Tech Can't Save Us

The evolution of technology has turbocharged user experiences. Yet, not all that glitters in the tech world ensures a satisfying UX. As AI and personalisation become game-changers, how do they influence the digital landscape? Paul, Will, and Savena discuss the dynamics of user experience and call on insights from experts Dan Hyde and Alex Blondin, co-founders of Everything Is User Experience in th...

Digital payments have undergone transformational changes over the years. While they offer unmatched convenience, concerns about security persist. Could the rise of cryptocurrencies herald another major shift? What societal impacts can we anticipate from these trends? Paul, Rebecca, and Savena discuss the evolution and future of Digital Payments in this episode of Tech Can't Save Us.

August saw the rollout of the UK's Online Safety Bill, sparking debate and concern among tech giants. Meanwhile, the space race heated up with India's Vikram Lander aiming for the moon, shadowed by Russia's Luna-25 mishap. Could the cosmos be the next tech battleground? As regulatory challenges mount on Earth, might tech leaders look to the stars? Paul, Rebecca, and Savena discuss the interplay of...

Bootstrapping and VC funding offer unique growth paths for businesses. While bootstrapping celebrates autonomy, VC funding boasts rapid scaling opportunities. What factors dictate the ideal choice for B2B startups? Economic conditions and evolving VC trends suggest alternatives. Paul, Rebecca, and Savena discuss the intricacies of bootstrapping versus VC funding in this Tech Can't Save Us episode....

In 2010, high-frequency algorithms helped trigger a severe market crash, vaporizing roughly $1 trillion in a matter of minutes. Today, the volatility associated with the stock market has inspired banks such as JPMorgan to use machine-learning applications in some of their buy-side trading strategies. What is the role of automation in the world of wealth and investment management, and how is the ri...

Gone are the days when Food Tech was an unfamiliar subject introduced to you in high school. Today, UK adults judge a restaurant by its presence on social media, the number of robots in the European food tech industry is well over 30,000, and over 50% of Brits call food delivery an essential part of their lives. How has technology integrated with food over the years, and what are the consequences...

It’s been a fascinating four weeks for tech nerds—from the launch (and decline?) of “twitter-buster” Threads, to Twitter’s own CEO sunsetting the bird in favor of “X”, we’ve had a month that’s practically begging for a review. That, combined with the recently celebrated ‘Fintech Day’ (1 August), makes the foundation of this week’s pod—with your resident humans Paul, Will, and Rebecca. 

91% of leading businesses have ongoing investments in artificial intelligence—and that number just went up by the time you read this sentence. There’s no denying that AI is shaping up to become the revolution of the decade. What does this mean for employment? Will AI assist us or kick us out of business? What benefits and threats does it pose to the job market? And most importantly, can adaptabili...

With 33% of college students in the US taking at least one online course, it’s safe to say that we’re turning over a new leaf in global education. What are the benefits and trade-offs of online learning? Is the UK doing enough to make it as equitable as possible? And can our newest old friend, AI, step in to help revolutionise the future of learning? Catch Paul, Will, and Rebecca discussing these...

Why do almost half of women in tech drop out by age 35? Does diversity in tech matter? Can government-led initiatives really make the tech sector more diverse — and if not, what are the alternative solutions? Rocío Medina van Nierop — co-founder and CEO of Latinas in Tech — joins us to answer these questions and more. To learn more about the incredible work Latinas In Tech is doing visit www.latin...

In a world driven by rapid technological advancements, the future holds both excitement and uncertainty. Join us as we explore the intersection of technology, society, and our shared future. We delve into the coolest tech breakthroughs across various industries, discussing whether technology can save us from our most pressing challenges, such as the threat of climate change and poverty. From tradi...

This week, Will and Rebecca discuss the Oceangate Titan submersible disaster that killed five people — including the company’s founder, Stockton Rush — and what we can learn from it about the need for regulation in tech.  Despite numerous warnings from industry experts and a lack of regulation, Rush pushed ahead with the fatal expedition, reflecting a prevailing attitude among super-rich entrepren...

In this episode of Tech Can’t Save Us, we’re joined by Dami Hastrup, the Co-Founder and CEO of Moonhub, a virtual reality (VR) training platform that helps teams gain and retain knowledge through interactive VR scenarios. Before welcoming our guest, we take a moment to celebrate London Tech Week, exploring the dynamic landscape of the UK's VR and AR market, plus what lies ahead in this rapidly gro...

Tech Can't Save Us returns for its highly anticipated third season! Joining our resident wizards Paul and Will is our new co-host, Rebecca Headman. With her extensive experience as a podcast producer and expertise in social media and PR, Rebecca has successfully elevated numerous brands and businesses in her career. Together, the trio kick off the third season of the podcast by examining the Londo...

Ai-jen also holds the titles of next-generation labor leader, author, and leading voice in the women's movement. Plus, she’s an award-winning organizer who has spent over two decades organizing with women who work in the care economy doing childcare, aging and disability care, and cleaning. We start our conversation by looking at a piece on domestic worker health and safety protection, which revea...

This week, Nina Mohanty, CEO and co-founder of Bloom Money, joins Paul in the studio. Paul and Will first saw Nina on a panel at the SIFTED Summit in 2022 and have been fangirling ever since, so we had to get her on the show. Nina is the American-born daughter of an Indian father and Taiwanese mother who grew up in Silicon Valley and is now a fintech founder. Paul and Nina bond over their experien...

Tong, who is a computer scientist by training, was once an investment banker, and she also founded a machine learning company, which she grew to 40 people before exiting. First, we look at a Bloomberg article that shows that roughly 56% of North American-based investors expect to allocate capital to fund managers who invest significantly or exclusively in women-founded businesses. Tong agrees that...

We start off by diving into a piece on a report from LADBible that states only 35% of Brits support cannabis legalization. Stephen believes that the public is still neglecting cannabis because they are unfamiliar with the plant and it is seen as a negative influence on society. Through Prohibition Partners, he clarifies, “we have a chance to really catch up on this wonderful plant and really get t...

The conversation kicks off with an article by USA Today that highlights how Gen Z makes up a large proportion of the LGBTQ+ community. Billie explains that this generational shift towards many more people identifying as LGBTQ+ is great for tearing down societal structures and spurring innovation in the finance space; it’s essentially giving Daylight an ever-expanding audience to serve. “What it re...

Free From Market is on a mission to assist consumers with affordable, inclusive access to healthy food, as well as critical data and resources to further drive positive health outcomes. We kick off the conversation by delving into a piece that says many UK households are now skipping meals due to the rising cost of living. Emily acknowledges that food insecurity has always been a challenge, but th...

We start off by diving into a piece from The Guardian about AI replicating inequity at scale .  Jessica states that Playbook is directly impacted by AI and it is a rising concern, especially for artists like herself. She says, “You can see [AI-generated art] as somewhat threatening to some of our jobs and livelihood.” Jessica adds, "Technology is definitely very scary, but in a way, it is somewhat...

Sue’s journey began with an obsession with technology, humanity, and sociology, ultimately taking her to her formation of WeAre8. We first dive into a piece from the BBC about AI swamping social media with fake accounts and mimicking human behavior on social media. Here, Sue underlines that WeAre8 ensures that everyone is validated and verified, so no one can be anonymous. “We are a powerful force...

Marie is a self-confessed “super nerd supreme” who started coding at just nine years old. She began her career as an engineer at AOL, then worked at Universal Studios and several tech firms before co-founding Data360 eight years ago.  The first article we discuss is from Forbes. It tackles the intersection between AI and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and asks whether ChatGPT will make DEI...

We start by diving into how DeNora founded DoSomething.org after cultivating an interest in societal issues, civic life, inclusivity, and other important topics. This interest directly informed the specific campaigns her company has completed, such as “Make STEM 100%,” which mainly focuses on providing for high school students, especially from underrepresented communities.  “What we know is that o...

Our conversation starts with Kiehl’s background at Riot company and Google before leading into how he decided to launch his own company.  Josiash discusses the importance of achieving and standing out amongst the various companies in the gaming industry, underlining the idea that anyone can now create their own unique product.  “I think this is a trend we’ve seen recently,” he observes. “As tools...