The AI Forecast: Data and AI in the Cloud Era

Why LLMs Aren’t Enough and How AI Fabrics Will Change Everything with Jake Trippel

GenAI may have captured the spotlight. But according to Dr. Jake Trippel, co-founder and CTO of Codename 37, the real disruption is still ahead. Jake joins the podcast to explain why today’s LLM-centric stacks will hit architectural limits and how “AI fabrics” and shared memory meshes can unlock agent-to-agent collaboration across data silos.
From untangling decades of technical debt to the surprising move of model training back on-prem, Jake lays out pragmatic playbooks. He also shares how he runs “100 AI employees” today, what SaaS might look like in a bot-first world, and why education must embrace hyper-personalized learning while guarding against AI-enabled shortcuts.
Stay in touch with Jake:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtrippel/ 
Codename 37: https://codename37.ai/ 
 
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Unlocking Healthcare’s Data Potential With MDClone’s Luz Erez

Turning complex, siloed medical data into accessible, actionable insight isn’t just a technical challenge; it’s a human one. 
In this episode of The AI Forecast, Luz Erez, physicist-turned-entrepreneur and CTO of MDClone, explores how synthetic data is transforming the way we use medical information for research, innovation, and patient care.
Erez explains how MDClone’s platform manages tens of millions of patient records across hospitals worldwide—safely turning real data into synthetic datasets that preserve statistical accuracy while protecting privacy. He reveals how this breakthrough enables hospitals, researchers, and AI developers to collaborate without regulatory roadblocks, accelerating discoveries that can improve outcomes and reduce clinical workload.
Stay in touch with Luz:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erezsoft/ 
 
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The AI Readiness Gap: Is Your Data an Asset or a Liability with IBM’s Marcela Vairo

Enterprise leaders are racing to deploy generative AI, but most overlook a critical foundation: data readiness. Despite bold ambitions, less than one-third of technology leaders believe their data is prepared to support AI at scale. 
Marcela Vairo, IBM’s Vice President of Data and AI for the Americas, joins The AI Forecast to explore one of the most persistent challenges in enterprise AI: why strong data foundations remain the exception, not the rule.
Drawing on more than 25 years at IBM, Marcela shares how organizations can close the gap between aspiration and execution through effective data governance, integration, and trust. She explains why governance isn’t a checkbox—it’s an enabler—and how companies can scale AI responsibly by building the right architecture, managing bias, and embracing data quality as a strategic asset.
 
Stay in touch with Marcela:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcela-vairo/ 
 
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The Culture Fix: How to Stop Employee Resistance to AI Deployment

AI is transforming not only the way we work, but what we value as work. Success in this new era won’t come from chasing efficiency alone, but from cultivating cultures where AI empowers people, strengthens purpose, and drives innovation with trust at the center.
In this episode of The AI Forecast, Teddra Burgess, founder of Chasing Outcomes, joins host Paul Muller to explore how AI is reshaping not just work, but what we value about work. Teddra lays out a practical path to building an “AI-anywhere” culture: start with outcomes (not tools), empower every function (not just IT), and lead with trust, purpose, and adaptability.
Teddra shares how leaders can navigate uncertainty like a “navigator”—aligning people around a clear North Star while evolving skills, roles, and mindsets. 
Stay in touch with Teddra:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teddrathomasburgess/ 
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Why Most Enterprise AI Projects Fail and How to Fix Them with Tom Harshbarger

In this episode of The AI Forecast, Tom Harshbarger, Director of Cloud and AI Strategy at Arrow Electronics, joins host Paul Muller to unpack what it really takes to build enterprise AI solutions that deliver value. From navigating an immature market to choosing the right partners, Tom shares hard-earned lessons from decades in the industry on how to start small, experiment intelligently, and scale with confidence.
They also explore why AI feels different from past technology waves, what makes today’s ecosystem uniquely complex, and how leaders can balance ambition with responsibility as the world races to integrate AI into every corner of business and life.
Stay in touch with Tom:
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-harshbarger/ 
Arrow Electronics: arrow.com
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What AI Is Teaching Us About the Next Great Companies with Alex Kantrowitz

The AI era is redefining what it takes to stay on top. Success won’t come from protecting the status quo, but from embracing the “always day one” mindset—where reinvention, adaptability, and bold experimentation drive progress. 
Drawing on Big Tech’s playbook, Alex Kantrowitz, former journalist and now founder of Big Technology, joins host Paul Muller on The AI Forecast to discuss why continuous reinvention is the key to thriving in this new landscape, and how leaders can navigate AI’s impact on business, culture, and society.
Stay in touch with Alex:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexkantrowitz/ 
Big Technology: https://www.bigtechnology.com/ 
 
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Keeping Humanity in the Age of AI with Jess Von Bank

What does it mean to design AI with humanity at its core? Jess Von Bank—futurist, HR transformation leader, and president of Diverse Daisies—joins The AI Forecast to discuss. With host Paul Muller, the two explore how AI is reshaping the workforce and our very sense of what it means to be human.
From AI-driven recruiting and workforce redesign to the mental health crisis and the erosion of human connection, Jess challenges leaders to slow down, think deeply, and build technology that serves people, not replaces them.
Stay in touch with Jess:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessvonbank/ 
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Private AI: Big Data’s Third Era with Sergio Gago

We’re entering a new era of Big Data defined by convergence—where on-premises and cloud systems come together to power trusted, private AI. By integrating AI with modern data architectures, organizations can harness the full value of their information, drive innovation, and enable a new wave of business outcomes in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
In this episode of The AI Forecast, Cloudera CTO Sergio Gago joins host Paul Muller to unpack the “third wave” of data and AI. 
Plus, drawing on his experience as a musician, entrepreneur, and quantum computing leader, Sergio explores the creative and human dimensions of AI — from how music teaches us about data patterns to why the real value in AI lies in skills, context, and control. He shares his vision for a world where digital colleagues work alongside humans, how organizations can safely embrace AI agents, and why the future of business will depend on sovereign data and private intelligence.
Stay in touch with Sergio:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergiogh 
Sergio’s Quantum Pirates Newsletter: https://quantumpirates.substack.com/ 
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Fueling the AI Future: Data, Deployment, and Tangible Outcomes with Patrick Moorhead

The future will not be decided by who experiments with AI first, but by who can operationalize it at scale - turning messy, fragmented data into trusted insights, deploying models seamlessly across hybrid environments, and delivering measurable business outcomes. To discuss, we’re joined by Patrick Moorhead, Founder, CEO and Chief Analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. 
He and host Paul Muller explore the importance of data quality, the impact of AI on various industries, and the need for effective data management strategies. Patrick shares insights from his extensive experience in technology and highlights the opportunities and challenges that AI presents for businesses today.
Stay in touch with Patrick:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patmoorhead/ 
Moor Insights & Strategy website: https://moorinsightsstrategy.com/ 
 
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Mike Walsh Returns: Are AI Agents the New Workforce?

Fresh off his keynote at Cloudera’s EVOLVE NYC, futurist and author Mike Walsh returns to The AI Forecast to share bold insights on the rise of AI agents and what they mean for business, culture, and society. In this wide-ranging conversation, Mike explores how AI is evolving from simple automation into a limitless digital workforce, and why the real disruption lies in the second- and third-order consequences of this transformation.
From model collapse and embodied AI to sovereign intelligence and the future of work, Mike challenges us to look beyond the hype and consider how AI will reshape organizations, economies, and even culture itself. Along the way, he reflects on his upcoming book, the risks of algorithmic echo chambers, and why now is the best time to be a creative thinker willing to embrace change.
Stay in touch with Mike:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwalsh/ 
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