are shifting, and the job market continues to reset its foundations. In that environment, Artem argues that AI literacy is no longer something ambitious candidates use to stand out. It is becoming a baseline expectation that employers will quietly assume. The way we talk about skills is changing, and the speed of that shift matters. Across our discussion, Artem reflects on how this transition is unfolding inside factories and industrial operations, where Augury has spent the last decade building predictive machine health systems. He describes a world where AI takes on tasks, not entire roles, and where the real opportunity for workers sits in judgment, collaboration, and the kind of problem solving that software cannot replicate. He highlights patterns from the SOPH 2025 data that show strong confidence across manufacturing leaders, yet also reveal a gap between optimism and real capability. It paints a picture of an industry moving quickly, yet still learning how to measure and translate AI value into outcomes people can trust. What struck me most was how Artem links mindset to readiness. Individuals who treat AI as a companion in their daily workflow, rather than a novelty to test occasionally, start building the fluency that future roles will quietly demand. Employers who approach AI simply as a tool upgrade often overlook the harder work of reshaping processes, KPIs, and expectations. And the organisations that fail to adapt risk widening the gap between AI empowered and AI hesitant teams, something Artem believes will show up in hiring, competition, and long term viability. This conversation looks beyond the usual headlines about automation and considers what the next five years might actually feel like for people joining the workforce or leading teams through change. If AI becomes as expected as reading and writing, what does that mean for education, career paths, and employer responsibility? I would love to hear your view. Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by NordLayer: Get the exclusive Black Friday offer: 28% off NordLayer yearly plans with the coupon code: techdaily-28. Valid until December 10th, 2025. Try it risk-free with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

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• 3485: The Road to Predictable, Reliable Infrastructure with Nutanix

  What does resilience look like when your business depends on keeping data, apps, and infrastructure running flawlessly in a world that never sleeps? At IGEL's Now & Next event in Frankfurt, I sat down with Sush Kajaria from Nutanix to explore how the company is helping organizations simplify their cloud strategies and strengthen their endpoint environments through modern virtualization and prevention-first security. Our discussion looked at how IT teams are adapting to an increasingly complex technology stack, where workloads are spread across hybrid and multicloud environments. Sush Kajaria explains how partnerships with companies like IGEL are creating more seamless integration between data centers and the edge, giving IT leaders the control and visibility they need to protect business continuity. We also explored how automation, unified management, and secure access are helping enterprises reduce costs without sacrificing flexibility or performance. The conversation moved beyond infrastructure to address the human side of digital transformation. We discussed how hybrid work, evolving compliance requirements, and AI adoption are reshaping how IT teams operate, forcing leaders to rethink how they deliver secure and consistent experiences to employees everywhere. Nutanix's story is one of constant reinvention, driven by a clear mission to make enterprise IT invisible while keeping operations resilient and efficient. As organizations look ahead to 2026, this episode offers a grounded look at what it takes to balance innovation with reliability. How can IT leaders simplify their infrastructure without losing control, and what role will partnerships like IGEL and Nutanix play in defining the next chapter of enterprise resilience?     Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by NordLayer: Get the exclusive Black Friday offer: 28% off NordLayer yearly plans with the coupon code: techdaily-28. Valid until December 10th, 2025. Try it risk-free with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

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• 3484: How BDO Is Turning AI Investment Into Real Outcomes

  Have you ever wondered what it looks like when a global professional services firm commits over one billion dollars to AI and expects it to reshape the way its people work across every corner of the business? That question sat with me as I spoke with Russ Ahlers, Chief Information Officer at BDO USA, and someone who has spent three decades building technology foundations that hold up some of the most complex operations in the industry. This conversation goes straight into the reality of enterprise AI programs, the human decisions behind them, and the scale required to turn strategy into day to day transformation. Russ shares how BDO is approaching AI as a global effort rather than a series of disconnected projects. He explains how the firm's five year investment is designed to upgrade core systems, bring automation into areas that slow teams down, and build intelligent capabilities that support professionals across audit, tax, and advisory. I was interested in how he balances ambition with governance, and he offers a grounded view on why AI only delivers real value when firms focus on data quality, security, and practical use cases that free people to do higher value work. What stood out is Russ's long view. His time leading BDO International's IT strategy shaped the way he thinks about scale, convergence, and consistency. Across this episode he reflects on the lessons learned from supporting member firms worldwide, the importance of shared standards, and the cultural shift needed for AI to land with impact across a large workforce. His perspective is shaped by years of integrating new firms into the BDO network, where technology adoption and organisational change must move together. This episode is a chance to understand how a major global organisation is building its future on intelligent systems, why long term investments matter, and how leaders think about readiness, risk, and opportunity when the stakes are high. It also speaks to something more personal. Russ talks about the mindset behind modern IT leadership, the importance of curiosity, and the practical realities of running an innovation program that touches every part of the enterprise. Where do you stand on the idea of a billion dollar AI commitment, and what questions would you want answered before making a move like that? I would love to hear what you think.   Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by NordLayer: Get the exclusive Black Friday offer: 28% off NordLayer yearly plans with the coupon code: techdaily-28. Valid until December 10th, 2025. Try it risk-free with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

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