The Times Tech Podcast

Nikola Mrksic, CEO of Nvidia-backed London startup PolyAI, joins Danny and Katie to talk about AI voice assistants transforming customer service. He explains why voice AI is finally working, how PolyAI handles real-world calls and real-world accents, and what happens to jobs when bots can do the work of thousands. Plus, the ‘SaaSpocalypse’ – the $1 trillion sell-off that signals investors may finally believe AI is eating software.

Photo: PolyAI

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Today’s episode is from The Business – The Times’ flagship podcasts covering business, finance and the economy.

Octopus Energy has gone from market entrant to market leader in just 10 years. Greg Jackson, chief executive and co-founder is at the forefront of this business success story. The secret sauce? It’s nothing to do with energy - it’s the Kraken software that links the company to its customers and suppliers. So how did he do it? Why does he think 'spaghetti stacks' of ancient software are what’s holding so many businesses back? And what plans does he have to float Kraken? From memories of his failed career as a game designer, why corporate life can be addictive - and why he thinks business leaders should be optimistic in a challenging world, Dom and Katie hear his lessons from the frontline.

Presenters:
Dominic O’Connell, columnist and business presenter, Times Radio
Katie Prescott, Technology Business Editor, The Times and host of the Times Tech Podcast
Guest:
Greg Jackson, CEO and co-founder, Octopus Energy

Producer: Miriam Hall
Senior Producer: Julia Johnson
Executive Producer: Kate Ford
Get in touch: [email protected]

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A new open-source AI agent called OpenClaw has set Silicon Valley buzzing and with a single line of code, anyone can use it. Does this free tool threaten the AI business models behind trillion-dollar Big Tech IPOs, and could it signal a looming AI bubble? Plus, Danny Fortson and Katie Prescott also speak to Jurgi Camblong, founder and CEO of SOPHiA Genetics, about how AI is already being used in hospitals to decode complex medical data and transform cancer diagnosis and care.

Photo: Getty
Clip: @AlexFinn on X.com
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Are we heading for the next ChatGPT moment? Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, has sparked debate about the growth of AI and its acceleration into a risky new phase. But is it real danger or Silicon Valley hype? Danny Fortson and Katie Prescott are joined by Barney Hussey-Yeo, CEO of UK fintech Cleo, on what it’s actually like building with AI right now and whether society is ready for the next turning point. Plus, the backlash over tech CEOs cozying up to US President Donald Trump amid anger over his immigration crackdown.

Image: Cleo
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World leaders in Davos are talking about 'tech sovereignty', but can Europe or the UK really achieve digital autonomy when so much of the AI and cloud infrastructure is controlled by a handful of US firms? Danny and Katie talk to Hany Farid about the geopolitics of tech, and the fear of an 'AI kill switch' - is this scaremongering or a real concern?

Guest: Hany Farid, UC Berkeley professor and Co‑Founder & Chief Science Officer at GetReal Security.
Image: Getty
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