Advertise on podcast: The DEX Show: A Show for IT Change Makers

David Linthicum has been at the center of the cloud conversation for decades. Former Chief Cloud Strategy Officer at Deloitte, CTO across multiple firms, and author of 17 books on cloud computing, David is one of the most influential voices shaping how enterprises think about architecture, cost, and value. Now, as an independent analyst and widely followed commentator, he’s known for something rare in tech: cutting through hype with hard data and real-world economics/ Book your ticket at Nexthink Experience 2026 (October 5–7, ⁠JW Marriott Grande Lakes ⁠Orlando, Florida) Learn more about Nexthink Spark, the personal IT agent for every employee, here

In today's episode, Tom is joined by Senior Client Director Laura Reeves for a wide-ranging conversation on storytelling as the defining skill in digital employee experience. From her “squiggly line” career journey across marketing and client leadership to the evolution of DEX itself, Laura explores how the role of IT has shifted from fixing issues to shaping strategic narratives. They discuss the impact of the pandemic, the rise of experience-led organisations, and why the most successful professionals are those who can connect data to meaning. The episode also touches on personal branding, Women in DEX, and what comes next in an AI-driven workplace. Book your ticket at Nexthink Experience 2026 (October 5–7, ⁠JW Marriott Grande Lakes ⁠Orlando, Florida)

Jacob Morgan returns to The DEX Show for another provocative conversation on the future of work, AI, and why 2026 is the year of accountability. Jacob argues that AI is exposing “performative work,” forcing organizations to rethink culture, leadership, and what real value creation looks like. We explore why company culture became too vague, why human judgment matters more than ever, and how leaders can avoid over-relying on AI at the expense of discernment, responsibility, and individuality. It’s a wide-ranging discussion on work, ambition, and the high-stakes reset now unfolding inside modern organizations. Learn more about Nexthink Spark, the personal IT agent for every employee, here

Reality Bytes is back—and this time, we’re diving straight into the future of IT jobs. Tom, Oriana, and Dina are joined by Marc Petter (Senior Product Manager, Nexthink) to explore how AI is reshaping roles, workflows, and career paths. From automating repetitive tasks to the rise of AI agents handling entire processes, the conversation tackles what’s changing, what still requires a human touch, and how IT professionals can stay ahead. They unpack the difference between what can vs. should be automated, and what the new IT career ladder might look like in an AI-driven world. Learn more about Nexthink Spark, the personal IT agent for every employee, here

Geoff Wright returns to unpack the messy reality of work in the AI era. From having 400 windows open and feeling less productive, to explaining why AI should fuel curiosity rather than replace human judgment, Geoff brings his usual mix of optimism, humor, and hard-earned perspective. The conversation explores prompt engineering, digital overwhelm, enterprise adoption, and why “being human first” matters more than ever. It is a wide-ranging, thoughtful discussion on anxiety, complexity, and the promise of AI, with a surprisingly funny detour into why the robots might eventually just leave Earth for Pluto. Learn more about Nexthink Spark, the personal IT agent for every employee, here

Tom welcomes Mike Lovewell to explore how digital friction continues to shape the modern workplace. From early days of low awareness to today’s complex, AI-influenced environments, Mike shares how friction has evolved in scale rather than cause. They discuss the growing importance of flow state, the measurable business impact of small disruptions, and why adoption—not just technology—is the key to success. AI emerges as both a solution and a new source of friction, depending on trust and usability. The conversation highlights why employee experience remains the ultimate metric, and why reducing friction is now critical to productivity, retention, and competitive advantage. Learn more about Nexthink Spark, the personal IT agent for every employee, here

In this episode of The DEX Show, we’re joined by Kay Firth-Butterfield, the world’s first Chief AI Ethics Officer and former Head of AI at the World Economic Forum. From human rights law and human trafficking to Davos and large language models, Kay traces her remarkable journey into AI governance. We explore shadow AI, workplace “hallucinations,” AI companions, and the hidden risks leaders are underestimating. Kay shares why organizations need cross-functional AI governance, stronger guardrails, and far better training — and why the future of work may depend as much on the humanities as technology. Learn more about Spark here

Tom assembles the “Spark Avengers” for a deep dive into the most talked-about innovation in IT: Nexthink Spark, the personal AI agent for every employee. Joined by Moe Haidar, Denis Schertenleib and Matt Rose, the team unpacks how Spark evolved from early LLM experiments into an enterprise-ready, autonomous IT agent already delivering 70%+ first contact resolution. From printers and frozen cameras to complex root-cause analysis, Spark is transforming support from reactive to proactive. They explore the technology, the personality, the partnerships and the roadmap ahead—and what it all signals about the future of IT operations and digital employee experience. Oh - and we preview the new DEX Show music, too!  Learn more about Spark here

In this episode, Benedict Lelijveld joins us to unpack what it feels like to start a career in an era shaped by COVID disruption, hybrid work, and accelerating AI. We dig into his writing on Mustafa Suleyman and the idea of “pessimism aversion”: holding genuine hope for breakthroughs (from personal AI to advances in biology) while staying clear-eyed about risks like misuse, weak regulation, and who really benefits. Benedict also reflects on what early-career professionals lose when work becomes too remote—and why protecting your voice, curiosity, and craft matters more than ever as automation spreads. Read Benedict’s articles on the DEX Hub: The Silent Divide: Why AI Adoption Is Failing Your Frontline WorkersMustafa Suleyman: Why Tech Leaders Need to Stop Ignoring AI's RisksHow to Enhance Employee Experience Through Personalization Read Cracking The DEX Equation: The First Annual Workplace Productivity Report here Learn more about Spark here: https://nexthink.com/platform/spark 

In the first of a new rotating expert series, Scott Pope (Nexthink's Director of Value Advisory) joins to explore DEXOps, productivity, and why DEX has firmly entered the boardroom conversation. We talk about how the market has evolved, what AI is really changing, how to communicate value to senior leaders, and the story behind the DEX Productivity Report. Also: Arsenal. Briefly.  And yes, Tom still needs to update the show music. Hang in there. Read Cracking The DEX Equation: The First Annual Workplace Productivity Report here Learn more about Spark here: https://nexthink.com/platform/spark 

In the first episode of a NEW ERA for the DEX Show, Tom (that's right, just Tom 😭) welcomes back AI and digital transformation leader Anthony Firmin to unpack the reality of enterprise AI adoption. Drawing on hard-won, real-world experience, Anthony explores why so many organisations are stuck in the “messy middle” of AI, where usage rises but value doesn’t. The conversation digs into trust, experience debt, shallow versus deep AI, and why “same work, more windows” is an early warning sign leaders ignore at their peril. It’s a grounded, human-centred look at what it really takes to make AI improve work, not just change it. Follow Anthony on LinkedIn here. Read Anthony's article on AI and ROI here Learn more about Spark here: https://nexthink.com/platform/spark  Learn more about AI Drive here: https://nexthink.com/platform/ai-drive

Recorded live in Lisbon at Nexthink’s SKO last week, this special and emotional episode of The DEX Show sees host Tom McGrath say goodbye to longtime co-host, DEX evangelist, and friend Tim Flower. From the humble beginnings of the podcast during COVID to more than 200 episodes and a global stage, Tom reflects on Tim’s immense impact on Nexthink, the DEX movement, and the community around it. Joined on stage by special guests Tracey Downer and Nexthink founder and CEO Pedro Bados, the conversation celebrates DEX Ops, innovation, culture, and a decade-long journey that helped shape an industry — with laughter, gratitude, and more than a few handkerchiefs. Learn more about Spark here: https://nexthink.com/platform/spark 

The full panel comes together to mark Tim Flower’s final appearance on Reality Bytes, reflecting on his impact, insight, and anchoring presence over the years. Alongside the goodbyes, the conversation turns to a landmark moment for Nexthink: the release of Spark. Framed as a pivotal shift in the capabilities of digital employee experience, Spark is explored through real-world stories and personal takes, including how it empowers employees, reduces IT friction, and redefines support. A fittingly forward-facing send-off for a Reality Bytes and Nexthink legend.  Learn more about Spark here: https://nexthink.com/platform/spark 

In a full-circle moment for The DEX Show, Tom and Tim welcome guest speaker, Forrester’s new Digital Workplace & DEX analyst, Christy Punch, for her first podcast in the role—echoing the show’s very first Forrester guest back in 2020. The timing is bittersweet: it’s also Tim Flower’s final month as co-host, marking a major transition for the podcast.   Christy draws on two decades as a practitioner to unpack why DEXOps is now essential: post-pandemic tool sprawl, fragmented experiences, and the need to connect experience data to business outcomes. The trio explores cross-functional governance over “one-team ownership,” and Tom and Tim ultimately discuss how agentic AI (and Nexthink Spark) accelerates the shift from reactive support to proactive—and increasingly predictive—experience operations. Learn more about Spark, The World’s Most Powerful DEX Agent for Employees here  Download The First Annual Workplace Productivity Report here 

The Matrix hits different.. when you're in the Matrix. The team rings in 2026 by reflecting on past predictions—and charting what’s next. From eerily accurate calls on AI consolidation to the unsettling prescience of The Matrix, the conversation looks ahead to a pivotal shift: from conversational AI to operational “do-bots,” the challenge of measuring real enterprise value, and the growing risks of over-automation. With vivid examples like Waymo literally stuck on the tracks, the episode digs into productivity versus jobs, human-centered design, and the possibility of the first true AI crises. As Tim put it post-show: “AI isn’t off the tracks—it’s on the tracks.” Is this really what the coming year will look like? Learn more about Spark, The World’s Most Powerful DEX Agent for Employees here  Download The First Annual Workplace Productivity Report here