Making Data Simple
Hosted by Al Martin, WW VP of Technical Sales at IBM, Making Data Simple cuts through the hype to reveal how data and AI reshape the modern enterprise.
Thought leaders, researchers, and innovators share firsthand lessons on leading teams, scaling analytics, and driving real-world impact—delivered in Al’s signature straightforward, witty style.
Tune in to Making Data Simple today. From data and AI breakthroughs to leadership hacks, top experts drop actionable gems that help businesses thrive in a data-driven world. #MakingDataSimple #AI #Leadership
Episodes
390 episodes
Still Essential: Ruchir Puri, IBM Chief Scientist, on the Death of Prompt Engineering and the Rise of Agentic AI {Replay}
First Aired Apr 23, 2025If you've been following the AI space lately, this episode hits differently the second time around.When Al sat down with Ruchir Puri — Chief Scientist of IBM Research, IBM Fellow, and the...
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Season 10
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Episode 11
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29:40
The Data You Never Collected: Adam Kamor Co-Founder & Head of Engineering, Tonic.ai, on Synthetic Data's AI Revolution
Making Data Simple dives into the exciting world of synthetic data with Adam Kamor, Co-Founder & Head of Engineering at Tonic.ai — a company building a synthetic data platform to power AI and software development. Adam unpacks how synthetic...
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Season 10
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Episode 10
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42:48
From Two Phones to Crystal Balls — A CISO's Unfiltered Take on AI and Security with Josh Scott, CISO and VP of Security at Hydrolix
Making Data Simple dives into the world of data security with Josh Scott, CISO and VP of Security at Hydrolix — a real-time data platform built for massive scale. Josh unpacks critical challenges like AI adoption, cybersecurity prioritie...
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Season 10
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Episode 9
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36:05
The Hidden Laws Behind Every Decision You Make — with Princeton's Tom Griffiths and his new book, The Laws of Thought
Tom Griffiths, Henry R. Luce Professor at Princeton University, joins the show to explore the surprising science behind how we actually think. His new book, The Laws of Thought, bridges computational cognitive science and AI—challengin...
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Season 10
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Episode 8
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43:32
From Hollywood to High-Tech: Marco Rota’s, VP Strategic Technology Alliances at Lumen Technologies, Blueprint for Cultural Transformation {Replay}
Welcome back to Making Data Simple, where we explore how data-driven strategies ignite innovation and transform businesses. In this exciting episode, we sit down with Marco Rota, VP of Strategic Technology Alliances at Lumen Te...
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Season 10
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Episode 7
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32:14
Taming the Messy Data Reality: Turning AI Training Chaos into an $80T IP Asset Class with Andrea Muttoni, President and CPO of Story
Tackling the messy reality of data fueling artificial intelligence, Andrea Muttoni—President & CPO at Story—joins the show to unpack how Story is building an AI-native infrastructure for intellectual property and training data. We di...
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Season 10
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Episode 6
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43:14
This Episode is Deep into the Tech! From Graph DB Fundamentals to Grid Security: Engineering the Next-Gen Infrastructure
Prasad Calyam, Curators’ Distinguished Professor and Center Director at the University of Missouri, joins the show to explore how knowledge graphs, modern data platforms, and AI are reshaping power grids and cybersecurity. He breaks down graph ...
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Season 10
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Episode 5
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19:54
From Sovereign AI to Social Impact: The Big Shifts You Need to Watch with IBM VP and CTO of IBM Canada, Manav Gupta
Manav Gupta, Vice President & CTO at IBM Canada, returns to the podcast to unpack the fast-changing landscape of artificial intelligence. From keeping a technical edge to navigating the rise of sovereign AI, Manav shares insights on how eme...
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49:01
Say What!? Bad ideas are the key to to better innovation? Dive in for this contrarian take and more on AI for organizational intelligence with Phanish Puranam, Professor of Strategy and Organizational Design {Replay}
This was a fantastic 2 part series on how to design intelligent organizations. Check it out!Part 1 of 2How do we make organizations not just run — but run intelligently?In this episode of Making Da...
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Season 10
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Episode 3
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32:02
The End User Advantage: How Smart Software Asset Management Unlocks Performance and Savings with Agnelpoint's Ron Brill and Kris Johnson
We're joined by Ron Brill, President and Chairman of the Board, and Kris Johnson, Chief Product Officer of Anglepoint, a global leader in software asset management. From their startup origins to tackling massive compliance challenges, we'll div...
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Season 10
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Episode 2
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52:46
AI Power Plays: How IBM’s Clarity Levels Up Every Customer Conversation with Paul Zikopoulos, Matt Bateson, and Kyle Sava
Unpack a groundbreaking application of IBM’s AI technology designed to revolutionize training and learning. This episode delves into how IBM’s AI-powered partner – built around IBM training – can sharpen technical knowledge, boost confidence, a...
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Season 10
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Episode 1
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52:40
Fresh off a high-profile appearance on CNBC! Jure Leskovec, Chief Scientist at Kumo and a Stanford Professor who's fundamentally reshaped how we understand networks {Replay}
Fresh off a high-profile appearance on CNBC’s Worldwide Exchange discussing how AI will move beyond chatbots to autonomous agents that reshape jobs and productivity! Replay this episode where Jure digs into why structured data is still l...
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Season 9
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Episode 53
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42:34
Warm Hearts, New Skills! – The Mindful Response with Estela Zuheros {Replay}
When there’s a need to re-center, stay grounded, and remember that growth is accessible to all of us, this is the episode to revisit. The Mindful Response with Estela Zuheros, Corporate Social Responsibility leader at IBM, explores how social i...
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45:22
From Disengaged to High-Performing: Dave Garrison’s Data-Driven Playbook for Team Buy-In
Are your teams struggling with disengagement and declining performance? What if the real problem isn’t talent or strategy, but a hidden “buy-in” gap quietly draining energy, innovation, and results? Joining us is Dave Garrison, a seasone...
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Season 9
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Episode 51
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48:32
How to Choose, Use, and Trust AI Models with Manav Gupta, Vice President and CTO, IBM Canada {Replay}
On this replay of Making Data Simple, Manav Gupta, VP and CTO of IBM Canada, jumps straight into the world of large language models and what they really mean for businesses trying to scale AI. From how today’s models are built and tuned, to whe...
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Season 9
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Episode 50
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49:15
Bright Ideas, Bold Bets: Entrepreneurship, Agentic AI, and Career Gold with Lighthouse CEO Ben Lowe. {Replay}
Hit replay on this high-energy conversation with Ben Lowe, Founder and CEO of Lighthouse Technology, as he breaks down what it really takes to build something from scratch in a fast-changing AI world. From finding the right co‑fou...
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Season 9
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Episode 49
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46:43
Replay: Agentic AI and the End of Deterministic Decision Trees with Megan Gallagher from Maven AGI
Hit replay on one of the most thought-provoking Agentic AI conversations on Making Data Simple. GTM Account Director Megan Gallagher makes the case for Agentic AI from the Maven AGI front lines, where AI agents stop following rigid decision tre...
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Season 9
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Episode 48
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55:01
How Do You Build AI That Actually Works 99.999999% of the Time? With Tina Tarquinio Chief Product Officer of IBM Z and LinuxONE
Dive into the powerful world of mainframes! Chief Product Officer of IBM Z and LinuxONE, Tina Tarquinio, reveals the truth behind those eight nines of uptime and explores how mainframes are evolving with AI, hybrid cloud, and future-proofing st...
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Season 9
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Episode 47
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44:07
Data Unstuck: Jure Leskovec on Unleashing the Power of Networks
Data’s everywhere, but so often it feels… stuck. Joining us today is JureLeskovec, Chief Scientist at Kumo and a Stanford Professor who'sfundamentally reshaped how we understand networks—from Pinterest'srecommendations to tracking t...
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Season 9
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Episode 46
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42:34
🎧 Are you successful… but not satisfied? Redefining Success — Kris Kluver on Building a Business and a Life You Love {Replay}
Guest: Kris Kluver, Founder of Life on Your Terms — speaker, facilitator, best-selling author, advisor, and coach helping leaders design fulfillment that matches their ambition.Summary: In this powerful replay,...
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Season 9
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Episode 45
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49:15
The AI Storyteller Geoff Thatcher, Founder and CCO Creative Principals
Exploring the intersection of creativity and innovation, Geoff Thatcher, Founder and CCO Creative Principals, shares his insights on how AI is revolutionizing live experiences. From personalized exhibits to universal storytelling, Geoff delves ...
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44:44
Replay: Writing That Moves the World — Vinca LaFleur of West Wing Writers on Crafting Ideas That Stick
This is one of my favorite episodes - it's all about the story!Part 2 of our conversation with Vinca LaFleur, Founding Partner of West Wing Writers. From the power of ideas to the art of delivery, Vinca shares what it tak...
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Season 9
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Episode 43
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38:39
Unlocking the Power of AI & Data: Expert Insights from Douwe Kiela, CEO of Contextual.ai
We're joined by Douwe Kiela, CEO of Contextual.ai and pioneer in RAG research. From deploying AI agents at Fortune 500 companies to shedding light on data privacy and security, Douwe shares his expertise and insights on how to make data simple,...
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37:37
Databases That Think: Building AI-Ready Systems with MongoDB’s Richmond Alake {Replay}
This week, we’re rewinding one of our most talked-about episodes! Richmond Alake, Developer Advocate at MongoDB, joins us to explore how databases power the future of AI. From RAG best practices to the truth behind AGI hype, Richmond breaks dow...
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Season 9
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Episode 34
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41:25
Anaconda Unleashed: Python Powers the AI Jungle with Peter Wang, Chief AI and Innovation Officer, co-founder of Anaconda {Replay}
Replay Episode: Python, Anaconda, and the AI Frontier with Peter WangPeter Wang — Chief AI & Innovation Officer and Co-founder of Anaconda — is back on Making Data Simple! Known for shaping the open-source ecosystem a...
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50:22