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Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson

Info-Tech Research Group
Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson
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80 episodes

  • Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson

    AI Has Made Everything Worse | Hany Farid on the Internet's Truth Problem

    31/08/2026 | 1h 1 mins.
    Hany Farid, one of the world’s leading experts on deepfakes and digital forensics, joins us to explain why AI-generated content is pushing us toward a world where we can no longer trust what we see, hear, or even who we’re talking to online.
    From AI-generated misinformation and social media manipulation to voice cloning, deepfake video calls, and North Korean IT workers infiltrating major companies, Hany breaks down how rapidly the threat landscape is evolving. He explains why humans are not good at detecting deepfakes, how digital forensics experts actually identify manipulated media, and why organizations need to rethink cybersecurity, remote hiring, and digital identity.
    This episode also dives into Big Tech’s role in the crisis, whether regulation and liability can make technology safer, the growing influence of large language models on how we access information, and what it will take to rebuild trust online.
    Despite the risks, Hany remains optimistic about AI’s potential. The challenge, he argues, is learning from the mistakes of the social media era and finding a way to harness AI’s power without sacrificing safety, security, and trust.
    Subscribe and like this video for more conversations with the world's leading thinkers on AI, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

    In this video:
    00:00 North Korean IT workers are already inside companies
    00:41 Welcome to a “trust no one” digital world
    01:49 How much of the internet is already fake?
    04:59 Are we heading toward the dead internet?
    07:06 What happens when we can’t agree on facts?
    08:20 The existential threat of a post-truth world
    09:49 Could AI control the information we see?
    11:33 Who is manipulating us online?
    13:20 How AI is supercharging scams and fraud
    15:41 Why you can’t reliably detect a Deepfake
    17:28 Should Big Tech be held liable?
    19:37 Hany’s Advice: Get social media off your phone
    21:26 Can liability force Big Tech to change?
    24:25 Should kids be banned from social media?
    25:37 The real problem with social media’s business model
    28:08 Will Big Tech control the future of AI?
    31:20 “China will beat us” and the case against AI regulation
    33:31 How experts actually detect deepfakes
    36:16 How real-time face swap deepfakes work
    39:39 The Deepfake threat facing businesses
    40:25 AI fraud is already costing companies millions
    41:47 How fake workers get hired
    42:49 Why voice biometrics are no longer secure

    #ai #futureofwork #technologypodcast #cybersecurity #deepfakes #digitaltrust #bigtech #aivoice #digitaltransformation #futureofjobs #futureofai #tedtalk

    Connect with Hany:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hany-farid-40a97935/

    Our links:
    Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast
    Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG
  • Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson

    How Google Lost Its Way | Former Google Insider Claire Stapleton

    24/08/2026 | 1h 12 mins.
    Claire Stapleton spent 12 years at Google, going from one of the company's biggest believers to one of its most prominent employee organizers. In this episode, former Google communications leader, Google Walkout organizer, and Don’t Be Evil author Claire Stapleton reveals what happened inside Google as its celebrated culture of openness, employee empowerment, and idealism began to change.

    She takes us inside Google’s transformation from a company that believed people were at the heart of its success to a Big Tech giant grappling with bureaucracy, employee distrust, workplace activism, and questions about its values. She explains what led thousands of Google employees to walk out in protest, what happened after employees challenged leadership, and why speaking up inside powerful organizations can come with serious consequences.

    We also talk about AI and the future of work, tech layoffs, corporate culture, employee activism, leadership, workplace ethics, the changing relationship between employers and employees, and why the sweeping promises coming from today’s AI companies remind Stapleton of Google’s early years. As companies once again compete for elite technology talent while promising to change the world, could Silicon Valley be repeating the same cycle?

    Subscribe and like this video for more conversations with the world's leading thinkers on AI, technology, innovation, leadership, and digital transformation.

    In this video:
    00:00 Intro
    00:10 How Google’s culture changed
    01:33 Claire Stapleton’s 12 years at Google
    06:14 Inside Google’s early “change the world” culture
    10:50 Shift in language
    11:28 What happened to Google?
    18:42 The events that led to the Google Walkout
    25:31 Organizing the historic Google Walkout
    28:59 How Google responded to employee activism
    35:16 Would Claire organize the Walkout again?
    39:19 The danger of tying your identity to your employer
    44:29 What should you do when your employer violates your values?
    50:35 Did Silicon Valley lose its people-first culture?
    51:38 Are today’s AI companies repeating Google’s mistakes?
    55:03 Why being people-first is good for business
    56:05 What Google’s leadership got wrong
    01:00:09 Why women led the resistance inside Google
    01:01:48 The role of men and allies in workplace activism
    01:05:58 Why women take on more unpaid work
    01:08:19 How leaders can build a better workplace culture
    01:11:23 Closing thoughts

    #futurofwork #google #workplaceculture #leadership #bigtech #aiandjobs #siliconvalley #techleadership #techlayoffs #techpodcast

    Connect with Claire:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-stapleton-868a935
    X: https://x.com/clairewaves
    Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/clairewaves/

    Our links:
    Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast
    Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG
  • Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson

    The AI Gold Rush Is Out of Gold | Here's Where VCs Are Still Investing

    17/08/2026 | 1h 5 mins.
    Data center economics are coming under increasing scrutiny. Learn why power constraints could signal a major market correction and why the future of artificial intelligence may depend less on software and more on power grids, data centers, semiconductor chips, and the physical infrastructure powering AI.

    In this episode, TDK Ventures Investment Director Ankur Saxena joins Geoff Nielson to talk about the economics driving today's AI race. From Nvidia GPUs and hyperscaler spending to semiconductor shortages, AI infrastructure, robotics, edge AI, and quantum computing, Ankur explains why the biggest challenges facing AI aren't just technical, they're economic, physical, and increasingly difficult to ignore. This conversation examines whether today's AI investment boom is sustainable, what could trigger the next wave of market corrections, and where the greatest opportunities lie for investors, startups, and technology leaders.

    If you're wondering where AI is really headed and what it means for business leaders, investors, CIOs, and the future of technology, this episode is for you.

    In this episode:
    00:00 Intro
    00:20 AI's biggest problem isn't software, it's infrastructure
    01:37 Ankur Saxena on the future of AI & why he's optimistic
    03:20 Is the AI investment boom becoming a bubble?
    07:40 AI prototyping for enterprise leaders
    08:50 The AI Gold Rush: Are investors chasing hype?
    10:17 Why AI infrastructure economics matter more than ever
    12:09 The hidden bottleneck: Power, data centers & AI growth
    15:45 AI data centers explained
    19:53 Supply, demand & what happens when AI gets expensive
    21:03 Why AI demand isn't slowing down anytime soon
    26:33 Should every enterprise care about AI infrastructure?
    27:15 Why most companies aren't ready for AI compute
    32:08 The next billion-dollar opportunity: AI infrastructure orchestration
    34:22 Where smart investors are looking beyond AI applications
    37:35 Edge AI explained: Why AI is moving onto devices
    40:43 Why AI chips need hardware & software co-design
    44:18 The race to build the operating system for Edge AI
    48:33 Self-driving cars, robots & the future of physical AI
    52:08 Quantum computing: Beyond the hype
    55:25 Quantum computing investment opportunities & "picks and shovels"
    58:44 Practical AI advice for CIOs, business leaders & enterprises
    1:02:02 Will AI replace humans? The future of human-AI collaboration
    1:04:42 Final thoughts

    Connect with Ankur:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saxenaankur/

    Our links:
    Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast
    Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG
  • Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson

    Robin Hanson: AI is probably the End of Humanity (and why that's OK)

    10/08/2026 | 1h 43 mins.
    Robin Hanson believes the future of AI is far stranger than most people imagine.

    In this episode, economist, futurist, and The Age of Em author Robin Hanson explains one of the biggest questions humanity has faced: What happens after humans?

    Instead of viewing AI as humanity's greatest threat, Hanson argues we should think of AI as our descendants. The conversation looks at why AI replacing humans may be part of civilization's natural evolution, why capitalism and competition aren't disappearing, and how cultural evolution, not technology, may be humanity's biggest existential challenge.

    We also examine the Great Filter, the future of work, AI regulation, software engineering, technological progress, fertility decline, civilization collapse, AI governance, and why Robin believes our greatest risk isn't AI taking over, but humanity losing its ability to evolve culturally.

    If you're interested in the future of AI, artificial intelligence, AGI, economics, civilization, technology, and what comes after humanity, this conversation will challenge many of your assumptions.

    Subscribe and like this video for more conversations with the world's leading thinkers on AI, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

    In this episode:
    00:00 Intro
    01:00 AI will eventually replace humanity
    01:36 Robin Hanson’s background
    02:20 The future of civilization
    03:22 The Age of Em explained
    06:03 Why brain emulation changes everything
    07:24 Capitalism isn't going away
    11:18 Is humanity actually progressing?
    13:10 The Great Filter explained
    18:17 Why AI isn't the Great Filter
    22:02 AI, technological acceleration & the next 20 years
    24:24 Will AI leave people behind?
    29:04 How to survive technological disruption
    33:08 Why AI is humanity's descendants
    40:23 Cultural evolution is breaking
    47:12 Why civilization is becoming maladaptive
    55:06 Is modern society quietly declining?
    01:00:45 Can AI solve civilization's biggest problem?
    01:07:01 AI risk vs AI progress
    01:12:00 Should AI be regulated?
    01:17:03 The US, China & the AI race
    01:22:26 AI's economic impact
    01:25:19 Advice for business leaders
    01:30:45 AI's biggest opportunity for humanity
    01:38:48 What gives Robin Hanson hope
    01:42:24 Final thoughts

    Connect with Robin:
    X: https://x.com/robinhanson
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robin.hanson.754/

    Our links:
    Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast
    Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG
  • Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson

    AI CEOs Are Lying About the Future of Work. Here's What's Really Coming

    03/08/2026 | 1h 12 mins.
    Is AI actually making work better? Discover why many employees are feeling more constrained by machines instead of being empowered by them.
    In this episode, Financial Times journalist and author Sarah O'Connor joins Geoff Nielson to talk about the reality of AI in the workplace, challenging the common belief that automation will free us from repetitive work. Drawing from her new book, “We Are Not Machines,” and months of reporting inside Amazon warehouses, Swedish mines, hospitals, translation agencies, and software teams, Sarah explains how AI isn't just eliminating jobs, it is reshaping them in ways that can either empower people or reduce them to "human robots."
    The conversation breaks down why the promise of AI creating more time for creative, meaningful work hasn't become reality for many employees. Instead, many workers feel like they're being managed by software, algorithms, and increasingly automated systems.

    If you're wondering how AI will transform your career, your organization, or the future of work, this episode is for you.

    In this episode:
    00:00 Intro
    01:17 The surprising truth about AI and work
    02:31 Why AI predictions are missing the real story
    06:10 What Sarah discovered on the front lines of automation
    07:54 Inside Amazon's robot-powered warehouses
    13:25 How AI transformed professional translators
    18:07 About Info-Tech Research Group
    19:06 Is AI making work less human?
    19:56 Why software developers are thriving with AI
    23:46 The Swedish mine where automation actually works
    31:10 Who should decide how AI changes work?
    34:23 AI surveillance, trust, and workplace governance
    37:56 Why companies shouldn't blindly adopt AI
    39:06 Healthcare, nursing, and the cost of over-optimization
    46:30 Can healthcare become human again?
    49:56 Productivity, burnout, and becoming like machines
    53:18 Have we lost faith in ourselves?
    59:26 AI hype, fear of missing out, and smarter adoption
    01:03:45 What gives Sarah hope about the future of work?
    01:08:07 Advice for business and technology leaders
    01:11:00 Final thoughts
    01:11:47 Closing

    Connect with Sarah:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-o-connor-86067a31/
    X: https://x.com/sarahoconnor_

    Our links:
    Visit our website: https://www.infotech.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast
    Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfoTechRG
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About Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson
The Next Industrial Revolution is Already Here Digital Disruption is where industry leaders and experts share insights on leveraging technology to build the organizations of the future. As intelligent technologies reshape our lives and our livelihoods, we speak with the thinkers, the doers and innovators who will help us predict and harness this disruption. Join us as we explore how to adapt to and harness digital transformation.
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