IT Visionaries

Cybersecurity isn’t just about firewalls and passwords anymore. It’s an all-out battle where hackers run businesses with customer support desks, insider threats can be disguised as your newest hire, and artificial intelligence is both the weapon and the shield.

In this special episode of IT Visionaries, host Chris Brandt switches roles and sits in the hot seat while Lacey Peace, host of Experts of Experience, interviews him about t...

When your AI has to make decisions in the real world, the data you don’t have can hurt people.

DiffuseDrive CEO Balint Pasztor joins IT Visionaries to unpack the $124B data scarcity problem holding back autonomous systems — and how synthetic data (done right) can compress years of data collection into hours.

We dig into: why edge cases matter (and how to safely create them), closing the sim-to-real gap with diffusion models, preven...

Discover how to turn decades of data into a competitive edge, build lasting customer relationships beyond the first click, and apply AI in ways that truly drive impact. Joining us is Vineet Mahajan, CTO of US News & World Report, who shares how he’s led the 90-year-old brand through a sweeping digital transformation. From rearchitecting infrastructure to deploying semantic search, generative AI, and agentic tools, Vineet explains h...

IT leaders in regulated industries know the pain of navigating outdated, slow procurement systems – especially when critical missions depend on modern tools. 

In this episode, Bryana Tucci, Lead of the AWS Marketplace for the US Intelligence Community, shares how government agencies are overcoming legacy procurement bottlenecks to access cutting-edge software, AI tools, and cloud services faster and more securely.

Listeners will gain...

Feeling buried under content chaos? You're not alone. Ravi Singh, President and Chief Product Officer at Brightspot, joins us to break down how IT leaders can regain control, cut through AI-generated noise, and build scalable, secure content systems. He shares the secrets behind Brightspot’s success with some of the world’s biggest brands, explains how to avoid costly AI missteps, and reveals how to keep creators at the center of y...

Meet Chris Brandt, the new host of IT Visionaries.

In this special episode, outgoing host Albert Chou passes the mic to Chris—a seasoned Technology Strategist with a passion for connecting bold ideas to real business outcomes.

Chris’s career spans startups to global enterprises, from building an EMP-shielded data center deep underground to deploying 200PB HPC environments in Fintech. His expertise includes business strategy, IT opera...

Are data-driven decisions overrated? On this special roundtable episode, we challenge the conventional wisdom that more data always leads to better outcomes. Our guests, Kevin McEvilly, Andrew Fox, and Mike Della Porta, discuss the pitfalls of relying solely on analytics and the importance of human insight in crafting successful marketing strategies. Are you ready to rethink your approach?

Tune in to learn:

• Diversity is a signifi...

On this episode, Andy Tay, Senior Managing Director, Cloud First Lead Accenture Cloud First, Accenture, discusses the critical role of digital transformation and AI readiness for businesses. He emphasizes the importance of establishing a strong digital core, which includes infrastructure, data strategies, and responsible AI practices, and he shares insights on the common pitfalls companies face when adopting AI and highlights succe...

 On this episode, Janet Cinfio, Chief Information Officer of Acxiom, discusses the company's role in marketing intelligence and data management, the importance of balancing privacy with personalized marketing experiences, the need for responsible innovation in technology, and the significance of encouraging diversity in STEM careers.

Key Insights:

• Personalization in marketing is crucial for consumer engagement.
• Brands are closer t...

On this episode, Ahmad Bahai, CTO of Texas Instruments, discusses the importance of innovation in the semiconductor industry and the challenges of meeting the increasing demands for faster, more efficient technology. He highlights the need for disruptive innovation to keep up with the exponential growth of data and the widening gap between hardware capabilities and demand. Bahai emphasizes the role of problem-solving and risk manag...

On this episode, Tony Lambert, CTO of TechSmith, discusses how TechSmith stays at the forefront of innovation by listening to customer needs, conducting research, and staying informed about industry trends. Plus, he explains why TechSmith has invested in content creation roles and how, in the future, video AI may be able to diagram manual skills, teach soft skills, and provide more advanced editing capabilities.

Tune in to learn:

On this episode, Leslie Beavers, the acting Chief Information Officer for the Department of Defense, discusses the role and responsibilities of the Department of Defense (DoD) in defending the nation. The DoD is responsible for coordinating all IT efforts within the department, as well as warfighting command control and communications. With a budget of $60 billion annually and over 4 million people across the globe, Ms. Beavers emp...

On this episode, Sastry Durvasula, the Chief Information and Client Services Officer at TIAA, discusses how TIAA uses technology, including AI, to improve the retirement experience for its customers. He also digs into the challenges of integrating new sources of data and the need for companies to reimagine their approach to technology and innovation.

Tune in to learn:

• How to use technology to improve retirement education
• What AI l...

On this episode, Harpreet Suri, the CTO of K&L Gates, discusses the role of technology in the legal industry and how it is transforming the way law firms operate. She highlights the importance of ease of adoption and security when evaluating technology solutions for law firms, and she shares her insights on the future of the legal industry, including the use of AI in understanding slang, solving logical arguments, and sequencing sc...

Babak Hodjat, CTO of AI at Cognizant, discusses the impact of advancements in AI and the factors that have enabled its rapid progress, including increased processing capacity, access to large amounts of data, and improved neural network architectures. Babak also highlights the importance of moving to the cloud and leveraging AI to make informed decisions.

Key Takeaways:

• Advancements in AI have been driven by increased processing ...

On this episode, Prince Kohli, the CTO of Automation Anywhere, discusses the evolution of robotic process automation (RPA) and its impact on industries. He shares real-world examples of how RPA and AI have transformed processes and improved efficiency in various sectors, and he delves into the implementation of RPA and AI, data governance, and the future of automation.

Key Takeaways:

• The evolution of RPA and AI has led to signifi...

 On this episode, Mark Butler, CISO for Trace3, discusses the impact of AI on various industries, the challenges of AI governance, and the adoption of cloud services. He also delves into the application of AI in different sectors and the implications of cloud migration for companies with legacy infrastructure.

Key Takeaways:

• AI has the potential to transform industries such as healthcare, finance, and energy, leading to significa...

On this episode, Shelia Anderson, CIO of Aflac, delves into the use of technology to improve customer service, streamline processes, and enhance the overall experience for policyholders. The discussion also highlights the role of leadership in driving organizational change and the importance of transparency and education in decision-making. Plus, a discussion about the continuous improvement nature of AI and the need for trusted so...

On this episode, Bill Waid, the Chief Product and Technology Officer of FICO, discusses the role of FICO and its products and services beyond the FICO score. He reveals how FICO applies artificial intelligence and machine learning in its decision-making processes. Plus, Bill explains how FICO's software division helps businesses operationalize analytics and make data-driven decisions.

On this episode, Bill Waid, the Chief Product an...