Utilizing AI - A Futurum Group Podcast

AI is transforming enterprise operations—but adopting it responsibly is more important than ever.
In this episode of Utilizing AI, Stephen Foskett, Jon Swartz, and Olivier Blanchard are joined by Siroui Mushegian, CIO of Barracuda Networks, to discuss how organizations can integrate AI safely and effectively into daily operations.
The conversation covers Barracuda’s people-powered approach to AI, including secure deployment, governance frameworks, employee upskilling, and managing change during AI transformation. Listeners will learn practical strategies for balancing innovation with security, ensuring AI adoption drives real business outcomes.
Whether you’re moving beyond AI pilots or scaling operations, this episode offers actionable insights for implementing AI responsibly while empowering your workforce.
Learn more on Barracuda's website here. 
#UtilizingAI #ResponsibleAI #EnterpriseAI #Barracuda #AIGovernance #CyberSecurity #AILeadership

The AI rivalry is heating up — and it’s about more than just model performance.
In this episode of Utilizing AI, Stephen Foskett, Olivier Blanchard, and Brad Shimmin examine the growing competition between Anthropic and OpenAI, from public criticism over marketing tactics to deeper differences in safety philosophy, enterprise trust, and long-term strategy.
They compare Claude and ChatGPT, unpack what this tension means for enterprise adoption, and explain why the competitive landscape between AI model developers matters more than ever for organizations deploying generative AI at scale.
#AI #OpenAI #Anthropic #GenerativeAI #EnterpriseAI #AICompetition #UtilizingAI

Artificial intelligence is moving beyond experimentation and into real operational environments — especially at the edge.
In Episode 15 of Utilizing AI, Stephen Foskett and Jon Swartz are joined by Frederic Van Haren to discuss how enterprises are deploying AI across healthcare and manufacturing to improve safety, reliability, and performance.
The discussion explores what it actually takes to run AI at scale:
• Moving AI from pilot programs to production systems •
Deploying AI in distributed and edge environments •
Building resilient infrastructure for operational workloads •
Integrating hardware, software, and ecosystem partnerships •
Establishing trust in data, platforms, and operational technology
AI success in enterprise environments isn’t about flashy demos. It requires disciplined architecture, reliable compute, and operational trust.
This episode delivers a practical roadmap for organizations ready to unlock real business value from AI. Subscribe for weekly enterprise AI insights from the Futurum Group.
#EnterpriseAI #EdgeAI #HealthcareAI #ManufacturingAI #OperationalAI #AIInfrastructure #DigitalTransformation #UtilizingAI

Enterprises are moving AI out of pilots and into real operations—especially at the edge.
In this episode of Utilizing AI, Stephen Foskett and Brad Shimmin are joined by Jeremy Foster, Senior VP & GM of Compute at Cisco, to discuss how AI is being deployed across industries like retail, healthcare, and manufacturing.
The conversation focuses on what it actually takes to run AI at scale: resilient infrastructure, efficient hardware and software, and strong partnerships across the ecosystem.
The panel also examines why trust in data, platforms, and operational technology is essential for successful AI adoption, and how Cisco is integrating AI into its compute and edge offerings to improve performance, reliability, and outcomes.
This episode delivers a practical look at how enterprises can unlock real value from AI—not just experiments.
#EnterpriseAI #EdgeAI #Cisco #AIInfrastructure #UtilizingAI #FuturumGroup #StephenFoskett #BradShimmin #JeremyFoster #AIAtScale

Artificial intelligence is transforming enterprise software — but it’s not replacing it.
In this episode of Utilizing AI, Stephen Foskett, Jon Swartz, and Nick Patience sit down with Amit Zavery, President, CPO, and COO of ServiceNow, to discuss:
• Why agentic AI is additive — not disruptive destruction • How enterprises can deploy AI without sacrificing governance
• The importance of AI control towers and risk management
• Security and sovereignty in modern AI architectures • ServiceNow’s partnerships with OpenAI and NVIDIA
• Why enterprise software still requires context, workflows, and controls As AI agents become more capable, CIOs must balance automation with security, compliance, and operational resilience.
This conversation explores how to adopt AI thoughtfully — without breaking the enterprise. Subscribe for weekly enterprise AI insights from the Futurum Group.
#AgenticAI #EnterpriseAI #ServiceNow #AIGovernance #SovereignAI #AISecurity #CIO #enterprisesoftware

AI is fundamentally changing how electronics are designed and built.
In this episode of Utilizing AI, Stephen Foskett and Olivier Blanchard are joined by Matthias Wagner, CEO and Founder of Flux AI, to explore how AI-powered platforms are turning simple prompts into functional electronic designs.
The conversation examines how tools like Flux AI lower the barrier to hardware creation, allowing users to design devices without deep electronics or manufacturing expertise.
The panel discusses the importance of community-driven collaboration, user feedback loops, and shared resources in accelerating innovation.
They also look at Flux AI’s growing presence, including its San Francisco office, community events, and strong social media and reporting strategy—all aimed at keeping builders, engineers, and creators connected to the latest advances in AI-driven electronics design.
This episode offers a forward-looking view of how AI is reshaping hardware development from concept to production.
#AI #ElectronicsDesign #HardwareAI #FluxAI #GenerativeAI #EnterpriseAI #AIDesign #HardwareInnovation #TechInnovation #UtilizingAI #FuturumGroup #AIManufacturing #BuildWithAI

Sovereign AI is rapidly becoming a strategic priority across Europe.
In this episode of Utilizing AI, Stephen Foskett, Nick Patience, and Brad Shimmin examine why digital sovereignty is reshaping AI and cloud strategies for governments and enterprises alike.
The discussion covers AWS’s European Sovereign Cloud, growing collaboration between Apple and Google on AI models, and how geopolitical pressures are influencing technology decisions.
The panel also digs into the practical realities of sovereign AI, including data management, regulatory compliance, and the push for more energy-efficient data centers.
As Europe prioritizes strategic autonomy, this episode explains why sovereign AI is no longer optional—and how it will shape the next phase of AI development.
#SovereignAI #DigitalSovereignty #EuropeanAI #CloudAI #EnterpriseAI #AIRegulation #UtilizingAI #FuturumGroup #StephenFoskett #NickPatience #BradShimmin

Enterprise AI doesn’t fail because of models — it fails because of data.
In this episode of Utilizing AI, Stephen Foskett and Brad Shimmin are joined by Ken Yagan, Chief Product Officer at CData, to explain why robust data foundations are critical for AI success.
The discussion focuses on the real challenges enterprises face today: fragmented data environments, limited access, inconsistent quality, and lack of trust. The panel breaks down why governance, security, and a strong semantic layer are essential for making AI usable at scale. They also explore how data connectivity and agility determine whether AI initiatives move into production or stall out.
This episode delivers a practical look at what organizations must fix in their data strategies before expecting AI to deliver real value.
#EnterpriseAI #AI #DataStrategy #DataGovernance #CData #UtilizingAI #FuturumGroup #StephenFoskett #BradShimmin #KenYagan #AIReadiness

AI is reshaping how businesses access, analyze, and act on data.
In this episode of Utilizing AI, Stephen Foskett, Brad Shimmin, and Paul Blankley, Founder and CTO of Zenlytic, break down how AI is changing business intelligence from static dashboards to more interactive, insight-driven systems. The discussion looks at how platforms like Zenlytic are simplifying analytics with user-friendly dashboards while pushing toward a future that goes beyond charts and reports.
The panel explores the rise of AI agents, voice-driven interfaces, and proactive insights that surface the right data at the right time—without forcing users to hunt for answers. As BI evolves, understanding how AI fits into decision-making workflows becomes essential.
This episode explains why deeper analysis, smarter interfaces, and AI-powered engagement will define the next generation of business intelligence.
#AI #BusinessIntelligence #DataAnalytics #EnterpriseAI #Zenlytic #TechNews #UtilizingAI #FuturumGroup #StephenFoskett #BradShimmin #PaulBlankley

NVIDIA made a major statement at CES 2026, unveiling new AI technologies that reinforce its influence across hardware, software, and robotics. Stephen Foskett, Brad Shimmin, and Nick Patience break down NVIDIA’s latest announcements, including Helios, advanced embedded processors, and new platforms designed to push AI deeper into real-world systems.
The panel also examines NVIDIA’s growing focus on robotics through Alpa Mayo and its specialized training frameworks, signaling a stronger push toward embodied AI. Beyond NVIDIA, the discussion covers Dell’s XPS comeback and what it says about high-performance AI PCs, along with NVIDIA’s acquisition of Grok and the broader industry shift toward inference-driven AI applications.
From chips to robots to infrastructure economics, this episode cuts through the CES noise to explain what actually matters—and why these moves point to where AI is heading next.
#UtilizingAI #robotics #cybersecurity #AI #CES