Event-Driven Architecture: The only data integration approach you need?
Beyond the Hype
In this episode, Oliver Cronk dives into the world of Event-Driven Architecture (EDA) with Tom Fairbairn from Solace and Scott Logic’s Gordon Campbell. The discussion explores whether EDA has matured beyond the hype into a practical strategy for modern systems integration, or if it’s just another architectural buzzword. Together, they unpack the core principles of EDA, its role in taming point-to-point integration chaos, and how asynchronous processing can help smooth demand spikes. Drawing on real-world examples from finance, retail, and public sector projects, the conversation highlights...
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Does innovation have to come at the expense of ethics?
Beyond the Hype
Oliver Cronk is joined by Scott Logic’s Sophia Ashley and Alix Dunn from the ‘Computer Says Maybe’ podcast for a wide-ranging discussion which poses ethical questions that are frequently ignored in the race for technological innovation. Together, they explore the intersection of technology and power, and examine whether society is unwittingly allowing technology to reshape our world without adequate scrutiny or safeguards. As technological innovations continue to promote the atomisation and polarisation of society and the erosion of human agency, our guests consider what’s required to...
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Should fully autonomous AI agents be developed?
Beyond the Hype
In this episode, Oliver Cronk is joined by colleagues David Rees, Hélène Sauvé, Ivan Mladjenovic and Emma Pearce. Together, they delve into the practical applications and limitations of agentic AI and its implications for enterprise AI deployments. The team shares insights from the ‘Infer’ research and development projects, through which Scott Logic produced and open-sourced InferLLM (a local, personalised AI agent) and InferESG (which uses AI agents to identify greenwashing in Environmental, Social and Governance reports). With real-world examples and expert perspectives, the...
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Is architecture for AI even necessary?
Beyond the Hype
In this episode, Oliver Cronk is joined by colleagues Jess McEvoy and James Heward, and Atom Bank's Head of AI and Data Science, Russell Collingham, to tackle the provocative question: "Is architecture for AI even necessary?" They explore the transformative impact of generative AI and the critical role of architecture in ensuring sustainable and scalable implementations. Russell shares Atom Bank's approach to building reusable AI components while navigating security and governance challenges. James emphasises the evolving role of architects in balancing innovation with practical constraints,...
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Are enterprise browsers just about security?
Beyond the Hype
In this episode of Beyond the Hype, Oliver Cronk is joined by Bradon Rogers from Island, along with Scott Logic colleagues Dean Kerr and Robat Williams, to explore the potential of enterprise browsers. They delve into the advantages of enterprise browsers over standard options like Chrome and Edge, particularly in terms of security and productivity. Bradon describes how enterprise browsers, built on a Chromium foundation, offer a familiar user experience while integrating robust security features and application delivery capabilities. The discussion also covers the challenges of using...
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Technology Strategies: Essential roadmaps or just hype?
Beyond the Hype
In this episode, Oliver Cronk is joined by Technology Lead Andrew Carr and CTO Colin Eberhardt to delve into the evolving nature of technology strategy within organisations. As technological advancements accelerate, they question the relevance of a traditional long-term technology strategy and whether it has become an industry buzzword in itself. They explore the annual ritual of tech predictions and strategic planning, and whether it is practical or performative. They also debate the balance between addressing technical debt and fostering innovation, the influence of analyst-driven hype, and...
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Is observability just the new name for system monitoring?
Beyond the Hype
In this episode, Oliver Cronk is joined for a discussion on observability by Scott Rowan, Senior Developer at Scott Logic, and Daniel Gomez Blanco, Principal Engineer at Skyscanner and a member of the Open Telemetry Governance Committee. The conversation explores what observability means in modern distributed software architectures, how it differs from traditional monitoring, and the challenges of implementing observability at scale. The discussion touches on practical aspects of implementing observability and how this approach can lead to faster problem detection and resolution, as...
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Will we ever be able to secure GenAI?
Beyond the Hype
In this episode, Oliver Cronk, Doro Hinrichs and Kira Clark from Scott Logic are joined by Peter Gostev, Head of AI at Moonpig. Together, they explore whether we can ever really trust and secure Generative AI (GenAI), while sharing stories from the front line about getting to grips with this rapidly evolving technology. With its human-like, non-deterministic nature, GenAI frustrates traditional pass/fail approaches to software testing. The panellists explore ways to tackle this, and discuss Scott Logic’s Spy Logic project which helps development teams investigate defensive measures against...
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Can we do better than 'carbon aware' computing?
Beyond the Hype
In this episode, Oliver Cronk and David Rees from Scott Logic are joined by Hannah Smith, Director of Operations at Green Web Foundation, an organisation aiming to make the internet fossil-free by 2030. Together, they explore the potential benefits and limitations of ‘carbon aware’ computing, which involves scheduling computational workloads during times or in locations where energy sources have lower carbon emissions. With the simplicity of ‘carbon aware’ being at odds with the complexities of managing the electricity grid, they move on to discussing ‘grid aware’. This concept...
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UK GOV AI: Is innovation guided by principles enough?
Beyond the Hype
In this episode, Colin Eberhardt is joined by Jess McEvoy and Peter Chamberlin, who have both spent many years in senior roles within public sector organisations. Their conversation covers the excitement and concerns around AI, both from a citizen's perspective and for those building public services. They discuss the UK government’s approach to addressing AI challenges with its pro-innovation mantra, and whether this creates the right environment for success. They also touch on the need for global cooperation when tackling what are increasingly becoming global challenges. Links from this...
info_outlineIn this episode, Oliver Cronk is joined by colleagues Jess McEvoy and James Heward, and Atom Bank's Head of AI and Data Science, Russell Collingham, to tackle the provocative question: "Is architecture for AI even necessary?"
They explore the transformative impact of generative AI and the critical role of architecture in ensuring sustainable and scalable implementations. Russell shares Atom Bank's approach to building reusable AI components while navigating security and governance challenges. James emphasises the evolving role of architects in balancing innovation with practical constraints, arguing that architecture remains essential for mission-critical applications. Jess provides a public sector perspective, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to AI regulation and innovation.
The episode also delves into the geopolitical implications of AI, the importance of data sovereignty, and the potential for the UK to develop its own AI strategy. Have a listen to gain insights into the ongoing debate about the necessity of architecture in the AI era and the strategic considerations for leveraging AI effectively.
Useful links for this episode
- There is more than one way to do GenAI – Oliver Cronk, Scott Logic
- Are we sleepwalking into tomorrow's AI challenges? – Oliver Cronk, Scott Logic
- Building Effective AI Agents – Anthropic
- Fully Autonomous AI Agents Should Not Be Developed (PDF) – Hugging Face
- Will the US cloud soon be illegal in the EU? – CIO