128. Applying AI in Agricultural Robotics: From Kaggle to Production - with Julian de Wit

In this episode, Rick & Oscar talk with Julian de Wit, an AI specialist and entrepreneur, about his journey from Kaggle competitions to applying deep learning in agricultural robotics. He explains how working on real-world problems shaped his skills and highlights both the progress and limitations of modern AI. The conversation also touches on AI hype in industry, where unclear use cases and poor data often limit impact. Julian shares how his work depends on many small, optimized models to meet strict performance and physical constraints. About this episode, and Julian de Wit in particular: you can find Julian on LinkedIn.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

In this episode, Rick & Oscar talk with Harm Veenstra consultant at InSpark and Microsoft MVP. He explains how his passion for PowerShell and automation led to his Microsoft MVP recognition, which he sees as an ongoing commitment to the community. They highlight the open culture in IT, where sharing knowledge helps everyone improve. They also touch on challenges like cloud migration and the need to combine automation with good governance. Harm stresses that tools alone are not enough without proper oversight. About this episode, and Harm Veenstra in particular: you can find Harm on LinkedIn.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

In this episode, Rick and Oscar talk with Toon Vanhoutte, Azure Solution Architect and Microsoft MVP, about the shift from BizTalk integrations to modern Azure architectures and how organizations can prepare for generative AI. Toon explains that cloud services like Container Apps, Storage Accounts, API Management, and Azure Data Explorer enable more scalable integration and data solutions. He emphasizes that generative AI only delivers real value when it can connect to business processes through well-designed APIs and reliable data.About this episode, and Toon Vanhoutte in particular: you can find Toon on LinkedIn.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

In this episode, Rick and Oscar talk with Emily van Putten, a tech leader, Microsoft MVP, TEDx speaker, and founder of the mission-driven initiative Beleeve. She explains how her gender transition exposed bias embedded in the tech industry’s operating system, where unchanged expertise suddenly required extra validation. By contrasting legacy pyramid hierarchies with flatter, self-steering architectures and sharing initiatives like Beleeve and the Women in IT Gala, she advocates for a people-first tech ecosystem. About this episode, and Emily van Putten in particular: you can find Emily on LinkedIn and via her website. If you're interested in the Women in IT Gala, you can buy your tickets here.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

In this podcast episode, Rick and Oscar explore the reality of AI in software development in early 2026. Where does AI genuinely add value today, and where does it fall short? Should developers fear for their jobs? They highlight the gap between AI hype and real-world use, the risks of trusting AI output blindly, and the challenges of using AI in production under strict data residency and compliance requirements. They reflect on developer tooling and a clear preference for practical experience over speculation and hype.About Betatalks: watch our podcast videos and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.

In this episode, Rick and Oscar talk with Geert van der Cruijsen, CEO of Zure Netherlands, about his career and how technology, culture, and value delivery connect. He reflects on his path through cloud, DevOps, AI and architecture. Geert explains why DevOps is often misunderstood rather than dead, and how platform engineering helps teams focus on business value. They also discuss how hypes change, but the goal stays the same: building valuable software with the right teams and culture.About this episode, and Geert van der Cruijsen in particular: you can find Geert on LinkedIn and via his blog.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

In this episode of Betatalks the podcast, Rick and Oscar talk with Ana Ines Urritia, a Microsoft MVP and digital transformation architect working at the intersection of HR, AI, and enterprise technology. Ana explains how her background in psychology and HR led her into software and AI-driven solutions, where she now bridges business stakeholders and IT, and how AI is reshaping HR through automation, analytics, and responsible, human-led decision-making. She also shows how art, design, UX, and data visualization help make complex AI systems more human, accessible, and effective for non-technical users. About this episode, and Ana Inés Urrutia in particular: you can find Ana on LinkedIn and via her website. Also, you can find her book The Microsoft AI Human Resources Handbook here (also on Amazon and Bol).About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

In this episode of Betatalks the Podcast, Rick and Oscar talk with Anjuli Jhakry, a .NET MAUI developer at 4Dotnet and Microsoft MVP who is building a startup app for people with food intolerances. She reflects on her move from Xamarin.Forms to .NET MAUI, noting how .NET 8 made the framework stable enough for production use. She explains how her app uses ML.NET to learn from user feedback and generate personalized dietary recommendations. They also highlight her rapid growth as a conference speaker and the importance of mentorship, the tech community, and keeping technical architectures simple. About this episode, and Anjuli Jhakry in particular: you can find Anjuli on LinkedIn.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

In this Christmas Special 2025 episode of Betatalks, Rick and Oscar reflect on how AI has moved this year from hype to practical use. They discuss real-world examples, the maturing AI ecosystem, and the challenge of adopting AI at the right time. We want to thank all our guests and listeners for an amazing year, and we hope to see you in 2026.  We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!About Betatalks: watch our podcast videos and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.

In this episode of Betatalks the podcast, Rick and Oscar talk with Amber Vanderburg, a dynamic leader and founder of The Pathwayz Group, passionate about developing leadership in technical fields. She describes stepping into the world of tech, learning to translate technical jargon into language that resonates with real people, and finding joy in helping teams build not only technical know-how, but also empathy and practical communication. She shares how curiosity and humility shaped her path and continue to guide her approach to people-focused leadership. Amber also highlights the value of continuous growth and adaptive leadership in a fast-changing, often remote workplace. About this episode, and Amber Vanderburg in particular: you can find Amber on LinkedIn.About Betatalks: watch our videos and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Bluesky.