Peggy Smedley Show

Peggy Smedley and Kelly Ireland, CEO, CBT, talk about the mindset leaders carry into every decision—and the beliefs that shape culture, narrowing in on industry stagnation at the leadership level. She says it is a mixed bag and some of it is about what they have seen as being unsuccessful in the past. They also discuss: · POC purgatory and what stalled. · Adoption amid a mixed workforce. · The big...

Peggy talks about new quantum research at universities and some case studies. She says quantum could add trillions of dollars to the world's economy and thousands of jobs—but we need to ensure we have a strategy around security and implementation. She also discusses: · Quantum photonics—and how it is key to the future of mass-produced quantum communications systems. · A map of where quantum course...

Peggy Smedley and Scott Aaronson, chair of computer science, University of Texas, Austin, and director of Quantum Information Science Center, separate the science from the mythology of quantum. He says there has been a hope for decades that quantum computers would be useful beyond the two more common quantum tasks. They also discuss: · What limit the field still underestimates. · How an organizati...

Peggy Smedley and Deborah Farone, CEO, Farone Advisors, and author of Breaking Ground, talk about the shift with data. She says technology will make it easier to go out and develop business, but the hard thing is markets are constantly in motion. They also discuss: · What data we should collect and what data we need. · Data kept can tell stories if it is put in the right place. · What she learned...

Peggy dissects the three pillars of quantum technology: quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communications. She says the quantum revolution is inevitable and the new innovations that could come as a result of this are exciting. She also discusses: · The growth anticipated for the entire market and for each pillar. · The opportunities that exist within each pillar. · The inherent risks...

Peggy Smedley and Morgan Hays, senior director product management, construction, Bentley Systems, talk about 4D modeling and what comes next with the help of AI (artificial intelligence). He says 4D modeling and 4D-based planning is a massive step forward in the way the construction industry plans both during preconstruction and during execution. They also discuss: · The marriage that occurs betwe...

Peggy Smedley and Tim Lindner, warehouse automation consultant, talk about robots and what they really mean for workforce trends. He says he sees a shift in the type of people that companies that deploy robots will need. Enter the robot wrangler. They also discuss: · If robots are displacing workers—or if they are replacing the work. · Blending machine intelligence with human intelligence. · The m...

Peggy and cohost Dennis Draeger, foresight director, Shaping Tomorrow, talk about the promise versus the peril of Aiglatson. He says the difficulty is the risk isn't so much on the AI, the risk is on humanity giving up its responsibility to AI. They also discuss: · The most credible existential risks of AI. · How Aiglatson leaders should benchmark them against other risks. · A comparison of AI to...

Peggy Smedley interviews Tim Lindner, warehouse automation consultant, about how humanoid robots and robots in general have had a big impact since we started talking about them in 2015. He says there are a number of examples in history when something was in a fixed position, and it began to move. They also discuss: · If AI is changing the capabilities of robots, compared to even five years ago. ·...

Peggy talks about all things automotive, sharing some of the top takeaways from CES earlier this month. She says we are at a precipice where much is set to change in the industry, with the rise of AI (artificial intelligence) spurring along innovation. She also discusses: · The state of the AV (autonomous vehicle) market. · The state of the EV (electric vehicle) market. · Some of the biggest autom...

Peggy Smedley and Jennifer Urban, partner, Foley & Lardner, and Aaron Tantleff, partner, Foley & Lardner, talk about a seismic data shift in every modern enterprise and how the lines are blurring between security and privacy. Urban says it is driven by new cybersecurity laws. Tantleff says undefined ownership of the role is a challenge. They also discuss: · If organizations are prepared to justify...

  Peggy Smedley talks about M&As (mergers and acquisitions) in the construction technology space—and the impact on the industry. She says the acquisitions are often about accelerating transformation through strategic dealmaking. She also discusses: · Four key trends driving a wave of consolidation. · One recent example of an acquisition. · Thoughts for how to proceed in the year ahead. https://peg...

Peggy Smedley and Boris Martin, CEO, Engineers Without Borders USA, talk about community-driven engineering and the next generation of work in the industry. He says the organization was born around the turn of the millennium 25 years ago, and it was born out of a concern and sense of responsibility. They also discuss: · Solving problems that matter and being part of something bigger than yourself....

Peggy Smedley and Daniel Burrus, a global technology futurist, business strategist and disruptive innovation expert, talk about the top technologies for 2026. He says we live in an increasingly technological world, however, we live in a human world—and in a human world, it is all based on relationships. They also discuss: · How to approach generative AI (artificial intelligence) and agentic AI in...

What if people don't embrace technology the way we are anticipating or even intend? Peggy talks about digital burnout and AI (artificial intelligence). She says digital transformation isn't about using more technology but rather using technology in a way that is very thoughtful and strategic. She also discusses: · How many people experience digital burnout—and how it impacts our personal and profe...

Peggy Smedley and Brandon Michalski, chief economist, MSI, talk about two new reports that look at what is happening now and what is coming in the future. He says he looks at the noise versus the signal, and points to a few key areas as examples. They also discuss: · Tariffs and how it might impact the construction industry in 2026. · The surge in data center projects that will reshape infrastruct...

Peggy Smedley and James Bohnaker, senior economist, Cushman & Wakefield, dig into some of the biggest takeaways from the latest U.S. economic outlook. He says there is a transition from resilience to cautious optimism, with inflection points across commercial real estate and property types, which is presenting opportunities in the industry. They also discuss: · Resilience and risks that are defini...

Peggy and cohost Dennis Draeger, foresight director, Shaping Tomorrow, talk about aiglatson and the extremes that define our digital destiny, looking at both the utopian and dystopian narratives. He says the reality of automation often turns into something else. They also discusses: · The theory of cultural lag and how it impacts technology adoption. · The information super highway phase and Y2K p...

Peggy Smedley and Dan Miklovic, founder, Lean Manufacturing Research and leader, Third Eye Advisory, talk about what is real, what is BS, and what is next in 2026. He says we are going to see AI (artificial intelligence) penetrate manufacturing, but more in the form of embedded AI—not generative AI. They also discuss: · The challenge with digital transformation. · AI at the edge and AI in the clou...

Peggy celebrates 950 episodes by taking a walk down memory lane. She shares the evolution of M2M, the IoT (Internet of Things), and AI (artificial intelligence), saying the IoT has matured from gadget hype to industrial backbone. She also discusses: · The peaks and the fads through almost two decades. · The explosion of AI in recent years. · Where we are today—and what comes next. https://peggysme...

Peggy Smedley and Julien Moutte, chief technology officer, Bentley Systems, talk about how the digital twin is evolving—and what is coming in the next five years with the rise of AI (artificial intelligence). He says five years ago when we were talking about digital twins, many people were saying it is still a buzzword, and it is amazing to see what has happened in the past five years. They also d...

How do we make sustainability not just a goal, but a competitive advantage? Peggy Smedley and Kiva Allgood, advisor, World Economic Forum, tackle this question. She says sustainability, productivity, and profitability are symbiotic. They also discuss: · Best practices for Scope 3. · How small and medium enterprises can improve sustainability. · A case study of a time cost study at one manufacturer...

Peggy shares her list of top 5 trends from 2025 that were discussed on the show. She says we must learn from 2025 in order to head into 2026 stronger than ever before—and we must learn from the past year to prepare for the next. She also discusses: · The rise of agentic AI (artificial intelligence) in 2025. · Two vertical industries that saw major disruption in 2025. · How the workforce fit into a...

Peggy Smedley and Kiva Allgood, advisor, World Economic Forum, talk about how lessons can help guide the next era of manufacturing. She says the World Economic Forum works at the intersection of industry, academia, and policy—and also as a part of that it gets the opportunity to pause, as part of the Global Lighthouse Network. They also discuss: · The IoT (Internet of Things) and the importance of...

Peggy Smedley and Dan Miklovic, founder, Lean Manufacturing Research and leader, Third Eye Advisory, look back at the biggest trends from 2025. He says everyone has been bombarded with AI: Q1 was gen AI and we hadn't got halfway through the year before the conversation switched to agentic AI—and manufacturers don't move that fast. They also discuss: · The next evolution of a smart factory—and the...