Peggy Smedley Show

On Aiglatson, Peggy Smedley and cohost Dennis Draeger, foresight director, Shaping Tomorrow, talk about obsolescence in this era of AI (artificial intelligence), narrowing in on human vs machine obsolescence. He says the technology industry has always considered humans second and favoring progress over human dignity.

They also discuss:

· Things that were made obsolete during the Industrial Revolution—and what will happen next in th...

Peggy digs into a new report that looks at ransomware, business email compromise, and data incidents. She says for all businesses this represents an operational risk, a financial risk, a brand risk, and a leadership risk.

She also discusses:

· Which industry was the most heavily targeted for ransomware.

· Five key predictions for 2026.

· Three next steps businesses should take to protect their businesses.

https://peggysmedleyshow.c...

Peggy Smedley and Sabari Raja, managing partner, JFFVentures, and Molly Blankenship, associate vice president, Jobs for the Future, talk about new research from the Jobs for the Future, which reveals only 40% of U.S. workers hold jobs that meet basic standards for financial stability, mobility, agency, and safe, respective working conditions.

They also discuss:

· How much it costs employers when workers are disengaged.

· How learni...

Peggy Smedley and Kelly Ireland, CEO, CBT, talk about the mindset leaders carry into every decision—and the beliefs that shape culture, narrowing in on industry stagnation at the leadership level. She says it is a mixed bag and some of it is about what they have seen as being unsuccessful in the past.

They also discuss:

· POC purgatory and what stalled.

· Adoption amid a mixed workforce.

· The biggest blind spot leadership has.

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Peggy talks about new quantum research at universities and some case studies. She says quantum could add trillions of dollars to the world's economy and thousands of jobs—but we need to ensure we have a strategy around security and implementation.

She also discusses:

· Quantum photonics—and how it is key to the future of mass-produced quantum communications systems.

· A map of where quantum courses can be found at higher education ...

Peggy Smedley and Scott Aaronson, chair of computer science, University of Texas, Austin, and director of Quantum Information Science Center, separate the science from the mythology of quantum. He says there has been a hope for decades that quantum computers would be useful beyond the two more common quantum tasks.

They also discuss:

· What limit the field still underestimates.

· How an organization should proceed—and if there is a...

Peggy Smedley and Deborah Farone, CEO, Farone Advisors, and author of Breaking Ground, talk about the shift with data. She says technology will make it easier to go out and develop business, but the hard thing is markets are constantly in motion.

They also discuss:

· What data we should collect and what data we need.

· Data kept can tell stories if it is put in the right place.

· What she learned by talking to women about how to pr...

Peggy dissects the three pillars of quantum technology: quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communications. She says the quantum revolution is inevitable and the new innovations that could come as a result of this are exciting.

She also discusses:

· The growth anticipated for the entire market and for each pillar.

· The opportunities that exist within each pillar.

· The inherent risks companies will face, such as Q-Day.

Peggy Smedley and Morgan Hays, senior director product management, construction, Bentley Systems, talk about 4D modeling and what comes next with the help of AI (artificial intelligence). He says 4D modeling and 4D-based planning is a massive step forward in the way the construction industry plans both during preconstruction and du...

Peggy Smedley and Tim Lindner, warehouse automation consultant, talk about robots and what they really mean for workforce trends. He says he sees a shift in the type of people that companies that deploy robots will need. Enter the robot wrangler.

They also discuss:

· If robots are displacing workers—or if they are replacing the work.

· Blending machine intelligence with human intelligence.

· The movie robot that is most like the hu...

Peggy and cohost Dennis Draeger, foresight director, Shaping Tomorrow, talk about the promise versus the peril of Aiglatson. He says the difficulty is the risk isn't so much on the AI, the risk is on humanity giving up its responsibility to AI.

They also discuss:

· The most credible existential risks of AI.

· How Aiglatson leaders should benchmark them against other risks.

· A comparison of AI to other historical innovations such a...

Peggy Smedley interviews Tim Lindner, warehouse automation consultant, about how humanoid robots and robots in general have had a big impact since we started talking about them in 2015. He says there are a number of examples in history when something was in a fixed position, and it began to move.

They also discuss:

· If AI is changing the capabilities of robots, compared to even five years ago.

· How logistics and distribution comp...

Peggy talks about all things automotive, sharing some of the top takeaways from CES earlier this month. She says we are at a precipice where much is set to change in the industry, with the rise of AI (artificial intelligence) spurring along innovation.

She also discusses:

· The state of the AV (autonomous vehicle) market.

· The state of the EV (electric vehicle) market.

· Some of the biggest automotive news to come out of CES—and h...

Peggy Smedley and Jennifer Urban, partner, Foley & Lardner, and Aaron Tantleff, partner, Foley & Lardner, talk about a seismic data shift in every modern enterprise and how the lines are blurring between security and privacy. Urban says it is driven by new cybersecurity laws. Tantleff says undefined ownership of the role is a challenge.

They also discuss:

· If organizations are prepared to justify why they collect data—not just how...

Peggy Smedley and Boris Martin, CEO, Engineers Without Borders USA, talk about community-driven engineering and the next generation of work in the industry. He says the organization was born around the turn of the millennium 25 years ago, and it was born out of a concern and sense of responsibility.

They also discuss:

· Solving problems that matter and being part of something bigger than yourself.

· Three principles for Engineers W...

Peggy Smedley and Daniel Burrus, a global technology futurist, business strategist and disruptive innovation expert, talk about the top technologies for 2026. He says we live in an increasingly technological world, however, we live in a human world—and in a human world, it is all based on relationships.

They also discuss:

· How to approach generative AI (artificial intelligence) and agentic AI in the year ahead.

· The importance of...

What if people don't embrace technology the way we are anticipating or even intend? Peggy talks about digital burnout and AI (artificial intelligence). She says digital transformation isn't about using more technology but rather using technology in a way that is very thoughtful and strategic.

She also discusses:

· How many people experience digital burnout—and how it impacts our personal and professional lives.

· Tips for how to im...

Peggy Smedley and Brandon Michalski, chief economist, MSI, talk about two new reports that look at what is happening now and what is coming in the future. He says he looks at the noise versus the signal, and points to a few key areas as examples.

They also discuss:

· Tariffs and how it might impact the construction industry in 2026.

· The surge in data center projects that will reshape infrastructure for years to come—and how retai...