3541: How IBS Software Sees AI Redefining Airline Retail and Loyalty

Was 2025 the year the games industry finally stopped talking about direct-to-consumer and started treating it as the default way to do business? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I'm joined by Chris Hewish, President at Xsolla, for a wide-ranging conversation about how regulation, platform pressure, and shifting player expectations have pushed D2C from the margins into the mainstream. As court rulings, the Digital Markets Act, and high-profile battles like Epic versus Apple continue to reshape the industry, developers are gaining more leverage, but also more responsibility, over how they distribute, monetize, and support their games. Chris breaks down why D2C is no longer just about avoiding app store fees. It is about owning player relationships, controlling data, and building sustainable businesses in a more consolidated market. We explore how tools like Xsolla's Unity SDK are lowering the barrier for studios to sell directly across mobile, PC, and the web, while handling the operational complexity that often scares teams away from global payments, compliance, and fraud management. We also dig into what is changing inside live service games. From offer walls that help monetize the vast majority of players who never spend, to LiveOps tools that simplify campaigns and retention strategies, Chris shares real examples of how studios are seeing meaningful lifts in revenue and engagement. The conversation moves beyond technology into mindset, especially for indie and mid-sized teams learning that treating a game as a long-term business needs to start far earlier than launch day. Here in 2026, we talk about account-centric economies, hybrid monetization models running in parallel, and the growing role of community-driven commerce inspired by platforms like Roblox and Fortnite. There is optimism in these shifts, but also understandable anxiety as studios adjust to managing more of the stack themselves. Chris offers a grounded perspective on how that balance is likely to play out. So if games are becoming hobbies, platforms are opening up, and developers finally have the tools to meet players wherever they are, what does the next phase of direct-to-consumer really look like, and are studios ready to fully own that relationship? Useful Links Connect with Chris Hewish on LinkedIn Learn more about Xsolla Follow on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook Thanks to our sponsors, Alcor, for supporting the show.

In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I'm joined by Kiren Sekar, Chief Product Officer at Samsara, to unpack how AI is finally showing up where it matters most, in the frontline operations that keep the global economy moving. From logistics and construction to manufacturing and field services, these industries represent a huge share of global GDP, yet for years they have been left behind by modern software. Kiren explains why that gap existed, and why the timing is finally right to close it. We talk about Samsara's full-stack approach that blends hardware, software, and AI to turn trillions of real-world data points into decisions people can actually act on. Kiren shares how customers are using this intelligence to prevent accidents, cut fuel waste, digitize paper-based workflows, and scale expert judgment across thousands of vehicles and job sites. The conversation goes deep into real examples, including how large enterprises like Home Depot have dramatically reduced accident rates and improved asset utilization by making safety and efficiency part of everyday operations rather than afterthoughts. A big part of our discussion focuses on trust. When AI enters physical operations, concerns around monitoring and surveillance surface quickly. Kiren walks through how adoption succeeds only when technology is introduced with care, transparency, and a clear focus on protecting workers. From proving driver innocence during incidents to rewarding positive behavior and using AI as a virtual safety coach, we explore why change management matters just as much as the technology itself. We also look at the limits of automation and why human judgment still plays a central role. Kiren explains how Samsara's AI acts as a force multiplier for experienced frontline experts, capturing their hard-won knowledge and scaling it across an entire workforce rather than trying to replace it. As AI moves from pilots into daily decision-making at scale, this episode offers a grounded view of what responsible, high-impact deployment actually looks like. As AI continues to reshape frontline work, making jobs safer, easier, and more engaging, how should product leaders balance innovation with responsibility when their systems start influencing real-world safety and productivity every single day? Useful Links Connect with Kiren Sekar Learn more about Samsara Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by Denodo

What if airlines stopped thinking in terms of seats and schedules and started designing for the entire journey instead? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I'm joined by Somit Goyal, CEO of IBS Software, to talk about how travel technology is being rebuilt at its foundations. Since we last spoke, AI has moved from experimentation into everyday operations, and that shift is forcing airlines to rethink everything from retailing and loyalty to disruption management and customer trust. Somit shares why AI can no longer sit on the edge of systems as a feature, and why it now has to be embedded directly into how decisions are made across the business. We discuss the growing gap between legacy airline technology and rapidly rising traveler expectations, and why this tension has become a defining moment for the industry. For Somit, travel tech is no longer back office infrastructure. It is becoming the operating system for customer experience and revenue. That shift changes how airlines think about retailing, moving away from selling flights toward curating outcomes across a multi day journey that includes partners, servicing, and real time operational awareness. The conversation also explores why agility now matters more than scale, and how airlines are approaching this transformation without breaking what already works. A major part of this episode focuses on IBS Software's deep co-innovation partnership with Amazon Web Services. Somit explains why this is far more than a cloud hosting arrangement, covering joint R&D, shared roadmaps, and AI labs designed to help airlines build modern retailing capabilities faster. We also unpack what "AI first" really means in practice, how intelligence is reshaping offer creation, pricing, order management, and disruption handling, and why responsible AI must be treated as a product rather than a legal safeguard. We also spend time on loyalty, one of the industry's most stubborn challenges. Somit outlines why converging reservations and loyalty systems is such a powerful unlock, how it enables real time personalization instead of generic segmentation, and why loyalty should evolve from a points ledger into an experience engine that delivers value before, during, and after a trip. As airlines race toward 2026, the big question is no longer whether transformation will happen, but who will move with enough clarity and trust to earn long-term loyalty. In a world where AI knows more about travelers than ever before, how do airlines use that intelligence to create better outcomes without crossing the line, and are they ready to rethink the journey from end to end? Useful Links Connect with Somit Goyal Learn more about IBS Software Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by Denodo  

What happens when a podcast stops being something you listen to and becomes something you physically show up for? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I wanted to explore a different kind of tech story, one rooted in community, endurance, and real human connection. I was joined by Sam Huntington, a Business Development Officer at Wells Fargo, who has quietly built something special at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and cycling through his podcast and community project, Hill Climbers. Sam's story starts far from a studio. It begins on a bike, moving through Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and eventually Austin, where chance conversations on group rides turned into friendships, business relationships, and eventually a podcast. We talk about why endurance sports and startups share the same mental terrain, the moments when you want to quit, and how those moments often define the outcome. Sam explains how Hill Climbers evolved from recorded conversations into weekly rides, live podcast tapings, and in person events that bring founders, investors, and operators together without name badges or pitch decks. We also dig into what makes Austin such a magnetic place for founders right now, and why community building outside Silicon Valley feels different when it is built around shared effort rather than curated networks. Sam shares lessons learned from taking a podcast offline, including the early weeks when hardly anyone showed up, the temptation to stop, and the persistence required to build momentum. There is a refreshing honesty in how he describes growing something slowly, resisting shortcuts, and letting trust compound over time. This conversation is also a reminder that meaningful networks are rarely built through algorithms. They are built through shared experiences, discomfort, friendly competition, and showing up consistently when no one is watching. Whether you are a founder, an investor, or someone trying to build a community of your own, there is something grounding in hearing how relationships form when work is not the opening line. As more of our professional lives move online, are we losing the spaces where real connection happens, and what would it look like for you to build community around a shared passion rather than a job title? Userful Links Connect with Sam Huntington Hill Climbers Website Instagram Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by Denodo

What happens to patient care when hospital systems suddenly go dark and clinicians are forced back to pen and paper in the middle of a crisis? In this episode of the Tech Talks Daily Podcast, I speak with Chao Cheng-Shorland, Co-founder and CEO of ShelterZoom, about a problem that many healthcare leaders still underestimate until it is too late. As ransomware attacks, cloud outages, and system failures become more frequent, electronic health record downtime has shifted from a rare incident to a recurring operational risk with real consequences for patient safety, staff wellbeing, and hospital finances. Chao explains why traditional disaster recovery plans fall short in live clinical environments and why returning to paper workflows is no longer viable for modern healthcare teams. We discuss how EHR downtime can stretch from hours into weeks, how reimbursement delays and cash flow pressure compound the damage, and why younger clinicians are often unprepared for manual processes they were never trained to use. The conversation also explores the mindset shift now taking place among CIOs and CISOs, as resilience moves from a compliance checkbox to a survival requirement. At the heart of the discussion is ShelterZoom's SpareTire platform and the thinking behind treating uninterrupted access to clinical data as a baseline rather than a backup. Chao shares how the idea emerged directly from hospital conversations, why an external, always-available system is essential during cyber incidents, and how ShelterZoom's tokenization roots shaped a design focused on security without disruption. We also look at how rising AI adoption is changing the threat landscape and why many healthcare organizations are reordering priorities to secure continuity before rolling out new AI initiatives. As we look toward 2026, this episode offers a grounded view of how healthcare organizations must rethink downtime tolerance, data governance, and operational readiness in a world where digital outages can quickly become clinical emergencies. If downtime is now inevitable rather than hypothetical, what does real resilience look like for hospitals, and are healthcare leaders moving fast enough to protect patients when systems fail? Useful Links Connect with Chao Cheng-Shorland Learn more about ShelterZoom Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by Denodo

Is your website still the front door to your business, or has AI already quietly changed where customers first meet your brand? In this episode of the Tech Talks Daily Podcast, I sit down with Dominik Angerer, Co-founder and CEO of Storyblok, to unpack how content, search, and discovery are shifting in an AI-first world. As search behavior moves away from blue links toward direct answers inside tools like ChatGPT and Google summaries, Dominik explains why many businesses are seeing traffic decline even while signups and conversions continue to grow. We explore how AI is reshaping the role of content management systems, from automation and orchestration to personalization at scale. Dominik shares why consistency now matters more than volume, how outdated content can actively harm brand visibility inside AI answers, and why the technical foundations built for SEO still play a major role as generative search takes hold. This conversation also dives into headless CMS architecture, why separating content from presentation has become even more valuable, and how structured, well maintained content gives AI systems something reliable to work with. Dominik also introduces the idea of joyful content, a belief that better tools lead to better work and ultimately better experiences for audiences. From AI-powered support workflows to personalized retail and loyalty experiences, he shares real examples of how forward-looking teams are already using content as an active system rather than a static archive. As businesses look toward 2026 and rethink how they show up across websites, apps, agents, and answer engines, this episode offers a grounded look at what needs to change and where to start. As AI becomes the place people go for answers rather than search results, how are you rethinking your content strategy, and what will you do differently after hearing this conversation? Connect with Dominik Angerer Learn more Storyblok Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by Denodo

What happens when the push for smarter crypto wallets runs headfirst into the reality that everything on a public blockchain can be seen by anyone? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I wanted to take listeners who may not live and breathe Web3 every day and introduce them to a problem that is becoming harder to ignore. As Ethereum evolves and smart accounts unlock new wallet features, the surface area for risk grows at the same time. That is where privacy-first Layer 2 solutions enter the conversation, not as an abstract idea, but as a practical response to very real security and usability concerns. My guest is Joe Andrews, Co-founder and President at Aztec Labs. Joe brings an engineering mindset shaped by years of building consumer-facing applications and deep privacy infrastructure. Together, we unpack why privacy and security can no longer be treated as separate topics, especially as Ethereum rolls out more advanced account features. Joe explains how privacy-first Layer 2 networks act as an added line of defense, reducing exposure to threats that come from fully transparent balances, identities, and transaction histories. We also talk about what Aztec actually is, often described as the Private World Computer, and why that framing matters. Joe shares learnings from Aztec's public testnet launch earlier this year, what surprised the team once thousands of nodes were running in the wild, and how the community has stepped up in ways the company itself could not have planned for. There is also an honest discussion about the UK crypto scene, the missed opportunities, and the quiet resilience of builders who continue to ship despite regulatory uncertainty. As we look ahead, Joe outlines what comes next as Aztec moves closer to enabling private transactions on a decentralized network, and why the next phase is less about theory and more about real people using privacy in everyday interactions. If you are curious about how privacy-first Layer 2 solutions fit into Ethereum's roadmap, or why privacy might be the missing piece that finally makes smart wallets usable at scale, does this conversation change how you think about the future of crypto, and where would you like to see this technology go next? Useful Links Connect with Joe Andrews Learn more about Aztec Labs Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by Denodo

What happens when the systems designed to make life easier quietly begin shaping how we think, decide, and choose? In this episode of the Tech Talks Daily Podcast, I sit down with Jacob Ward, a journalist who has spent more than two decades examining the unseen effects of technology on human behavior. From reporting roles at NBC News, Al Jazeera, CNN, and PBS, to hosting his own podcast The Rip Current, Jacob has built a career around asking uncomfortable questions about power, persuasion, and the psychology sitting beneath our screens. Our conversation centers on his book The Loop: How A.I Is Creating a World Without Choices and How to Fight Back, written before ChatGPT entered everyday life. Jacob explains why his core concern was never about smarter machines alone, but about what happens when AI systems learn us too well. Drawing on behavioral science, newsroom experience, and recent academic research, he argues that AI can narrow our sense of possibility while convincing us we are gaining freedom. The result is a subtle tension between convenience and control that many listeners will recognize in their own digital lives. We also explore the idea of AI companies behaving like nation states, accumulating talent, influence, and authority without the checks that usually accompany that kind of power. Jacob reflects on the speed of AI deployment, the belief systems driving its biggest champions, and why individual self control is unlikely to be enough. Instead, he makes the case for systemic responses, cultural guardrails, and a renewed focus on protecting human skills that cannot be automated away. There is room for optimism here too. We talk about where AI genuinely helps, from medicine to scientific discovery, and how leaders can hold hope and skepticism at the same time without slipping into hype or fear. From preserving entry level work as a form of apprenticeship to resisting the urge to outsource thinking itself, this episode offers a thoughtful look at what staying human might mean in an age of intelligent machines. Jacob has also appeared on shows like The Joe Rogan Experience, This Week in Tech, and The Don Lemon Show, but this conversation strips things back to fundamentals. How much choice do we really have, and what are we willing to give up for frictionless answers? If AI is quietly closing the loop around our decisions, what does fighting back actually look like for you, and where do you think that line between help and influence should be drawn? Useful Links Connect With Jacob Ward Check out his website and book The Rip Current Podcast Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by Denodo

How is HR changing when AI, economic pressure, and rising employee expectations all collide at once? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I'm joined by Simon Noble, CEO of Cezanne HR, to unpack how the role of HR is evolving from a traditional support function into something far more closely tied to business performance. Simon shares why HR is increasingly being judged on outcomes like retention, capability building, and readiness for change, rather than policies, processes, or cost control. Yet despite that shift, many HR leaders still find themselves pulled back into a compliance-first mindset as budgets tighten, skills shortages persist, and new legislation raises the stakes. We explore how AI fits into this picture without stripping the humanity out of HR. Simon is clear that AI should automate administration and free up time, rather than replace human judgment or empathy. Used well, it removes friction from onboarding, compliance, and everyday queries, giving HR the space to focus on culture, leadership, and long-term talent development. Used poorly, it risks adding noise without value. The difference, he argues, comes down to data. Without clean, consolidated data, AI simply cannot deliver meaningful insight, no matter how advanced the technology appears. The conversation also looks inward at Cezanne HR's own growth journey. Simon describes rapid expansion as chaos with better branding, and explains why maintaining culture, trust, and clarity becomes harder, yet more important, as teams scale. From onboarding new employees to ensuring a consistent customer experience, the same principles apply internally as they do for customers using HR technology. We also touch on trust, transparency, and the growing focus on areas like pay transparency, data responsibility, and employee confidence in how their information is handled. As expectations continue to rise, HR's credibility increasingly rests on accuracy, fairness, and the ability to turn insight into action. As HR steps closer to the center of business strategy, what mindset shift is needed to move from reacting to change toward actively shaping it, and how prepared is your organization to make that leap? Useful Links Connect with Simon Noble Learn more about Cezanne HR Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by Denodo

What does it really mean when AI moves from answering questions to making decisions that affect real people, real money, and real outcomes? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I'm joined by Joe Kim, CEO of Druid AI, for a grounded conversation about why agentic AI is becoming the focus for enterprises that have moved beyond experimentation. After years of hype around generative tools, many organizations are now facing a tougher question. Can AI be trusted to take action inside core business processes, and can it do so with the accuracy, security, and accountability that enterprises expect? Joe brings a rare perspective shaped by decades leading large-scale enterprise software companies, including his time as CEO of Sumo Logic. He explains why Druid AI deliberately avoids positioning itself as a generative AI company, and instead focuses on systems that can make decisions, trigger workflows, and complete tasks inside regulated, high-stakes environments. We unpack why accuracy thresholds matter when AI touches billing, healthcare, admissions, or compliance, and why security and governance are no longer secondary concerns once AI is allowed to act. We also talk about scale and proof. Druid AI now supports over 120 million conversations every month, a figure that keeps climbing as enterprises move agentic systems into production. Joe shares how those conversations translate into measurable business outcomes, from operational efficiency to revenue growth, and why many AI initiatives fail to reach this stage. His "5 percent club" philosophy cuts through the noise, focusing on the small number of use cases that actually deliver return while most others stall in pilots. The conversation also explores why higher education has become a surprising pressure point for AI adoption, how outdated systems contribute to student churn, and how conversational agents can remove friction at moments that decide whether someone enrolls, stays, or leaves. We close by looking ahead at Druid AI's next chapter, including new platform capabilities designed to make building and deploying agents faster without sacrificing control. As more enterprises demand results instead of promises, are we ready to judge AI by the decisions it makes and the outcomes it delivers, and what should that accountability look like in your organization? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Where do you see agentic AI delivering real value today, and where do you think the risks still outweigh the rewards? What does it really mean when AI moves from answering questions to making decisions that affect real people, real money, and real outcomes? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I'm joined by Joe Kim, CEO of Druid AI, for a grounded conversation about why agentic AI is becoming the focus for enterprises that have moved beyond experimentation. After years of hype around generative tools, many organizations are now facing a tougher question. Can AI be trusted to take action inside core business processes, and can it do so with the accuracy, security, and accountability that enterprises expect? Joe brings a rare perspective shaped by decades leading large-scale enterprise software companies, including his time as CEO of Sumo Logic. He explains why Druid AI deliberately avoids positioning itself as a generative AI company, and instead focuses on systems that can make decisions, trigger workflows, and complete tasks inside regulated, high-stakes environments. We unpack why accuracy thresholds matter when AI touches billing, healthcare, admissions, or compliance, and why security and governance are no longer secondary concerns once AI is allowed to act. We also talk about scale and proof. Druid AI now supports over 120 million conversations every month, a figure that keeps climbing as enterprises move agentic systems into production. Joe shares how those conversations translate into measurable business outcomes, from operational efficiency to revenue growth, and why many AI initiatives fail to reach this stage. His "5 percent club" philosophy cuts through the noise, focusing on the small number of use cases that actually deliver return while most others stall in pilots. The conversation also explores why higher education has become a surprising pressure point for AI adoption, how outdated systems contribute to student churn, and how conversational agents can remove friction at moments that decide whether someone enrolls, stays, or leaves. We close by looking ahead at Druid AI's next chapter, including new platform capabilities designed to make building and deploying agents faster without sacrificing control. As more enterprises demand results instead of promises, are we ready to judge AI by the decisions it makes and the outcomes it delivers, and what should that accountability look like in your organization? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Where do you see agentic AI delivering real value today, and where do you think the risks still outweigh the rewards? Useful Links Connect with Joe Kim, CEO of Druid AI. Druid AI Website Tech Talks Daily is Sponsored by Denodo