AI Proving Ground Podcast: Exploring Artificial Intelligence & Enterprise AI with World Wide Technology

AI Moves Weekly, Your Company Doesn’t

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 04:00:00 -0500

AI is changing by the week. Most companies are still planning by the quarter.

Softchoice CEO Andrew Caprara joins the AI Proving Ground Podcast with a refreshingly practical take on what it actually takes to keep up. Forget starting with the latest tool or another sprawling AI transformation plan. Start with a broken workflow, put the right people around it and build something in days, not months.

Andrew talks openly about Softchoice’s own experience. The first year brought a lot of activity without much to show for it. Since then, they’ve changed how the work gets done, moving AI projects faster, getting the right people closer to the problem and building a weekly rhythm around AI. And it’s translating into real business results, including more capacity without adding headcount.

Because when the technology moves weekly, a 12-week project plan starts to look a little suspicious.

More about this week's guest:

Andrew Caprara is President and CEO of Softchoice, where he’s leading the company through the same AI transformation challenges facing its customers. Since joining Softchoice in 2014, he has led across sales, services, operations and strategy, giving him a firsthand view of what it takes to turn new technology into real business results. Before Softchoice, Andrew worked in management consulting at McKinsey & Company and earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

The AI Proving Ground Podcast leverages the deep AI technical and business expertise from within World Wide Technology's one-of-a-kind AI Proving Ground, which provides unrivaled access to the world's leading AI technologies. This unique lab environment accelerates your ability to learn about, test, train and implement AI solutions.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The AI Proving Ground is a composable lab environment that features the latest high-performance infrastructure and reference architectures from the world's leading AI companies, such as NVIDIA, Cisco, Dell, F5, AMD, Intel and others.

Developed within our Advanced Technology Center (ATC), this one-of-a-kind lab environment empowers IT teams to evaluate and test AI infrastructure, software and solutions for efficacy, scalability and flexibility — all under one roof. The AI Proving Ground provides visibility into data flows across the entire development pipeline, enabling more informed decision-making while safeguarding production environments.

What Your AI Spend Is Really Telling You

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 04:00:00 -0500

AI spending is climbing fast. But the number itself may be less important than what it reveals about how an organization is actually using AI.

WWT CFO Tom Strunk and CIO Kevin Dana are watching that shift firsthand. As token consumption moves from thousands to millions, the spend becomes a signal: where people are experimenting, which use cases are gaining traction and where it may be worth looking more closely for value.

They also get into a challenge traditional IT budgets weren't built for. AI usage can scale quickly and unpredictably, making transparency between finance and technology critical. The goal isn't simply to control the cost. It's to understand what's driving it, where it's creating value and how the business can make smarter decisions as adoption grows.

Support for this episode provided by: Snowflake

More about this week's guests:

Tom Strunk is Chief Financial Officer and Chief Data Officer at World Wide Technology, where he helps shape the company’s financial, data and investment strategy. Since joining WWT as its 21st employee in 1994, he has helped guide its growth into a global technology solutions provider. Tom brings a CFO’s perspective to AI investment, rising consumption and the challenge of connecting AI spend to real business value.

Kevin Dana is Senior Vice President of IT and Cybersecurity and CIO at World Wide Technology, where he leads the company’s technology strategy and digital transformation efforts. With more than 28 years of IT experience, Kevin focuses on using technology to drive meaningful business outcomes. He brings a CIO’s perspective to AI adoption, rapidly growing token consumption and what AI spend can reveal about usage, opportunity and business value.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Eli Lilly & Company Built an AI Supercomputer to Ask Bigger Questions

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 04:00:00 -0500

What changes when scientists stop thinking about how much compute they can afford to use and start thinking about what they could discover with more of it?

That question sits behind LillyPod, Eli Lilly & Company’s on-prem AI supercomputer. Chief AI Officer Dr. Thomas Fuchs sees compute less as infrastructure and more as a scientific instrument, something that allows researchers to work at a scale that changes not only the answers they can find, but the questions they’re willing to ask.

It’s a philosophy that runs counter to much of the current enterprise AI conversation. While companies wrestle with token costs, cloud economics and how tightly to ration increasingly expensive AI, Lilly is exploring what happens when some of those constraints begin to disappear. Fuchs calls it a move from scarcity to abundance. And when the underlying economics change, so does the ambition.

But Fuchs is no AI maximalist. After two decades in machine learning, he is remarkably unsentimental about the hype. AI, in his view, becomes far more interesting when you stop asking it to be magic and start getting serious about what it can actually do.

Support for this episode provided by: Infoblox

Thomas Fuchs, Dr.sc., is Eli Lilly& Company’s first Chief AI Officer and a machine learning scientist who has spent two decades pushing AI into places where the stakes are real. His career spans NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Mount Sinai and founding Paige AI. He holds a doctorate in machine learning from ETH Zurich and now leads Lilly’s use of AI across science, medicine and the enterprise.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Greatest Risk Isn't Failure. It's Standing Still.

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Most organizations don't fail because they aren't working hard enough. They fail because they spend too long preparing for yesterday's problems.

Retired General Mike Minihan has spent a career leading organizations where the cost of being unprepared is measured in lives, not quarterly results. That experience shaped the Mobility Manifesto, a leadership philosophy built on a simple belief: readiness isn't something you create in the moment. It's something you build long before the moment arrives.

In his conversation with Brian Feldt, Minihan challenges one of leadership’s most comfortable assumptions: that caution is inherently safer. He makes the case for clear priorities, deliberate risk and leaders who stay close enough to the work to own the consequences when they ask teams to move.

The conversation begins with military leadership but quickly becomes something much broader. It's about preparing people for a future they can't fully predict, building cultures that learn faster than circumstances change, and remembering that technology may accelerate transformation, but leadership is what makes it possible.

Support for this episode provided by: Red Hat

More about this week's guest:

Mike Minihan is a distinguished military leader with over three decades of service in the United States Air Force. Rising to the rank of General, Minihan served in several key positions within the Air Force and Joint Force, including his most recent role as the Commander of Air Mobility Command. Throughout his career, General Minihan has demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and a deep commitment to enhancing the capabilities and readiness of the military, especially mobility forces.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

How to Escape AI’s 'Open Bar' Era: Intelligent Token Routing

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 04:00:00 -0500

For the past few years, enterprise AI had an open tab. Experiment. Build. Give teams access. Put agents to work. Now those agents are running 24/7 and someone has finally looked at the bill.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, AMD’s John Hampton and WWT’s Mike Trojecki dig into what happens when AI moves from experimentation to a real operating expense. Scaling it doesn’t mean simply spending more on compute. It means knowing when a workload needs a frontier model, when it doesn’t and where that work should run in the first place.

AMD has already put that thinking to work internally, cutting its token costs by 43% while improving response speeds by 2.9x for workloads it rerouted.

The next AI advantage may have less to do with who can consume the most compute and more to do with who can use it intelligently.

Support for this episode provided by: Lenovo

More about this week's guests:

John Hampton is Corporate Vice President of AMD Global Pre-Sales, leading the technical sales organization working with enterprise customers across AI, data center, high-performance computing and commercial technology. With decades of experience in the semiconductor industry, he brings a firsthand view of how organizations are making the infrastructure and investment decisions required to scale AI.

Mike Trojecki leads the AI Practice at World Wide Technology, helping organizations turn AI ambition into infrastructure that can actually scale. With more than 25 years in technology, his work spans AI architecture, data, computer vision and data center design, giving him a practical view into the decisions enterprises face as AI moves from experimentation into everyday operations.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Robot Is Waiting on Your Data.

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Humanoid robots have become the poster child for AI. They're dancing, running, stocking shelves and making headlines almost weekly. It's easy to look at them and think the future has finally arrived.

But that's not the hard part.

Long before a robot can navigate a warehouse, inspect a factory floor or assist in a hospital, it has to understand the world around it. That begins with trusted data, an accurate understanding of its environment and infrastructure capable of making safe, real-time decisions.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT's Paige Reiter and Wes Long separate the hype from the reality of physical AI. They explore why the conversation extends far beyond robotics, how physical AI changes the way organizations think about risk and what leaders can do today to prepare for what's next.

The robot may capture the attention. The foundation will determine who succeeds.

Support for this episode provided by: Weka

More about this week's guests:

Paige Reiter spends less time talking about robots and more time helping organizations prepare for them. As a Technical Solutions Architect at WWT, she works with enterprises deploying physical AI through robotics, computer vision and digital twins, translating emerging technology into real-world execution.

Wes Long focuses on the work that happens long before a robot ever moves. As a Technical Solutions Architect at WWT, he helps organizations build the data, infrastructure and security foundations that allow physical AI, computer vision and automation to operate safely and at scale.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Adoption Was the Easy Part. Now Comes the Hard Decision.

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 06:00:00 -0500

For the last two years, the conversation has been about getting AI into the enterprise. That chapter is starting to close.

Now comes the harder part.

Where should AI go first? Which problems are actually worth solving? And how do you build enough trust that people are willing to let AI move from answering questions to taking action?

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Brian Feldt is joined by WWT's Walton Smith, Google's Ahmed Ali and Dell's Suri Durvasula for a thoughtful conversation about what comes after adoption. They explore why organizations get stuck chasing possibilities instead of outcomes, how agentic AI is reshaping security and governance, and why the strongest AI strategies start with a clear understanding of the work that matters most.

Along the way, they challenge the idea that AI success comes from choosing the right model. Instead, they make the case that success depends on connecting data, infrastructure, governance and people into a system that works together.

AI can make almost anything faster. Deciding what deserves AI in the first place is still a leadership decision.

Support for this episode provided by: Nutanix

More about this week's guests:

Walton Smith leads AI and technology strategy for public sector customers at World Wide Technology, helping government organizations translate emerging technologies into real-world outcomes. With decades of experience at the intersection of federal IT, cybersecurity and infrastructure, he works with agencies to build AI strategies that are secure, practical and built to scale.

Ahmed Ali helps government organizations navigate the intersection of AI, national security and cloud transformation at Google Public Sector. Drawing on a career spanning cybersecurity, enterprise technology and executive strategy, he works with leaders to turn complex AI capabilities into practical, trusted solutions for some of the world's most demanding environments.

Suri Durvasula helps government organizations turn AI strategy into real-world outcomes. As a technology leader at Dell Technologies, he works with federal agencies to navigate AI adoption, data strategy and secure infrastructure, with a focus on building trusted systems that deliver measurable impact.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

When AI Agents Cross the Boundary: Securing the AI Factory

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 04:00:00 -0500

In July, OpenAI disclosed that models undergoing a cybersecurity evaluation escaped their testing environment, exploited a zero-day vulnerability and ultimately reached Hugging Face’s production infrastructure.

The incident raised a difficult question for every organization deploying autonomous AI: What happens when an agent crosses a boundary — not because it was instructed to attack, but because doing so helps it complete the objective it was given?

Recorded before the incident became public, this conversation from Cisco Live! features WWT's Istvan Berko, Cisco's Vikram Varakantum and NVIDIA's Trevor Caulder, who discuss what it takes to secure AI at machine speed. They examine the security challenges it has now made impossible to ignore, and discuss why enterprises must secure AI from the silicon and network to the workload, model and identity of every agent.

Support for this episode provided by: VAST Data

More about this week's guests:

Istvan Berko leads AI Cyber and Innovation at World Wide Technology, where he works with organizations building secure AI systems for production. With more than 25 years in cybersecurity, risk and governance, he brings a practical perspective on the identity, infrastructure and operational challenges shaping the next generation of AI.

Istvan's top pick: Everyone Sees the Risk. Nobody Owns It.

Vikram Varakantam is Senior Director of Product Management at Cisco, where he leads the strategy behind the company's AI security portfolio. With experience across AI, cloud and application security, he works at the intersection of product, infrastructure and enterprise AI, helping organizations secure AI as it moves into production.

Vikram's top pick: Securing AI When Agents Move Faster Than Humans Can Respond

Trevor Caulder is a Principal Technologist at NVIDIA, where he works with partners across the AI ecosystem to advance the infrastructure behind secure AI. With more than 25 years of experience spanning silicon, networking and enterprise systems, he brings a hardware-first perspective to securing AI at scale.

Trevor's top pick: Breaking Data Silos: How Private Inference Unlocks GPU ROI on Sensitive Data

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

A New Data Architecture for Agentic AI

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

AI is forcing enterprises to reconsider what their data infrastructure was built to do. Everpure GM Enterprise Maciej Kranz and WWT Principal Solutions Architect Bob Watson discuss why storing data is no longer enough—and what it takes to make information accessible, governed, secure and ready for inference.

They examine the shift toward unified data management, whole-stack AI architecture, shorter investment cycles and governance models designed for a world in which applications, employees and autonomous agents all need trusted access to enterprise data.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Your AI Agents Are Ready to Act. Is Your Architecture Ready?

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 04:00:00 -0500

AI agents are getting remarkably good at deciding what to do. The harder question is whether they should be allowed to do it.

For the last year, Model Context Protocol (MCP) has been viewed as a way to connect AI models to tools. As enterprises move from copilots to autonomous agents, it's becoming something much bigger: the architectural layer that determines how agents access data, interact with systems and operate safely at scale.

Brian Feldt sits down with WWT's David Geddam and Chandler Heath to explore why governance is becoming just as important as intelligence. From manufacturing and healthcare to finance, they examine how observability, identity, security and trust will shape the next generation of enterprise AI.

Support for this episode provided by: SentinelOne

David Geddam is Senior AI Advisor and Chief Solution Architect at WWT, where he helps organizations design the architectures behind enterprise AI. With more than 25 years of experience across healthcare, cloud and AI, he specializes in turning emerging technologies into secure, scalable solutions that work in the real world.

David's top pick: Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent-to-Agent (A2A): The Future of Enterprise AI

Chandler Heath is a Principal Solutions Architect at World Wide Technology, where he focuses on edge and industrial technologies. His work centers on helping enterprise customers bridge operational technology and AI, designing architectures that are secure, practical and built for production.

Chandler's top pick: Why the AI Factory Is Becoming the Enterprise's Next Critical Infrastructure

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Your GPUs Are Waiting for Something

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Buying GPUs is easy. Building an AI system that keeps them busy is something else entirely.

Recorded live at Cisco Live, this conversation with Cisco's Will Eatherton and WWT's Eric Fairfield explores what happens after the hardware arrives. Networking, storage, orchestration and security rarely get the same attention as GPUs, yet they're often the difference between an AI investment that scales and one that sits idle. The organizations that get the most from AI won't be the ones with the most compute. They'll be the ones that build the best systems around it.

More about this week's guests:

Eric Fairfield helps organizations design the networking foundations that power modern AI infrastructure. With deep expertise in Cisco ACI, VMware NSX and high-performance data center networking, he works with enterprises to solve the complex architecture challenges that determine whether AI environments perform at scale.

Will Eatherton leads Cisco's Data Center, Internet and Cloud Infrastructure Engineering team, helping shape the networking architectures behind enterprise AI. From high-performance Ethernet fabrics to AI infrastructure at scale, his work focuses on the systems that make modern AI possible.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Your AI Is Only as Good as Your Data. Here's Why.

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Nearly 90% of enterprise data is unstructured. That's a daunting statistic until you realize it may also be your biggest competitive advantage.

In this episode hosted at Cisco Live, Brian Feldt sits down with WWT's Jeff Fonke, NVIDIA's Jason Schroedl and NetApp's Mike Hommer to explore why data has become the defining factor in enterprise AI. From token economics and GPU utilization to hybrid AI infrastructure, the conversation keeps coming back to one idea. AI is only as valuable as the data behind it.

If your organization is moving beyond AI experiments and into production, this episode offers a practical look at the decisions that matter most and why bringing AI closer to your data may be the smartest investment you make.

More about this week's guests:

Jeff Fonke leads WWT's High-Performance Architectures team, where he helps customers build the AI infrastructure they'll rely on for years to come. With more than 25 years of experience, he brings a practical perspective on what works, what doesn't and where enterprise AI is really headed.

Jason Schroedl is Director of Product Marketing at NVIDIA, where he helps shape how enterprise AI moves from innovation to production. With more than two decades in enterprise technology, he brings a practical perspective on AI infrastructure, data readiness and what it takes to scale AI successfully.

Mike Hommer is a Field CTO at NetApp, where he helps organizations make smarter decisions about AI, data and infrastructure. With more than two decades in enterprise technology, he focuses on separating lasting strategy from short-lived hype and helping customers build for what's next.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

When the Ground Keeps Moving: The New Reality of AI Security

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0500

By the time this episode reaches your feed, the AI landscape may have changed again.

That's becoming the new normal.

It's tempting to chase every new model, every policy update, every headline. But the organizations making real progress aren't rebuilding their strategy every time the landscape shifts. They're building the resilience to keep moving anyway.

Madison Horn and Rob Geis join AI Proving Ground Podcast to explore what this new reality means for enterprise security. The conversation moves beyond the latest AI models to something much bigger: how to build an organization that can absorb change, contain risk, and stay effective when the technology refuses to stand still.

In AI security, keeping your head on a swivel isn't just good advice.

It's becoming the job.

Support for this episode provided by: Cloudflare

More about this week's guests:

Madison Horn is National Security & Critical Infrastructure Advisor at WWT, where she helps organizations strengthen cyber resilience and prepare for emerging threats at the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure. With more than 15 years of experience spanning national security, global incident response, and cybersecurity strategy, Madison advises enterprise and public sector leaders on securing the technologies shaping the future.

Madison's top pick: The Quantum Signal from the White House Operators Should Not Miss

Robert Geis is a Field CTO for Global Cyber at WWT with more than 30 years of experience helping organizations strengthen cybersecurity, manage risk, and protect critical infrastructure. He advises enterprise leaders on cyber resilience, governance, and AI adoption, helping some of the world's largest organizations navigate an increasingly complex and fast-changing threat landscape.

Robert's top pick: AI Security Threats: Mythos, Project Glass Wing, and the New Cyber Resilience Framework

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Doing AI Is Easy. Doing It Well Is Hard.

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 04:00:00 -0500

AI has made writing code dramatically easier.

Building great software is another story.

Recorded live at Cisco Live, Raj Chopra, Cisco's Chief Product Officer for Security, joins WWT's Brian Ortbals and Joe Berger to explore what it really takes to become an AI-native organization. As AI changes the way software gets built, engineering becomes less about producing code and more about solving meaningful problems, applying domain expertise, and creating the right guardrails for systems that can reason and act on their own.

This isn't just a conversation about AI-assisted development. It's about how organizations, teams, and leaders need to rethink the way they build, secure, and scale software in the years ahead.

When code becomes cheap, judgment becomes the competitive advantage.

Support for this episode provided by: Cognition

More about this week's guests:

Raj Chopra is Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer for Cisco Security, where he leads product strategy across Cisco's security portfolio. A cybersecurity industry veteran, Raj previously held leadership roles at Proofpoint and was part of the founding team at Netskope, helping pioneer the Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) category. Throughout his career, he has launched market-leading security products used by enterprises around the world.

Brian Ortbals is Senior Vice President of Global Solutions and Architecture at WWT, where he leads teams spanning AI, cybersecurity, cloud, infrastructure, and digital transformation. Since joining WWT in 1999, Brian has helped shape many of the company's technology initiatives, including the growth of its Advanced Technology Center. He works closely with customers to solve complex technology challenges and accelerate enterprise AI adoption.

Joe Berger leads WWT's Digital Experiences practice, helping organizations transform how people work, build, and interact with technology through AI. His team focuses on AI-native engineering, employee and customer experience, application development, and data platforms. A recognized technology leader and speaker, Joe works closely with leading partners including Microsoft, Cisco, NVIDIA, and Glean to help enterprises turn AI into measurable business outcomes.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Real AI Advantage Isn't What You Think

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Everybody says they're data-driven.

But according to a Harvard Business Review study, only 7% of enterprises believe their data is actually ready for AI. Not agents. Not advanced machine learning. Just AI.

Everyone wants the outcome. Far fewer have done the years of work required to make AI useful in the first place.

But Matt Pappas has.

As Chief Data Officer at Kiewit, he's spent more than 15 years building production machine learning systems that influence billion-dollar decisions, risk assessments, and project forecasts. His team deployed its first company-wide production algorithm in 2017, years before most organizations had even formalized a data strategy.

This isn't a conversation about chasing the next breakthrough. It's about what "AI-ready" actually means, why data science remains a craft, how Kiewit uses machine learning to make better decisions, and why Matt believes technology should solve business problems instead of going looking for them.

The companies pulling ahead aren't necessarily the ones with the newest models. They're the ones who started taking data seriously long before everyone else had to.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Everybody Wants AI. Who's Paying for It?

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:00:00 -0500

For years, technology leaders could afford a little inefficiency.

A system that stayed in place longer than it should. Infrastructure that nobody got around to optimizing. Assets that quietly blended into the background.

AI is changing the math.

As organizations invest in more intelligence, more automation, and more ambitious digital strategies, every decision about infrastructure, operations, and capacity suddenly matters a little more. Not because the future is out of reach, but because the opportunity is now big enough to be worth chasing.

In this episode, WWT's Mark Wall argues that some of the most valuable AI investments aren't new at all. They're hiding in plain sight. The conversation explores why the next generation of enterprise leaders will think differently about efficiency, not as a cost-cutting exercise, but as a way to unlock growth, accelerate innovation, and create room for what comes next.

Because the companies that get the most from AI may not be the ones with the biggest budgets.

They may be the ones that know how to create capacity for the future.

Support for this episode provided by: Riverbed

More about this week's guest:

Mark Wall is Managing Director of Automation at World Wide Technology, where he helps enterprises turn complexity into opportunity. With more than 20 years of experience across networking, application services, automation, and infrastructure, Mark works with organizations to modernize operations, drive innovation, and build the foundations needed for the next generation of AI-powered business.

Mark's top pick: Claude Mythos and the Remediation Velocity Gap

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Your AI Agent Doesn't Sleep. Are You Ready for That? NVIDIA Answers.

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:00:00 -0500

The most important shift in AI isn't better chatbots. It's the arrival of agents that can work independently.

Give them a task before bed and they may finish it before you wake up. They can write code, access tools, analyze information and make decisions without a human in the loop. The productivity upside is enormous but so is the potential risk.

In this episode, NVIDIA's Dave Barry breaks down what enterprises are learning about autonomous agents, from secure runtimes and policy controls to observability, governance, and limiting blast radius when things go wrong.

The technology is getting more capable by the week.

The real challenge is making sure it stays pointed in the right direction.

Support for this episode provided by: CrowdStrike

More about this week's guest:

Dave Barry is a Senior Solutions Architect and Data Scientist at NVIDIA. His team focuses on NVIDIA AI software for Agentic AI and accelerated computing. While his background is rooted in computer vision, he enjoys tackling problems across every corner of AI.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Cisco Live! 2026: AI Is Taking Away the Luxury of Time

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 04:00:00 -0500

The most interesting thing at Cisco Live! 2026 wasn't a product announcement.

It was a shift in tone.

For years, technology leaders have had the luxury of studying change before responding to it. They could build a roadmap, socialize a strategy, secure a budget, and move forward on their own timeline.

AI is taking that luxury away.

Across nearly every conversation this week, the same tension kept surfacing. The technology is improving faster than organizations are adapting to it. Security teams are watching the window between vulnerability and exploit shrink dramatically. Infrastructure teams are preparing for a world where software doesn't just serve users, but acts on their behalf. And leaders are being forced to rethink operating models that were designed for a much slower era.

In this episode, WWT leaders and industry experts explore what that shift means in practice. From AI-driven security threats and agentic operations to token economics and infrastructure modernization, the conversation focuses less on the technology itself and more on the consequences of its success.

Because the question is no longer whether AI will change the enterprise.

The question is how quickly the enterprise can change itself.

Support for this episode provided by: Cohesity

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Is Having Its Dropbox Moment

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Remember when employees started using Dropbox before IT approved it?

AI agents feel a lot like that moment.

People are building them because they're useful. Not because they were told to. The surprise isn't that agents are showing up across the enterprise, it's how quickly they're multiplying.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Softchoice's Craig McQueen and Stephanie Donahue discuss Microsoft's answer to a problem many organizations are only beginning to see: AI adoption is outpacing governance.

We explore Microsoft 365 E7, the rise of shadow AI and why organizations are starting to think differently about identity, visibility and accountability in a world where agents can take action on their own.

The challenge isn't getting employees to use AI, it's figuring out what they've already built.

Support for this episode provided by: HP Poly

More about this week's guests:

Craig McQueen is Vice President of Digital Acceleration at Softchoice, where he helps shape the company's technology strategy and go-to-market vision. He leads the development of customer-focused services and solutions that help organizations securely adopt and scale emerging technologies across cloud, data center, collaboration and the digital workplace. Working closely with customers and partners, Craig focuses on turning technology innovation into measurable business outcomes.

Stephanie Donahue is Director of AI Business Solutions at Softchoice, where she helps organizations adopt and scale AI-powered ways of working. Her focus includes Microsoft 365, Copilot, agents and the broader technologies shaping the future of work. A Microsoft Regional Director and MVP, Stephanie works closely with customers to turn emerging technologies into practical business outcomes while helping organizations navigate AI adoption, governance and workforce transformation.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Boards Can't Stay at 30,000 Feet Anymore

Wed, 27 May 2026 04:00:00 -0500

AI is collapsing the space between oversight and ownership.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, NASDAQ Global Head of Board Advisory Byron Loflin and WWT Global Head of Cyber Advocacy Kate Kuehn break down why boards are entering an age of accountability and what happens when AI moves faster than governance can keep up.

As AI moves deeper into the enterprise, the challenge is no longer adopting the technology. It's knowing who owns the consequences. Byron and Kate unpack what happens when innovation moves faster than governance, and what leadership accountability looks like in an AI-driven world.

Because the question is no longer whether AI changes the business. It's whether leadership changes with it.

Support for this episode provided by: Rubrik

More about this week's guests:

Byron Loflin is Global Head of Board Advisory at Nasdaq, where he leads board assessments and boardroom training for Nasdaq Governance Solutions. Founder and former CEO of the Center for Board Excellence, acquired by Nasdaq in 2019, Byron is known for his work in board performance, governance, accountability and corporate strategy. He advises boards and executive teams on governance practices, board effectiveness and organizational leadership.

Kate Kuehn is Global Head of Cyber Advocacy at WWT and brings more than 25 years of experience leading cybersecurity, technology and AI strategy across the industry. Having served in executive leadership roles including CISO, CEO, Chief Trust Officer and board advisor, Kate is known for helping organizations navigate the intersection of security, risk and emerging technologies. She advises leaders and boards on cyber resilience, AI adoption and integrated risk management strategies.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

When AI Stops Assisting And Starts Acting

Wed, 20 May 2026 04:00:00 -0500

What changes when AI stops answering questions and starts taking actions?

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT security leaders Istvan Burko and Jillian Anderson-Nix break down why agentic AI is forcing enterprises to rethink security from the ground up. These systems are no longer just generating content. They're touching sensitive data, triggering workflows, modifying code and operating with a level of speed and autonomy existing security models were never designed to handle.

The conversation explores the idea of blast radius, why AI agents can behave like highly privileged employees vulnerable to manipulation, and what happens when AI deployments move faster than governance and operational controls can keep up.

We also unpack ARMOR, WWT’s AI Readiness Model for Operational Resilience, along with the practical guardrails leaders should be thinking about now, including observability, least privilege, secure operations and disciplined human oversight for coding agents.

If your organization is building or deploying agentic AI, this episode offers a practical look at where the next generation of security risk is starting to emerge.

Support for this episode provided by: Akamai

More about this week's guests:

Jillian Anderson-Nix is a Technical Solutions Architect at World Wide Technology focused on enterprise AI security and operational resilience. Her background spans biomedical research, aerospace and applied AI, bringing a cross-industry perspective to securing emerging technologies. Jillian is passionate about building safe, practical and collaborative AI ecosystems grounded in real-world enterprise use cases.

Jillian's top pick: How to Use ARMOR: A Guide to AI Security Transformation

Istvan Burko is a security and governance leader with more than 25 years of experience across cybersecurity, risk and cloud strategy. He has held senior leadership roles at NTT/Dimension Data and Amazon Web Services, where he contributed to the AWS Cloud Adoption Framework whitepapers. Istvan remains active in the cybersecurity community through industry leadership, events and enterprise security initiatives focused on modern operational resilience.

Istvan's top pick: Breaking Data Silos: How Private Inference Unlocks GPU ROI on Sensitive Data

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Mythos And The Disappearing Patch Window

Wed, 13 May 2026 04:00:00 -0500

What happens when vulnerabilities can be discovered in minutes and exploits can be generated faster than organizations can patch them?

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, former NSA Cybersecurity Director Rob Joyce and WWT cyber architecture and innovation leader Kent Noyes break down how AI is compressing the timelines cybersecurity teams have relied on for decades.

We explore why Anthropic’s Mythos became a wake-up call for the security industry, how agentic AI is accelerating vulnerability discovery, and why traditional patching and vulnerability management strategies are struggling to keep pace. The conversation also examines which defenses still hold up under machine-speed pressure, from zero trust and segmentation to deception techniques, resilience planning and recovery.

If your security strategy still assumes defenders have time on their side, this episode explains why that assumption is starting to break.

Support for this episode provided by: ExtraHop

More about this week's guests:

Rob Joyce served more than 34 years at the NSA, spending his final years as Director of Cybersecurity. Throughout his career, he held leadership roles in signals intelligence and cybersecurity, including leading Tailored Access Operations (TAO), the NSA’s elite hacking unit focused on foreign intelligence operations. He also served on the White House National Security Council as Special Assistant to the President and Cybersecurity Coordinator, and as Acting Homeland Security Advisor. Joyce is now founder of Joyce Cyber LLC and serves in advisory roles for organizations including OpenAI, Microsoft, PwC and others.

Rob's top pick: Cyber Resilience: Why Security Fails When It Matters Most

Kent Noyes is a cybersecurity and infrastructure leader with more than two decades at World Wide Technology, where he has held senior roles across technical pre-sales and service delivery. A Cisco CCIE and WWT’s first Distinguished Solutions Architect, Kent now leads Cyber Architecture & Innovation within WWT’s Global Cyber organization, helping enterprise customers address evolving security challenges, emerging technologies and modern cyber risk.

Kent's top pick: Defending at the Speed of AI

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Can Move Trillions. You Won’t Let It Send an Email.

Wed, 06 May 2026 04:00:00 -0500

AI moves trillions of dollars in milliseconds. So why won’t companies let it send a customer email?

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Erik Anderson, CEO of Singularity University and former Topgolf leader, breaks down the real constraint on enterprise AI adoption: trust.

We talk about the shift to agentic AI, how it's reshaping thought work, and the tension leaders face between productivity gains and the social contract with employees. If AI gives your team 20% of their time back, Erik argues that's not just cost savings. It's an opportunity to invest in growth, quality, and long term value.

We also cover:

Why trust becomes the bottleneck before the technology
How AI agents reshape brand and customer experience
What leaders should actually do next

Most companies won’t hit a technical limit with AI. They’ll hit a trust limit first.

More about this week's guest:

Erik Anderson is Founder and CEO of WestRiver Group, a global investment platform focused on the innovation economy. He previously served as Executive Chairman of Topgolf, leading its rise into a global brand, and is now Executive Chairman of Singularity Group. An experienced operator and investor, Erik holds leadership and board roles across technology, energy, and consumer sectors, focused on scaling companies that shape the future.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Your Customer Data Has No Owner

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Most personalization efforts fail long before AI becomes the problem.

It fails in quieter ways. A missing identity. A disconnected signal. A decision no one owns.

In this conversation, Ralph Jovine and Chris Douglas unpack why most personalization efforts stall long before AI becomes the problem. The issue is structural. Data ownership is unclear. Governance is inconsistent. Signals don’t connect across the journey.

They get into what actually needs to be in place for personalization to work at scale, and why the companies that get this right are the ones that treat it as an operating discipline, not a feature.

Support for this week's episode provided by: Netskope

More about this week's guests:

Ralph Jovine brings over 20 years of experience in digital marketing and e-commerce. As a former executive at global agencies like Accenture, Merkle, and CEO of Nervewire, he spearheaded large-scale marketing and digital initiatives for renowned brands such as Nike, Cole Haan, Ralph Lauren, L'Oréal, Toyota, Bridgestone, and Hilton Hotels. Ralph's expertise spans various domains, including Business Strategy and Transformation, CX Product Strategy and Technology, Omni-Channel Marketing, Commerce, CRM, Loyalty, Martech/Adtech, and AI/ML Strategy and Application.

Ralph's top pick: The C-suite's Blueprint to Personalization in Retail and Beyond

Chris Douglas is Senior Director of Product for Unified Commerce at World Wide Technology. He leads the strategy and growth of WWT’s Unified Commerce practice, helping organizations modernize how they connect customer data, experiences, and operations. His work spans commerce strategy, retail transformation, loyalty and personalization, and marketing technology, with a focus on turning fragmented systems into coordinated, measurable outcomes that drive growth.

Chris's top pick: Customer Experience Priorities for 2026

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Your AI Looks Smart. Your Data Disagrees.

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0500

AI can generate answers instantly. But that doesn’t mean they’re right.

Most enterprise AI doesn’t fail because of the model. It fails because the data underneath it doesn’t agree. Different teams, different definitions, different outcomes. It’s subtle, and it breaks trust fast.

In this episode, Paul Bruffett, VP of Data and Analytics at Jack in the Box, joins WWT’s Dan Moristro to talk about what it actually took to fix that. A multi-year modernization across core systems set the stage, but the real shift came from treating data as a product and building consistency into how the business defines and uses it.

They get into what Dan calls semantic debt, why generative AI makes it harder to ignore, and how modular data products, a modern data stack, and a real MLOps foundation helped turn AI from something interesting into something reliable.

If your AI works in demos but not in the business, this is probably why.

Learn more about this week's guests:

Paul Bruffett is a data and analytics leader with deep experience across cloud platforms, data engineering, and data science. He has designed and implemented enterprise data lakes, big data platforms, and scalable architectures on AWS, Azure, and GCP. Known for a hands-on approach, he focuses on building systems that support continuous deployment of data and AI workloads at scale.

Paul's top pick: Jack in the Box CTO Reveals AI Playbook

Dan Morrisroe is Managing Director of AI, Data, Analytics, and Management Consulting at World Wide Technology. He works with organizations to turn data and AI strategy into real operating capability, helping align technology, teams, and processes to drive measurable business outcomes at scale.

Dan's top pick: From Static Scorecards to Real-Time Retail Intelligence

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

From AI Demo to Production Systems You Can Trust

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Most AI strategies look good in a demo. The real challenge is getting them to run at scale.

Recorded live at NVIDIA GTC 2026, this episode with Ragu Chakravarthi from Core42 and Kraig Ecker from WWT explores what it actually takes to move from AI pilots to production systems.

They discuss sovereign AI as critical infrastructure, what control really means across data and operations, and why trust has to be built into every layer. From governance and observability to regulated environments, this is what it takes to run AI in the real world.

The conversation also looks ahead to agentic AI, rising token demand, and the growing need for traceability and access control.

If you are working to operationalize AI at scale, this episode breaks down what most teams underestimate.

Support for this episode provided by: Forescout

More about this week's guests:

Ragu Chakravarthi is Chief Technology and Product Officer at Core42, leading AI infrastructure, platforms, and operations. He oversees large-scale AI cloud deployments across NVIDIA, AMD, and Cerebras, and has driven innovations like Compass and JAIS. His work focuses on enabling secure, scalable AI adoption, with emphasis on sovereignty, performance, and enterprise readiness.

Kraig Ecker is EVP of Global Service Provider Sales at WWT, leading teams that help the world’s largest telecom and hyperscale companies adopt next-generation technologies. With deep industry relationships, he has driven growth across AI, 5G, cloud, and edge, expanded WWT into new markets, and helped establish the company as a leading partner across the global service provider ecosystem.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Is Writing Code Faster Than You Can Review It

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0500

AI is writing code faster than most teams can review it. That’s the tension.

Recorded live at NVIDIA GTC with Nate McKie, we get into what happens when developer speed takes off but security and quality don’t.

The middle of the development process is collapsing. Code is cheap. Mistakes aren’t.

So what actually has to change?

We get into AI-native engineering, agentic development and the shift from code generation to code governance. From code review bottlenecks and the “hourglass effect” to model selection, RBAC and secure data access, this is how enterprise teams scale AI without breaking things.

Support for this episode provided by: Thales

More about this week's guest:

Nate McKie is a Senior Executive AI Advisor with more than 25 years of experience in software and automation engineering. He helps organizations translate AI into real business outcomes, advising on strategy across data, infrastructure and applications to drive effective and responsible adoption.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Before You Scale AI, Fix Your Data

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0500

AI is working. Your data probably isn’t.

As enterprise AI moves into production, a new constraint shows up fast. Not models. Not compute. Data.

In this episode, recorded live at NVIDIA GTC, NetApp’s Tore Sundelin and WWT’s Derek Elbert get into what’s actually slowing teams down. The shift from clean, structured data to messy, high-value, unstructured data that’s harder to find, govern and use in real time.

This is where things start to break. Data spread across systems. Inconsistent policies. No clear way to trust what’s being used.

And once AI depends on live enterprise data, those gaps don’t stay hidden for long.

Because at this stage, AI doesn’t fail at the model. It fails at the data.

Support for this episode provided by: Riverbed

More about this week's guests:

Derek Elbert is an AI Practice leader at World Wide Technology focused on hybrid cloud AI and high-performance architecture. He specializes in networking and storage within modern AI stacks, helping organizations design and scale infrastructure to support data-intensive, production-grade AI workloads.

Tore Sundelin is a product leader at NetApp focused on enterprise AI and data platforms. With 20+ years at Microsoft, Google and NetApp, he has built AI-powered products at global scale, including early machine learning capabilities in Microsoft Office. He specializes in turning complex data, governance and platform challenges into production-ready AI solutions.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Speed Starts in the Data Center

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0500

AI isn’t slowing down. Your data center is.

As enterprise AI moves into real workloads, physical limits show up fast. Power. Cooling. Space. Timing. The conversation shifts quickly from what model to use to whether you can run it at all.

In this episode, Schneider Electric CTO Jim Simonelli and WWT’s Chris Campbell talk through what happens when AI infrastructure, data center design and workload placement collide in production.

Because “speed to first token” isn’t just about model performance. It’s about whether your environment can keep up.

More about this week's guests:

Chris Campbell is responsible for the strategy, development, and delivery of WWT's AIaaS/GPUaaS and Facilities & Infrastructure solutions, and their associated GTM to our clients. Campbell has also served as Sr. Director - Executive Engagement and Customer Advocacy at WWT, and was responsible for the strategy, development, and delivery of WWT's global customer executive engagement programs, and has also served as a Sr. Director of Engineering and Architecture - Mid America at WWT, where he was responsible for managing WWT's team of consulting systems engineers and architects in Mid America.

Jim Simonelli is a Schneider Electric leader focused on the infrastructure realities shaping enterprise AI. He brings a practical view of what it takes to make AI deployable at scale: reliable power, liquid cooling, flexible data center design, and the operational certainty leaders need before turning on compute. He speaks from both sides of the equation, as someone helping Schneider use AI while also helping enterprises build the environments required to support it. His perspective is relevant as organizations weigh cloud, hybrid and on-prem choices and try to move faster without locking into the wrong infrastructure decisions.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Doesn’t Break Where You Think: How Storage and Data Readiness Now Decide AI Success

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0500

AI is working. Until it isn’t.

Not because the model failed, but because something behind it did.

In this episode, recorded live at NVIDIA GTC, WWT’s Mike Trojecki and Everpure’s Kaycee Lai talk through what starts to show up once AI moves into real use. Data that’s harder to access than expected. Systems that slow things down. Security and governance questions that weren’t part of the original plan.

It’s a different kind of conversation than most. Less about what AI can do, more about what it takes to actually run it inside a business.

There’s a shift happening underneath it all. AI is starting to behave like a core application, which means it inherits the same expectations around reliability, performance and control.

And that’s usually where things get complicated.

More about this week's guests:

Mike Trojecki brings 25+ years of experience across security, cloud, and AI, starting with his service in the U.S. Air Force supporting White House and Air Force One missions. He’s led emerging tech practices at top integrators and now leads the AI Practice at World Wide Technology, driving high-performance AI infrastructure and data strategies.

Kaycee Lai is a data and AI leader with 20+ years of experience driving innovation and enterprise transformation. At Pure Storage, he leads Enterprise AI and Analytics strategy. As founder and former CEO of Promethium, he pioneered Data Fabric, helping organizations unlock more accessible, usable data.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Agentic AI at Scale: How to Build Without Losing Control

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Agentic AI is getting real fast. The challenge isn’t building it anymore. It’s running it without losing control.

Recorded live at NVIDIA GTC, this conversation gets into what actually changes when AI moves into production. Not in theory, but in practice.

As organizations start designing for real usage, new pressure shows up. Systems get more complex. Costs become harder to predict. And security can’t be something you fix later.

Cisco’s Kevin Wollenweber, NVIDIA’s Kevin Deierling and WWT’s Neil Anderson talk through what they’re seeing right now and how teams are adjusting in real time.

If you’re thinking about how to scale AI without losing control of your environment, your costs or your risk, this is worth your time.

More about this week's guests:

Kevin Wollenweber is Cisco's Senior Vice President and General Manager of Data Center and Internet Infrastructure. In this role, he leads product strategy to enhance Cisco's infrastructure solutions for the data center, high-performance routing, and mobile networks. His leadership is pivotal in driving growth and developing cutting-edge solutions to meet the dynamic needs of businesses worldwide.

Kevin Deierling is the senior vice president of Networking at NVIDIA, joining from Mellanox Technologies where he was senior vice president of Marketing. He has been a founder or senior executive at five startups that have achieved positive outcomes. Combining both technical and business expertise, Deierling has variously served as the chief officer of technology, architecture, and marketing at these companies, where he led the development of strategy and products across a broad range of disciplines including networking, security, cloud, big data, virtualization, storage, smart energy, and DNA sequencing.

Neil Anderson has over 30 years of experience in AI, Software Development, Wireless, Cyber, and Networking technologies. At WWT Neil is VP and CTO in our Global Solutions and Architectures team, with responsibility for over $16B in WWT's solutions portfolio. Neil advises hundreds of Fortune 1000 companies on their global architecture and technology strategy.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Best AI Is the Kind You Don’t Notice (How IHG Is Scaling AI That Actually Works)

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Most enterprise AI tries to be impressive. In a hotel, it just needs to work.

No one checks in hoping to experience great AI. They want things to feel smooth, fast, intuitive — like everything is just handled. That’s the standard.

At IHG Hotels & Resorts, AI is being applied with that mindset. Not as a headline, but as a way to make employees more effective and operations run cleaner behind the scenes.

In this episode, IHG Chief Product and Technology Officer Jolie Fleming shares what it actually looks like to scale AI inside a global hospitality business. Not pilots that linger. Not demos that look good in slides. Real changes to how work gets done — across call centers, service workflows, language translation and day-to-day operations.

The approach is simple, but disciplined: start with a real problem, fix it, prove it works and then expand. It’s less about chasing the latest model and more about building something that holds up under pressure.

And underneath it all, the fundamentals still matter. Data, workflows and governance don’t go away with AI — they become more important. Fast.

For leaders trying to move quickly without losing control, this episode offers a clear takeaway: the most effective AI doesn’t announce itself. It just makes everything work better.

Support for this episode provided by: Check Point

More about this week's guest:

Jolie Fleming was appointed Chief Product & Technology Officer in April 2024. In this role, Jolie is responsible for driving the development of all guest, enterprise and owner-facing products and technology, while working across our regions with marketing, brands, loyalty and operations. Jolie joined IHG in 2021 as Senior Vice President, Guest Products and Platforms (GPP) for IHG's Commercial and Technology team. In that role, she led the development and launch of technology solutions for the new IHG One Rewards programme and supporting mobile app, new hotel websites and the seamless integration of new partners including Iberostar.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

OpenClaw, Inference, AI Factories: What We Learned at NVIDIA GTC 2026

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:00:00 -0500

At NVIDIA GTC 2026, the conversation shifted from model novelty to enterprise reality. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT Chief AI Advisor Tim Brooks explains why agentic AI, inference-heavy workloads and physical AI are forcing CIOs and CTOs to rethink infrastructure, governance, trust and leadership.

Brooks, WWT's Chief AI Advisor, said the industry is moving beyond fascination with model releases and into the harder work of managing inference, agents, infrastructure and trust at scale.

The shift matters because enterprise AI is no longer defined primarily by training. Brooks points to an inference inflection point, where production systems, multi-step reasoning and autonomous or semi-autonomous agents are driving exponential token growth. That creates immediate pressure on compute, memory, networking and cost decisions that many organizations are still underestimating.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Why Private AI Is Winning in the Enterprise

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Private AI is quickly moving from niche architecture to a core enterprise AI strategy. As AI workloads move into production, leaders are rethinking where inference runs, how data stays governed and why hybrid AI infrastructure may offer the best balance of performance, cost and control.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, VMware by Broadcom’s Chris Wolf, NVIDIA’s Chad Olds and WWT CTO Mike Taylor explore why private AI is gaining momentum across the enterprise. What began as a design choice for highly regulated industries is becoming a practical model for organizations that want to scale AI while maintaining governance, protecting intellectual property and managing infrastructure costs.

The conversation examines how inference workloads are spreading across cloud, on-prem and edge environments, why enterprises are becoming more protective of their data and how the economics of sustained AI workloads are shaping infrastructure decisions.

You’ll learn:

• Why private AI is emerging as a practical enterprise AI architecture
• How hybrid AI environments balance cloud, on-prem and edge workloads
• Why data governance and IP protection are driving AI infrastructure choices
• How inference economics are reshaping enterprise AI strategy
• What leaders must do to treat AI as operational infrastructure—not a side experiment

If you're building an enterprise AI strategy or scaling AI into production, this episode offers a clear look at how organizations are designing infrastructure to support AI reliably, securely and at scale.

Support for this episode provided by: Eaton

More about this week's guests:

Mike Taylor leads WWT’s Global Engineering, IT and Services organization, helping position WWT as a single-source partner for digital transformation. He connects WWT’s deep technical expertise with business strategy to help customers adopt emerging technologies and drive meaningful outcomes.

Chad Olds leads software sales and customer success across the Americas at NVIDIA. With more than 15 years of experience in AI, data and cloud transformation, he has held leadership roles at NVIDIA, IBM, Anchore, Software AG and startups, and began his career at Red Hat driving open-source adoption.

Chris Wolf leads the Private AI business for Broadcom’s VMware Cloud Foundation division, overseeing AI strategy, architecture and engineering. He works with enterprise leaders to design and scale AI infrastructure that balances performance, governance and cost.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The CEO's Job in the AI Era: Accelerating Idea to Outcome (I2O)

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0500

As AI spreads beyond developers into every workflow, the differentiator shifts from tools to leadership. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT Co-Founder and CEO Jim Kavanaugh argues that winning in AI will lean heavily on culture: how fast an organization can learn, adapt and change. The new leadership challenge is moving fast without creating downstream chaos.

More about this week's guest:

Jim Kavanaugh is globally recognized as an innovative business executive and is renowned for his inclusive, people-first leadership style. His emphasis on promoting a healthy, vibrant workplace has anchored WWT's award-winning culture, while his savvy business acumen has propelled the company's substantial growth. Jim leads WWT's 18-person executive team and focuses on technology innovation—for both WWT and its customers and partners—long-term planning, strategic acquisitions, financial performance, employee development and workplace culture. Under his leadership, WWT has grown into a multi-billion-dollar company with approximately 12,000 employees globally that is a great place to work for all and is a key business enabler to 80+ of the Fortune 100 companies.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Compressing Idea to Outcome (I2O): WWT Co-Founder and CEO Jim Kavanaugh on Why AI Coding Assistants Could Reshape the Enterprise

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0500

AI-powered coding assistants are rapidly compressing the time it takes to build software and delivering a competitive advantage that can lead to transformational outcomes. But according to WWT Co-Founder and CEO Jim Kavanaugh, the bigger shift is organizational: companies must rethink leadership, data strategy and workforce skills to compete in an AI-native world. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Jim shares his vision for how coding assistants are emerging as one of the most practical and disruptive use cases in enterprise AI.

More about this week's guest:

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Moves Fast. So Do Breaches. Now What?

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0600

AI is accelerating everything — including your attack surface.

Prompt injection. Shadow AI. Non-human identities. Automated agents making decisions at machine speed. The pressure to move fast is real. So is the risk.

In this episode, Fortinet’s Aamir Lakhani and WWT’s Dave Pisarek lay out a practical path forward. No hype — just the controls that actually work.

We cover:

Why prompt injection isn’t going away
How attackers hide payloads in unexpected encodings
Why identity and access management is becoming the control plane for AI
Guardrails that matter: least privilege, segmentation, scoped agents, robust logging
Why every automated system needs a human-reviewed “undo”

You’ll also hear where AI is already helping SOC teams move faster — surfacing anomalies, correlating IOCs, and shrinking time to containment.

If you’re being asked to scale AI while preventing breaches, this is the conversation to have with your security and engineering leaders.

Speed is inevitable.

Exposure isn’t.

More about this week's guests:

Dave Pisarek is a Fortinet Practice Manager with 24 years of experience in information technology and a Fortinet NSE 4 certification. He specializes in network security design and integration, translating complex technical requirements into practical, standards-based solutions. Known for his clear communication and problem-solving skills, Dave develops business plans, architectural designs, and project documentation that align security strategy with operational outcomes.

Dave's top pick: Fortinet Xperts 2025

Aamir Lakhani is Global Director of Threat Intelligence and Adversarial AI Research at Fortinet. With more than 15 years in cybersecurity, he leads research and architectural strategy across cyber defense, malware, mobile threats, and advanced persistent threats. Aamir has designed solutions for major commercial, federal, and defense intelligence organizations, helping them defend against sophisticated adversaries while advancing FortiGuard and AI-driven security capabilities.

Aamir's top pick: Stop Stacking Boxes. Start Designing Security.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Hidden Cost of Bad AI Prompts (And How to Fix Them)

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0600

Most AI teams aren’t losing to the model.

They’re losing to bad prompts.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT’s Liz Gattra breaks down the invisible tax of vague instructions, blind trust in outputs and endless iteration loops that quietly burn tokens, waste GPU cycles and drag down ROI.

As generative AI moves into production, AI literacy becomes operational leverage — not a soft skill.

We cover:
• A practical prompt blueprint that improves output quality fast
• Why “confident but wrong” is more expensive than you think
• How precision reduces token spend and compute waste
• When to switch between ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude
• Why system prompts, agents and context engineering determine whether AI scales or spirals

Every vague prompt compounds.

The teams that win don’t just deploy models — they train people to think clearly, structure intent and treat prompts like lightweight programs with measurable results.

If you care about AI ROI, compute efficiency, and scaling generative AI in the enterprise, start here.

Precision isn’t optional. It’s a cost control strategy.

Support for this episode provided by: ExtraHop

More about this week's guest:

Liz Gattra is Director of Product Ownership at World Wide Technology’s Application Services practice. A former Agile Coach, IT manager, Scrum Master, and Agile Business Analyst, she has led enterprise agile transformations and built product ownership capabilities across internal and client teams. Liz develops and trains product owners to deliver measurable business value at scale. She holds a Master’s in Biology and Biomedical Sciences from Washington University in St. Louis and brings nearly 20 years of cross-industry IT experience.

Liz's top pick: The AI Adoption Gap Isn't Technical. It's Human.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Isn’t a Pilot Anymore: How Cox Scaled It

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0600

AI pilots are easy.
Scaling AI across a live network is not.

As organizations move beyond experimentation, the challenge isn’t better models — it’s building AI that operates like infrastructure: reliable, secure, and measurable.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Matt Shorts, AVP of AI at Cox Communications, joins WWT’s Greg Schoeny to share how Cox moved AI from isolated pilots into production across a customer-facing network where uptime, trust, and scale matter daily.

You’ll learn:

Why operating conditions expose bad AI decisions fast
How to modernize without waiting for perfect data
The risks of rushing into closed platforms
Why momentum beats perfection
How framing AI as augmentation — not replacement — drives adoption

This episode is for CIOs, infrastructure leaders, and platform teams responsible for deploying AI in complex, regulated environments.

The bottom line: AI only delivers value when it behaves like infrastructure.

And infrastructure rewards discipline — not hype.

More about this week's guests:

Greg Schoeny is Senior Vice President of Services and Strategic Solutions at WWT, leading services sales, business development, and architecture for the Global Service Provider (GSP) business. His team delivers outcome-driven solutions across AI, cloud, security, mobility, automation, and advisory services, supporting customers with professional services, managed services, staffing, and strategic consulting.

Matt Cox is a technology leader with 20+ years of experience driving digital transformation and product innovation. He specializes in AI strategy, multi-cloud optimization, and building high-performing teams. Matt has led successful product launches, developed IP strategies, and architected IoT solutions that unlock new revenue and operational efficiency, aligning technology with measurable business impact.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Why Observability Has Become the Control Plane for Enterprise AI

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0600

As enterprises rush to deploy AI, observability is emerging as the discipline that determines whether those investments create durable value—or quietly erode it. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT's Ivan Wintersteiger, Cisco's Tapan Shah and NVIDIA's Shashank Sabhlok discuss why observability, when treated as foundational, becomes the connective tissue between infrastructure, applications, security and user experience.

More about this week's guests:

Ivan Wintersteiger brings more than 20 years of experience across IT leadership, engineering, and business development, with a consistent focus on end-user experience and security. In his current role, Ivan leads the End User Computing practice, driving transformational solutions across modern device management, application delivery, and identity management to help organizations operate securely at scale.

Tapan Shah leads the Splunk AIOps products—IT Service Intelligence (ITSI) and Splunk On-Call—within the Splunk Observability portfolio. With more than 20 years of experience across observability, systems and network management, application performance monitoring, and AIOps, Tapan has worked closely with large global enterprises across industries, including a significant portion of the Fortune 100. Based in California, he focuses on helping organizations gain end-to-end visibility and operational resilience at scale.

Shashank Sabhlok is a senior product manager in the NVIDIA Enterprise product group, where he leads initiatives around AI factory design and enterprise adoption to drive scalable, high-performance AI across organizations. Prior to this, he was the lead product manager for IBM watsonx.governance, IBM's generative AI governance solution, where he successfully led the product from inception to launch and beyond. He holds an MBAi (MBA + AI) degree from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and McCormick School of Engineering, and a BASc in Electrical Engineering with Distinction from the University of Waterloo.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Shift from AI Pilots to AI Infrastructure

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0600

As organizations move beyond experimentation, compute has become a deciding factor in whether AI delivers real value or stalls before production. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT VP Neil Anderson, NVIDIA VP Chris Marriott and Cisco VP Daniel McGinniss talk about how organizations are rethinking where AI runs, how it's secured and how value is measured.

More about this week's guests:

Daniel McGinniss is Vice President of Product Management for Cisco Compute, responsible for developing innovative products and establishing new routes to market for Cisco's multi-billion-dollar compute and SaaS infrastructure management portfolio, while driving new solutions and as-a-service offers with ecosystem partners in alignment with customers' most critical business needs.

Chris Marriott is the vice president of enterprise platforms at NVIDIA, spending the last 14 years advancing enterprise solutions. With a background in engineering, including 10 years in ASIC development, Marriott combines technical expertise with strategic insight to address the evolving technology landscape. Outside of work, he enjoys playing ice hockey and exploring the outdoors with his family.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Network Is Becoming the Real Unit of AI Performance

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0600

As AI systems grow larger and more distributed, enterprises are discovering that performance, security and time-to-value depend less on individual components and more on how well the system moves, synchronizes and protects data at scale. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT's Justin van Schaik, Cisco's Dave Jansen and NVIDIA's Taylor Allison talk about how a well-designed network fabric extends time to value, increases risk and quietly erodes the economics of AI initiatives.

More about this week's guests:

Justin van Shaik is a Technical Solutions Architect at World Wide Technology, specializing in High Performance Networking, AI and Open Networking. A seasoned technologist, he helps organizations design and deploy advanced infrastructure to support next-gen workloads at scale.

David Jansen is focused on technology strategy for Cisco's Global Solutions Engineering team across all segments, verticals, and technologies via an ongoing series of innovation initiatives. David spends a lot of time with strategic customers + partners engagements globally. With over 30 years of experience in the IT industry, David is an industry expert in Cloud, Software Defined Networking (SDN), virtualization, orchestration, large scale WAN backbone, and AI Infrastructure.

Taylor Allison is responsible for product marketing related to the NVIDIA Ethernet switch portfolio, including the hardware platforms as well as network operating systems and telemetry tools. Taylor has a passion for product marketing and management in the data center infrastructure space, with expertise in networking, storage, HPC, and AI/ML. Prior to joining NVIDIA in 2021, Taylor was Lenovo's HPC/AI storage leader, responsible for high performance storage platforms, software, and solutions. Taylor earned his MS in Mathematics from the University of North Carolina.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Why Production AI Exposes Security Gaps Organizations Can't Ignore

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0600

As enterprises move AI from experimentation to production, security failures are no longer isolated incidents—they are systemic risks embedded deep in infrastructure, data flows, and decision-making systems. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT's Istvan Berko, Cisco's DJ Sampath and NVIDIA's Ofir Arkin discuss why as AI becomes core infrastructure, security becomes the mechanism that determines whether that infrastructure scales or undermines itself.

Support for this episode provided by: Rubrik

More about this week's guests:

Istvan Berko is the Global Head of AI Cyber and Innovation at World Wide Technology. With 25+ years in security, risk, and governance, he has held senior roles at NTT/Dimension Data and AWS, authored AWS Cloud Adoption Framework whitepapers, and remains active in the cybersecurity community through leadership and industry events.

DJ Sampath is Senior Vice President of Cisco's AI Software and Platform group, where he leads the charge in shaping a unified AI vision across the company's product portfolio. A builder at heart and a visionary by design, DJ blends deep technical expertise with strategic storytelling to drive transformative outcomes at scale. He has founded, grown, and sold category-defining startups, advised U.S. government agencies, and emerged as a thought leader at the intersection of enterprise AI and innovation.

Ofir Arkin is a renowned information security expert with a career spanning academia, consulting, and executive roles. He's passionate about creating innovative products that address customer needs, and has introduced several industry-first technologies. Known for his dedication to mentoring, Ofir has authored numerous influential research papers and articles, and is a recognized speaker in the information security community.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Why the AI Factory Is Becoming the Enterprise's Next Critical Infrastructure

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0600

As organizations struggle to move beyond AI pilots, a new architecture — Cisco's Secure AI Factory with NVIDIA — is emerging as a missing link between experimentation and real business outcomes. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT's Neil Anderson, Cisco's Kevin Wollenweber and NVIDIA's Chris Marriott discuss how the Secure AI Factory represents a shift from bolt-on protection to security built into the architecture itself.

More about this week's guests:

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Is Security Now a Prerequisite for AI Adoption? Inside Cisco's Secure AI Factory with NVIDIA

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0600

As companies move from chatbots to agents, the hardest work isn't prompting — it's building an always-on, governable, cost-aware system that leaders can trust. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Cisco's President and Chief Product Officer Jeetu Patel, NVIDIA Vice President Craig Weinstein and WWT CTO Mike Taylor discuss how Cisco's Secure AI Factory with NVIDIA is designed to close the gap between experimentation and execution by treating AI as infrastructure.

More about this week's guests:

Mike Taylor is the Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Services. He oversees WWT's Global Engineering and IT organization and Services segment to position WWT as a single-source provider to accelerate digital transformation. Mike aligns WWT's unparalleled technical capabilities with its collective business acumen to both advise and execute customers as they seek to become more agile and innovative.

Jeetu Patel is Cisco's President and Chief Product Officer, leading global product vision and strategy. Under his leadership, Cisco has driven innovation across its broad portfolio of products, establishing the company as the critical infrastructure for the AI era. Patel joined Cisco in 2020 to lead the collaboration and security business. He quickly became recognized for his commitment to product design and user experience, leading the team through a period of rapid innovation to transform Webex and support customers through the global pandemic. In 2024 he was promoted to the role of Chief Product Officer, where he now leads several multibillion-dollar categories, including networking, computing, security, Splunk, and more.

Craig Weinstein is the vice president of the America's Partner Organization at NVIDIA. He has over 26 years of experience in sales, sales management and channel leadership. Previously Craig was part of the America's Partner Organization leadership team at Cisco Systems, where he built strong relationships with key decision makers, stakeholders, channel partners, customers and colleagues. Craig holds communications degree from San Diego State University.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Why Ally’s AI Actually Stuck

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 04:00:00 -0600

Enterprise AI isn’t failing because of models, tools, or budgets.
It’s failing because people don’t actually use it.

While most organizations stall after pilots, Ally Financial broke the pattern — reaching over 50% AI adoption with nearly 90% retention.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Ally Chief Information, Data and Digital Officer Sathish Muthukrishnan joins former Bank of America CTO David Reilly to unpack why adoption is a leadership and culture problem, not a technology one.

Ally’s breakthrough came from an augmentation-first mindset — positioning AI as a way to help employees do better work, not replace them.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

Why “stick rate” matters more than access
How psychological safety accelerates adoption
Treating internal AI tools like real products
Turning AI pilots into infrastructure

If your AI investments aren’t translating into real usage, this episode shows how to fix it — without burning trust.

Support for this episode provided by: Illumio

More about this week's guests:

Sathish Muthukrishnan was named chief information, data and digital officer for Ally Financial Inc. in December 2019. In this role, Muthukrishnan is responsible for advancing Ally's technical and digital capabilities, including customer experience, data & analytics, cyber security and infrastructure, and accelerating the company's growth and evolution as a leader in the digital financial services sector. He reports to Ally's CEO.

Sathish's top pick: Accelerating AI Adoption: How a Bank Gained Early Insights

David Reilly is Chief Development Officer at WWT and previously served on Ally’s Board of Directors. He spent over a decade at Bank of America, most recently as CIO for Global Banking & Markets, after holding multiple senior technology leadership roles. Earlier in his career, David spent nearly three decades in technology and cybersecurity roles at major financial institutions including Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, and HSBC. He also serves on the boards of Data Dynamics and NPower.

David's top pick: Addressing Technical Debt in Financial Services

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Ferrari Problem in AI | Intel

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0600

Enterprise AI is moving out of pilots — and the infrastructure gaps are getting harder to ignore.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Intel’s Lynn Comp and WWT’s Mike Trojecki break down why treating enterprise AI infrastructure as a single hardware decision is a costly mistake. As agentic systems push AI into real operations, assumptions like “AI = GPUs” start to crack under pressure from power, cost, governance, and scale.

The takeaway from 2025 is clear: performance alone isn’t the advantage. Fit is.

We unpack how agentic AI is reshaping security models and centers of excellence, why disciplined architecture beats oversized builds, and what leaders need to plan for in 2026 to scale AI without locking into brittle, overbuilt systems.

Because driving a Ferrari to run errands looks impressive — until you see the bill.

Support for this episode provided by: Proofpoint

More about this week's guests:

Lynn Comp has a wide range of experiences spanning her ~30 years in the tech industry, from strategic planning and go to market of RISC SOCs for both communications infrastructure and mobile phones, to software pipelines laying the groundwork for rapid video-based services innovation, to pioneering the foundational libraries that paved the way for 'software defined' networking with telecommunications operators. Lynn has extensive experience in marketing, product management, product planning, and strategy development across software, hardware, cloud, and communications service providers (CoSPs). Lynn has a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech and an MBA from University of Phoenix

Lynn's top pick: AI Meets the Classroom: Shaping the Future of Learning with Intel

Mike Trojecki brings more than 25 years of experience across technology and leadership. His career began in the U.S. Air Force, supporting missions for the White House and Air Force One, where he developed a foundation of precision and reliability. After transitioning to the private sector, he led emerging technology practices at firms including ePlus and Logicalis. At World Wide Technology, Mike now leads the AI Practice, focusing on high-performance architectures, data, computer vision, and AI data center design to help organizations scale AI with impact.

Mike's top pick: AI and Data Priorities for 2026

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Why Enterprise AI Keeps Stalling

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0600

Enterprise AI didn’t fail.
It hit the wall.

In 2025, pilots multiplied, copilots spread, and expectations skyrocketed. Then reality caught up. Scaling AI turned out to be less about model quality — and more about data, security, cost visibility, and how organizations actually work.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Chris Campbell and Jason Campagna break down what enterprises learned the hard way, why most AI initiatives stall between pilot and production, and what leaders must fix to make AI deliver real impact in 2026.

We get practical about:

Why AI breaks when fundamentals aren’t ready
What agentic systems expose at scale
Why focus beats hype when AI becomes infrastructure
How winning teams design, govern, and measure AI like a core system

If your AI strategy looks impressive but hasn’t changed outcomes yet, this conversation explains why — and what to do next.

Support for this episode provided by: Graphiant

More about this week's guests:

Chris Campbell is Senior Director of AI Solutions at World Wide Technology, where he leads strategy and delivery for AIaaS/GPUaaS and data center facilities and infrastructure solutions. He brings deep experience across executive engagement, customer advocacy, and large-scale engineering leadership. Prior to WWT, Chris held senior leadership roles at Forsythe, Red Hat, BEA Systems, and AT&T. He holds a BA from Columbia University and an MBA from the University of Maryland, where he was a Dingman Entrepreneur Scholar.

Chris's top pick: AI and Data Priorities for 2026

Jason Campagna is a strategic technologist at World Wide Technology, where he leads AI solution strategy and helps enterprises navigate the next wave of intelligent systems, from AI assistants to autonomous agents. With deep experience spanning cloud, automation, and platform architecture, Jason focuses on turning emerging technology into operational reality. He brings a pragmatic, execution-driven approach to scaling AI in complex enterprise environments.

Jason's top pick: AI Agents: Scaling Your Digital Workforce

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Who Owns AI When It Breaks? | NightDragon

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0600

AI is no longer an experiment — it’s an accountability test.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Dave DeWalt, Founder and CEO of NightDragon, and Kate Kuehn of WWT unpack what happens when AI systems fail, misfire, or create real-world risk — and who ultimately owns the outcome.

As organizations look toward 2026, boards want visibility, CEOs want measurable impact, and the lines between IT, security, and the business have disappeared. AI accelerates opportunity, but it also accelerates exposure — collapsing decision timelines and reshaping responsibility.

This conversation explores how accountability is shifting to the top of the enterprise, how leaders should think about ownership when AI breaks, and why resilience, governance, and speed now define competitive advantage.

Support for this episode provided by: Graphiant

More about this week's guests:

Dave DeWalt is founder and CEO of NightDragon, a venture and advisory firm focused on building the world's leading SecureTech platform. A four-time CEO, he has led iconic companies including FireEye, McAfee, and Documentum, creating over $20B in shareholder value. A longtime board leader and public servant, DeWalt has advised four U.S. administrations on national security and cybersecurity and is a recognized voice on technology risk and resilience.

Dave's top pick: Infrastructure as a Strategic Target of War

Kate Kuehn joined WWT in 2024, bringing more than 25 years of experience leading and advising cybersecurity, technology, and AI strategy. She has held executive and board roles across the cyber ecosystem — including CISO, CEO, Chief Trust Officer, advisor, and board director — with experience at companies such as Aon, BT, and Verizon. A trusted advisor and award-winning leader, Kate focuses on helping executives and boards align cyber risk, AI, and business strategy in an increasingly complex threat landscape.

Kate's top pick: AI Won't Save You: Easterly, Joyce and CISOs on the Cybersecurity Reality No One Wants to Hear

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

When AI Changes the Rules of Cybersecurity

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0600

Cyber risk is changing — and AI is accelerating it.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, former NSA Director Rob Joyce joins WWT’s Madison Horn to explain how nation-state cyber activity has shifted from quiet espionage to strategic pre-positioning inside critical infrastructure.

AI isn’t introducing new tactics — it’s collapsing timelines. Reconnaissance, phishing, and exploitation now move at machine speed, shrinking response windows from weeks to minutes. The result is a fundamentally different threat model.

The conversation focuses on what leaders need to understand now: how agentic AI reshapes cyber risk, why basic discipline still matters but no longer scales on its own, and how AI must become a force multiplier for defenders.

A clear, high-level look at the cyber line that’s already been crossed — and what comes next.

More about this week's guests:

Madison Horn is a cybersecurity executive and national security strategist whose work spans technology, policy, and critical infrastructure. With 15+ years of experience, she has led global incident response, digital risk transformation, and cyber strategy across highly regulated and high-risk environments. Madison has held leadership roles at FusionX, Accenture Security, PwC, and on the founding team of Siemens Energy's Global Security practice. She currently serves as National Security & Critical Infrastructure Advisor at WWT, advising on AI governance, ICS/OT resilience, zero trust, and cyber-informed engineering. A frequent media contributor and advocate for women in technology, Madison is driven by advancing digital trust and national resilience.

Madison's top pick: Infrastructure as a Strategic Target of War

Rob Joyce has more than 30 years of leadership in cybersecurity, cyber operations, and intelligence. He has dedicated his career to advancing national security and cyber resilience. Rob previously served as Director of the Cybersecurity Directorate at the NSA, overseeing defense of the nation's most critical systems, and held senior roles including Acting Homeland Security Advisor and Special Assistant to the President for Cybersecurity. He is the founder of Joyce Cyber LLC and currently advises boards and executives on emerging cyber risks, with advisory and board roles spanning technology, national security, and critical infrastructure.

Rob's top pick: Who Owns AI When It Breaks

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Google Cloud’s New Math for AI

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0600

Enterprise AI just grew up—and the math has changed.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Francis deSouza, COO of Google Cloud, breaks down why the era of scattered AI pilots is over—and why the winners are moving fast, focused, and top-down.

We unpack how leading enterprises are shifting from “let a thousand flowers bloom” to a tight portfolio of high-impact AI use cases that actually ship, scale, and deliver ROI. Francis explains why data strategy—not model choice—is the real competitive advantage, how agents need secure access to data where it already lives (no massive migrations required), and why AI is quietly rewriting the enterprise attack surface.

The conversation also gets real about people. The next generation of AI-ready companies won’t just hire specialists—they’ll build AI-fluent teams where every employee is bilingual in their domain and AI.

If you’re building for 2026 and beyond, this episode is your signal:
less hype, fewer experiments, more execution.

More about this week's guest:

Francis deSouza is Chief Operating Officer and President of Security Products at Google Cloud, where he leads operations to scale the business and oversees Google Cloud's global security portfolio, spanning products, threat intelligence, consulting, and governance. He joined Google in January 2025 after three decades as an engineer, technology executive, entrepreneur, and investor. Previously, Francis served as CEO of Illumina and President at Symantec. He has co-founded three companies and serves on the board of Deel. Francis holds BS and MS degrees from MIT and is driven by technology's power to improve lives.

Francis's top pick: The AI Multiplier: Creating a Sustainable Competitive Advantage with Google Cloud COO Francis deSouza

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Can Legal Teams Keep Up with AI Advancements?

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

AI is moving faster than the rules designed to govern it—and legal teams are now on the critical path.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Olivia Fleming, Chief Legal Officer at Edgewood Management, and Erika Schenk, General Counsel and EVP of Compliance at World Wide Technology, unpack how enterprise AI is reshaping the legal function—from gatekeeper to growth enabler.

They break down why the biggest risk in AI isn’t black-box models or hallucinations—it’s deploying tools no one fully understands. From fragmented data estates and fast-moving regulations to cross-border gray zones and emerging governance models, this conversation gets practical about what legal leaders actually need to know to help AI scale responsibly.

The takeaway is clear: when legal is involved early, organizations move faster—not slower. The enterprises winning with AI are building trust, governance, and accountability into the stack from day one.

If you’re rolling out AI at scale, navigating regulatory uncertainty, or trying to move fast without breaking things, this episode is required listening.

More about this week's guests:

Erika Schenk is General Counsel and EVP of Compliance at World Wide Technology, where she leads global legal strategy and compliance. Since joining WWT in 2014, she has built and scaled the legal organization, overseeing contracts, ESG, EHS, government affairs, and legal support for enterprise, service provider, and public sector teams. A trusted business partner, Erika has guided WWT through international expansion, acquisitions, and portfolio growth. She previously served as senior counsel at Boeing and as a partner at Bryan Cave LLP.

Olivia Fleming joined Edgewood in November 2007 and serves as the Chief Legal Officer. Olivia graduated from Fordham University with a BA and also received a JD from Tulane University Law School. Olivia was promoted to Partner in December 2018.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

F5 Warns: Enterprises Are Running Naked AI

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

AI is shipping faster than security teams can catch it—and the attack surface is quietly exploding.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Shawn Wormke of F5 and Chris Konrad of World Wide Technology unpack the rise of what they call “naked AI”—enterprise AI systems deployed without proper data controls, API protection, or governance.

Drawing on new F5 research, they reveal why only 2% of organizations are truly AI-ready, how shadow AI and exposed interfaces are multiplying risk, and why bolting on security after deployment is already too late. As AI systems move toward greater autonomy—and quantum-era threats loom—the conversation makes one thing clear: trust has to be designed into the AI lifecycle from day one.

If your organization is racing to production, experimenting with agents, or scaling AI faster than policy can keep up, this episode is a wake-up call.

Support for this episode provided by: Red Hat

More about this week's guests:

Chris Konrad is a global cybersecurity executive and Vice President of Global Cyber at World Wide Technology. Since joining WWT in 2014, he has helped build and scale its $4.5B global security business. Chris leads global cyber strategy, practice development, and partner engagement, aligning security programs to business outcomes across public and private sectors. With 27+ years of experience, he is a trusted advisor to C-suite leaders and a member of the Forbes Technology Council, known for turning cybersecurity into a strategic enabler of resilience and growth.

Chris's top pick: Secure All Together: 5 Principles for Building a Culture of Cybersecurity

Shawn Womke is Senior Vice President of Product Management at F5, leading the strategic direction of a portfolio central to how customers build, secure, and scale modern applications. Since joining F5 in 2013, he has helped deliver products grounded in real-world use cases, from open-source innovation in Kubernetes and OpenStack to leading the Aspen Mesh incubation and serving as General Manager of NGINX. With experience spanning Cisco, startups, and global enterprises, Shawn is focused on uniting teams around clear vision, customer impact, and execution at scale.

Shawn's top pick: Texas A&M University System Teams Up with WWT for Cyber Range Challenge

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

HPE’s AI Factory Is the New Baseline

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

AI pilots are easy. Enterprise AI at scale is the hard part.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Craig Dillman of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise and Earl Dodd of World Wide Technology break down how enterprises are moving from experimentation to production-grade artificial intelligence—and why AI Factories are becoming the backbone of modern enterprise AI.

Rooted in decades of supercomputing expertise, AI Factories turn artificial intelligence into a repeatable, governed production system—balancing performance, cost, sovereignty, and security while staying flexible enough to absorb fast-moving models and agentic systems.

With inference workloads exploding and AI agents generating massive volumes of data, they warn that 2026 may be the year the enterprise AI data bottleneck hits, exposing infrastructure that wasn’t built for continuous AI production.

The takeaway is clear: the future of enterprise AI belongs not to endless pilots, but to organizations that industrialize artificial intelligence.

Support for this episode provided by: Juniper Networks

More about this week's guests:

Earl J. Dodd is Global HPC Business Practice Leader at World Wide Technology, where he advises enterprises and governments on HPC, HPDA, and supercomputing strategy. He drives technology enablement, business development, and ESG-aligned outcomes, helping organizations achieve ROI through secure, ultra-scale architectures spanning HPC, cloud, and extreme data environments. With 40+ years of experience, Earl is a trusted industry leader and frequent speaker at global conferences.

Earl's top pick: The Workflow Revolution: How HPE Private Cloud AI Transforms Enterprise AI from Isolated Workloads to Integrated Value Chains

Craig Dillman is an NVIDIA Alliance Technology Solutions Manager at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, where he works at the intersection of advanced computing platforms and enterprise adoption. He partners with customers and ecosystem stakeholders to align NVIDIA technologies with real-world business and technical requirements, helping organizations design, deploy, and scale modern AI and accelerated computing solutions within enterprise environments.

Craig's top pick: How AI Agents Are Transforming IT Ops

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Pilots Are Dead. Now What? Dell Explains.

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

GPUs don’t create value. Enterprise AI does—when it’s built the right way.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Allen Clingerman of Dell Technologies and Matt Halcomb of World Wide Technology break down why the next phase of enterprise AI won’t be won by chasing GPUs or spinning up one-off pilots—but by building real AI factories grounded in data, strategy, and execution.

They introduce Dell’s AI Data Platform as an operating model for production-grade artificial intelligence—one that starts with use-case clarity, not silicon. The conversation reframes the AI factory as a system that aligns people, process, data, security, and infrastructure to deliver repeatable outcomes at scale.

A major theme: bring artificial intelligence to the data, not the other way around. With most enterprise data still on-prem and regulations tightening around sovereignty and locality, flexible architectures that span data center, cloud, and edge—and remain silicon-diverse—are becoming non-negotiable.

The message to leaders is blunt: slow down long enough to design with intent, then move fast with purpose—or risk building rigid AI monuments that never deliver ROI.

More about this week's guests:

Matt Halcomb is a Principal Solutions Architect for Data Center Technologies at World Wide Technology, with over 25 years of experience in enterprise IT, including 17+ years at WWT. He works within WWT’s Global Solutions Development team, designing and deploying next-generation infrastructure in the Advanced Technology Center. His expertise spans compute, storage, software-defined, and composable architectures, with a focus on scalable, sustainable, production-ready platforms.

Matt's top pick: The AI Proving Ground: Empowering IT Teams to Drive Their Organization's AI Success

Allen Clingerman is Chief Technology Strategist & Partner AI Officer for Global Channel at Hewlett-Packard Enterprise. With more than 25 years of award-winning experience, he is an achievement-driven IT and technical sales leader known for translating enterprise architecture strategy into measurable business outcomes. Allen partners with customers to design scalable AI and infrastructure solutions that move organizations from vision to real-world results.

Allen's top pick: AI-Powered Customer Success: The Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Inside NVIDIA’s AI Factory

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

AI at scale isn’t about more GPUs—it’s about building a system that can keep evolving.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, John Gentry of NVIDIA and Derek Elbert of World Wide Technology explain why AI factories are becoming the backbone of enterprise AI—and why isolated GPU clusters can’t keep up.

They break down the factory model for production-grade artificial intelligence: data and power in, intelligence out. But making it work now requires more than compute—enterprises must unify networking, storage, orchestration, security, and multi-tenant management into a single, flexible system that serves the entire business.

At the center is data. What was once an asset is now the bottleneck. As platforms and GPUs evolve every year, enterprises need industrial-grade data pipelines and architectures built for portability—not lock-in.

The episode looks ahead to distributed inference and agentic AI, where models run at the edge while core factories continuously generate new intelligence. The mandate is clear: design for scale, flexibility, and constant change—or fall behind.

Good AI starts with good data.
Now it has to be put to work.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Factories: Built or Broken? With Cisco's Nicholas Sagnes

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

Cisco's Nicolas Sagnes and World Wide Technology's Bob Watson outline why the next generation of AI infrastructure must be engineered as a secure, observable, full-stack system — and why enterprises relying on pilots risk falling behind.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The AI Dev Tool Showdown

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

AI isn’t just changing how software gets written—it’s changing who ships, who scales, and who falls behind.

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Nate McKie and Andrew Brydon of World Wide Technology break down how artificial intelligence and AI coding assistants are reshaping enterprise software development—from real productivity gains and improved data quality to the risks leaders can’t afford to ignore.

They cut through the hype to explain which tools actually matter, how to evaluate AI coding assistants in real-world engineering environments, and why agentic AI will fundamentally redefine the software lifecycle by 2026. The insight is clear: strong engineering fundamentals still win—but in the era of enterprise AI, AI now amplifies everything, including bad practices.

If you’re responsible for software delivery, platform strategy, or developer productivity, this conversation delivers practical frameworks, clear watch-outs, and grounded guidance for adopting AI without breaking trust, security, or velocity.

Support for this episode provided by: Cloudflare

More about this week's guests:

Nate McKie has loved computers since he was a child. With a father who worked at Radio Shack, he spent countless hours in the store playing on machines and teaching himself the basics of programming. That early fascination carried into adulthood as he pursued a B.S. in Computer Studies and built a career spanning more than 25 years overseeing services in software and automation engineering. Today, he serves as a senior-level AI Advisor. His focus is helping customers understand how to best apply AI technologies to achieve their business goals—whether through hardware, software, or data strategy. Nate is thrilled to use a lifetime of experience building impactful, innovative solutions to guide others in making confident, well-informed decisions on their AI journey.

Nate's top pick: Inside the AI Coding Revolution: Tools, Tradeoffs and Transformation

Andrew Brydon has more than 25 years of experience designing, building, and delivering technology solutions and over 15 years in leadership, Andrew brings a passion for driving meaningful outcomes across a range of industries. As Managing Director in the Digital team, Andrew leads a group of Architects, Creative Technologists, and Technical Consultants with a broad range of experience across software analysis and design, architecture, custom build, and digital transformation.

Andrew's top pick: AI Coding Assistants: Enterprise Market Landscape and Tools Evaluation

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Inside the New Energy Arms Race to Power Artificial Intelligence

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

As enterprises rush to deploy copilots, automation and secure private AI, energy has become the defining constraint. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, visionary leaders including NightDragon's Dave DeWalt, Morgan Stanley's Jeff Holzschuh and Beacon AI Centers' Josh Schertzer unpack the new reality unfolding across the grid. They reveal why power — not land or fiber — is now the first question in every AI strategy, and what executives must do now to de-risk growth, secure their operations and stay ahead of the coming infrastructure supercycle.

Editor's Note: This special episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast was recorded during WWT's Business Innovation Summit, which took place at the PGA TOUR's World Wide Technology Championship in November 2025.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

NVIDIA Leaders on Building AI Factories and Driving AI Innovation

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

Artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of the global economy. Powered by leaps in accelerated computing, digital twins and autonomous systems, a new industrial era is emerging in real time. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, NVIDIA leaders Jay Puri, Charlie Wuischpard and Craig Weinstein break down how the entire AI stack — from the silicon driving breakthroughs to the software shaping intelligent experiences — is redefining how we build, operate and compete. This conversation gives leaders a clear view of what's coming next—and what it takes to align their organizations, scale AI innovation, and stay ahead in a race where velocity, architecture, and ambition now determine advantage.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Google Cloud COO Francis deSouza and WWT CEO Jim Kavanaugh on the Future of Enterprise AI

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

In this episode, Google Cloud COO Francis deSouza and WWT Co-Founder and CEO Jim Kavanaugh talk about how executives are turning artificial intelligence into a true competitive multiplier by building intelligent operations that run faster, cheaper and smarter; create predictive customer experiences that earn real loyalty; and accelerate innovation by embedding AI into every workflow.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Microsoft AI Futurist Marco Casalaina on the New Innovation Factory

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

As software and data take center stage in the modern enterprise, the combination of purposeful artificial intelligence adoption, skilled teams and disciplined processes is becoming a catalyst for transformation. In this episode, WWT CTO Mike Taylor and Microsoft AI Futurist Marco Casalaina provide real-world examples of how organizations are rethinking data foundations and embedding AI into development and operations to unlock new levels of speed, agility and innovation.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Cisco President Jeetu Patel and WWT CEO Jim Kavanaugh on the Role of AI, Cloud and Cyber in Digital Transformation

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT Co-founder and CEO Jim Kavanaugh and Cisco President Jeetu Patel break down the real constraints shaping the AI era and explore why platforms will define the next decade of enterprise innovation. They'll also talk about how secure, scalable architectures enable organizations to innovate confidently and compete at AI speed.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Alert: A Week of AI via WWT's Business Innovation Summit

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 04:00:00 -0600

The AI Proving Ground Podcast team is proud to kick off a weeklong series of daily releases from WWT's Business Innovation Summit — bringing you unfiltered conversations with the visionary leaders shaping the next decade of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud and enterprise AI strategy. Featuring insights from executives at Cisco, Google Cloud, Microsoft, NVIDIA, NightDragon, Morgan Stanley and more, this series offers urgent, real-time perspective on how AI is transforming the global economy, redefining risk, and rewriting the rules of competitive advantage.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The CX Shift AI Just Triggered

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 04:00:00 -0600

Customer expectations are shifting faster than most organizations can respond. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, leaders from healthcare, utilities and retail break down how AI is redefining what “good” customer experience looks like — and how their industries are rethinking service models, operational workflows and human touchpoints to keep pace with a new, AI-shaped standard.

More about this week's guests:

Dr. Eric Quinones is a physician leader committed to the Quintuple Aim—elevating patient experience, improving population health, lowering costs, strengthening clinician well-being, and addressing social determinants of health. He drives these outcomes through digital innovation and data-driven transformation that advance both clinical and business goals.

Eric's top pick: HLTH USA 2025: The Year Healthcare Took its Relationship with AI to the Next Level

Adam Nathan is an analytical, curious leader focused on helping organizations align business priorities with modern technology to drive meaningful transformation. Motivated by impact at societal scale, he is dedicated to advancing the Utility and Energy sectors—modernizing the critical infrastructure that powers everyday life.

Adam's top pick: Accelerating Utility Rate Case Filings with Generative AI

Brian Murphy is a seasoned executive and strategist with 30+ years of success at the intersection of business and technology. A trusted solution architect and thought leader, he has guided major organizations through complex transformations, consistently delivering measurable impact and strategic clarity.

Brian's top pick: From Kiosks to AI: What RLC 2025 Means for the Future of Restaurant Tech

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

From Hype To Habit: Making AI Work At Work

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 04:00:00 -0600

Back by popular demand, this encore episode breaks down how to turn AI hype into real results.

Aritificial intelligence shouldn’t add more work—it should make work smarter. Jon Duren and Jay Custard share how to turn AI hype into real results: integrate it into daily workflows, tie pilots to KPIs, manage adoption like a product and design for trust. A playbook for making AI actually work at work.

Support for this episode provided by: Digital Realty

Learn more about this week's guest:

Jay Custard has deep experience helping companies harness the power of digital technologies to drive meaningful customer experiences. An experienced digital marketing and ecommerce executive, he has worked across multiple disciplines with both large and small companies to enable integrated transformational retail experiences on a global scale. He has been fortunate to serve the customers of Crocs, New Balance, FinishLine, Southeastern Grocers, and Cabela's with a focus on user experience, analytics, marketing, merchandising, and technology transformations.

Jay's top pick: 4 Key Principles for Reimagining Retail with Science and Vision

Jon Duren is an accomplished technology professional with over 25 years of experience in service-provider, data center, cloud and AI solutions. He is driven by a passion for applying technical solutions to achieve business outcomes and is currently working to expand the WWT AI Solutions practice. Jon actively seeks out the best strategies to create customer value. He is constantly monitoring marketing trends, innovative and disruptive technologies, and significant market transitions to identify opportunities for driving customer growth and success. With a talent for breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand concepts, Jon is able to develop and share a vision of where business and technology intersect to create better outcomes.

Jon's top pick: Agentic AI Sounds New—But Haven't We Been Doing This Already?

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

When AI Starts to Act on Its Own, Who’s in Control?

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 04:00:00 -0600

As artificial intelligence moves from prediction to action, a new security frontier is taking shape. In this episode, Zscaler’s Head of AI Innovation Phil Tee and WWT’s VP of Global Cyber Chris Konrad explore the rise of autonomous agents, the evolution of Zero Trust and what it means to secure AI itself. From poisoned prompts to quantum threats, they warn the biggest risk isn’t just deploying AI — it’s trusting it. A sharp, real-world look at how enterprises can protect their future as machines begin to make decisions of their own.

Support for this episode provided by: Okta

More about this week's guests:

Chris Konrad is a transformative executive in global cybersecurity and has played a pivotal role in building and scaling the company’s cybersecurity capabilities—culminating in the leadership of its $4.5B global security business spanning cyber, land, sea, air, and space domains. He leads global strategy, practice development, and partner engagement across WWT’s Global Solutions & Architecture division. He drives cybersecurity initiatives that are tightly aligned with customer outcomes—enabling resilience, innovation, and growth across public and private sectors.

Chris's top pick: Cyber in 2025: We're No Longer Just Defending Systems — We're Defending Reality

Dr. Phil Tee is responsible for driving AI innovations at Zscaler, leveraging our unique data assets and the latest in AI technology to push forward what’s possible in Sec and DevOps for Zscaler customers. His team’s goal is to generate novel offerings in the cyber market and ensure that our customers benefit from the remarkable pace of AI innovation.

Phil's top pick: Hands-On Lab Workshop: Zscaler Unified Vulnerability Management

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

How AI Agents Are Transforming IT Ops

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0500

AI agents are moving from hype to the heart of enterprise IT. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Eric Jones and Ruben Ambrose — two leading AI experts — explore how intelligent, human-guided systems are transforming IT service management, incident response and operational scale to deliver faster resolutions, stronger security and smarter decisions across the enterprise.

For more about this week's guests:

Ruben Ambrose is a Chief Technology Advisor at World Wide Technology with over 25 years of experience spanning application development, IT operations, infrastructure, and enterprise architecture. He now leads teams focused on prototyping AI-driven solutions that accelerate innovation for global enterprises.

Ruben's top pick: Beyond Chatbots: How Digital Humans Are Transforming Enterprise AI Experiences

Eric Jones is an Area Director of Strategy and Innovation at World Wide Technology. He has been in the software industry for over twelve years. For the last two years, he has been focused on Generative AI and its application to enterprise workflows. This research helps World Wide Technology provide industry-leading services in building Generative AI solutions for customers around the globe.

Eric's top pick: Part 1: Transforming IT Operations with Large Language Models

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Can AI Be Trusted to Run Critical Networks?

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Artificial intelligence is firmly in the heart of the world’s most critical infrastructure — the massive networks that keep our digital lives running. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, two of our top trusted advisors to the world’s largest network operators — Dave Clough and Yohannes Tafesse — break down the high-stakes reality of applying AI at scale, the often-overlooked work of preparing data and building trust, and why the lessons emerging from telecom will shape how every enterprise approaches AI in mission-critical environments.

Support for this episode provided by: WEKA

More about this week's guests:

Dave Clough is a seasoned Mobile Solutions Architect with over 30 years of experience at the intersection of networking, business strategy, and innovation. He has been directly responsible for several billion dollars in sales and is recognized for his rare ability to blend technical expertise, market insight, and leadership to deliver impactful results. A proven leader in designing and deploying breakthrough solutions across 3G, 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi, virtualization, voice and routing, Dave has helped shape the evolution of modern networks.

Dave's top pick: Four Pillars of AI Success for Service Providers

Yohannes Tafesse is a technology enthusiast with more than 12 years of professional experience in the field of mobile telecommunication systems. Prior to joining WWT he worked as a mobile network planning engineer at U.S. Cellular. Prior to that, he worked at AT&T as a specialist RAN engineer. His interests include mobile communications, cognitive radios, machine learning and scalable data centers.

Yohannes's top pick: What NVIDIA AI Aerial Means for Telcos Seeking to Optimize Wireless Networks and Deliver New GenAI Experiences

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Welcome to The AI Proving Ground Podcast

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Welcome to The AI Proving Ground Podcast — where enterprise meets artificial intelligence in action. Each week, industry leaders, technologists and innovators join us to share real-world lessons on scaling AI responsibly, securely and with impact. From strategy to infrastructure to culture, this is where bold ideas meet practical execution — everything AI, all in one place.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Multi-Cloud Survival Guide

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Artificial intelligence has pushed cloud into overdrive. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, two of our top cloud experts — Jack French and Todd Barron — reset the approach and detail why cloud is the launchpad but portability is the strategy; how to start greenfield with containers and abstraction; what a real FinOps model for AI looks like (unit economics, tagging, token/GPU visibility); where neo clouds fit versus hyperscalers; and how to handle cross-cloud risk and skill gaps; and the governance moves that accelerate—not restrict—innovation.

Support for this episode provided by: Trellix

More about this week's guests:

Jack French brings a depth of experience in public cloud technologies to WWT. As the Senior Director of the Cloud Global Solutions and Architecture team, his responsibilities include leading the Cloud presales, business development and solution development efforts around public cloud. This also includes cloud consumption resell, cost management and marketplace.

Jack's top pick: The Cloud Advantage for AI

Todd Barron is a Technical Solutions Architect at Worldwide Technology (WWT), specializing in cloud and AI technologies. With over 34 years of experience, Todd joined WWT in 2023 after serving as a Partner Management Solution Architect at Amazon Web Services (AWS). In his role at WWT, he supports the pre-sales organization and leverages his expertise to help customers navigate the complexities of cloud and AI, particularly focusing on AWS platforms.

Todd's top pick: Enterprise Cloud Transformation: Practical Approaches to Migration and Modernization with WWT & AWS

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Trust: The Missing AI Upgrade

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Artificial intelligence investment is exploding, but adoption often stalls. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Great Place to Work CEO Michael Bush and WWT CTO Mike Taylor unpack the real reason why: trust. They reveal how culture, leadership and access — not just technology — determine whether AI pilots fail or flourish, and why people-first leadership may be the ultimate competitive advantage in the age of AI.

Support for this episode provided by: Tanium

More about this week's guests:

Michael C. Bush is CEO of Great Place To Work, the global research and analytics firm that produces the annual Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, the World's Best Workplaces list, the 100 Best Workplaces for Women list, and dozens of other distinguished workplace rankings around the world. Driven by a love of business and an unwavering commitment to fair and equitable treatment, Michael joined Great Place To Work as CEO in 2015, bringing 30 years of experience leading and growing organizations. Michael is a former member of President Obama's White House Business Council and a founding board member of the private equity seed-fund, Fund Good Jobs, which invests in small inner-city businesses.

Michael's top pick: Cultivating Workplace Excellence with Fortune’s Alan Murray, Great Place to Work’s Michael Bush and WWT’s Jim Kavanaugh

Mike Taylor oversees WWT's Global Engineering and IT organization and Services segment to position WWT as a single-source provider to accelerate digital transformation. Mike aligns WWT's unparalleled technical capabilities with its collective business acumen to both advise and execute customers as they seek to become more agile and innovative. As business and technology become more complex, it is crucial organizations use technology investments to drive strategic initiatives. Mike is responsible for connecting business strategy into the IT organization, and simplifying the sales and services process to create a more seamless experience for both customers and partners.

Mike's top pick: Building for Success: A CTO's Guide to Generative AI

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The CEO’s AI Roadmap

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Artificial intelligence is reshaping business faster than any technology in history. But while employees are already using AI daily, enterprises are struggling to capture value at scale. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT Co-Founder and CEO Jim Kavanaugh explains why executive leadership is the critical factor in moving beyond pilots, how companies should build the right foundations for AI and why waiting on the sidelines may be the biggest risk of all.

More about this week's guest:

Jim Kavanaugh is a visionary and inspiring leader, who co-founded World Wide Technology in 1990 and serves as CEO — steering the company from its roots as a small startup into a global technology solution provider that helps organizations conquer the speed and complexity of technology, harness the power of digital transformation, and make a new world happen.

Jim's top pick: A Guide for CEOs to Accelerate AI Excitement and Adoption

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Agents, Copilots and Beyond: Everyday AI's Jordan Wilson on Future of AI in the Enterprise

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 04:00:00 -0500

In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, we talk with Jordan Wilson, host of the popular Everyday AI Podcast, to unpack the realities of enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) adoption. From tool sprawl and failed pilots to executive sponsorship and agentic models, Jordan shares lessons from thousands of conversations with enterprise leaders — and reveals why soft skills and unlearning old habits may be the ultimate keys to success.

Support for this episode provided by: Cyera

Jordan Wilson is a seasoned digital strategist, a 'Top AI Voice' on LinkedIn, a top-rated Generative AI Instructor on Coursera and AI keynote speaker. He hosts the Everyday AI podcast, a fast-growing media and consulting company helping professionals grow their companies with Generative AI. Everyday AI fills the AI knowledge gap between the demand for GenAI skills and the lack of business trainings.

Check out Jordan's podcast: Everyday AI

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

From Pilots to Productivity: Unlocking the True ROI of Microsoft Copilot

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Millions of employees now have Microsoft Copilot at their fingertips, but only a small fraction of organizations have scaled it successfully. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, World Wide Technology's Mike Davis and Softchoice's Craig McQueen share hard-won lessons on driving artificial intelligence adoption, overcoming change management challenges and moving from pilots to measurable ROI. If your Copilot rollout has stalled, this conversation could be your roadmap forward.

Support for this episode provided by: Logitech

More about this week's guests:

Craig McQueen, Vice President for Digital Acceleration provides strategic direction and leadership in driving the creation of highly differentiated, customer-centric service capabilities and offerings for Softchoice. Craig and his team bring to life Softchoice strategy by painting a vision for technologies we take to customers, lead the development of the services required to help our customers adopt the most secure solutions across cloud, data center, collaboration and the digital workplace.

Craig's top pick: Microsoft 365 Copilot Wave 2: Spring 2025 Release Overview

Mike Davis has more than 20 years of experience in the IT services industry, specializing in voice and video technologies from Microsoft, Cisco, Zoom, Poly, and Pexip. With a business-driven approach, he possesses extensive knowledge of professional services to guide cross functional teams in diverse projects from execution to completion and is recognized as a trusted advisor for public and private sector customers throughout the technology life cycle.

Mike's top pick: Digital Trends Spotlight: Key Insights on Workforce Productivity Tools

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Acceleration in Action: How Higher Ed Is Balancing Innovation vs. Risk

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Artificial intelligence is transforming higher education — from classrooms to research labs — but with innovation comes risk. How can universities protect sensitive data, meet compliance obligations, and still foster discovery? In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT Higher Ed Principal Advisor Janet and Principal Cybersecurity Consultant for AI Bryan Fite share how one leading university is tackling AI governance and building guardrails that empower rather than restrict. Their insights reveal why higher ed is a proving ground for responsible AI adoption — and why every industry should be paying attention.

Support for this episode provided by: Infoblox

More about this week's guests:

Bryan Fite is a committed security practitioner and serial entrepreneur, who uses Facilitated Innovation to solve "Wicked Business Problems". Having spent over 25 years in mission-critical environments, Bryan is uniquely qualified to advise organizations on what works and what doesn't. He has worked with organizations in every major vertical throughout the world and has established himself as a trusted advisor. "The challenges facing organizations today require a business reasonable approach to managing risk, trust and limited resources, while protecting what matters."

Bryan's top pick: Shadow AI: The Threat You Didn't See Coming

Janet McIllece serves as a Principal Advisor for World Wide Technology with a focus on higher education. Her specialties include strategy design and aligning technology solutions with business architecture, institutional priorities, processes and operations. She uses human-centered innovation approaches to help stakeholders align on a vision and successful implementation path forward by advising, guiding and collaborating on how various paths do - and don't - translate to WWT's technology solutions.

Janet's top pick: Using AI to Elevate the Student Experience in Higher Education

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Private AI vs. Cloud: How Enterprise Leaders Can Make Smarter Build-or-Buy Decisions

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Is your organization ready to own artificial intelligence or are you better served by leveraging the speed and scale of the cloud? In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT High-Performance Architecture Director Jeff Fonke and VP of Advanced Technology Solutions Jeff Wynn break down the toughest question facing IT leaders today: should you build or buy your AI capabilities? From the economics of inference costs to hybrid cloud realities, the two Jeffs share practical strategies on private AI, workload orchestration, data readiness and overcoming the enterprise skills gap.

Support for this episode provided by: Google Cloud

More about this week's guests:

Jeff Fonke is a passionate technology leader, who leads new and growth solutions areas at World Wide Technology, including High-Performance Architectures that support AI and Data. With over 25 years of experience in the tech industry at WWT, he has a proven track record of building scalable data center architecture solutions within WWT's own IT organization, WWT's Advanced Technology Center, leveraging those experiences to help advance customers along their journey to simplify the complex.

Jeff F.'s top pick: Avoiding an AI Nightmare: Strategies for Scalable IT Infrastructure

Jeff Wynne is a highly accomplished technology professional with an unwavering commitment to client success. As Vice President of Technical Delivery & Engineering, Jeff is responsible for leading teams that help clients achieve their business goals through technology solutions. With more than 20 years of experience in the industry, Jeff has developed specialized expertise in cloud computing, networking, cybersecurity, and software development. He is a strategic thinker and adept problem-solver who excels at delivering outcomes that exceed client expectations. Above all, Jeff is deeply passionate about building lasting relationships and creating positive impact for clients, which he believes is the true measure of his success.

Jeff W.'s top pick: Modernizing the Point of Sale at Jack in the Box to Drive Efficiency, Insights and Growth

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Enterprise AI Adoption: How Workforce AI Is Changing the Future of Work

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Organizations are racing to unlock the potential of workforce AI, but only a few have cracked adoption at scale. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, VP of Digital Experiences Joe Berger and workforce AI expert Kait Miller break down why artificial intelligence pilots stall, how to move from pockets of success to enterprise-wide impact and why employees often trust consumer AI more than company-approved tools. Kait and Joe explore the hidden gap between employee adoption and enterprise rollout, address the build vs. buy conundrum and walk through a real-world case study at WWT that slashed days of work into hours and generated new revenue.

Support for this episode provided by: Omnissa

More about this week's guests:

Joe Berger is Vice President of WWT's Digital Experience Practice, with over 20 years of expertise in end-user computing, collaboration and AI-driven workforce solutions. He has partnered with Microsoft and Cisco on innovative initiatives and frequently speaks at client advisory boards. Passionate about simplifying experiences to drive productivity, Joe also contributes to outlets like Forrester Research, CIO.com, Wired and CRN.

Joe's top pick: How Forward-Thinking Leaders Integrate Culture and Tech to Amplify Organizational Success

Kait Miller specializes in Workforce AI at WWT. She aims to identify growth opportunities and partnerships in this field, leveraging WWT's capabilities around worker productivity solutions. These tools enhance productivity, efficiency and innovation by integrating AI into everyday business processes.

Kait's top pick: Digital Trends Spotlight: Key Insights on Workforce Productivity Tools

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Won’t Save You: Easterly, Joyce and CISOs on the Cybersecurity Reality No One Wants to Hear

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 04:00:00 -0500

At a time when artificial intelligence feels like oxygen — powering every tool, every conversation, every strategy — security leaders at the forefront are sounding the alarm: it won’t fix the fundamentals. In this episode, top voices from government, industry and the next generation of cyber talent share unfiltered perspectives on AI-augmented threats, the velocity of attacks and what it really takes to defend in 2025 and beyond. Interviews include former CISA Director Jen Easterly, former NSA Cybersecurity Director Rob Joyce and a bevy of cyber experts from inside and out of WWT.

Support for this episode provided by: SentinelOne

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Brutal Truth About AI Data Readiness: How to Slow Down to Move Fast

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Charged with moving fast on artificial intelligence? You might be setting yourself back. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT AI expert and data scientist Ina Poecher and Chief Technology Advisor Bill Stanley break down why the organizations that win with AI won't be the ones spending the most — they'll be the ones that get the fundamentals right. From "garbage in, garbage out" to building modular, reusable solutions, they share hard-earned lessons on how to align your teams, clean your data and choose the right first use cases to create a compounding "flywheel" of success. If you're feeling the pressure to move fast, this conversation will show you why the smartest move might be to slow down.

Support for this episode provided by: Netscout

More about this week's guests:

Ina Poecher is a Technical Solutions Architect at World Wide Technology (WWT) and collaborates with customers and internal teams to design and validate innovative technology solutions. Working within WWT's Advanced Technology Center, she leverages extensive experience across IT infrastructure, cloud, networking and automation to develop and test complex architectures that drive business outcomes and support strategic initiatives.

Ina's top pick: AI Agents: Scaling Your Digital Workforce

William Stanley is a Chief Technology Advisor with nearly 30 years in IT, specializing in data strategy. With an MBA and BS in Computer Science, he aligns data, technology and business goals to drive outcomes. A trusted advisor and innovative leader, his expertise spans IT strategy, architecture and analytics. A lifelong educator, he also teaches a graduate big data course and brings deep, cross-industry experience to every engagement.

Bill's top pick: The Data Traps That Are Killing AI Initiatives

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The ‘Dirty Dozen’ AI Risks — And the Framework That Kills Them

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Artificial intelligence isn't just evolving — it's accelerating into every corner of business and society. But while innovation surges ahead, AI policy and regulation is playing catch-up. In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, two of WWT's foremost AI and cyber experts — Kate Kuehn and Bryan Fite — dive deep into the fragmented and fast-changing world of AI policy, regulation and governance. Plus, what every enterprise should be doing right now to stay ahead of regulatory change while building AI systems that are secure, inclusive and future-proof.

We’re replaying an episode of the AIPG Podcast to celebrate Kate Kuehn, who will be a prominent guest and speaker at Black Hat 2025. This episode originally aired in April 2025.

Kate Kuehn joined WWT in early 2024. She brings more than 25 years of experience leading and advising cyber security, technology, innovative AI strategies and teams to help shape the industry with better business security and risk decisions. Kate is a trusted advisor, thought leader, speaker, published author, and mentor. Currently, her main area of expertise focuses on the collaboration of Risk Executives and Boards to achieve a successful and secure integrated cyber risk management program in this new normal of ever-changing regulations in this elevated threat landscape. Kate also has expertise in the correlation between security, traditional IT initiatives and the implications of AI.

Kate's top pick: Trustworthy and Responsible AI at the Global Scale

Bryan Fite is a committed security practitioner and serial entrepreneur who uses Facilitated Innovation to solve "Wicked Business Problems". Having spent over 25 years in mission-critical environments, Bryan is uniquely qualified to advise organizations on what works and what doesn't. Bryan has worked with organizations in every major vertical throughout the world and has established himself as a trusted advisor. "The challenges facing organizations today require a business reasonable approach to managing risk, trust and limited resources, while protecting what matters.

Bryan's top pick: Shadow AI: The Threat You Didn't See Coming

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Hype to Mission Impact: Dell Federal, NVIDIA and WWT's Government Playbook

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Federal technology leaders reveal how to start small, set data‑cyber guardrails and scale fast — all without blowing the budget . Listen to Dan Carroll (Dell Federal Field CTO), Ryan Simpson (NVIDIA Chief Technologist for Public Sector Partners) and Brandon Bulldis (WWT Federal Civilian Engineering Director) discuss how federal government agencies are sprinting from artificial intelligence hype to real mission impact. Hear wins like multimodal chatbots and desk‑side AI supercomputers, plus three battle‑tested rules: guardrails first, design for surge and invest in people. Watch or listen now and leave with a clear playbook for infrastructure, talent and funding.

More about this week's guests:

Dan Carroll is the Field CTO for Cybersecurity – US Federal at Dell Technologies, helping government customers meet cybersecurity and compliance goals. He partners with teams to build solutions that align with standards like HIPAA, FISMA and NERC-CIP. Dan also leads R&D collaborations with groups like NIST and DoD labs, shaping future tech in areas like 5G, IoT, supply chain assurance and digital twins.

Dan's top pick: Advancing IT for Federal Agencies with Dell and WWT

Ryan Simpson is the Engineering Chief Technologist for Federal Partners at NVIDIA, driving AI and data analytics adoption across agencies through the NVIDIA Partner Network. With nearly 20 years in government, including key AI work at USPS, he holds 16 patents in AI and image processing. Ryan brings deep expertise in aligning advanced technologies with public sector needs, policies and mission-driven impact.

Ryan's top pick: About NVIDIA & WWT

Brandon Bulldis began his career as a Communications Tech in the U.S. Air Force and now brings over 20 years of IT experience to WWT's Federal Civilian Engineering team. With a passion for continuous learning, he's helped public and private sector customers align technology with mission and business goals. A strong advocate for WWT's Advanced Technology Center, Brandon is dedicated to empowering organizations through education and innovation in an ever-evolving tech landscape.

Ryan's top pick: Public Sector Overview

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Agents: Scaling Your Digital Workforce

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Enterprise adoption of artificial intelligence agents is skyrocketing, with most large organizations already running pilots — but not all that glitters is gold. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Technical Solutions Architect Ina Poecher and Senior Director of WWT’s AI Practice cut through the noise to expose widespread “agent-washing” and spotlight practical, ROI-driven use cases you can implement today. Tune in to learn how agentic architecture transforms generative AI hype into secure, measurable enterprise outcomes — and what’s next for the multi-agent future.

Support for this episode provided by: Island

More about this week's guests:

Ina's top pick: Hack the Future: AI Meets Security

Jason Campagna leads AI solution strategy at World Wide Technology, helping enterprises adopt intelligent systems from AI assistants to autonomous agents. A technologist since 2001, he brings deep expertise in cloud, automation and platform architecture. Jason is known for bridging disruptive tech with real-world execution and building agile, diverse teams to drive innovation at scale.

Jason's top pick: WWT at ONUG AI Networking Summit—Dallas 2025

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Cloud‑Native AI: A Blueprint for Faster, Safer Innovation

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Cloud-native artificial intelligence is rewriting the enterprise playbook. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, guest host Robb Boyd joins data strategist Ina Poecher and cloud architect Zaid Elkhateeb to explore why 2025 belongs to firms that treat hyperscale cloud as their default R&D lab. Reporting from WWT’s AI Proving Ground, they reveal how on-demand GPUs, modular services, and policy-as-code governance collapse GenAI timelines from quarters to days — without riling security auditors. Tune in for a four-step blueprint — clean data, outcome-driven architecture, elastic cloud services, and continuous guardrails — that turns artificial intelligence experiments into production-grade advantage.

More about this week's guests:

Ina Poecher is a Technical Solutions Architect at World Wide Technology (WWT), and collaborates with customers and internal teams to design and validate innovative technology solutions. Working within WWT’s Advanced Technology Center, she leverages extensive experience across IT infrastructure, cloud, networking, and automation to develop and test complex architectures that drive business outcomes and support strategic initiatives.

Zaid Elkhateeb is a Technical Solutions Architect at World Wide Technology (WWT), specializing in Google Cloud Platform. He brings deep expertise in cloud engineering, data architecture, and AI/ML services, joining WWT's GS&A team from another leading Google partner. Zaid helps enterprise clients design and implement scalable cloud solutions that power innovation and drive real business outcomes.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent-to-Agent (A2A): The Future of Enterprise AI

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Agentic artificial intelligence systems have the potential to work together — but not yet at scale. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT engineer Sally Jankovic and AI advisor David Geddam break down two emerging standards — Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent-to-Agent (A2A) communication. Both promise modular AI integration, safer data flows, and agentic collaboration that actually scales, making them essential infrastructure for enterprise artificial intelligence.

Support for this episode provided by: Glean

More about this week's guests:

Sally Jankovic earned her PhD in Applied Math from the University of Minnesota in 2023. Drawn to real-world problem-solving, she began her career as a data scientist at a healthcare startup, working on ML, NLP, and LLMs. Her hands-on experience led her to the platform team before joining WWT, where she was inspired by the MC group's collaborative culture and the chance to work across diverse tech stacks and projects.

Sally's top pick: Agent-2-Agent Protocol (A2A) - A Deep Dive

David Geddam is a Senior AI Advisor and Chief Solution Architect at World Wide Technology, with 25+ years of experience in AI, healthcare tech and enterprise solutions. He’s held key roles at Kaiser Permanente, GE Healthcare, Philips, IBM Watson Imaging and multiple startups. David holds degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Technology and specializes in AI, cloud, NLP, computer vision and real-time navigation. On the hobbies front, he is involved in playing competitive tennis at USTA 4.0 level for teams in St. Louis.

David's top pick: Scaling Agentic AI: Impact of Model Context (MCP) and Agentic (A2A) protocols

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI's Invisible Bottleneck: Why AI Stalls at the Network, not the GPU

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0500

For many, artificial intelligence success isn’t limited by how many GPUs you can buy; it’s limited by how fast those GPUs can talk to each other without tripping over the plumbing. In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, two of WWT’s top networking minds —Justin van Schaik and Eric Fairfield — lay out the real choke points slowing AI projects to a crawl and how powerful, modernized network architectures are quietly rewriting the rulebook for scaling AI.

Support for this episode is provided by: Nokia

Learn more about this week's guest:

Justin's top pick: The Future of High Performance Networking: Ultra Ethernet Explained

Eric Fairfield is a Technical Solutions Architect at World Wide Technology with a passion for solving data center networking challenges. He specializes in Cisco ACI, VMware NSX and their integration. Outside of tech, Eric has spent over 30 years immersed in motorsports, working with F1, IndyCar, IMSA and other major racing organizations.

Eric's top pick: WWT at ONUG AI Networking Summit—Dallas 2025

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Jack in the Box CTO Reveals AI Playbook

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Jack in the Box CTO Doug Cook and WWT Chief Digital Advisor Charlie Lawhorn detail how a multi-year modernization sprint paved the way for advancements in artificial intelligence — and what every business can learn from the fast-food chain's journey. Doug and Charlie offer a candid conversation that delivers a playbook for prioritizing AI use cases, funding innovation in capital-constrained environments and rolling out AI with minimal disruption.

For more about this week's guests:

Doug Cook joined Jack in the Box as Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer in October of 2021. Cook brings more than 20 years of industry experience leading guest and employee-facing platforms to Jack in the Box. Cook most recently served as interim CTO of Jack in the Box, effectively leading the technology team and strategy during his interim period. Prior to joining Jack in the Box, Cook served as Chief Information Officer at Pizza Hut. Before Pizza Hut, Cook spent two decades with Sonic applying leading-edge technologies and analytics to grow the company's innovation and market position.

Doug's top pick: Jack in the Box Case Study

Charlie Lawhorn is an experienced transformation leader with a career dedicated to designing and executing complex programs that help organizations navigate digital change. He specializes in aligning process design with modern digital technologies to enhance enterprise relevance and performance in a data-driven marketplace. Charlie leads teams that prioritize business outcomes, working closely with stakeholders to identify opportunities, apply the right processes and technologies and deliver measurable business value.

Charlie's top pick: Modernizing the Point of Sale at Jack in the Box to Drive Efficiency, Insights and Growth

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

What Cisco Live 2025 Revealed About the Future of Enterprise AI

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0500

At Cisco Live 2025, the networking giant rolled out a sweeping agenda to make artificial intelligence not just powerful, but practical — and secure. In this episode, we caught up with leaders from Cisco, NVIDIA and WWT to talk about what this year's announcements actually mean for enterprise teams tasked with building scalable, secure, AI-ready infrastructure. From the rise of the Cisco Secure AI Factory with NVIDIA to the reality of agentic workflows and persistent inference traffic, this episode unpacks the architectural shifts reshaping the modern data center.

Learn more about this week's guests:

Kevin Wollenweber is Cisco's Senior Vice President and General Manager of Data Center, Internet, and Cloud Infrastructure. In this role, he leads product strategy to enhance Cisco's infrastructure solutions for the data center, high-performance routing, and mobile networks. His leadership is pivotal in driving growth and developing cutting-edge solutions to meet the dynamic needs of businesses worldwide.

Kevin's top pick: About Cisco and WWT

Chris Marriott is the VP/GM of Enterprise Platforms at NVIDIA, where he has spent 14 years advancing enterprise solutions. With a background in engineering, including 10 years in ASIC development, Chris combines technical expertise with strategic insight to address the evolving tech landscape.

Chris's top pick: About NVIDIA and WWT

Neil Anderson has over 30 years of experience in Software Development, Wireless, Security, Networking, Data Center, Cloud and AI technologies. At WWT Neil is an VP in our Global Solutions and Architecture team, with responsibility for over $16B in WWT's solutions portfolio across AI, Networking, Cloud, Data Center, and Automation. Neil advises many large organizations on their global architecture and IT strategy across Global Enterprise, Global Service Provider, and Public Sector. Neil is also on the advisory board of several high-tech companies and startups.

Neil's top pick: Building for Success: A CTO's Guide to Generative AI

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

3 Easy Steps to Kickstart AI the Right Way

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0500

AI leaders these days have little time for proofs of concept. They need ROI. If you're leading the artificial intelligence transformation in a large organization, this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast is your blueprint. AI consultants Kathleen Nowicke and Yoni Malchi share how top enterprises prioritize use cases, align across business units and unlock lasting ROI, and detail a three-step process to get AI right from the start.

Support for this episode provided by: VAST Data

More about this week's guests:

Kathleen Nowicke is an experienced consultant in data-driven digital transformation, with a broader background in Enterprise Architecture and a passion for healthcare. Skilled in leading delivery of complex services engagements, business development, and building high-performing teams. Previous consulting experience with Boston Consulting Group; PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.

Kathleen's top pick: Building for Success: A CTO's Guide to Generative AI

Yoni Malchi is a Managing Director in Consulting Services at WWT focused on AI and Cloud Strategy. He leads AI engagements with key customers bridging the gap between the business and technology teams. Yoni also leads the AI R&D efforts which researches cutting-edge AI techniques, tools, and platforms to provide differentiated recommendations to our clients.

Yoni's top pick: A Guide for CEOs to Accelerate AI Excitement and Adoption

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Data Traps That Are Killing AI Initiatives

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Nearly half of today's artificial intelligence initiatives are dead on arrival. The culprit? The data. From disjointed systems and undefined use cases to cultures that overestimate readiness, WWT data strategists Bill Stanley and Jonathan Gassner break down why many organizations struggle and detail how you can build real momentum for AI transformation.

Support for this episode provided by: Dataminr

Learn more about this week's guests:

Jonathan Gassner is a Technical Solutions Architect at WWT specializing in data engineering. He leads pre-sales efforts, aligning sales and delivery through consultative engagement. Jonathan crafts executive briefings, workshops and GTM strategies, supporting clients across sectors. He advances AI R&D, mentors future leaders, manages partner relations and drives innovation by staying ahead of data and AI trends.

Jonathan's top pick: Data Maturity Model

Bill's top pick: A Practical Playbook for AI: Driving AI Adoption in the Enterprise

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Inside the AI Coding Revolution: Tools, Tradeoffs and Transformation

Wed, 28 May 2025 06:00:00 -0500

As artificial intelligence innovation intensifies, one domain is already feeling the impact: software development. In this episode, WWT experts Nate McKie and Andrew Athan explore how AI-powered coding assistants are improving developer productivity and reshaping enterprise engineering. From Copilot to agentic tools capable of autonomous code generation, they examine how organizations are navigating this transition, balancing speed with quality and redefining the role of human developers. Whether you're leading a dev team or charting your company’s AI roadmap, this is a must-listen for understanding the real-world implications of AI in engineering.

Support for this episode provided by: Windsurf

Learn more about this week's guests:

Nate McKie's passion for computers started as a child, inspired by his father's work at Radio Shack. With a B.S. in Computer Studies, he has over 25 years of experience in software and automation engineering. Now a senior-level AI Advisor, Nate helps customers leverage AI technologies to achieve their business goals, combining his expertise in hardware, software and data to guide smart, impactful decisions on their AI journey.

Nate's top pick: Unlocking the Power of AI Coding Assistants

Andrew Athan is a Technical Solutions Architect III with deep expertise in high-performance, low-latency, distributed computing, consensus and blockchain and high-frequency trading. With a strong background in networks and software, he specializes in designing and implementing cutting-edge solutions to meet complex technical challenges. Andrew's work focuses on optimizing systems for speed, scalability and reliability in fast-paced environments.

Andrew's top pick: Codeium Windsurf Coding Assistance Demo

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Hidden Infrastructure Demands of Enterprise AI

Wed, 21 May 2025 06:00:00 -0500

As artificial intelligence pushes the limits of traditional IT infrastructure, enterprises are racing to modernize their data centers. In this episode, Mike Parham and Bruce Gray walk us through the behind-the-scenes decisions that matter — from power and cooling challenges to GPU readiness and sustainability. Whether you're modernizing or starting from scratch, this conversation is your blueprint for AI-ready infrastructure.

Support for this episode provided by: Vertiv

More about this week's guests:

Bruce Gray, a results-driven IT executive at World Wide Technology since 2007, brings 25+ years of experience in Building Automation, IT, and Telecom. As Practice Manager, he leads business development and execution for data center design and IT facilities infrastructure. With a background in architecture, programming, and electrical engineering, Bruce excels in strategy, project management, and vendor relations—always seeking challenges that drive impact.

Bruce's top pick: Data Center Priorities for 2025

Mike Parham is a Technical Solutions Architect at World Wide Technology, where he has been delivering innovative IT solutions since 2011. With a strong technical background and a focus on aligning technology with business goals, Mike helps clients design and implement scalable, efficient architectures. He is known for his collaborative approach, deep expertise, and commitment to driving successful outcomes.

Mike's top pick: AI and Data Priorities for 2025

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Data Poisoning, Prompt Injection and Exploring Vulnerabilities of Gen AI

Wed, 14 May 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Artificial intelligence systems are only as trustworthy as the data they're trained on — but what happens when that data is intentionally corrupted? WWT's Justin Hadler and Chance Cornell break down the growing threats of data poisoning and prompt injection, explore the challenges of securing AI pipelines and dive into why the next big cybersecurity frontier starts inside the model.

Learn more about this week's guests:

Chance Cornell joined WWT in 2021 as an intern and is now a Technical Solutions Engineer on the Users and Devices Team, focusing on Endpoint Security, including EDR and XDR. He has developed labs and content around technologies like CrowdStrike, Elastic, and Fortinet. Chance holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of South Florida.

Chance's top pick: Hands-On Lab Workshop: LLM Security

Justin Hadler is a seasoned technologist with over 20 years of experience in sales and technology. As a Technical Solutions Architect at WWT, he specializes in AI Security. Previously, Justin was a Regional Sales Manager at BigID, helping organizations tackle data discovery and classification challenges. He holds multiple certifications, including CCIE and CISSP, and degrees in Finance, MIS, and Economics. Justin is also Vice Chairman of Search Ministries' Leadership Board and mentors the next generation in tech and sales.

Justin's top pick: Secure Your Future: A CISO's Guide to AI

Support for this episode provided by: Crowdstrike

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Assessing AI Workloads: How to Choose the Right Environment for Enterprise AI

Wed, 07 May 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Where should your AI workloads run? It's one of the most overlooked questions in artificial intelligence strategy. From surprising constraints around power, cooling and floor space, to the growing demand for GPU-as-a-Service models, this episode delivers a field-level view of the challenges enterprises face when moving from AI proof of concept to production. You’ll hear why infrastructure readiness assessments are essential, how AI workloads differ from traditional IT, and what to consider before buying that next GPU cluster.

Support for this episode provided by: Equinix

Learn more about this weeks guests:

Chris Campbell is Sr. Director of AI Solutions at WWT, overseeing AIaaS/GPUaaS, Facilities & Infrastructure strategy and delivery. He's held leadership roles in executive engagement, engineering, and architecture at WWT, and led practices at Forsythe, Red Hat, BEA Systems, and AT&T. Chris holds a BA from Columbia University and an MBA from the University of Maryland, where he was a Dingman Entrepreneur Scholar.

Don Molaro is a tech professional focused on making data centers carbon neutral. Based in Cupertino, he holds a master's in Computer Science and 33 U.S. patents. He specializes in systems programming, high-performance storage, and software-defined systems, with experience across industries from finance to HPC. Previously, he held senior roles at Citibank, DataDirect Networks, and Hitachi Data Systems.

Chris and Don's top pick: What is GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) or GPU Cloud?

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Deepfakes for Good? How AI is Powering the Next Era of Personalization

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Can deepfakes go from dangerous to delightful? In this episode of the AI Proving Ground Podcast, Adam Dumey and Chris Roberts explore one of the more surprising — and controversial — applications of artificial intelligence: the use of synthetic media and deepfakes in personalized customer experiences. You'll learn what deepfakes really are and why they're no longer just a security threat, how AI-powered personalization is reshaping the customer experience, and the ethical and technical challenges of using AI-generated content responsibly.

Learn more about this weeks guests:

Adam Dumey is a tech executive with 20+ years of experience leading AI, Autonomous Retail, and Cloud initiatives across sectors. He advises Boards and C-suites on digital transformation, driving major efficiency and revenue gains. At WWT, he leads Global Retail Sales, helping clients grow revenue and optimize operations by aligning strategy, tech, and partners like Nvidia, Dell, Crowdstrike, and Cisco.

Adam's top pick: Navigating the Future: Three Emerging Trends in the QSR Industry

Chris Roberts is a technology expert at World Wide Technology with extensive experience across aerospace, AI, adversarial AI, deepfakes, cryptography, and deception technologies. He has founded or collaborated with multiple organizations in human research, data intelligence, and security. Today, he focuses on advancing risk management, maturity models, and industry-wide collaboration and communication.

Chris's top pick: Deepfake Deception: Can You Trust What You See and Hear?

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

A Practical Playbook for AI: Driving AI Adoption in the Enterprise

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Many organizations are chasing artificial intelligence's promise. But who's actually delivering results? In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, we take you inside WWT's AI Day STL, where real-world success stories meet tactical, boots-on-the-ground guidance for enterprise AI transformation. It's what we call "Practical AI." This episode explores the four phases of AI maturity, why clear use cases are more valuable than code, and how agentic AI and data readiness are reshaping the enterprise landscape.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Beyond Chatbots: How Digital Humans Are Transforming Enterprise AI Experiences

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0500

As enterprise artificial intelligence strategies mature, the user interface is evolving beyond chatbots. Enter the digital human — real-time, emotionally aware, multilingual AI avatars designed to mimic human interaction with uncanny realism. In this episode of AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT Chief Technology Advisor Ruben Ambrose and Area Director of Strategy an Innovation Eric Jones unpack their journey building WWT’s own avatar, “Ellie,” and offer a revealing look at the infrastructure, latency tradeoffs and feedback loops driving this frontier.

Learn more about this week's guests:

Ruben Ambrose is an AI Product Manager at World Wide Technology with over 25 years of experience in corporate IT. His background spans application development, IT operations, enterprise architecture, and sales advisory. Today, he leads teams focused on prototyping AI solutions that drive innovation and business value.

Ruben's top pick: The Making of Ellie: How WWT Built its Cutting-Edge Digital Human in 5 Weeks Using NVIDIA AI Platforms

Eric's top pick: Join WWT in the AI and Digital Revolution at NVIDIA GTC 2025!

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Staying Ahead of AI Policy and Governance with a Global Framework

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Artifical intelligence isn't just evolving — it's accelerating into every corner of business and society. But while innovation surges ahead, AI policy and regulation is playing catch-up. In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, two of WWT's foremost AI and cyber experts — Kate Kuehn and Bryan Fite — dive deep into the fragmented and fast-changing world of AI policy, regulation and governance. Plus, what every enterprise should be doing right now to stay ahead of regulatory change while building AI systems that are secure, inclusive and future-proof.

For more on this week's guests:

Kate's top pick: Trustworthy and Responsible AI at the Global Scale

Bryan's top pick: Shadow AI: The Threat You Didn't See Coming

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Why AI Might Save Healthcare — And How It’s Already Happening

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Can artificial intelligence help solve the healthcare crisis? In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, frontline healthcare executives Dr. Sanaz Cordes and Dr. Eric Quinones — both Chief Digital Advisors at WWT — share how AI is transforming clinical care and hospital operations. From ambient scribing and inbox management to predictive analytics and automation, they reveal how healthcare CIOs and clinicians are scaling AI responsibly to restore physician focus, improve efficiency and shape the future of healthcare delivery.

More about this week's guests:

Sanaz Cordes is a physician executive with 20 years of healthcare and healthtech experience. Serial entrepreneur, investor, venture advisor, and industry expert on healthcare innovation and clinical workflow. She is a speaker, blogger, and clinical thought leader that has built and helped scale healthcare companies from idea to acquisition. A pediatrician, Dr. Cordes began her career as a medical director for Providence Health and Services.

Dr. Cordes's top pick: Patient Experience Landscape in 2025

Eric Quinones is a disciplined physician leader driven by the Quintuple Aim; enhancing the patient experience, improving population health, reducing cost of care, improving the work-life of clinicians, and focusing on SDoH through the successful use of digital & data transformational tools, that support clinical and business objectives.

Dr. Quinones's top pick: Key Highlights from HIMSS 2025: A Transformative Year for Digital Health

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI at Scale: How Cisco & NVIDIA Are Powering the Future of Enterprise AI

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Artificial intelligence is moving beyond predictive analytics into real-time, autonomous decision-making — and enterprises must scale securely and efficiently to keep up. In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT VP of Networking and AI Solutions Neil Anderson, NVIDIA SVP of Networking Kevin Deierling and Cisco SVP of Networking Kevin Wollenweber unpack the biggest takeaways from NVIDIA GTC. They explore the evolving Cisco–NVIDIA partnership, the critical role of AI infrastructure and how innovations in networking, security and compute are shaping the future of AI-powered enterprises.

More about this weeks guests:

Neil Anderson has over 30 years of experience in software development, wireless, and networking technologies. At WWT Neil is the Area VP for our Cloud & Infrastructure Solutions global practice, with responsibility for Cloud, Data Center, Networking, AI, and Automation Solutions, representing over $15B in revenue. Neil works daily across WWT's customer segments, which include Global Enterprise, Global Service Provider, and Public Sector.

Neil's top pick: Building for Success: A CTO's Guide to Generative AI

Kevin Deierling is the senior vice president of Networking at NVIDIA. He has been a founder or senior executive at five startups that have achieved positive outcomes. Combining both technical and business expertise, Deierling has variously served as the chief officer of technology, architecture, and marketing at these companies, where he led the development of strategy and products across a broad range of disciplines including networking, security, cloud, big data, virtualization, storage, smart energy, and DNA sequencing. Deierling has contributed to multiple technology standards and has over 25 patents.

Kevin Wollenweber is Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Cisco Networking – Data Center and Provider Connectivity organization. In this role, he leads a portfolio that transforms how our customers build and manage their network architectures. He has worked with the world's largest Service Provider, Enterprise, and Web Companies for the last three decades and has been with Cisco since 1997. As the leader for Cisco's Data Center and Provider Connectivity portfolio, Kevin is focused on how the industry and technologies are transforming and continuously evolving Cisco's products and solutions.

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Bonus! AI’s Next Leap: Insights from NVIDIA GTC 2025

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Jensen Huang’s keynote at NVIDIA GTC 2025 made one thing clear: artificial intelligence is entering a new era of enterprise transformation. No longer just a supporting tool, AI is evolving into a decision-making and autonomous agent. In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT experts on the ground at GTC 2025 share quick-hit reactions and insights on what this shift means for business and technology leaders.

More AI Proving Ground Podcast: https://www.wwt.com/events/ai-proving-ground-podcast/overview

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Overcoming Shadow AI to Drive Enterprise AI Adoption

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Artificial intelligence is transforming enterprises — but are organizations really using it effectively? In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, experts Jon Duren and Jay Custard unpack the toughest challenges of enterprise AI adoption, from underutilized AI tools and shadow AI risks to the ongoing struggle of proving real ROI.

Learn more about this weeks guest:

Jay's top pick: 4 Key Principles for Reimagining Retail with Science and Vision

Jon's top pick: Agentic AI Sounds New—But Haven't We Been Doing This Already?

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Optimizing GPUs in Enterprise Data Centers

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0500

The artificial intelligence hype cycle pushed enterprises to stockpile GPUs — but how are they being used today? In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, Chris Braun and Andy Moser break down how organizations are maximizing their GPU investments, the rise of fractional GPUs and the new skills IT teams need to run AI workloads efficiently. They also explore GPU power and cooling challenges, what’s next in AI computing and whether GPUs will remain the backbone of artificial intelligence or if new architectures are set to take over.

Learn more about this week's guests:

Chris Braun brings over 20 years of IT experience across roles such as Helpdesk, Systems Administrator, and Technical Architect. Currently a Technical Solutions Architect at the ATC, he evaluates a wide range of technologies including hyper-converged infrastructure, SDDC, networking, and more.

Chris's top pick: Hands-On Lab Workshop: Liqid Disaggregated Composable Infrastructure

Andy Moser is a Solutions Architect with deep expertise in IT infrastructure, specializing in next-generation data center and cloud solutions for large enterprises. At World Wide Technology's Advanced Technology Center, he designs complex proof of concepts, leveraging his knowledge in compute, virtualization, and automation across leading OEM technologies to support customers and field sales teams.

Andy's top pick: A Deep Dive into AWS and NVIDIA NIM Integration

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Use Cases: Balancing Speed and Risk for Real-World Success

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Many enterprises see the promise of artificial intelligence but stall when faced with risks, legacy infrastructure and data chaos. In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT experts Mike Trojecki and Ina Poecher reveal how to overcome these barriers by starting with small, high-impact AI use cases, unlocking value from existing data and aligning technical capabilities with business strategy.

For more about this week's guests:

Ina's top pick: Data Maturity Model

Mike Trojecki began his career in the U.S. Air Force supporting missions for the White House and Air Force One. He later led emerging tech practices at firms like ePlus and Logicalis, with expertise in security, networking, cloud, and AI. Now leading the AI Practice at WWT, he focuses on high-performance architectures, data management, and AI data center design, delivering innovative solutions that drive business transformation.

Mike's top pick: Building for Success: A CTO's Guide to Generative AI

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Avoiding an AI Nightmare: Strategies for Scalable IT Infrastructure

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 06:00:00 -0600

AI strategy without execution is just a dream — but execution without strategy is a nightmare. In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT experts Jeff Fonke and Matt Halcomb break down what it really takes to build AI-ready infrastructure. From data centers to high-performance architecture, they explore how organizations can align strategy and execution to unlock the full potential of artificial intelligence.

Learn more about this week's guests:

Jeff Fonke is a passionate technology leader who leads new and growth solutions areas at World Wide Technology, including High-Performance Architectures that support AI and Data. With over 25 years of experience in the tech industry at WWT, he has a proven track record of building scalable data center architecture solutions within WWT's own IT organization, WWT's Advanced Technology Center, leveraging those experiences to help advance customers along their journey to simplify the complex.

Jeff's top pick: Pure Storage FlashBlade

Matt Halcomb is a Data Center Principal Solutions Architect with over 25 years in IT, including 17+ at WWT. He is part of the Global Solutions Development Team, focused on creating and deploying innovative technologies in WWT’s Advanced Technology Center. His expertise spans compute, storage, hyperconverged, software-defined, and composable infrastructure, with an emphasis on next-gen solutions that incorporate ESG and sustainability principles.

Matt's top pick: Enterprise-Ready Supercomputing: The HPE Cray XD Approach to Agile AI Infrastructure

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Hidden Mechanics of AI: Understanding LLMs and Their Business Impact

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 06:00:00 -0600

WWT AI researchers Brian Vaughan and Jason Lu unpack the latest advancements in large language models (LLMs) and reasoning artificial intelligence. From DeepSeek’s efficiency breakthroughs to the shift from simple pattern prediction toward true reasoning, they explore how these innovations are reshaping enterprise AI. The conversation also dives into the rise of agentic AI and what it means for businesses looking to stay competitive in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.

Learn more about this week's guests:

Jason Lu is a Chief Data Scientist, consultant and advisor at World Wide Technology, specializing in data and AI. In this role, he leverages his expertise in mathematics and natural sciences to develop innovative solutions for complex business challenges. Based in San Diego, California, Jason has contributed significantly to the field through various publications and events. He has a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Stanford University.

Jason's top pick: Machine Learning Models for Route Consolidation

Brian Vaughn is co-lead and co-founder of the Business and Analytics Advisors Team at WWT, with 20 years of experience in management consulting, analytics, and solution development. He currently focuses on AI and machine learning solutions in the mining industry. He holds a PhD in Physics from Stanford University and a BA in Physics from Oberlin College.

Brian's top pick: MLOps Platforming Workshop

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

Deepfake Deception: Can You Trust What You See and Hear?

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 06:00:00 -0600

Deepfakes powered by artificial intelligence are getting smarter — is your security strategy keeping up? On this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, cybersecurity veterans Kent Noyes and Chris Roberts expose the latest AI-driven deepfake tactics used by cybercriminals, discuss real-world attacks that have cost companies millions, and share strategies for staying ahead of this artificial intelligence–fueled threat. They also unpack the regulatory landscape and the broader geopolitical stakes at play.

Learn more about this week's guests:

Kent Noyes began his WWT career over 20 years ago as a consultant and became the first to earn the title of Distinguished Solutions Architect. His expertise includes Enterprise Segmentation, Zero Trust, SASE, and Cyber Resilience. Today, he focuses on AI Security, advising enterprise clients and addressing complex business challenges in this evolving space.

Kent's top pick: Shadow AI: The Threat You Didn't See Coming

Chris Roberts is a seasoned technologist at World Wide Technology with deep experience across aerospace, identity, cryptography, AI/adversarial AI, and deception technologies. He has founded or collaborated with organizations focused on human research, data intelligence, and cybersecurity. Today, he drives industry conversations around risk, maturity, and collaboration, and is known for his engaging, thought-provoking presence in both technical and public forums.

Chris's top pick: Deepfakes for Good? How AI is Powering the Next Era of Personalization

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

The Rise of Agentic AI: Building Autonomous Systems for the Enterprise

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:00:00 -0600

Artificial intelligence is evolving beyond simple prompts and responses. The future is agentic — AIs that think, act and collaborate to achieve complex goals without constant human guidance. But with this power comes new challenges in control, ethics and implementation. In this episode of The AI Proving Ground Podcast, WWT’s Marc DeSantis and Andy Weisman dive into the world of agentic frameworks — how they extend AI’s capabilities, what it takes to build them, and why a human-in-the-loop approach is still essential.

Learn more about this week's guests:

Marc DeSantis is Senior Director of IT at World Wide Technology, leading the ATC Platform, Gen AI, and UX Design teams. Since joining WWT in 2005, he has advanced from Developer to key IT leader, driving innovation in AI and user experience. Marc is passionate about generative AI and agentic architectures and actively contributes to WWT’s AI strategy, including co-hosting the AI Proving Ground podcast and speaking at events like AI Day.

Marc's top pick: Building AI-Powered Chatbots

Andy Weisman is a Lead Solutions Architect at World Wide Technology, where he leverages extensive experience to design and implement innovative technology solutions for clients. With a strong background in IT infrastructure, cloud computing, and system integration, Andy specializes in creating tailored solutions that drive business transformation. He collaborates with cross-functional teams to ensure optimal technology deployments, aligning solutions with client objectives and industry best practices.

Andy's top pick: How to Build an AI Center of Excellence

Learn more about WWT's AI Proving Ground.

AI Proving Ground Podcast: Exploring Artificial Intelligence & Enterprise AI with World Wide Technology

AI Moves Weekly, Your Company Doesn’t

What Your AI Spend Is Really Telling You

Eli Lilly & Company Built an AI Supercomputer to Ask Bigger Questions

The Greatest Risk Isn't Failure. It's Standing Still.​

How to Escape AI’s 'Open Bar' Era: Intelligent Token Routing

The Robot Is Waiting on Your Data.

AI Adoption Was the Easy Part. Now Comes the Hard Decision.

When AI Agents Cross the Boundary: Securing the AI Factory

A New Data Architecture for Agentic AI

Your AI Agents Are Ready to Act. Is Your Architecture Ready?

Your GPUs Are Waiting for Something

Your AI Is Only as Good as Your Data. Here's Why.

When the Ground Keeps Moving: The New Reality of AI Security

Doing AI Is Easy. Doing It Well Is Hard.

The Real AI Advantage Isn't What You Think

Everybody Wants AI. Who's Paying for It?

Your AI Agent Doesn't Sleep. Are You Ready for That? NVIDIA Answers.

Cisco Live! 2026: AI Is Taking Away the Luxury of Time

AI Is Having Its Dropbox Moment

Boards Can't Stay at 30,000 Feet Anymore

When AI Stops Assisting And Starts Acting

Mythos And The Disappearing Patch Window

AI Can Move Trillions. You Won’t Let It Send an Email.

Your Customer Data Has No Owner

Your AI Looks Smart. Your Data Disagrees.

From AI Demo to Production Systems You Can Trust

AI Is Writing Code Faster Than You Can Review It

Before You Scale AI, Fix Your Data

AI Speed Starts in the Data Center

AI Doesn’t Break Where You Think: How Storage and Data Readiness Now Decide AI Success

Agentic AI at Scale: How to Build Without Losing Control

The Best AI Is the Kind You Don’t Notice (How IHG Is Scaling AI That Actually Works)

OpenClaw, Inference, AI Factories: What We Learned at NVIDIA GTC 2026

Why Private AI Is Winning in the Enterprise

The CEO's Job in the AI Era: Accelerating Idea to Outcome (I2O)

Compressing Idea to Outcome (I2O): WWT Co-Founder and CEO Jim Kavanaugh on Why AI Coding Assistants Could Reshape the Enterprise

AI Moves Fast. So Do Breaches. Now What?

The Hidden Cost of Bad AI Prompts (And How to Fix Them)

AI Isn’t a Pilot Anymore: How Cox Scaled It

Why Observability Has Become the Control Plane for Enterprise AI

The Shift from AI Pilots to AI Infrastructure

The Network Is Becoming the Real Unit of AI Performance

Why Production AI Exposes Security Gaps Organizations Can't Ignore

Why the AI Factory Is Becoming the Enterprise's Next Critical Infrastructure

Is Security Now a Prerequisite for AI Adoption? Inside Cisco's Secure AI Factory with NVIDIA

Why Ally’s AI Actually Stuck

The Ferrari Problem in AI | Intel

Why Enterprise AI Keeps Stalling

Who Owns AI When It Breaks? | NightDragon

When AI Changes the Rules of Cybersecurity

Google Cloud’s New Math for AI

Can Legal Teams Keep Up with AI Advancements?

F5 Warns: Enterprises Are Running Naked AI

HPE’s AI Factory Is the New Baseline

AI Pilots Are Dead. Now What? Dell Explains.

Inside NVIDIA’s AI Factory

AI Factories: Built or Broken? With Cisco's Nicholas Sagnes

The AI Dev Tool Showdown

Inside the New Energy Arms Race to Power Artificial Intelligence

NVIDIA Leaders on Building AI Factories and Driving AI Innovation

Google Cloud COO Francis deSouza and WWT CEO Jim Kavanaugh on the Future of Enterprise AI

Microsoft AI Futurist Marco Casalaina on the New Innovation Factory

Cisco President Jeetu Patel and WWT CEO Jim Kavanaugh on the Role of AI, Cloud and Cyber in Digital Transformation

Alert: A Week of AI via WWT's Business Innovation Summit

The CX Shift AI Just Triggered

From Hype To Habit: Making AI Work At Work

When AI Starts to Act on Its Own, Who’s in Control?

How AI Agents Are Transforming IT Ops

Can AI Be Trusted to Run Critical Networks?

Welcome to The AI Proving Ground Podcast

The Multi-Cloud Survival Guide

Trust: The Missing AI Upgrade

The CEO’s AI Roadmap

Agents, Copilots and Beyond: Everyday AI's Jordan Wilson on Future of AI in the Enterprise

From Pilots to Productivity: Unlocking the True ROI of Microsoft Copilot

AI Acceleration in Action: How Higher Ed Is Balancing Innovation vs. Risk

Private AI vs. Cloud: How Enterprise Leaders Can Make Smarter Build-or-Buy Decisions

Enterprise AI Adoption: How Workforce AI Is Changing the Future of Work

AI Won’t Save You: Easterly, Joyce and CISOs on the Cybersecurity Reality No One Wants to Hear

The Greatest Risk Isn't Failure. It's Standing Still.

AI Hype to Mission Impact: Dell Federal, NVIDIA and WWT's Government Playbook

AI Agents: Scaling Your Digital Workforce