What if companies could tap into powerful behavioral AI without compromising user privacy or crossing legal lines? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with Frank Portman, CTO of Yobi, to explore how his team is building foundation models grounded in real user behavior, backed by ethically sourced and consented data.

Frank shares how Yobi is taking a distinct approach. They're not building large language models or racing to dominate generative AI headlines. Instead, they're focused on data integrity, transparency, and security from day one. With a strategic partnership with Microsoft Azure, Yobi delivers models that run directly within a customer’s environment. That means privacy is preserved, data stays protected, and companies still benefit from intelligent, adaptive systems.

We unpack how Yobi avoids risky use cases like financial underwriting and healthcare, how their models are trained to avoid demographic bias, and why they actively reward systems for being bad at guessing personal traits. This isn’t just about compliance. It’s about designing products that work better because they’re built responsibly.

Frank also opens up about Yobi’s internal culture, his belief in first-principles thinking, and how empowering engineers to "place bets" drives innovation. He offers insight into what the AI industry must learn quickly from recent missteps, including data misuse and growing public skepticism.

If you're exploring AI solutions and wondering how to build or buy systems that scale without cutting ethical corners, this conversation delivers clarity, honesty, and direction. Are you ready to rethink what responsible AI should look like inside your company?

When we talk about the future of technology, it is easy to focus on the tools, trends, and innovations that dominate headlines. But behind every breakthrough is a human story, and behind every system are individuals navigating an industry that has not always welcomed them equally. That is why I sat down with Sue Harnett, founder and CEO of Rewriting the Code, to learn more about the real work being done to support and elevate women in technology.

What followed was a wide-ranging conversation that brings clarity to an often-overlooked challenge and offers insight into what real change looks like.

Rewriting the Code is more than a community. It is a global network of over 35,000 women who are united by shared goals and driven by the ambition to create a more inclusive tech industry. Sue shared the origin of the organization, born from her own experiences of feeling out of place in elite academic environments, and how that shaped her commitment to building a culture where young women could grow, thrive, and most importantly, feel like they belong.

Today, RTC is impacting lives across the globe with programs that span mentorship, career development, technical education, and real-world support.

What stood out was the way RTC moves beyond symbolic gestures and instead provides practical pathways. We explored the launch of targeted initiatives like Rewrite AI and Rewrite Cybersecurity, which aim to prepare women for high-demand areas in the industry.

We also discussed the Black Wings program, built specifically for Black women in tech, who represent just two percent of the industry workforce. Through focused community-building and peer support, these programs help dismantle systemic barriers that often go unaddressed.

In a time where many companies are retreating from public conversations about diversity due to political pressure, Sue’s work feels more relevant than ever. She spoke candidly about the fear she’s seeing in boardrooms, the erosion of public DEI commitments, and the quiet but continued support from leaders who still believe in building inclusive workplaces.

Her message to companies was simple: inclusion must be intentional, visible, and connected to the lived experience of the people it is meant to support.

What this episode reveals is not only the importance of creating opportunities, but also the power of belief. The belief that women belong in every corner of the tech world, and that with the right community, mentorship, and visibility, they can redefine what leadership looks like.

So how is your organization showing up for underrepresented talent in tech, and what will it take to turn good intentions into lasting impact?

When we talk about the future of IT services, the conversation often revolves around the potential of AI and automation. But what does that really mean when applied at scale, across legacy infrastructure, evolving customer expectations, and real-world operational challenges?

In today’s episode, I sat down with Manish Tandon, CEO of Zensar Technologies, to explore that very question. What emerged was a refreshingly pragmatic take on a space often overwhelmed by buzzwords.

Manish leads a global organisation that's helping some of the UK’s biggest businesses not just integrate AI, but rethink the foundation of their IT strategies. We discussed how Zensar is combining automation with a philosophy they call “experience-led everything,” a human-centric approach that puts users, not systems, at the centre of transformation. Through this lens, he explained how seemingly simple shifts like applying AI to reduce technical debt or drive internal engagement can lead to significant performance gains and improved outcomes across entire organisations.

What I found particularly powerful was how Manish challenges the language around AI. He sees today’s wave of generative and agentic AI as an evolution of long-standing automation principles, not a reinvention. That mindset is helping clients cut through the noise and focus on impact, such as faster delivery cycles, measurable productivity boosts, and tools that empower rather than replace human potential.

We also touched on the ethical implications of AI, the nuances of implementation across different geographies, and the value of responsible AI governance at the application level, not just in principle. If your business is looking to adopt AI in a way that scales sensibly while delivering lasting value, this episode offers insights you won’t want to miss.

So how are you preparing to balance automation with empathy in your IT strategy, and are you building for systems or for people?