InnovationAus Podcast

David Elliot, chief executive of Agile Digital

Government procurement is not always straight-forward or inclusive of the home-grown tech sector. In this episode of The Commercial Disco, James Riley talks to David Elliot in his new role as chair of the Australian Information Industry Association’s Domestic Capabilities policy advisory network (PAN) about procurement, FMiA, the definition of an Australian company, and what's on the new minister's to-do lists for the early months of their tenure. Mr Elliot is also chief executive of Canberra-based tech delivery company Agile Digital.

News Wrap - Tech appointments shaping Albo's second term Cabinet

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled his new ministry on Monday. In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, James Riley and Justin Hendry discuss the key appointees who will help drive key tech policy levers for Labor's second term - including AI, cybersecurity, digital and telecommunications – and the implications for the tech sector.

Securing AI. Ep3: GenAI in mainstream Australian business

In this episode of Verizon's Securing AI podcast, Robert Le Busque, regional vice president for Asia Pacific at Verizon, and Dr Huon Curtis from the Tech Policy Design Centre discuss the growing importance of Large Language Model firewalls for Australian businesses. They highlight the risks generative AI poses to sensitive enterprise data and how LLM firewalls can safeguard it by controlling data flow and ensuring compliance. These safeguards are particularly crucial in sectors like telecommunications and anti-money laundering. They also explore how Centres of Excellence provide teams with tools to securely innovate with AI technologies. 

Securing AI. Ep2: The importance of securing AI

If we spend an extra million dollars on cybersecurity, are we a million dollars safer? This is a question Louise McGrath, Head of Industry Development and Policy at Australian Industry (Ai) Group, often hears from her members as they battle to keep costs down while securing their future with innovation. She discussed these issues with Chris Novak, Head of Cybersecurity Consulting at Verizon, in the latest episode of Verizon’s Securing AI podcast series. Moderated by InnovationAus.com publisher Corrie McLeod, this conversation explores the challenge of quantifying cybersecurity risks in dollars and cents, and the transformative impact of generative AI on managing these investments.

Infosys - Advancing Business in the Age of AI - Ep1 Applied AI for Strategic Business Value

Strategic implementation and responsible usage are at the core of the impact of generative AI on businesses. In the first episode of a two-part podcast series, Advancing Business in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Sunil Senan, Global Head of Data, Analytics, and AI at Infosys discusses the shift from digital-first to AI-first strategies. Following the success of large language models like ChatGPT, businesses of all shapes and sizes are experimenting with the potential application of similar technologies. As genAI truly hits the mainstream, Mr Senan explores early AI use cases in industries like healthcare and finance, highlighting how to adopt a responsible-by-design approach to mitigate the associated risks.  

Securing AI. Ep1: AI Democratisation

As the AI arms race heats up across APAC, the technology is cementing itself as a disinformation tool and a shield against cyber threats. In this episode of Verizon’s Securing AI podcast series, Corrie McLeod talks to Mike Bareja, former deputy director of Cyber, Technology and Security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and John Hines, head of cybersecurity APAC at Verizon Business, about the democratisation of AI. This hard-hitting conversation explores the dangerous potential of AI disinformation to subtly undermine societal trust, as it floods digital channels with fake content generation and new reports of identity hijacking. 

Granicus Ep4: Bundaberg’s One Million Trees project

This podcast is the latest episode in The Loop series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Granicus. In Bundaberg Qld, data meets nature's challenge in the quest for Net Zero and planting a million trees by the end of 2024. With her finger on the data pulse, Carmen Bracken joins publisher Corrie McLeod to discuss the struggle as she strives for civic action, precisely mapping every tree's journey. As trees bloom, data and people shape new narratives around building world-class digital engagement platforms while boosting tree survival rates. 

Granicus Ep3: The DNA of respectful debate

This podcast is the latest episode in The Loop series, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Granicus. In a vast country like Australia, ensuring citizens who live in sparsely populated regions are heard is a real challenge for government and decision makers. Wicked infrastructure problems add up to $30 billion in bottlenecks, but there's a path forward. Marion Short from IAP2 and Mel Hagedorn from Granicus tackle these challenges head-on, exploring how empathy, dialogue, and a quest for "truth" are reshaping public participation. They join publisher Corrie McLeod to discuss how public servants can transform their approach to engage communities affected by infrastructural decisions in a world gone digital. Listen to discover how these strategies are unlocking new avenues for collaboration and consensus.

Grant Dooley, CEO, Breakthrough Victoria

Governments around the world have embraced more interventionist industrial policies, including in Australia. In this episode of the Commercial Disco podcast, the CEO of the state-owned fund Breakthrough Victoria Grant Dooley talks about the role of government in helping to build capability – and wealth – for the state.

This episode of The Commercial Disco is proudly brought to you by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst.

Digital twins: Aussie startups reshaping the US

This special podcast focuses on Building trust in the network digital twin, produced by InnovationAus.com in partnership with Verizon. Digital twins bring enormous value to network infrastructure, with the ability to test and optimise equipment configurations. They simplify managing energy efficiency, enabling smarter, faster decisions when building complex infrastructure like airports, hospitals or Olympic stadiums. Australian startups Exergenics and Willow are making inroads into the US after honing their expertise and innovations in a domestic environment keenly focused on energy efficiency. Willow’s Head of New Build, Daniel Kalnins, joins publisher Corrie McLeod and co-founder & COO of Exergenics, Tim Stewart to discuss digital twin technology in energy efficiency, and the stark differences in speed and scale between the US and Australian markets.