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This week on the pod, we’re talking about whether the little guys can actually compete with Big Tech in the AI race. Harry Godfrey, Executive Director of the Little Tech Association, joins us to talk about the advantages smaller AI companies have, whether smaller language models can level the playing field, and whether AI is really lowering the barriers to entry or just shifting where the barriers exist. We also get into a bigger question: if the platforms hosting these startups can see what’s succeeding, should they be allowed to build competing products? Plus, we talk AI startup acquisitions, Chinese open-weight models, national security, and what Harry would do with $10 million to build an AI company from scratch. Harry Godfrey, Executive Director of the Little Tech Association. He is a Washington veteran who previously served in the office of the Majority Whip, James Clyburn, and the White House Office of Legislative Affairs during the Obama Administration. He spent over a decade working on state and federal policy with disruptive clean tech firms, most recently as Managing Director for Federal Affairs at the trade association Advanced Energy United. He is a graduate of the College of William & Mary and Princeton University.

This week on the pod, we talk with investor, entrepreneur and longtime market strategist Frank Holmes about gold, Bitcoin, geopolitics and one of the oldest forces in economics: scarcity. After more than four decades investing in gold and commodities, Frank was an early investor in Bitcoin and saw it as a digital store of value with some of the same characteristics that made gold valuable for centuries. We dig into what traditional investors missed about Bitcoin, whether gold and Bitcoin are really competitors, and what geopolitical conflict, sanctions, inflation and currency uncertainty can tell us about both assets. We also get into Frank’s bigger thesis: in an increasingly digital economy, the things that become scarce, whether they are gold, Bitcoin, energy or computing power, can become increasingly valuable. Frank Holmes is an investor, entrepreneur and longtime market strategist with more than four decades of experience in gold, commodities and global markets. He is CEO and Chief Investment Officer of U.S. Global Investors, which he has led since acquiring a controlling interest in 1989. Frank was also an early investor in Bitcoin, recognizing its potential as a digital store of value alongside gold. His involvement later expanded into Bitcoin mining and digital infrastructure. Today, as Executive Chairman of HIVE Digital Technologies, he focuses on the intersection of Bitcoin, high-performance computing and AI, and the growing demand for the power and compute behind them. His career gives him a unique perspective on the evolution from traditional hard assets like gold to digital assets like Bitcoin, and what may become scarce in an increasingly digital economy.

This week on the pod, we talk with Olivier Roth, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of The Swarm, about what happens when AI starts mapping the human relationships behind business. Companies have mountains of relationship data sitting inside their employees, customers, investors, partners, advisors, CRMs, and inboxes. But knowing that two people have exchanged emails or worked at the same company doesn't necessarily mean one of them would actually pick up the phone. So how do you teach AI the difference between a connection and a real relationship? Olivier explains how The Swarm uses AI and relationship intelligence to help companies find the people who can actually open doors, rather than relying on LinkedIn searches, cold emails, and endless asking around. We also get into the uncomfortable questions: When does relationship intelligence become creepy? Who actually owns the relationships inside a company? And can AI really understand trust, credibility, and willingness to make an introduction? If AI can eventually understand not just what we know, but who we know and how those relationships actually work, cold outreach may start to look very different. Olivier Roth is the Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of The Swarm, a technology company helping businesses find smarter ways to grow through the people and connections they already have. Olivier works at the intersection of AI, relationship intelligence, and business development, helping companies uncover warm introductions, move away from cold outreach, and get more value from tools they already use, including CRMs and Clay.

On this episode we talk with Eliza Jacobs, VP of Safety Product Policy at Roblox, about what it actually takes to keep one of the world’s biggest online platforms safe for kids. Eliza takes us behind the scenes of Roblox’s approach to safety, from building safety into the product from the start to moderating millions of user-created experiences, handling reports, and dealing with the unique challenges of real-time voice chat. We also dig into the growing debate around age verification, privacy, and how platforms can protect younger users without creating an entirely new set of problems. And because Roblox is a huge part of how millions of kids spend their time online, we ask the questions parents actually want answered: What happens when a child reports someone? How does Roblox detect inappropriate interactions? What can parents realistically expect from the platform? And, most importantly, is there any secret way to get your kid some free Robux? Your kids are on Roblox so this is a conversation worth hearing. Eliza Jacobs is the VP of Safety Product Policy at Roblox, where she is responsible for our external Community Standards and the internal interpretation and enforcement of those policies. Prior to joining Roblox, she was the Head of Product Policy at Airbnb, joining in 2016 as the third member of the broader Community Policy team and helping it grow to 18 people in five offices across the globe. Eliza started her tech journey at Etsy, where she worked in a wide variety of Trust and Safety roles and learned the ropes of product, policy, and operations. She began her career as a lawyer, practicing as a securities litigator in New York before making the switch to Trust and Safety.

On this episode, Laura and Kevin are joined by filmmaker, actor, technologist and entrepreneur Collin Pelton, whose unconventional career has taken him from theater and acting to the U.S. Air Force, IT, Hollywood and post-production at Marvel Studios. After earning more than 33 credits across Marvel and Disney productions, Collin went on to co-found Collaborative Entity, a multimedia production company focused on film, digital content and helping creators build their businesses. We talk about AI’s growing impact on film and television and whether generative AI is really just the next step in a long line of filmmaking technologies, or something fundamentally different. We get into the questions around digital likenesses, who owns an actor’s face, voice or performance, and what happens when a digital version of an actor can be reused across movies, games and advertising. We also look at what AI could mean for Hollywood’s economics, from digital background actors and de-aging to potentially generating entire performances. And ultimately, will audiences care how much of what they’re watching was created by a human?  Collin also tells us about his directorial debut, Recession of a Hollywood Princess, a long-lost 2009 film he recovered and released in an experimental format, played entirely in reverse. It’s a pretty great example of how technology can give creators new ways to bring old ideas back to life. Collin Pelton is a filmmaker, actor, technologist and entrepreneur whose unconventional career has taken him from theater and acting to the U.S. Air Force, IT, Hollywood and post-production at Marvel Studios. During his time at Marvel, he earned more than 33 credits across films and streaming productions under the Disney umbrella, while bringing together his technical and production experience. He has also worked with actors, celebrities and showrunners on social media and fandom engagement. In 2023, Collin co-founded Collaborative Entity, a multimedia production company focused on film, digital content and helping creators build their businesses. He recently made his directorial debut with Recession of a Hollywood Princess, a long-lost film from 2009 that he recovered and released in an experimental format, played entirely in reverse. Check out CollinPelton.com.

On this episode of That Tech Pod, Kevin Albert talks with Yvette Renteria, Chief Program Officer at Common Sense Media, about how AI is changing the classroom and forcing parents, teachers and students to rethink what it actually means to learn. As kids head back to school, the question is no longer whether technology belongs in education. It’s what education should look like when AI can explain concepts, quiz students, provide feedback and even help write the answers. Kevin and Yvette dig into the growing AI arms race between students and teachers, including whether tactics designed to catch AI-assisted cheating are actually solving the problem or just creating a technological cat-and-mouse game. They also tackle a bigger question: What should students actually be required to do themselves?  The conversation goes beyond the classroom, exploring what happens when algorithms compete for kids’ attention, influence what they see and believe, and collect enormous amounts of personal data. Yvette also offers practical advice for parents trying to navigate phones, social media and AI with their kids as the new school year begins. It’s a conversation about AI, education, attention, privacy and raising kids in a world where technology is no longer something they simply “go online” to use. Yvette Renteria is the Chief Program Officer for Common Sense Media. She leads the education, research, family and community engagement teams that help our kids thrive in a digital world. Yvette brings 20 years of experience working in schools and non-profit organizations. Within her years in education, she served as Deputy Chief of Innovation on the district level, school principal and elementary school teacher. Yvette has also worked in nonprofits as a Program Director for a workforce development organization and Chief Strategy Officer for an early childhood development organization. The focus of her career has always been about access, opportunity and growth for people.

Identity theft used to require a scammer to get your information. Today, they may only need a few pieces of it. On this episode of That Tech Pod, we sit down with James Lee, President of the Identity Theft Resource Center, and Eva Velasquez, CEO of the ITRC, to look at how identity theft, scams and fraud are evolving in the age of AI. We talk about why scams are getting harder to recognize, how AI is making fraud more convincing and scalable, and how seemingly harmless activities, from social media posts to online purchases, can give criminals pieces of the puzzle they need to impersonate you. We also dig into the enormous amount of personal information exposed through data breaches and ask a bigger question: How much responsibility should really fall on individuals when so much of our data is collected and stored by businesses? James and Eva also share what they think identity theft will look like five years from now, what businesses need to rethink about authentication and security, and what they personally do differently because they assume the threat is already here. If you've ever wondered what a scammer could actually do with the information you've casually shared online, this episode is worth a listen. Learn more about the Identity Theft Resource Center and get free resources for preventing and recovering from identity crime. And check out Frozen Pii, a free resource from the ITRC that helps consumers protect themselves with credit freezes and other identity-protection tools. James Lee is the President of the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) , the nation’s premier non-profit dedicated to providing free support and education to victims of identity crimes. A nationally recognized expert on data breaches, cybercrime, and fraud, James is a sought-after speaker who translates complex security topics into actionable advice for consumers and businesses alike. He frequently provides expert commentary to top media outlets and contributes to public policy discussions on privacy and security before state legislatures, regulatory agencies, and the U.S Congress. Eva Velasquez is CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center  (ITRC) and a nationally recognized expert on identity theft, cybercrime and fraud. She spent 21 years with the San Diego District Attorney’s Office before serving as VP of Operations for the San Diego Better Business Bureau. Eva is a frequent media commentator and speaker, appearing in outlets including CBS Mornings, NBC Nightly News, CNBC, The New York Times and NPR. She has briefed federal agencies and policymakers on identity crime and privacy and serves on industry advisory boards and working groups. Eva is also a recipient of the U.S. Department of Justice National Crime Victim Service Award and is committed to helping victims, educating the public and driving meaningful change around identity crime.

What if you could search your own life the way you search the internet? On this episode, we explore what happens when AI turns years of your digital history into a searchable record of your life. From Spotify and Instagram to Google, Facebook and Uber, our data captures pieces of who we were, often in ways we don't remember and may never have seen. Clinton Hazel Jr. is building Ori, a personal AI memory app that helps users rediscover those forgotten moments and uncover patterns in their own history. But the technology raises a much bigger question: what happens when our digital footprints become a more complete record of who we were than our own memories? We talk about the future of personal memory, why owning and controlling your own data matters, where AI should draw the line when interpreting our past, and whether technology could eventually become an external memory that knows our lives better than we do. Because we forget. Our data doesn't. Clinton Hazel Jr. is a solo founder and software developer originally from New York City, now based in Melbourne, Australia. He's the creator of Ori, a personal AI memory app that turns your own data exports into a daily feed of rediscovered moments. Clinton has been building digital products for more than a decade, including an earlier social platform that taught him a hard lesson about owning your own data. Ori is the product that came from that lesson.

Trent Livingston is back on That Tech Pod. When Trent first joined the pod for Episode 3 in 2021, he was leading ESI Analyst, a pioneering SaaS company focused on data discovery for the legal industry. Today, after selling ESI Analyst, he’s tackling a very different problem: America’s housing crisis. As co-founder and CEO of ZoneLex, Trent is focused on one of the least visible but most consequential pieces of the housing puzzle: zoning law. Fragmented, constantly changing local regulations can determine what gets built, where it gets built, and whether the housing Americans need can actually get approved. We talk about Trent’s journey from legal tech to housing, why zoning is such a massive technology problem, and how his experience working with complex legal and data systems led him to this new challenge. We also dig into his philosophy around Applied AI and Small Language Models, and why bigger models aren't necessarily better for enterprise applications. From the limits of today's AI systems to the possibility that technology is beginning to outpace the laws governing it, Trent makes the case for a different approach to AI: know the land. Know the laws. And, naturally, we end with the question: after taking on zoning, housing, and some of America's most complicated regulatory data, what's the next impossible problem Trent might decide to tackle? Trent Livingston is a two-time founder who specializes in bringing macro-level technology visions to life. After founding and selling ESI Analyst, a pioneering SaaS data discovery solution in the legal tech space, Trent turned his attention to a massive new challenge: U.S. zoning law and the nation's housing crisis. His motivation to tackle this space is directly tied to his deep foundation in legal technology and his work as a testifying expert in complex data analytics. Recognizing that the "missing middle" housing shortage ultimately starts and stops with fragmented, ever-changing laws, he co-founded ZoneLex. As CEO, Trent drives the strategic vision for an enterprise platform powered by Applied AI and Small Language Models designed to decode and structure this complex legal landscape. With over two decades of experience, Trent excels at identifying massive, unaddressed bottlenecks and building market-defining B2B businesses that drive real-world impact.

AI agents are moving from experimentation to execution, but what does that actually mean for the future of work? In this episode of That Tech Pod, Laura and Kevin sit down with Raj Chandrasekar, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Consilio, returning to the show after more than two years to discuss how the AI conversation has evolved from "Can we trust AI?" to "Can AI actually do the work?" Raj shares his perspective on the current state of AI agents, what separates true agentic systems from advanced chatbots, and why successful AI adoption depends as much on people and processes as it does on technology. The conversation explores the challenges organizations face as AI becomes more autonomous, including human oversight, hallucinations, AI governance, and the emerging question of whether AI agents will eventually need other AI agents to validate their work. They also revisit predictions from their previous conversation, discuss how AI is changing software development, and explore how leaders can determine when an AI agent is the right solution versus when traditional automation is the better answer. You can listen to Raj's previous episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-valentines-day-fall-in-love-with-consilio-and-ai/id1559586772?i=1000645127580 Raj Chandrasekar is Chief Technology and Innovation Officer of Consilio where he oversees Consilio’s technology and innovation functions – merging Development and Engineering, Infrastructure, Security, Product Management, Business Intelligence, and Corporate Services functions.  In his role, Raj frequently interfaces with clients to understand and accommodate processing, security and uptime needs and is also responsible for the day-to-day operations of their industry-leading eDiscovery and legal industry software solutions. Raj has over 25 years of experience in the field of Software Development and Infrastructure Management and has held technology leadership positions in various large corporations.

Artificial intelligence is making people faster, but is it actually making organizations better? On this episode of That Tech Pod, we sit down with Dr. Mik Kersten, one of the world's leading thinkers on technology transformation and organizational change. From groundbreaking computer science research at PARC to founding Tasktop and helping some of the world's largest enterprises modernize software delivery, Mik has spent his career studying how technology reshapes the way we work. We dive into the ideas behind his new book, Output to Outcome, and explore why AI is much more than another productivity tool. Mik explains why many organizations are approaching AI the wrong way, why simply producing more work doesn't necessarily create more value, and why the operating models that defined the last century may no longer be fit for the AI era. We also discuss how leaders can measure the real return on AI investments, avoid chasing productivity for its own sake, and build organizations that combine human judgment with increasingly capable AI systems. Whether you're a technology leader, executive, founder, or simply trying to understand where work is headed next, this conversation offers a thoughtful roadmap for navigating one of the biggest shifts in modern business. Dr. Mik Kersten is a computer scientist, technology strategist, and one of the leading voices on how organizations adapt to technological change. Mik is the founder and former CEO of Tasktop, and currently serves as Executive in Residence at Planview following Tasktop's acquisition in 2022. His career has spanned pioneering software research at PARC, leadership roles in the open-source community through the Eclipse Foundation, and helping enterprises modernize the way they deliver technology. Mik is also the bestselling author of Project to Product, and his new book, Output to Outcome, explores why AI isn't just changing how work gets done, but fundamentally reshaping the operating models organizations were built upon.

This week on That Tech Pod, we look up. We're joined by Dr. Franck Marchis, CEO and co-founder of SkyMapper, co-founder of Unistellar, Director of Citizen Science at the SETI Institute, and one of the world's leading planetary astronomers. From discovering triple-asteroid systems to helping build the next generation of citizen science, Franck has spent his career making space exploration more accessible to everyone. In this episode, we dive into the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, what astronomers actually do at SETI, and whether AI is changing the way we explore the universe. Franck shares his thoughts on whether intelligent alien life is likely to exist, what would happen if humanity received a credible signal from another civilization, and whether we're more likely to find microbes in our own solar system before discovering an advanced civilization light-years away. We also discuss how astronomy is no longer reserved for professional observatories. Thanks to advances in smart telescopes, AI, and global collaboration, everyday enthusiasts can now make meaningful contributions to scientific discovery. Franck explains how SkyMapper is building a worldwide network of connected telescopes and all-sky cameras designed to continuously monitor the skies and create trusted, verifiable observations for researchers and citizen scientists alike. Finally, we explore SkySphere, SkyMapper's new intelligent all-sky camera that captures a continuous 180-degree view of the sky using on-device AI to detect meteors, satellites, drones, aircraft, and other phenomena in real time. We talk about how the project could reshape both amateur astronomy and scientific research, and how listeners can get involved through its successful Kickstarter campaign. Learn more about SkyMapper and check out the SkySphere Kickstarter. You can also learn more about Franck’s work with the SETI Institute. Dr. Franck Marchis is the CEO and co-founder of SkyMapper, co-founder of Unistellar, and the Director of Citizen Science at the SETI Institute. A planetary astronomer by training, his research spans exoplanets, asteroid systems, and high-resolution imaging. He is widely known for co-discovering multiple triple-asteroid systems and for pioneering technologies and programs that bring astronomical discovery to the public. Through his efforts at SkyMapper and his work at SETI, Franck is helping build a global community of citizen scientists empowered to explore and understand the universe.

This week, That Tech Pod does something a little different, teaming up with Steve Rapp and Tim Garner from The Sales Docket Podcast for a crossover pod that bridges technology and modern sales leadership. What starts as a discussion about sales quickly evolves into a candid conversation about trust, technical expertise, AI, career growth, and why relationships still matter more than ever. If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to check out The Sales Docket Podcast for more discussions on modern sales leadership, go-to-market strategy, and revenue growth. Kevin and Laura compare notes with Steve and Tim on what separates great sales professionals from everyone else, including the critical role sales engineers play as the technical “source of truth.” The group discusses why integrity is a competitive advantage, how long-term customer relationships are built through honesty rather than hype, and why the fundamentals of listening, follow-up, and curiosity haven’t changed, even as technology has. The conversation also tackles one of today’s biggest questions: what AI means for the future of technology careers. While opinions differ on how dramatically AI will reshape technical roles, everyone agrees that soft skills, communication, and the ability to translate complex technology into business value will remain indispensable. The episode closes with reflections on what hundreds of podcast interviews have taught the hosts about innovation, entrepreneurship, and the common traits shared by successful leaders across industries. Whether you work in sales, engineering, cybersecurity, legal tech, or simply want a thoughtful conversation about where technology and business are headed, this crossover episode delivers practical insights, plenty of laughs, and an honest look at what still matters in an AI-driven world. The Sales Docket Podcast, hosted by Steve Rapp and Tim Garner, is a show focused on modern sales leadership, go-to-market strategy, and the real-world challenges revenue teams face as markets and buyer behavior evolve. Steve and Tim bring hands-on experience from building and scaling sales organizations, and their conversations tend to center on practical execution rather than theory, covering what actually works in today’s competitive selling environment.

This week on That Tech Pod, we sit down with Vicky Zhang, Chief Product Director at DESLOC, and Zoe Zou, Channel Director at DESLOC, to talk about the future of smart home security and whether smart locks are finally ready for the mainstream. Our conversation explores DESLOC's latest innovation, the V150 Plus, which the company says is the world's first low-light self-charging smart lock. Vicky explains how the technology captures ambient light instead of relying on direct sunlight, making continuous charging practical even for shaded front doors. We also tackle the questions every homeowner has: What happens if the power goes out? What if your Wi-Fi is down? Can someone fool facial recognition with a photo, video, or even a realistic mask? The team breaks down how modern authentication systems use liveness detection and multiple layers of security to defend against spoofing attempts while keeping everyday access simple. Beyond the technology, we challenge the team on the broader question of trust. Are smart locks actually safer than a traditional deadbolt? What have Kickstarter backers taught DESLOC about what consumers really want? And as AI and automation become more common in our homes, where should we draw the line between convenience and control? Whether you're a smart home enthusiast or a healthy skeptic, this episode offers a practical look at where connected home security is headed and the engineering decisions that make it work. Interested in the DESLOC V150 Plus? Check out the Kickstarter campaign here: DESLOC V150 Plus on Kickstarter. DESLOC is a smart home technology company focused on rethinking home access through innovative security solutions. The company develops connected smart locks that combine fingerprint recognition, facial recognition, keypad entry, and mobile access with an emphasis on reliability, ease of use, and security. Its latest product, the DESLOC V150 Plus, uses low-light solar technology to continuously recharge in a wide range of lighting conditions, including shaded entryways and cloudy weather. Vicky Zhang is Chief Product Director at DESLOC, where she leads product strategy and innovation for next-generation smart home security solutions. With extensive experience in smart lock development, user experience design, and authentication technologies, she helps bring innovative products from concept to market. Zoe Zou is Channel Director at DESLOC, working closely with global distribution partners and technology communities to expand the company's international presence while helping shape future product development through market insights.

Artificial intelligence is moving at a pace few organizations have ever experienced, but how much of today's AI adoption is driven by real business value versus fear of being left behind? This week on That Tech Pod, we sit down with Steven Walchek, Founder and CEO of Liminal, for a conversation about what separates companies that are genuinely transforming with AI from those simply putting on a show. Steven shares how growing up around entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley shaped his approach to building companies, his experiences helping scale innovation at Amazon Web Services and FIS, and the lessons learned from launching multiple startups and achieving three successful exits. Along the way, he explains why every major technology wave creates both incredible opportunities and very expensive mistakes. We also dig into why so many organizations fall into "innovation theater," whether executives are adopting AI because of business strategy or fear of missing the next big thing, and which technologies from the past two decades proved to be underrated or wildly overhyped. Steven offers an honest perspective on where enterprise AI is heading, what regulated industries need to get right, and the AI investments companies may look back on with regret just a few years from now. If you're trying to separate AI hype from lasting business value, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Steven Walchek is the Founder and CEO of Liminal, where he helps large regulated enterprises securely scale generative AI with the right balance of governance, visibility, and multi-model access. He’s spent more than 15 years building and scaling companies across fintech, cloud, and enterprise software, focused on turning emerging technologies into real operational advantage. Before Liminal, Steven was EVP and Chief Innovation Officer at FIS, where he led corporate venture initiatives, launched new business lines, and built multiple subsidiary companies. Earlier in his career at Amazon Web Services, he worked on early machine learning and cloud infrastructure initiatives while helping expand the partner ecosystem and drive new revenue growth. He’s also been involved in three successful exits, including DebtMarket, the fintech company he co-founded and later sold to Intercontinental Exchange. Today, he focuses on helping regulated industries adopt AI at scale without losing control, security, or trust.