IT Infrastructure as a Business Strategy with Alex Esterly

Inside The Africa Channel’s AI Content Pipeline with Chris Ekman

In this episode of TechConnect, Chris Ekman, SVP of Operations and OTT Services at The Africa Channel, shares how his team is using AI to modernize the content pipeline behind streaming and broadcast media. From metadata validation and thumbnail selection to ad break placement, dubbing, and localization, Chris explains where automation can reduce repetitive work while keeping humans in the loop for quality control. He also discusses TAC Labs, agentic workflows, and the future of AI-driven media operations for bringing African stories to global audiences.

AI's impact on product design with Andy Oliva

In this TechConnect episode, Andy Oliva, Founder of Lucky Day Labs, breaks down what product design looks like when AI becomes a core interface. The conversation covers why businesses need to design for agents as well as humans, how prompt-driven workflows are changing software expectations, and why voice and text experiences may become central to customer engagement. Andy also discusses the pressure on SaaS companies, the importance of rapid experimentation, and how leaders can create a culture that embraces AI without losing sight of user value.

Rethinking AI Leadership and Scale with Ben Schreiner

In this episode of the TechConnect Podcast, Chris Daden speaks with Ben Schreiner, Head of AI and Modern Data BD at AWS, about what it takes to compete in the AI era. The discussion covers AI adoption, data readiness, intelligent organizations, evolving workforce skills, leadership, and why the companies that think bigger while enabling safe experimentation will be best positioned to scale.

The Future of Embedded Systems and Real-Time Computing with Andy Gryc

In this episode, Andy Gryc from QNX joins the SoCal Tech Forum to explore the future of embedded systems and real-time computing. Andy breaks down what embedded systems really are, why determinism and reliability matter in mission-critical environments, and how QNX’s microkernel architecture helps power everything from vehicles and robotics to medical and industrial systems.  The conversation also dives into the growing demand for embedded developers, the rise of AI at the edge, and how the QNX Everywhere initiative is opening the door for students, hobbyists, and professional developers to get hands-on with the same platform used in production environments.

IT Infrastructure as a Business Strategy with Alex Esterly

In this episode of TechConnect, Alex Esterly from iT1 shares how modern infrastructure is changing in a world shaped by cloud, AI, and rising cybersecurity risk. Drawing on more than 30 years in IT leadership, Alex explains why infrastructure can no longer be treated as a cost center, and why technology leaders need to think of it as a business strategy that drives resilience, efficiency, and growth. The conversation also explores how organizations can modernize incrementally, design for failure, strengthen cyber resilience, and prepare for the real-world pressures of AI, from smarter security operations to the growing demands on data center power and cooling.