The Next Thing Now Podcast

The Free AI Era Is Over

The Free AI Era Is Over What happens when AI stops feeling free? In this episode of The Next Thing Now, Rob and Kev unpack the growing reality behind token pricing, disappearing “all-you-can-eat” AI plans, and why the economics of AI are starting to shift dramatically. From exploding enterprise AI bills to the sudden rise of local LLMs, they explore the next phase of the AI race: not just intelligence, but compute, infrastructure, and cost. They cover: * Why frontier AI companies are killing unlimited plans * How token costs are becoming the new cloud bill * Why Macs with huge amounts of RAM are suddenly selling out * The rise of local LLMs and “bring your own model” architectures * Why AI usage inside companies is growing faster than costs are falling * The hidden operational cost of agentic AI workflows * Why “vibe coding” breaks at enterprise scale * The growing gap between AI experimentation and AI maturity * Why organisations now need AI governance, policy and consultancy * The rise of “flat is the new up” in AI-driven businesses * Whether frontier models are becoming too expensive to democratise * And the mystery surrounding Anthropic’s rumoured Mythos model The future of AI may still be extraordinary. But it is increasingly clear it will not be cheap.

The Future of Software Engineering

The Future of Software Engineering What is actually changing inside engineering teams? In this episode of The Next Thing Now, Rob Borley is joined by Gordon Lucas, Group Software Engineering Director at PureGym, to explore how AI is really impacting software engineering. Away from the hype and headlines, this is a grounded conversation about what is happening inside real teams today. While AI tools promise dramatic productivity gains, most engineering organisations are still working through a much messier reality. Backlogs still exist. Delivery pressure has not changed. And the day-to-day experience of engineers is evolving in ways that are as human as they are technical. We explore: * Why AI has not yet transformed engineering teams in the way people expected * The growing tension between code as craft and code as output * How the role of the software engineer is shifting towards orchestration and higher-level thinking * The leadership challenge of taking teams through rapid, uncertain change * Whether teams will get smaller, or simply produce more * What happens to junior engineers in an AI-driven world * Why decision-making, not coding, is becoming the real bottleneck * This is is a conversation about people, pressure, and the future shape of the profession. If you are a CIO, CTO, Head of Engineering, or product leader trying to make sense of AI in your organisation, this episode will help you think more clearly about what actually matters next.

The Reality of AI in Critical National Infrastructure

The Reality of AI in Critical National Infrastructure Can AI be trusted where failure isn’t an option? In this episode, we’re joined by Simon Ayley, Director of Strategic Growth Partnerships at WRC. Drawing on 30+ years of global industry experience, we explore what AI actually looks like inside critical national infrastructure. From regulated industries to complex operational environments, AI is no longer theoretical. It is already being tested, challenged, and in some cases embedded into systems that millions of people rely on every day. We discuss: * Why innovation inside large, regulated organisations is fundamentally different * The tension between speed, safety, and accountability * What it really takes to move from experimentation to production * How leaders should think about risk, regulation, and responsibility in an AI-driven world If you are responsible for technology, operations, or strategy in a complex environment, this is a conversation you need to hear.

AI Impact on Higher Education

What happens to higher education when knowledge becomes instantly accessible, essays can be generated on demand, and AI starts to challenge the very basis of assessment? In this episode of The Next Thing Now, Rob Borley, Kevin Smith and Simon Brookes explore the impact of AI on higher education and ask a deeper question: what is university actually for in an age of large language models? The conversation looks at the future of degrees, the changing value of knowledge, the limits of traditional coursework, and why judgment, discernment and the application of knowledge may matter more than ever. This is not a discussion about hype. It is a serious look at what happens when one of society’s most established institutions is forced to rethink its role. In this episode: * Will AI change university forever? * Can essays still prove learning? * What becomes valuable when knowledge is abundant? * Why human judgment may matter more in an AI-shaped world * What higher education may need to become next Watch now and join the conversation. #AI #HigherEducation #University #EdTech #FutureOfWork #TheNextThingNow #Dootrix #ArtificialIntelligence #Education ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Enterprise Software Built by Agents

Agents Are Building Software Now A year ago, AI was helping engineers write code. Now, agents are building real enterprise software. In this episode of The Next Thing Now, we unpack what has changed and why it matters. This is not another conversation about copilots or productivity boosts. This is about agentic platforms that can reason over requirements, generate architecture, write services, refactor systems, and ship meaningful functionality with minimal human intervention. But there is a catch. Agents can write code. They do not carry accountability. We explore: * The shift from AI coding assistant to agentic execution * Why complex systems still require architectural judgement * How senior engineers are moving from builders to orchestrators * What this means for CIOs and technology leaders under pressure * Why enterprise software delivery is about to be structurally redefined If you are a CIO, CTO, Engineering Director, or product leader trying to understand what agentic development really means in production, this conversation is for you. This is not theory. It is based on real experimentation inside live environments. Agents are building software now. The question is whether you are ready to orchestrate them. Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of emerging technology, disruptive business models, and the leaders shaping what comes next. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.