CTRL ALT STORY

In this power-packed episode, we delve into the future of technology leadership, exploring essential tips for becoming a great manager, harnessing AI for code generation and conversion, and why embracing change is crucial for success. Whether you're a seasoned manager or aspiring to be one, this episode is your ultimate guide to excelling in the ever-evolving tech landscape as my guest Anthony Lopresti, a Technical Sales Manager at IBM, shares tips, challenges, and his career journey.Your host is Josh Spurgin and I’m an AI and Machine Learning Ops Technical Specialist at IBM. I can also be found under the name Data Nerd Josh on various social media platforms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Breanna George, Machine Learning and AI Data Engineer at BCBST (BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee), joins for a walkthrough of her career including a somewhat recent change to go all in on AI, the importance of hard work, and how she feels that her faith has helped to guide and shape her career. This episode of CTRL ALT STORY also touches on the following topics:How Breanna developed a love for coding and eventually focused on a career shift into the world of AI The importance of character and personality in hiring The value of mentors and embracing change The role of generative AI in health insurance Correlations between faith and career Taking time out of work for your hobbies The best piece of career advice she's ever gotten Leadership tips Your host is Josh Spurgin and I’m a watsonx Technical Specialist at IBM. I can also be found under the name Data Nerd Josh on various social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. My website is www.DataNerdJosh.comCTRL ALT STORY is a new technology podcast / career podcast where I have conversations with people who work in and with technology, go through their career journeys, dive into career advice, and even share some fun stories along the way. If you're interested in being a guest, just let me know!Please enjoy and reach out with any questions, comments, or feedback you may have for this new podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sunil Murthy, watsonx Technical Leader for IBM’s U.S. National Market, joins for a recap of the announcements, excitement, and more from IBM’s TechXchange 2024 conference that happened in Las Vegas.This episode of CTRL ALT STORY also touches on the following topics:A day in the life of a watsonx Technical Leader and Sunil’s career journey to get thereHow IBM is enabling greater developer productivity with new tooling to build autonomous agents, customize LLMs, and optimize RAG-based workflows with low-code and code-first based solutionsIBM’s approach to models: fit-for-purpose. Lead the market and drive AI relevancy with new Granite models and top benchmarks with best-in-class performance, cost-efficiency, transparency and safetyThe important of trust in AI: Continue to drive our market leadership and differentiation in AI Governance with new model benchmarks, evaluations, and AI guardrails, along with new, integrated AI SecuritySeveral of the announcements from the conference are covered including the Granite 3.0 models, the AI Evaluation Studio, the watsonx.ai Developer Toolkit, Granite Guardian Models, and much more.Link to an article about the Granite 3.0 Announcements: https://www.ibm.com/new/ibm-granite-3-0-open-state-of-the-art-enterprise-modelsLink to an article about streamlining the AI Application Development Process with watsonx.ai: https://www.ibm.com/new/announcements/streamline-the-ai-application-development-process-with-ibm-watsonx-aiYour host is Josh Spurgin and I’m a watsonx Technical Specialist at IBM. I can also be found under the name Data Nerd Josh on various social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. My website is www.DataNerdJosh.comCTRL ALT STORY is a new technology podcast / career podcast where I have conversations with people who work in and with technology, go through their career journeys, dive into career advice, and even share some fun stories along the way. If you're interested in being a guest, just let me know!Please enjoy and reach out with any questions, comments, or feedback you may have for this new podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded during the IBM TechXchange 2024 conference in Las Vegas! Rob McLean,Vice President of Data, AI, & Automation at IBM, joins live from Mandalay Bay for a walk through his successful career, the inner workings of IBM's coopetition, career advice, and much more.This episode of CTRL ALT STORY also touches on the following topics:How has IBM been able to stay relevant for over 100 years?IBM’s History with AI versus where they are at todayIs IBM considered legacy?Solving business problems for large enterprise at scaleIBM, Microsoft, and Amazon - How they work together, how they compete, and where the competitive edge isCan AI be used to help with traumatic brain injuries or opioid prediction?Which Generative AI use case is the easiest to implement for most companiesHow Digital Assistants can help College UniversitiesRob’s Las Vegas Adventure with the street juggling cab driverThe ultimate Halloween costumes and a little bit about the Detroit LionsThe future of AI & AutomationCareer advice for someone interested in technology salesTips for planning for the career that you wantYour host is Josh Spurgin and I’m a watsonx Technical Specialist at IBM. I can also be found under the name Data Nerd Josh on various social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. My website is www.DataNerdJosh.comCTRL ALT STORY is a new technology podcast / career podcast where I have conversations with people who work in and with technology, go through their career journeys, dive into career advice, and even share some fun stories along the way. If you're interested in being a guest, just let me know!Please enjoy and reach out with any questions, comments, or feedback you may have for this new podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scott Felten, Business Leader at Incorta, joins for a deep dive into Incorta and how it can bring value to enterprise as well as his career journey that centers around a desire to learn and solve problems.This episode of CTRL ALT STORY also touches on the following topicsWhat is Incorta, what it does for enterprise, and why you should be interestedWhere does Incorta sit (consistently) on Gartner’s Magic Quadrant?Connecting your Business Intelligence tools to difficult data and getting the insights you need while retaining optimal speed and performanceData Lake - Pros, Cons, and everything in betweenData Warehouse speed on a Data Lake StructureThe benefits of Direct Data Mapping (DDM)How Starbucks uses Incorta to help store managers with their inventory issuesA career built on broken computers and solving technical problemsThe early days of virus removal softwareThe future of Business Analytics and Business IntelligenceWhat might happen in the world of AI over the next few yearsYour host is Josh Spurgin and I’m a watsonx Technical Specialist at IBM. I can also be found under the name Data Nerd Josh on various social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. My website is www.DataNerdJosh.comCTRL ALT STORY is a new technology podcast / career podcast where I have conversations with people who work in and with technology, go through their career journeys, dive into career advice, and even share some fun stories along the way. If you're interested in being a guest, just let me know!Please enjoy and reach out with any questions, comments, or feedback you may have for this new podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Randy Carroll, Human Resources Manager and Leader at Olin Chemical Company, joins for a walk through his extensive HR career journey through UPS, Fedex, the State of Tennessee, Publix, TVA, BCBST, and beyond. This episode contains great tips for crafting your resume, getting hired, finding talent, and more. This episode of CTRL ALT STORY also touches on the following topicsOlin Chemical Company - what they make/doHow Randy got into HR - for a girl and to prove UPS wrongHow the world of HR can be different and the same across different companiesThe Grim Reaper of giving bad newsFunny HR stories - A giveaway bidet and very moist cakeTechnology in HR - From faxed in resumes to the age of AI and how to balance the personal touchLinkedIn, Indeed, Monster, Networking - The best way to get hired and find recruitsTips to help your resume stand outHow watsonx Orchestrate can simplify and automate HR functionsAdvice for someone who wants to get into HR as a careerWhy you should put the green banner on your LinkedIn (#OpenToWork)Your host is Josh Spurgin and I’m a watsonx Technical Specialist at IBM. I can also be found under the name Data Nerd Josh on various social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. My website is www.DataNerdJosh.comCTRL ALT STORY is a new technology podcast / career podcast where I have conversations with people who work in and with technology, go through their career journeys, dive into career advice, and even share some fun stories along the way. If you're interested in being a guest, just let me know!Please enjoy and reach out with any questions, comments, or feedback you may have for this new podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paula Ichniowski, IBM Principal Data and AI Sales Leader in the Southeast, joins for a walk through her impressive career at IBM that spans from her time as a software developer writing ADA code for air traffic control systems to being a sales leader today. This episode of CTRL ALT STORY touches on the following topics:Her career journey that includes working under 5 different IBM CEOs, moving to Lockheed Martin and back, and having 25 years of experience with salesIBM’s Data and AI platform, watsonx, which includes an AI studio, tools for governing your models, and a fit for purpose data lakehouse to support AI scalability.How watsonx Code Assistant increases productivity, optimizes legacy code such as COBOL, and provides the ability to convert it to a more modern language like JavaThe history and evolution of AI including the Programming Languages - Prolog and LispHer passions outside of work that include a desire to work with the elderly, being an amateur pastry chef, and even making biscuits for her own dogsAnother passion to support high school girls who want to get into STEM The history of Paula’s Friday FiveUsing watsonx to create posts for LinkedInIBM’s client zero story - How IBM achieved 1.5 billion in savings in one yearIBM’s ethical approach to AI for businessTips for starting a career in technology and how generative AI can helpYour host is Josh Spurgin and I’m a watsonx Technical Specialist at IBM. I can also be found under the name Data Nerd Josh on various social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. My website is www.DataNerdJosh.comCTRL ALT STORY is a new technology podcast / career podcast where I have conversations with people who work in and with technology, go through their career journeys, dive into career advice, and even share some fun stories along the way. If you're interested in being a guest, just let me know!Please enjoy and reach out with any questions, comments, or feedback you may have for this new podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeff Crume, IBM Distinguished Engineer, CyberSecurity Architect, & Master Inventor, joins for an exciting (but secure!) conversation about his 40+ year career in Cybersecurity, the biggest threats AI today and what's on the horizon for the bad guys, how we might be able to handle deepfakes and prompt injections, and how being a lifelong runner has helped his career. Jeff is also an adjunct professor at NC State and the author of books such as "What Hackers Don't Want You To Know". There is a LOT of ground covered in this episode and what you hear might even scare you a little bit.This episode of CTRL ALT STORY touches on the following topics:Is Prompt Injection (Social Engineering against AI) the biggest danger of AI?Deepfakes - Will they change the course of the legal system? Can they impact elections? And how do we stop them?CyberSecurity Best Practices and why you should never let a good crisis go to waste.3 Pillars of Security: Identify & Access Management (IBM Security Verify), Data Security (IBM Guardium), Quantum Safe Crypto, and Securing AIWhat is the Quantum Menace?What is the cost of a data breach?What is Audio Jacking?The Art of Dumbing things down and translating complex technical topics into something people can understandHow to secure AI, how attackers will use AI, and how good guys can use it to fight the bad guysGreat Generative AI Use Cases for CyberSecurity WorkersWhat is a Streak Runner and how running can be a creative outletThe importance of Cybersecurity if you want your business to go “fast” because security should be an enabler; not an inhibitor Your host is Josh Spurgin and I’m a watsonx Technical Specialist at IBM. I can also be found under the name Data Nerd Josh on various social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. My website is www.DataNerdJosh.comCTRL ALT STORY is a new technology podcast / career podcast where I have conversations with people who work in and with technology, go through their career journeys, dive into career advice, and even share some fun stories along the way. If you're interested in being a guest, just let me know!Please enjoy and reach out with any questions, comments, or feedback you may have for this new podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russ Beardall, Principal Account Technical Leader at IBM, joins for an engaging conversation about his career journey from his time as a consultant to his job today, how he has balanced work travel with his family of 8, and also dives into the future of artificial intelligence that might be coming to a store near you.This episode of CTRL ALT STORY touches on the following topics:Will your credit card work without IBM?Soul Machines - Super cool, super creepy, or maybe both?How AI will become more prevalent in advertising and customer engagementUtilizing the right large language modelsWhat’s it like to travel first class with 6 kidsWhat happens in Vegas…probably shouldn’t make it to Facebook.Your host is Josh Spurgin and I’m a watsonx Technical Specialist at IBM. I can also be found under the name Data Nerd Josh on various social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. My website is www.DataNerdJosh.comPlease enjoy and reach out with any questions, comments, or feedback you may have for this brand new podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Muta Chaudhry, Data and AI Technical Specialist at IBM, joins for an engaging conversation about his career journey from the National Guard to IBM, how he has been able to see success in a sales career, and the importance of bringing passion to what you do.This very first episode of CTRL ALT STORY touches on the following topics:How technology and generative AI can improve vacation and travelThe struggles of prospecting in salesTips for establishing your social media brandHow fitness relates to and can help your careerThe pros of working from home / remote workThe perks of a bald headHow relationships can impact your careerCan DataNerdJosh pull off a successful Tobias Funke / Arrested Development cosplay?Your host is Josh Spurgin and I’m a watsonx Technical Specialist at IBM. I can also be found under the name Data Nerd Josh on various social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. My website is www.DataNerdJosh.comPlease enjoy and reach out with any questions, comments, or feedback you may have for this brand new podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.