Learning from the Industrial Revolution: How do we re-think user experiences in the age of AI?
AI Australia Podcast
What does factory floorplan design during the Industrial Revolution have to do with re-imagining user experiences in the ages of AI? In today's episode, we chat to Dr. Haijun Xia, an assistant professor at UC San Diego and Director of the Foundation Interface Lab, discussing the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Dr. Xia, whose work focuses on developing foundational interfaces for the future information environment, explains HCI in simple terms and outlines the criteria for a good user experience, emphasising the need for interfaces that...
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AI-Powered Development: How GitHub is democratising software development and transforming productivity
AI Australia Podcast
Join us for a conversation with Sharryn Napier, Vice President for APAC at GitHub, as she discusses leading the company's strategic direction and business growth across the region. Sharryn talks to GitHub's evolution from a code storage platform to the world's leading platform for building software with AI, now supporting over 150 million developers. The episode explores the democratising power of AI in software development, through tools like GitHub Copilot, which lowers the barrier to entry (even for non-coders) and addresses challenges like the language barrier in coding for non-native...
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From Human to Agentic: What it takes to be an AI-Native business
AI Australia Podcast
In this episode, we talk with David Hyman, CEO and co-founder of Lendi Group, the company behind Australia's leading digital mortgage brand, Lendi, and the iconic Aussie franchise. David shares his journey from founding Lendi in 2013 with a vision for digital-first mortgages, to the acquisition of Aussie Home Loans, and the launch of the company's "find, buy, and own" property ecosystem. We chat to David about Lendi Group’s bold move to become an "AI-native" business by 2026. David explains that this isn't just about using AI tools, but about fundamentally redesigning the business to be...
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AI's Palm Pilot Era: Why we're using a game-changing tech all wrong
AI Australia Podcast
In this episode of the AI Australia podcast, hosts Kat and Emma speak with David Brudenell, Executive Director of Decidr, an Australian AI software company. David, a veteran of the tech and venture capital sectors, shares his journey into AI, beginning with a "human-in-the-loop" product he co-founded in 2012. The conversation covers the state of AI today, with David likening the current landscape to the "Palm Pilot era"—a time of remarkable technology being used in the wrong way. He explains that businesses are trying to fit probabilistic AI tools into deterministic, human-centric workflows,...
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The AI-First Shift: How Brands Can Win in the Age of Generative AI
AI Australia Podcast
In a world where nearly half of Australians have adopted generative AI, traditional marketing is being reshaped. This episode features Celia Harding, an expert in Language Engine Optimisation (LEO), who explains why brands must adapt their strategies to be visible in AI-generated answers. We discuss the differences between LEO and SEO, how various AI models like Gemini and ChatGPT have unique "personalities" that influence their search results, and why third-party endorsements are more crucial than ever. We also explore the coming wave of "agentic commerce," where AI will make purchases on our...
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Don't build AI into broken processes: Unlocking business potential with Process Mining
AI Australia Podcast
In this episode, we chat with Professor Wil van der Aalst, the "Godfather of Process Mining." He's the brains behind a multi-billion dollar industry that started 25 years ago in his quest to understand what organisations are actually doing, not just what they think they're doing. Wil dives into why he believes companies need to use process mining to get their houses in order before throwing AI at their problems. Using real-world examples—from streamlining a sales process to solving flight delays at an airport—he shows how this tech uncovers hidden inefficiencies...
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The Human Touch: Navigating AI in Finance and Beyond
AI Australia Podcast
In this episode, May Lam, Chief Information Officer at Australian Payments Plus, shares her incredible journey from a software engineer tackling Y2K bugs to a leading voice in payments and AI. Drawing on her extensive experience across banking, FinTech, and the public sector, May unpacks the transformative power of AI in the financial industry. She outlines three key pillars of opportunity: the "internet of me" for hyper-personalisation, the "economy of we" for shared growth, and the "power of now" for instant, trustworthy services. May also discusses the crucial need for robust AI...
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Special: Live from the Databricks Data and AI Summit 2025 from San Francisco
AI Australia Podcast
Highlights from Databricks Data and AI Summit 2025 In this special episode of the AI Australia podcast, Kathryn Collier and Emma Bromet report live from the Databricks Data and AI Summit 2025 in San Francisco. The summit which attracts 22,000 attendees to the city and 65,000 in total making it one of the largest Data and AI conferences globally. The pervasive theme this year was “Data Intelligence” which can be distilled to the democratisation of data and AI – a clear strategic move to bridge the gap between business needs and the complex reality of end-to-end development...
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How AI is Reshaping Customer Expectations & Driving Business Value with Sandy Iyer
AI Australia Podcast
How AI is Reshaping Customer Expectations & Driving Business Value with Sandy Iyer (General Manager, Data Science at Sportsbet) Join your hosts Emma Bromet and Kathryn Collier as they chat with Sandy Iyer, a leading data and analytics executive, currently General Manager of Data Science at Sportsbet. With a career spanning energy retail, financial services, and wagering, Sandy brings a wealth of experience to the conversation. In this insightful episode, Sandy discusses: The Evolving Customer Landscape: How AI has profoundly shifted customer expectations, moving beyond just quality to...
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Venture Capital in AI with Danielle Haj-Moussa and Roo Harris (Part 2)
AI Australia Podcast
Because we loved talking to Roo and Danielle SO much in our last episode, we are delighted to bring you another installment of that conversation. In this episode of the A.I. Australia podcast, Kobi and Nat host Roo Harris from Scale Investors and Danielle Haj-Moussa from Main Sequence Ventures to continue our discussion on responsible AI investment in startups. We explore critical topics such as the importance of responsible AI practices, the challenges startups face in integrating AI, and the role of VCs in setting ethical standards. The conversation also covers the...
info_outlineThis week in AI has been a week like no other - join Natalie & Kobi to mull over the back and forth at OpenAI over the last week as we delve into what happened and what might it all mean. We are saddened about the departure of all the women on the OpenAI board, but wonder if the previous academic-focussed board had found themselves out of their depth as the value of the company grew. We are more than a little curious about the eventual movie that will no doubt be made about this highly dramatic saga!
We also talk about the importance of governance around not just data but AI, including processes & accountability rather than just technical aspects.
No links this week because there is not enough space on the internet to link to all of the articles covering the happenings of this last week.