Transform NOW

In this episode, Transform NOW co-hosts Brad Hairston and Michael Marchuk banter about some interesting recent news headlines in the world of automation and AI. News stories covered in this episode:.PE firms replaced $500K McKinsey reports with $50K AI — on live deals https://ucstrategies.com/news/pe-firms-replaced-500k-mckinsey-reports-with-50k-ai-on-live-deals/ .OpenAI courts private equity to j...

In this episode, host Michael Marchuk interviews Robert Reed, COO of the International Bank of Chicago and founder of FinTech advisory firm Reed Advancement, about adopting AI in financial services operations, compliance, and risk. Reed argues AI should enhance, not replace, human judgment, especially since regulators aren’t ready for AI to make decisions; instead, AI should handle the “80%” data...

In this episode, Transform NOW co-hosts Brad Hairston and Michael Marchuk banter about some interesting recent news headlines in the world of automation and AI. News stories covered in this episode:.The New Bonus Scheme? KPMG Is Dangling ‘Outsize’ Awards for AI Wins https://www.inc.com/brian-contreras/kpmg-new-bonus-scheme-ai-outsize-awards-employees/91314441 .Yann LeCun Raises $1 Billion to Build...

In this episode, host Michael Marchuk speaks with Carina Lainer, a principal at Roland Berger’s Advanced Technology Center, about how quantum technologies and AI are converging. Carina explains that quantum computing’s probabilistic nature is different from AI hallucinations and is unlikely to worsen them, then discusses why ambitious qubit-scaling forecasts fell short due to error-correction limi...

In this episode, Transform NOW co-hosts Brad Hairston and Michael Marchuk banter about some interesting recent news headlines in the world of automation and AI. News stories covered in this episode: • Goldman finds ‘no meaningful relationship between AI and productivity at the economy-wide level,’ but a 30% boost for 2 specific use cases - https://finance.yahoo.com/news/goldman-finds-no-meaningful...

In this episode, host Michael Marchuk welcomes returning guest Lauren Vriens, an AI startup co-founder who previously built one of Accenture’s first generative AI platforms and scaled an electric mobility business in New York. Lauren argues software isn’t dead because users still need guided interfaces, but legacy SaaS will suffer if it only adds “magic buttons” instead of rebuilding AI-native UX...

In this episode, Transform NOW co-hosts Brad Hairston and Michael Marchuk banter about some interesting recent news headlines in the world of automation and AI. News stories covered in this episode: . ChatGPT Ads Now Hit on Your Very First Message https://winbuzzer.com/2026/02/21/chatgpt-ads-now-appearing-first-prompt-free-users-openai-xcxwbn/ . Google VP warns that two types of AI startups may no...

In this episode, host Michael Marchuk speaks with returning SS&C leaders John Bellone (Global CIO, Global Investor Distribution Services) and Jeremy Rossi (Global CIO, Intelligent Automation Analytics) about how enterprise AI adoption is shifting toward transparency and real utility. They discuss rapid progress in AI coding models, why adoption is harder outside software development, and how a...

In this episode, Transform NOW co-hosts Brad Hairston and Michael Marchuk banter about some interesting recent news headlines in the world of automation and AI. News stories covered in this episode: • It’s 2026. Can Your AI spell ROI? https://ceoworld.biz/2026/02/08/its-2026-can-your-ai-spell-roi/ • OpenAI's acquisition of OpenClaw signals the beginning of the end of the ChatGPT era https://ve...

In this episode, Brad Hairston talks with future of work expert Kelly Monahan, who explains how company leaders can do so much more to drive successful AI adoption and transform their workforce. . What we discussed with Kelly: * Why most employees believe AI has actually increased their workload * What an effective AI upskilling program looks like * How to help employees achieve the expected produ...

In this episode, Transform NOW co-hosts Brad Hairston and Michael Marchuk banter about some interesting recent news headlines in the world of automation and AI. . News stories covered in this episode: . AI Doesn’t Reduce Work—It Intensifies It https://hbr.org/2026/02/ai-doesnt-reduce-work-it-intensifies-it . What We Actually Learned Deploying 20+ AI Agents Across Our Entire Go-To-Market (8 Months...

In this episode, Brad Hairston talks with Anil Kumar, Managing Director and Head of the Private Equity AI Practice at the global consultancy Alvarez & Marsal, who explains how AI is disrupting the private equity sector. . What we discussed with Anil: * The journey from management consultant to AI thought leader * AI-enabled vs AI diligence * Contact center case study demonstrating the impact o...

In this episode, Transform NOW co-hosts Brad Hairston and Michael Marchuk banter about some interesting recent news headlines in the world of automation and AI. News stories covered in this episode: • Microsoft’s AI Spend Is Starting To Spook Investors https://gizmodo.com/microsofts-ai-spend-is-starting-to-spook-investors-2000715208 • An Agent Revolt: Moltbook Is Not A Good Idea https://www.forbes...

In this episode, Brad Hairston talks with Daniel Jurow, Founder and Principal Advisor at Sevoir Group, a management consultancy focused on creative services, including agencies, studios and martech firms. Daniel explains how AI is disrupting creative businesses and the strategies being employed to excel in the new environment. . What we discussed with Daniel: * AI adoption patterns across creative...

In this episode, Transform NOW co-hosts Brad Hairston and Michael Marchuk banter about some interesting recent news headlines in the world of automation and AI. . News stories covered in this episode: . The Dueling Rhetoric at the AI Frontier https://deadneurons.substack.com/p/the-duelling-rhetoric-at-the-ai-frontier . OpenAI to add shopping cart and merchant tools to ChatGPT https://www.testingca...

In this episode, host Michael Marchuk welcomes Ramanath Suryaprkash, Vice President of Partner Ecosystems and Global Alliances at Infosys. Ramanath shares insights into Infosys' journey with agentic solutions and the broader impact of AI and automation in various sectors. The conversation delves into the transition from traditional automation to intelligent automation, the creation and applica...

In this episode, Transform NOW co-hosts Brad Hairston and Michael Marchuk banter about some interesting recent news headlines in the world of automation and AI. News stories covered in this episode: . OpenAI wants a cut of your profits: Inside its new royalty-based plan and other business models https://www.msn.com/en-au/money/news/openai-wants-a-cut-of-your-profits-inside-its-new-royalty-based-pl...

In this episode, Transform NOW co-hosts Brad Hairston and Michael Marchuk banter about some interesting recent news headlines in the world of automation and AI. News stories covered in this episode: . AI paradoxes: 5 contradictions to watch in 2026 and why AI's future isn't straightforward https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/12/ai-paradoxes-in-2026/ . Apple’s new Google Gemini deal sounds...

In this episode, host Michael Marchuk welcomes Richard Skellett, Chief Analyst for Research and Design at Bloor Research. Richard discusses the transformative impact of AI on organizational structures and talent management, emphasizing concepts like fusion work, digital operating models, and the importance of a mutable operating model. He highlights the challenges and opportunities presented by AI...

In this episode, Transform NOW co-hosts Brad Hairston and Michael Marchuk banter about some interesting recent news headlines in the world of automation and AI. News stories covered in this episode: • The quiet unease beneath an AI-led hiring boom: Why 80% of people feel unprepared for work in 2026 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/careers/news/the-quiet-unease-beneath-an-ai-led-hiring...

In this episode, Brad Hairston talks with Rob Stone, GM of the Intelligent Automation & Analytics business unit of SS&C, who shares his thoughts on where things are headed with agentic automation in 2026 and how Blue Prism's latest release, WorkHQ, fits into that. What we discussed with Rob:* Observations on 2025 – shifting customer needs and market dynamics* Obstacles to AI adoption*...

In this episode, Transform NOW co-hosts Brad Hairston and Michael Marchuk banter about some interesting recent news headlines in the world of automation and AI. News stories covered in this episode:.Meta Snaps Up Manus for $2B, Bet on AI Agents Heats Up https://www.techbuzz.ai/articles/meta-snaps-up-manus-for-2b-bet-on-ai-agents-heats-up .Nimitz-Class Supercarrier Nuclear Reactors Could Power AI D...

In this episode, Brad Hairston, Michael Marchuk and Dr. Lou Bachenheimer regroup to talk about how their individual 2025 predictions about automation and AI turned out. To keep things fair and square, the group utilizes the help of a LLM (Claude) to assess their results. All in all, it's a fitting end-of-year episode!.Visit us on our socials:🦾 Get started with SS&C Blue Prism: https://okt...

In this episode, Brad Hairston talks with Yu Zhang, Sr. Director of Engineering from the Wealth and Investment Technology business unit of SS&C, who explains how his team is significantly changing the underlying data foundation for numerous applications as well as setting the course for agentic automation throughout the portfolio. . What we discussed with Yu: * The evolution of SS&C’s Gene...

In this episode, host Michael Marchuk sits down with Brandon Card, founder and CEO of Terzo. Brandon shares his journey from working at Oracle, IBM, and Microsoft to creating Terzo, an enterprise AI platform revolutionizing contract and spend management. The discussion covers the transformative impact of AI on procurement, the challenges of integrating data from different sources, and how AI can d...