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Send us Fan Mail Since this aired, Kumo has moved from GNNs to relational foundation models — the ‘secret sauce’ segment at 17:57 is where that story starts Data’s everywhere, but so often it feels… stuck. Joining us today is Jure Leskovec, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist at Kumo and a Stanford Professor who pioneered Graph Neural Networks and fundamentally reshaped how we understand networks — from Pinterest’s recommendations to tracking the spread of disease. We unpack why structured data is lagging behind the AI revolution, how techniques like Graph Neural Networks are finally unlocking its potential, and how this all plays out in real-world applications. 00:57 Meet Jure Leskovec 02:31 Knowing When to Move On 04:01 Academia versus Industry 07:30 Learnings from Pinterest 10:28 The Kumo Pitch 17:57 The Secret Sauce 25:51 Monetization 27:12 Only the Enterprise? 29:49 The Sandbox to Try Before Buy 31:42 The Best Use Cases 35:00 Summarizing 37:38 Predicting AI 40:15 What’s True and No One Agrees 41:19 LearningLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leskovec/ Website: https://kumo.ai/ Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered why brilliant CEOs sometimes seem to stall? Andrea Petrone’s groundbreaking work reveals that success can actually become a trap, freezing leaders into outdated identities. In this episode we unpack Andrea’s 20+ years coaching over 250 CEOs – including those at Shell and Unilever – to understand how leaders can break free from pressure, rediscover their ‘throughline,’ and truly embody leadership. 01:20 Meet Andrea Petrone 05:54 Andrea's CEO Experience 09:25 Definition of a Leader 13:40 CEO Differentiation 22:29 Where to Start Coaching a CEO 25:47 Changes the Last 10 Years 30:32 First Tell of a Leader 33:15 Subtle, Great Leadership 38:13 Where CEOs Lie to Themselves 43:15 Ron Johnson 46:10 Reaching Andrea Petrone LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/ Website: https://andreapetrone.com/ Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail Most companies have bought the AI tools. Far fewer have changed how the work actually gets done. Ashley Gross, Founder & CEO of the AI Workforce Alliance and author of The AI Workweek, joins Al Martin to close that gap. Ashley used AI to cut her own workweek from 40 hours to 15. Her AI Impact Alignment™ framework shows teams how to get there too: decide what to automate first, build a "digital staff" of agents, and give those agents the information they need to do real work. She and Al dig into what token costs and orchestration mean for your budget, when agents are ready to run on their own, and why data capture is largely solved while adoption is not. If you've been told to "do AI" and aren't sure where to begin, jump to 38:58 for the workflows Ashley recommends starting with. * 00:52 Introducing Ashley Gross * 01:52 The Book: The AI Workweek * 06:34 What to Automate First * 09:06 The Digital Staff * 12:06 Sharing of Info to Agents * 17:58 Token Affordability & Orchestration * 20:42 Autonomous Agents * 23:12 Engagement with Ashley * 27:58 Data Capture Solved, Adoption Not * 30:30 Differentiation via Outcomes * 38:58 Workflows to Start * 40:38 Reaching Ashley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theashleygross/ Website: https://www.aiworkforcealliance.com/ Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail Unlock your full potential with Kate Mayne, Executive Coach and data expert! In this episode, Kate dives into the surprising ways our behaviors impact our data, offering actionable strategies for clarity and growth – insights you can put into practice today. Learn how to leverage your data for authentic leadership and strategic decision-making – explore more at www.experttoexec.com. 00:57 Meet Kate Mayne 01:55 Why and Exec Coach? 05:17 Why Pay for a Coach? 09:10 Certifications 12:10 Natural & Adaptive Behaviors 14:47 Top Coaching Tricks 32:18 Compromising Who You Are 35:24 Coaching Tricks 41:57 Recommended Books https://experttoexec.com/reading-list  42:12 AI in Coaching LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinemayne/ Website: www.experttoexec.com Book report:  Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail Dive into the powerful world of mainframes! Chief Product Officer of IBM Z and LinuxONE, Tina Tarquinio, reveals the truth behind those eight nines of uptime and explores how mainframes are evolving with AI, hybrid cloud, and future-proofing strategies for mission-critical business decisions.  Discover the cutting-edge innovations transforming enterprise computing—from on-chip AIU and Spyre AI accelerators enabling real-time inferencing at transaction speed, to how LinuxONE is redefining hybrid cloud architecture.  Tina discusses DevOps integration, AI-powered code assistants revolutionizing mainframe development, compelling AI use cases, and shares her bold predictions for the mainframe’s next 100 years.  Plus, career advice from a tech leader and what she does for fun! 00:46 Tina Tarquinio03:18 The Most Mainframe Surprise09:12 What IS the Mainframe Really?  8 Nines!14:40 On Chip AIU, Spyre Inferencing18:11 Mainframes with Hybrid Cloud19:11 The Linux One Pitch19:59 Exciting Mainframe Innovations22:09 DevOps23:36 Code Assistants26:03 AI Use Case27:49 Future Proofing Decisions37:17 Regulations38:45 Bold Prediction38:58 Mainframe 10040:48 Career Advice42:24 For FunLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tina-tarquinio Website: https://www.ibm.com/products/z Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail Want to cut through the noise and understand *real* consumer behavior? Lev Mazin, CEO of aytm—Ask Your Target Market—is here to challenge the hype around AI and big data. Lev’s spent over a decade connecting with 100 million consumers, revealing why human insight is more valuable than ever in a world racing towards synthetic data. 01:10 Lev Mazin 04:55 AYTM 06:52 AYTM's Differentiator 09:06 Consumer Insights Automation 12:28 Why Do Surveys Still Exist 17:50 Panels of 100M Clients 19:17 Data Quality, an Existential Crisis 24:41 Synthetic Data 27:11 Extracting Noise from Data 29:45 Big Data to Human Insights 30:58 Do ISO Certification Matter? 37:03 Irrational Behavior 41:20 Rapid Fire LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/levmazin Website: https://aytm.com/ Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail ICYMI — revisiting one of our most useful conversations on what AI actually does to the shape of an organization. How do we make organizations not just run — but run intelligently? Phanish Puranam, the Roland Berger Chaired Professor of Strategy and Organisation Design at INSEAD, joins Al Martin to explore where organizational science meets artificial intelligence. Phanish studies how intelligent algorithms show up inside organizations in three distinct roles — as tools, as teammates, and as templates for organizing itself — and what actually changes when they do. We get into the research, real use cases, the pitfalls most companies walk straight into, and a contrarian argument that generating bad ideas fast may be one of the most underrated engines of innovation. Since this conversation aired, Phanish published re-Humanize: How to Build Human-Centric Organizations in the Age of Algorithms — the natural next step if this episode lands for you. Chapters 01:50 – Meet Phanish Puranam03:36 – Organizational Design08:39 – Where is Org Design Today12:41 – A Research Example15:59 – Technologies as Tools & Teammates17:54 – A Real Use Case Example20:30 – The Metaverse, Eliminate Bad Ideas Fast21:28 – Pitfalls23:30 – Use Case Deep Dive30:06 – The Power StructureConnect with Phanish Puranam LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/phanishpuranamINSEAD Profile: insead.edu/faculty/phanish-puranamBook: re-Humanize: How to Build Human-Centric Organizations in the Age of AlgorithmsWant to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail We dive into the surprising wisdom of retail with Ron Johnson — creator of the original Apple Store, founder of Enjoy Technology, and author of Shop Different. Johnson challenges conventional thinking about the future of physical spaces, arguing that the human element — and the power of design — will always be crucial. AND, "The most important person is in front of you," a life lesson. 02:31 Ron Johnson! 05:42 The Apple Store 08:39 MSFT vs Apple 10:39 The Design 14:37 The Restart 20:15 Kindness 24:18 The Genius Bar 27:37 What If? 31:36 Why a Physical Store? 35:17 Client Service 38:50 JCPenney Coupons 41:32 Retail in the Future 43:40 Shop DifferentLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shopdifferent Website: https://ronjohnsonshopsdifferent.com/ Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail Phillip Swan is a dynamic, forward-thinking leader renowned for turning complex challenges into strategic opportunities. As Chief Product and Go-to-Market (GTM) Officer at The AI Solution Group, Phillip blends customer-centric go-to-market strategies with cutting-edge product development, leadership, and partnerships. 01:19 Meet Phillip Swan 03:33 Wind River Systems 07:30 Responsible AI Solutions 08:25 3 Key Areas: Manufacturing, Financial, Pharma 10:22 AI on Quicksand 11:30 AGI in 6 Months. Seriously? 13:08 The Definition of AGI 14:32 A Responsible AI Culture 19:51 Is Regulation the Catalyst? 21:57 AI Change Management 24:24 Phillip and the AI Group 25:33 AI Solution Group 29:16 Achieving Responsible AI 30:36 Clean Data 36:16 What Scares the Responsible AI Guy 39:36 Shadow AI 40:54 A SummaryLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-swan/ Website: https://www.theaisolutiongroup.ai/ Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail This episode unpacks IBM's ambitious AI Operating Model. We dig into everything from sales training strategies to architecture advantage, drawing on insights gathered through instrumented training programs.  01:44 Meeting The Team 04:17 Architecture Advantage 13:06 Death by PowerPoint 17:08 Behavioral Economics 24:28 Your Biggest Competitor 26:04 Statistics You Should Know 28:28 The AI Operating Model 29:50 Breaking Down the Op Model 35:01 IBM Differentiation 38:20 Sales Training Advice 42:30 Rapid FireLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-hintermeister/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkderoos/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cwkirby/ Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail What if AI could tap into live operational data — without ETL or RAG? In this episode, Deepti Srivastava, founder of Snow Leopard, reveals how her company is transforming enterprise data access with intelligent data retrieval, semantic intelligence, and a governance-first approach. Tune in for a fresh perspective on the future of AI and the startup journey behind it. We explore how companies are revolutionizing their data access and AI strategies. Deepti Srivastava, founder of Snow Leopard, shares her insights on bridging the gap between live operational data and generative AI — and how it’s changing the game for enterprises worldwide. We dive into Snow Leopard’s innovative approach to data retrieval, semantic intelligence, and governance-first architecture. 04:54 Meeting Deepti Srivastava 14:06 AI with No ETL, no RAG 17:11 Snow Leopard's Intelligent Data Fetching 19:00 Live Query Challenges 21:01 Snow Leopard's Secret Sauce 22:14 Latency 23:48 Schema Changes 25:02 Use Cases 26:06 Snow Leopard's Roadmap 29:16 Getting Started 33:30 The Startup Journey 34:12 A Woman in Technology 36:03 The Contrarian View🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedeepti/ 🔗 Website:  https://www.snowleopard.ai/ Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail Rob May, Co-Founder & CEO of NeuroMetric AI, who’s revolutionizing how multi-model systems think and run, dramatically reducing expenses while boosting performance. Rob brings decades of experience as a founder, investor, and the creator of the popular ‘Investing in AI’ newsletter. 01:05 Meeting Rob May04:22 The Investing in AI Newsletter06:50 Starting Neurometric11:39 Inferencing Defined16:12 Future Investing in AI20:24 Model Thinking w/ Guidance23:40 Neurometric, a Token Engineering Platform29:07 Data Center Investments30:42 Real AI ROI33:48 Where is the Smart Money Going?35:37 What AI Leaders Must Get Right39:09 Stock Picks40:32 Rapid FireWant to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail This week on Making Data Simple, join Ajay Kulkarni, CEO and co-founder of TigerData, as we dive into the rapidly evolving world of data. Ajay shares his front-row perspective on the challenges and opportunities of building and scaling time-series databases in an era of AI-driven automation. From the mechanics of managing massive data streams to the bold bets shaping the future of IoT, this conversation goes deep into what's breaking, what's working, and what's next. Whether you're a data engineer, tech leader, or simply fascinated by the speed of AI innovation, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss. 01:15 Meet AJ Kulkarni 04:29 TigerData 07:16 Timeseries 09:25 Use Cases 11:03 Why Progress? 11:58 Why TigerData 16:05 AI is Everything 21:06 The Fastest Postgres 25:45 Advanced Features 28:53 Future of IoT 36:48 The Future of TigerData 38:03 San Francisco 38:26 A Big Bet 41:06 Good BooksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajaykulkarni/ Website: https://tigerdata.com Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail We dive into the exciting world of autonomous AI agents with Matt Glickman, Co-Founder & CEO of Genesis Computing. Join us as we explore how this technology is shifting the role of the data engineer and redefining what's possible. 02:36 Meet Matt Glickman 09:32 Frontier Models 17:14 The Origination of Genesis 18:51 What is an Autonomous Agent 30:25 Machines Have Our Code! 32:32 Genesis's AI Level? 34:54 Autonomous Agent Quality Control 38:30 Genesis Differentiators 40:58 The Pace of Finance and Healthcare 42:17 The Future of Data Engineers 44:06 Rapid Fire QuestionsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewglickman Website: https://genesiscomputing.com Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.

Send us Fan Mail Making Data Simple sits down with Dave Trieer, CEO of ModelOp, to explore the rapidly evolving world of AI – particularly what happens when it starts acting autonomously. From safely deploying AI in regulated industries to navigating critical governance challenges, Dave offers invaluable insights on this transformative technology. 01:22 Meet Dave Trier04:22 The Terminator is Coming10:33 The Definition of Autonomous12:15 Pushing AI into Production17:33 AI Misconceptions21:12 Use Case Qualification22:53 ModelOp Value Prop29:59 The "One Thing" with AI Governance33:13 AI Regulation36:47 Predicting AI39:45 Lightening RoundLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidetrier Website: https://www.modelop.com/ Want to be featured as a guest on Making Data Simple?  Reach out to us at [email protected] and tell us why you should be next.  The Making Data Simple Podcast is hosted by Al Martin, WW VP Technical Sales, IBM, where we explore trending technologies, business innovation, and leadership ... while keeping it simple & fun.