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Making Data Simple
Making Data Simple
Author: IBM Big Data & Analytics Hub
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© 2026 Making Data Simple
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Hosted by Al Martin, WW VP of Technical Sales at IBM, Making Data Simple cuts through the hype to reveal how data and AI reshape the modern enterprise.
Thought leaders, researchers, and innovators share firsthand lessons on leading teams, scaling analytics, and driving real-world impact—delivered in Al’s signature straightforward, witty style.
Tune in to Making Data Simple today. From data and AI breakthroughs to leadership hacks, top experts drop actionable gems that help businesses thrive in a data-driven world. #MakingDataSimple #AI #Leadership
391 Episodes
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Send us Fan Mail Welcome Barr Moses CEO & Co - Founder of Monte Carlo, a data reliability company. We talk detection, resolution, prevention and the 5 pillars of data observability. Great dialog. Show Notes 03:53 : Zero defect data 06:02 : Customer success learnings 10:42 : Delivering value with data 14:00 : Monte Carlo, the name 18:20 : Data observability 23:38 : Detection, resolution, prevention 31:12 : Duplicate data brings Netflix down 34:22 : 5 pillars of data obse...
Send us Fan Mail Craig McLuckie is the Founder and CEO of Stacklok and one of the original inventors of Kubernetes — the open-source container orchestration system that became the backbone of modern cloud infrastructure. After leading Kubernetes into the CNCF and navigating VMware's pivot under Broadcom, Craig made a sharp turn and founded Stacklok: an Enterprise MCP Platform designed to make developers and AI agents dramatically more productive in secure, enterprise environments. In this epi...
Send a text First Aired Apr 23, 2025 If you've been following the AI space lately, this episode hits differently the second time around. When Al sat down with Ruchir Puri — Chief Scientist of IBM Research, IBM Fellow, and the architect behind Watson and watsonx — the conversation covered ground that's only gotten more relevant since: the death of prompt engineering, the rise of agentic AI, and why 2025 was always going to be the year agents broke through in the enterprise. Ruchir doesn't deal...
Send us Fan Mail Making Data Simple dives into the exciting world of synthetic data with Adam Kamor, Co-Founder & Head of Engineering at Tonic.ai — a company building a synthetic data platform to power AI and software development. Adam unpacks how synthetic data is revolutionizing the way we build smarter, safer AI systems. 01:31 Meet Adam Kamor 08:43 The Road to Software Engineering 11:10 Defining Synthetic Data 13:46 The Need for Synthetic Data 15:17 Synthetic Data with AI 17:59 Tonic.a...
Send us Fan Mail Making Data Simple dives into the world of data security with Josh Scott, CISO and VP of Security at Hydrolix — a real-time data platform built for massive scale. Josh unpacks critical challenges like AI adoption, cybersecurity priorities, and how organizations can harness data to stay ahead, all while keeping performance high and costs down. 01:02 Investing 04:25 Meet Josh Scott 10:54 Adopting AI Safely 14:42 What IS a CISO? 17:14 What Keeps a CISO Up at ...
Send us Fan Mail Tom Griffiths, Henry R. Luce Professor at Princeton University, joins the show to explore the surprising science behind how we actually think. His new book, The Laws of Thought, bridges computational cognitive science and AI—challenging assumptions about decision-making, neural networks, and the path to artificial general intelligence. Show Notes Timestamps 01:21 – Meet Tom Griffiths 05:27 – Tom's Book 06:58 – A Neural Network 09:55 – AGI? 19:10 –...
Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Making Data Simple, where we explore how data-driven strategies ignite innovation and transform businesses. In this exciting episode, we sit down with Marco Rota, VP of Strategic Technology Alliances at Lumen Technologies, whose incredible journey spans from the glitz of Hollywood to leading-edge telecommunications. Tune in as Marco reveals how embracing a vibrant culture, drawing on lessons from the entertainment industry, and championing new technologies can...
Send us Fan Mail Tackling the messy reality of data fueling artificial intelligence, Andrea Muttoni—President & CPO at Story—joins the show to unpack how Story is building an AI-native infrastructure for intellectual property and training data. We dig into making the $80T IP asset class programmable, traceable, and monetizable, and how Story aims to turn “mysterious training data blobs” into transparent rights and payments for creators and enterprises. 01:10 Meet Andrea Muttoni 06:49...
Send us Fan Mail Prasad Calyam, Curators’ Distinguished Professor and Center Director at the University of Missouri, joins the show to explore how knowledge graphs, modern data platforms, and AI are reshaping power grids and cybersecurity. He breaks down graph database fundamentals, real-world research projects, and how industry can tap into cutting-edge university work—all in language that engineers, data folks, and developers can put to use. Timestamps 01:30 Meet Prasad Calyam 02...
Send us Fan Mail This was a fantastic 2 part series on how to design intelligent organizations. Check it out! Part 1 of 2 How do we make organizations not just run — but run intelligently? In this episode of Making Data Simple, we welcome Phanish Puranam, Professor of Strategy and Organizational Design at INSEAD, to explore the intersection of AI, organizational science, and intelligent design. From tools and teammates to blockchain and the metaverse, Phanish walks us through the evolvi...
Send us Fan Mail We're joined by Ron Brill, President and Chairman of the Board, and Kris Johnson, Chief Product Officer of Anglepoint, a global leader in software asset management. From their startup origins to tackling massive compliance challenges, we'll dive into the world of SAM, licensing, and what the future holds for optimizing IT assets – a conversation essential for anyone in this space. ⏱️ Timestamps: 01:38 Meet Ron Brill and Kris Johnson05:32 Deciding on Startup Roles07:32 The Ah-...
Send us Fan Mail Unpack a groundbreaking application of IBM’s AI technology designed to revolutionize training and learning. This episode delves into how IBM’s AI-powered partner – built around IBM training – can sharpen technical knowledge, boost confidence, and help teams master every interaction, from pipeline development to closing critical deals. 02:12 Meet Paul Zikopoulos, Matt Bateson, and Kyle Sava09:17 Best Methods to Learn 17:57 AI and Training 23:05 The Learning Punch U...
Send us Fan Mail Fresh off a high-profile appearance on CNBC’s Worldwide Exchange discussing how AI will move beyond chatbots to autonomous agents that reshape jobs and productivity! Replay this episode where Jure digs into why structured data is still lagging behind the AI revolution and what comes next for predictive AI on relational data. Data’s everywhere, but so often it feels… stuck. Joining us today is Jure Leskovec, Chief Scientist at Kumo and a Stanford Professor who's fundamentally ...
Send us Fan Mail Are your teams struggling with disengagement and declining performance? What if the real problem isn’t talent or strategy, but a hidden “buy-in” gap quietly draining energy, innovation, and results? Joining us is Dave Garrison, a seasoned leadership strategist who has seen firsthand how a lack of buy-in fuels these issues – costing businesses billions every year. Dave unpacks the seven critical ingredients for real engagement and shows how to build a truly high-performing org...
Send us Fan Mail On this replay of Making Data Simple, Manav Gupta, VP and CTO of IBM Canada, jumps straight into the world of large language models and what they really mean for businesses trying to scale AI. From how today’s models are built and tuned, to where the next generation is headed, Manav translates complex AI concepts into practical guidance for leaders, practitioners, and anyone trying to cut through the hype. The discussion spans everything from model architectures and IBM’s Gra...
Send us Fan Mail Hit replay on this high-energy conversation with Ben Lowe, Founder and CEO of Lighthouse Technology, as he breaks down what it really takes to build something from scratch in a fast-changing AI world. From finding the right co‑founder and stepping into the CEO role, to navigating the toughest challenges of entrepreneurship, Ben shares practical lessons and hard‑won insights for builders at every stage. Ben also lifts the curtain on Lighthouse Technology’s mission at the inter...
Send us Fan Mail Hit replay on one of the most thought-provoking Agentic AI conversations on Making Data Simple. GTM Account Director Megan Gallagher makes the case for Agentic AI from the Maven AGI front lines, where AI agents stop following rigid decision trees and start acting with real autonomy over enterprise workflows. “We’re still living like everything is deterministic,” Megan argues, “but this new generation of agents is inherently generative and predictive.” In this replay, she unpa...
Send us Fan Mail Dive into the powerful world of mainframes! Chief Product Officer of IBM Z and LinuxONE, Tina Tarquinio, reveals the truth behind those eight nines of uptime and explores how mainframes are evolving with AI, hybrid cloud, and future-proofing strategies for mission-critical business decisions. Discover the cutting-edge innovations transforming enterprise computing—from on-chip AIU and Spyre AI accelerators enabling real-time inferencing at transaction speed, to how Lin...
Send us Fan Mail Data’s everywhere, but so often it feels… stuck. Joining us today is Jure Leskovec, Chief Scientist at Kumo and a Stanford Professor who's fundamentally reshaped how we understand networks—from Pinterest's recommendations to tracking the spread of disease. We’ll unpack why structured data is lagging behind the AI revolution, exploring how techniques like Graph Neural Networks are finally unlocking its potential, and how this all plays out in real-world applications 00:57 Me...
Send us Fan Mail Guest: Kris Kluver, Founder of Life on Your Terms — speaker, facilitator, best-selling author, advisor, and coach helping leaders design fulfillment that matches their ambition. Summary: In this powerful replay, Kris Kluver flips the script on success. Too many high performers master their business but neglect their well-being — Kris shows how to align both. From defining what success really means to knowing when to say no, this conversation is about creating freedom, balanc...



