Tech Talk

When was the last time you were bored? No, not that 30 second lift ride with no cell service. Properly bored. Whimsically looking out of a window bored. Can you even remember?Rich and Matt look at the vital importance of boredom for our mental well-being and physical health. And discover how hard it is to achieve in the age of the attention economy.In a world of cheap content and quick dopamine fixes, has silence and stillness become a luxury good reserved for the rich?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We look at how Shah Alam’s new AI-powered Integrated Smart Monitoring System, IRIS, could redefine how Malaysian cities operate. Can technology make urban life smarter, safer, and more sustainable, or are we just building cities that watch more than they serve?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Would you rather hang out with a charming bot or a toxic human? That’s just one of the many questions Rich and Matt pickle their brains with as they struggle to comprehend the debate around the emerging consciousness of AI. Can an AI be a person? What would its rights look like? What would its responsibilities be? What would you do if it bullied an old lady: put it in AI jail?In a debate with no clear answers and the emergence of more questions by the day, Matt wonders if the nature of consciousness itself needs to change to accommodate these alien minds. It would be so much easier if Zoltan were president.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s new trade deal with the United States has been hailed as an economic win, but it also comes with digital strings attached. Under the agreement, US tech giants are exempted from Malaysia’s digital services tax and contributions to the Universal Service Provision Fund, while Washington gains a consultative role over "trusted" 5G and 6G suppliers.Alexander Wong, Co-Founder of SoyaCincau, joins us to explore what these clauses mean for Malaysia’s digital sovereignty, local startups, and the future of our tech ecosystem.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mic check. One two. Testing. This week Matt and Rich try to figure out exactly when everyday life became a never-ending series of tests with no clear meaning. From the moral purity maze of modern dating rituals to the social power of rideshare operators and the Captchas that prove you’re human while training an AI, life has become a hero’s journey of inconsequence and weaponized politeness. Is this intro a test? If so, is it testing your patience or your resolve? We don’t know either. And we aren’t sure that listening will help.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we’re talking about something surprisingly revealing, your voice. Not what you say, but how you say it.Because according to Canary Speech, a 20-second audio clip could tell more about your mental health than a half-hour questionnaire.It’s like having a stethoscope for stress, anxiety and even cognitive decline, except instead of checking your heartbeat, it listens to your “How are you?” and goes, “Actually… you don’t sound fine.”In this conversation, Henry O’Connell, Co-Founder and CEO of Canary Speech, helps us understand how machine learning is turning everyday speech into a new kind of health indicator, and whether that’s brilliant, slightly creepy or a bit of both.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is “Whole Brain AI” a breakthrough or just branding?Prashant Kumar, Founder of Entermind, a new consultancy in Malaysia, believes AI should amplify both logic and imagination, where the left brain and right brain work together. But in a business landscape where many firms are still struggling to get the basics of AI right, does this approach offer fresh clarity or simply add to the buzzword cloud?We explore what Whole Brain AI actually means, whether Malaysia is ready for it, and how businesses can balance efficiency with creativity when adopting AI. From avoiding “black box” consulting models to building an AI culture rooted in trust and imagination, it’s a conversation that asks whether we’re really thinking with our whole brain about AI.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spongebob for President. As our social media feeds fill with the examples of OpenAI’s experiment in synthetic cinema, the quite shocking Sora 2 text to video engine, Matt and Rich debate how quickly AI has reached the threshold of deniability: the reality remix. Where what you see with your eyes is lying to you.It's not all bad news though. OpenAI is planning an entire, agentic app layer driven by third party developers. And to develop it all, is partnering with AMD in a deal that gives the chip-maker a 10% maker stake in the AI giant. Sorry, did we say it’s not all bad news? Our bad.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now, marketing used to be about clever slogans and good lighting. These days, it’s about data pipelines, consent forms, and algorithms that know you’re out of coffee before you do. Welcome to the world of MarTech, where marketing meets technology, and everyone pretends to understand what a customer data platform actually does.But here’s the question, does Malaysia have a digital edge when it comes to MarTech? Between new data laws, AI investments, and the looming e-invoicing wave, could all this regulation and innovation actually become our competitive advantage?Joining me to decode the buzzwords and bring it all back down to earth is Jan Wong, Founder and CEO of OpenMinds, a digital consultancy that’s been helping brands navigate this ever-shifting landscape long before “omnichannel” became a word people said with a straight face.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the existential threat of the office cubicle replacing traditional horror movie fixations like zombies and monsters? As workplace horror sweeps the Emmy’s, Rich and Matt wonder if it’s time to fortify that cubicle or resist return to work mandates with your life. Elsewhere, there’s the entirely uncomplicated matter of quantum money, some stuff about babies that Matt really doesn’t want to talk about, plus the not exactly welcomed arrival of AI in the world of body art. Science is so weird.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cybersecurity conversations often focuses on phishing, ransomware, and data breaches, but a less obvious threat is growing into households through illicit streaming devices. According to a new report by Cyberstronomy, titled Residential Proxying and Illicit Streaming Devices, these devices are often exploited as part of residential proxy networks — exposing consumers and small businesses to serious legal, reputational, and financial risks. To shed light on what the numbers really mean and what businesses and households should watch out for, we speak with Dr. Paul Watters, CEO of Cyberstronomy and Honorary Professor at Macquarie University, Sydney. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we talk about startups in Malaysia, we usually think of e-commerce, fintech, or SaaS. But deep tech and AI startups are a different story and quite frankly, are becoming more common. Besides funding, they need strong research, access to labs, industry partnerships, and the right people to make things work.That’s what Sunway iLabs and Cradle Fund are trying to tackle with the new Startup Deep Tech Ventures Lab, or DTVL. It’s a six-month programme to help build and grow high-impact AI and deep tech startups here in Malaysia.Matt van Leeuwen, Chief Innovation Officer of Sunway Group and CEO of Sunway iLabs tells us more about the programme, the gaps it’s trying to fill, and why collaborations like this are important for our startup ecosystem.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can money buy you time? If breakthroughs in epigenetics continue, the only thing between you and a lifespan of 150 years might be the ability to pay for it.Richard ‘Crab Claws’ Bradbury and Matt ‘The Panda’ Armitage have a look at the technologies, the companies and the billionaire obsessives willing to pour hundreds of millions into life extensions research. And ask: Should we? Really?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kavitha Mariappan has spent her career helping organisations navigate technology shifts, from driving customer transformation at Zscaler to her current role as Chief Transformation Officer at Rubrik. Now, she’s making the case that cyber recovery belongs in the boardroom, not just the server room. We talk about why identity-driven threats are changing the resilience playbook, how regulation is shaping preparedness, and what leaders need to do today to ensure their organisations can bounce back tomorrow.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From uncanny valleys to Big Willie style, Rich and Matt leave no metaphorical stone unturned as they pour a hefty bucket of AI slop over themselves.Are social sharing platforms using AI to "improve" creators’ content? Who actually profits from this deluge? And why are AI companies suddenly approaching traditional media companies with armfuls of cash?If you’re fond of feedback loops, digital enhancement and spaghetti, this might be the slop you’ve always dreamed of.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Belizaire has gone from architecting systems at Intel to selling two tech companies and now building data centres powered by renewable energy that would otherwise go unused. As CEO of Soluna Holdings, he’s making the case that computing for AI, crypto, and beyond can be clean, flexible, and profitable. We talk about why he made the leap from software to solar, how to turn wasted energy into opportunity, and what it really takes to build a business with purpose at its core.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the past few years, industrial AI has moved from boardroom buzzword to factory floor reality. It’s now being deployed to streamline operations, cut energy costs, reduce waste, and strengthen supply chains. And as other nations double down, Malaysia finds itself at a crossroads: move fast or risk being priced out and left behind.The recent launch of the National AI Office signals ambition, but real impact will depend on whether industries here can move beyond pilot projects and into full-scale transformation. And with geopolitical pressures like upcoming US tariffs on the horizon, the clock is ticking.So what does it take for Malaysia’s industries to seize the industrial intelligence edge?Joining me to explore this is Saadi Kermani, Vice President of Digital Business Operations at AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software. We’ll discuss where Malaysia stands, what’s working globally, and how we can prepare our people, our plants, and our policies for what’s next.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this oddly timed edition, Matt and Rich hike into the uncanny valleys of machine music. From the Laurel Canyon folk rockers that never existed, to featured artist scams, AI generated music is heading to a playlist near you. Is Mattsplained’s new country anthem AI slop or simply the best? Does Richard really own a sequined jumpsuit or have his own intro music to announce it? These are questions that no one ever thought to answer before the advent of AI.Slop, scams and copyright strikes. We’re truly halfway to hell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is producing more tech graduates than ever, yet many still struggle to land the right jobs. Hackathons are changing that — evolving from coding contests into platforms for peer learning, coaching, and real-world problem solving. Alex Liew, Chairman at PIKOM, and TK Choo, Director at Kabel, join us to unpack how hackathons are bridging the employability gap while helping businesses attract and retain digital-savvy talent.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like a hungry Pac-Man after too many power ups, AI is coming for the career ladder itself. The grunt work is gone, replaced by break-free LLMs, while coffee machines ping mournfully ping inside empty office spaces.This week Matt and Rich explore the empirical implications of AI in the workplace. A generational hollowing out of talent. The $10,000 search for work. The grey ceiling facing Gen X execs. And wonder whether it could all be solved with a little empathy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.