AI Moment With Danny Denhard and Jonathan Wagstaffe

2026 STATE OF AI FOR BUSINESS REPORT - The Smarterex Report Reviewed

In this episode, hosts Jonathan Wagstaffe and Danny Denhard conduct a comprehensive deep dive into the newly published 2026 SmarterX State of AI for Business Report. The full report download can be found here [https://smarterx.ai/hubfs/2026-State-of-AI-for-Business_Report_FINAL.pdf ] Surveying over 2,100 professionals globally, the report uncovers a fascinating contradiction: while 71% of respondents believe AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates, only 20% harbor concern for their individual roles. The hosts explore the critical blockers preventing organisations from successfully scaling AI. Key human barriers include a lack of education (38%), poor awareness (35%), and a shortage of time (30%). Denhard strongly advises leaders to stop delegating AI purely to IT and legal departments, arguing that these risk-averse functions naturally stifle the innovative momentum required for true corporate transformation. The discussion also details the distinct infrastructure splits between large enterprise organisations adopting Microsoft Copilot and smaller businesses utilizing ChatGPT. To close the readiness gap, Danny outlines immediate tactical steps for business leaders: launch an internal quantitative and qualitative AI survey, establish the four core pillars of AI governance, and transition from basic tactical productivity gains toward long-term, strategic innovation --- Are You Struggling With AI? Jonathan and I are hosting dedicated bespoke ⁠AI Workshops⁠ [https://dannydenhard.com/ai-workshops] and ⁠AI Hackathons⁠ [https://dannydenhard.com/ai-hackathons] helping companies improve their AI capabilities and business performance, ⁠book in a time⁠ [https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ1KQC8-arASTRllRHSiObtRhk54a0xwQeYNHsXet2uL6QX1A9kxWJ6pUyNEpSWvNKHojaiKf7Sq] to chat to get you moving ahead ---

Amazon Vs LLMs - Who's Winning? 🥊 & Why Amazon Is The Leading Light For AI

Want to go deeper on our newsletter that supports each and every episode at ⁠⁠dannydenhard.com/aipod⁠⁠ [https://dannydenhard.com/aipod] --- In this episode, Jonathan and I (Danny Denhard [www.dannydenhard.com]) pull back the curtain on the subtle but high-stakes battle between Amazon and the leading AI companies. While the tech world focuses on the power of LLMs, I argues that Amazon is actually in a prime position to win the AI war. by the prime expectations they created through their experiences and ease of delivery when you want for a primed price. And importantly, by blocking external crawlers, Amazon is protecting its "crown jewels": two decades of meticulously structured e-commerce data that defines how products are compared, reviewed, and purchased. The discussion moves into the practical application of AI within retail, highlighting Amazon’s internal AI agent, Rufus. With Rufus already tripling conversion rates, the episode explores how AI is being used to remove the final layers of friction from the buying process. I also touches on the broader e-commerce landscape, citing Shopify's massive growth in AI-driven traffic and orders, suggesting that for any brand, the decision to "go in" or "stay out" of the AI ecosystem is now the most critical strategic choice. The episode concludes with a look at Alexa Plus and the potential for voice-based AI to become the "killer app" for repeat purchases. --- Struggling With AI? Jonathan and I are hosting dedicated bespoke AI Workshops [https://dannydenhard.com/ai-workshops] and AI Hackathons [https://dannydenhard.com/ai-hackathons] helping companies improve their AI capabilities and business performance, book in a time [https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ1KQC8-arASTRllRHSiObtRhk54a0xwQeYNHsXet2uL6QX1A9kxWJ6pUyNEpSWvNKHojaiKf7Sq] to chat to get you moving ahead ----

Be Careful! AI Desktop Apps Are Being Exploited - AI Moment 75 Danny Denhard & Jonathan Wagstaffe

In this episode of the AI Moment, Jonathan (Wagstaffe) and I (Danny Denhard [www.dannydenhard.com]) pull back the curtain on a brewing crisis in the AI industry: the hidden security risks of desktop applications. While the web versions of our favourite tools feel relatively contained, the new generation of desktop apps for Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT are behaving in ways that should make every CTO and security professional pause. We discuss the "Chromium Bridge" and how these apps are essentially speed running through traditional security protocols to create a more seamless user experience, often at the expense of administrative control. We dive deep into the specific vulnerabilities created when AI tools are given carte blanche access to your browser, where your most sensitive banking, email, and SaaS credentials reside. The conversation shifts toward actionable advice for businesses: treating AI software as "privileged" rather than a mere utility. We emphasize the need for rigorous governance, user education, and a "cybersecurity first" mindset when deploying these semi-autonomous agents across a workforce. The goal isn't to stifle innovation, but to ensure that as your competitors adopt these tools, your organisation does so with its eyes wide open. We conclude with a call for greater transparency from AI vendors regarding exactly what they are installing on our machines and how they handle the data we feed them. Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe and follow the podcast on your favourite platform to never miss an insight. "Want more? Subscribe to our newsletter at https://aimomentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe [https://aimomentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe] for deeper dives and intelligence delivered with every podcast episode."

Dr Hannah Fry's AI Experiment Reviewed - Why Openclaw failed the captcha test 🫠

In this episode, Jonathan (Wagstaffe) and I (Danny Denhard [http://www.dannydenhard.com]) dive into Dr Hannah Fry’s (educator, TV presenter and podcaster on The Rest Is Science) latest deep dive into the world of AI agents.  Read today's newsletter with embedded video early by clicking → https://aimomentpodcast.substack.com/p/dr-hannah-fry [https://aimomentpodcast.substack.com/p/dr-hannah-fry] By following the journey of "Cass," a bespoke AI agent tasked with everything from complaining to local councils to selling custom mugs, the duo explores the friction between AI potential and real-world application. The discussion centres on the "intimate chaos" that ensues when agents are given agency without sufficient governance. Danny highlights the comical failures, such as the agent spending vastly more on its own "thinking time" than it saved in procurement, while Jonathan warns of the serious security implications when agents are manipulated into revealing sensitive passwords. Enjoy the full 20 minute doc free on YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnzR5aOElvw [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnzR5aOElvw]   Key actions for listeners include: * Reviewing Permission Controls: Ensure any AI tools currently in use have restricted access to sensitive data. * Testing for "Rogueness": Before deploying agents, run "bad actor" scenarios to see how easily the system can be compromised. * Human-in-the-loop: Maintain a supervision layer where high-stakes actions (like financial transactions or public communications) require a final human sign-off. Did you enjoyed the episode? Subscribe and follow the podcast on your favourite platform to never miss an insight. Want more? Subscribe to our newsletter at https://aimomentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe [https://aimomentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe] for deeper dives and intelligence delivered with every podcast episode  Struggling With AI? Jonathan and I are hosting dedicated bespoke AI Workshops [https://dannydenhard.com/ai-workshops] and AI Hackathons [https://dannydenhard.com/ai-hackathons] helping companies improve their AI capabilities and business performance, book in a time [https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ1KQC8-arASTRllRHSiObtRhk54a0xwQeYNHsXet2uL6QX1A9kxWJ6pUyNEpSWvNKHojaiKf7Sq]to chat to get you moving ahead

What are the best practises in AI Training? Land AI right

Hey, It's Danny (Denhard [www.dannydenhard.com]) - thanks for listening today! We appreciate you spending 10 minutes with us today! In this episode of The AI Moment, Jonathan and I dive into the often-frustrating reality of AI adoption in the workplace. Many organisations have invested in the licenses but are seeing little to no progress in their actual operations. We explore why the "license and leave it" strategy is failing and how leaders can pivot toward a more effective, layered training model. We discuss the critical distinction between seeing AI as a technical skill versus seeing it as "AI fluency," a fundamental business competency similar to communication or project management. I share my perspective on why framing AI as an "assistant" can help teams overcome the fear of replacement and speed up adoption. The conversation covers practical strategies for building momentum, including: * Moving beyond the "one-off webinar" to role-specific workshops and hackathons. * The importance of self-learning and why waiting for a corporate manual is a losing strategy. * How to use "Lunch and Learns," peer-to-peer training, and even "AI Bingo" to gamify the learning process. * The non-negotiable role of leadership in "normalising" experimentation. The immediate action for any leader listening is to stop treating AI as an IT initiative and start treating it as a core part of Learning and Development. Start small with foundational sessions, but get your teams into a room to solve real-world problems as quickly as possible. Want more? Subscribe to our newsletter at https://aimomentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe [https://aimomentpodcast.substack.com/subscribe] for deeper dives and intelligence delivered with every podcast episode.