$124B Data Problem: How Synthetic Data Accelerates AI
When your AI has to make decisions in the real world, the data you don’t have can hurt people. DiffuseDrive CEO Balint Pasztor joins IT Visionaries to unpack the $124B data scarcity problem holding back autonomous systems — and how synthetic data (done right) can compress years of data collection into hours. We dig into: why edge cases matter (and how to safely create them), closing the sim-to-real gap with diffusion models, preventing model drift, and building a data engine for physical AI across defense, robotics, and industrial automation. If you care about self-driving cars, drones, QA on the factory floor—or just shipping AI that survives the messiness of reality—this one’s for you. Key Moments: 00:00 Introduction to Autonomous Driving Challenges00:26 Meet Balint Pasztor and Diffuse Drive01:14 The Importance of Synthetic Data06:39 The Role of Synthetic Data in AI Training18:07 Understanding Diffusion Models23:28 Challenges in Real-World Data Collection26:46 Three Steps to Improve AI Performance32:13 Overcoming Non-Obvious Data Challenges36:00 Balancing Data Quantity and Quality40:28 Future of Autonomous Systems and Physical AI
-- This episode of IT Visionaries is brought to you by Meter - the company building better networks. Businesses today are frustrated with outdated providers, rigid pricing, and fragmented tools. Meter changes that with a single integrated solution that covers everything wired, wireless, and even cellular networking. They design the hardware, write the firmware, build the software, and manage it all so your team doesn't have to. That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.---Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
--------
45:13
--------
45:13
Turning 90 Years of Data into AI-Powered Insights
Discover how to turn decades of data into a competitive edge, build lasting customer relationships beyond the first click, and apply AI in ways that truly drive impact. Joining us is Vineet Mahajan, CTO of US News & World Report, who shares how he’s led the 90-year-old brand through a sweeping digital transformation. From rearchitecting infrastructure to deploying semantic search, generative AI, and agentic tools, Vineet explains how his team is reimagining what a legacy institution can become—and what every tech leader can take from that journey.Key Moments:00:00 Meet Vineet Mahajan, CTO of US News & World Report04:45 How to Unlock the True Value of Your Data09:55 Why First-Party Data Is Key to Building Customer Relationships14:32 What Is Semantic Search and How Can Generative AI Improve UX?18:39 How to Overcome Data Cleaning and Structuring Challenges21:18 How to Evaluate Emerging Tech Trends (Like Agentic AI)25:43 How to Lead Change: Data Governance and Digital Transformation32:38 What’s Next for US News & World Report and the Future of AI-Driven Strategy
-- This episode of IT Visionaries is brought to you by Meter - the company building better networks. Businesses today are frustrated with outdated providers, rigid pricing, and fragmented tools. Meter changes that with a single integrated solution that covers everything wired, wireless, and even cellular networking. They design the hardware, write the firmware, build the software, and manage it all so your team doesn't have to. That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.---Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
--------
37:03
--------
37:03
What IT Leaders Can Learn from How the Government Buys Tech
IT leaders in regulated industries know the pain of navigating outdated, slow procurement systems – especially when critical missions depend on modern tools. In this episode, Bryana Tucci, Lead of the AWS Marketplace for the US Intelligence Community, shares how government agencies are overcoming legacy procurement bottlenecks to access cutting-edge software, AI tools, and cloud services faster and more securely.Listeners will gain insight into:Why traditional government procurement can take up to two years – and how that’s changing.How air-gapped environments complicate innovation and what’s being done about it.How generative AI is reshaping national security workflows.What kinds of tech companies are best positioned to succeed in the public sector.This episode is a must-listen for IT leaders interested in procurement innovation, cloud adoption in secure environments, and where AI fits into the future of public sector IT. Enjoy!Key Moments00:00 Meet Bryana Tucci, AWS06:58 The Pain Point: Procurement Then vs. Now11:31 Unique Challenges in Public Sector Tech15:55 The Long Road to Selling in Government19:23 Vetting and Onboarding Sellers (how to meet federal standards)23:49 Government + AI: A Game-Changer30:34 Cost Efficiency, Saving Time, and the Future of Procurement41:46 What’s Next for AWS Marketplace
-- This episode of IT Visionaries is brought to you by Meter - the company building better networks. Businesses today are frustrated with outdated providers, rigid pricing, and fragmented tools. Meter changes that with a single integrated solution that covers everything wired, wireless, and even cellular networking. They design the hardware, write the firmware, build the software, and manage it all so your team doesn't have to. That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.---Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
--------
44:04
--------
44:04
AI in Content Management | Opportunities and Challenges
Feeling buried under content chaos? You're not alone. Ravi Singh, President and Chief Product Officer at Brightspot, joins us to break down how IT leaders can regain control, cut through AI-generated noise, and build scalable, secure content systems. He shares the secrets behind Brightspot’s success with some of the world’s biggest brands, explains how to avoid costly AI missteps, and reveals how to keep creators at the center of your digital strategy.Key Moments0:00 Meet Ravi Singh, President and CPO of Brightspot4:02 What Brightspot Does and Who They Serve6:33 Tackling Content Sprawl at Scale10:34 Enforcing Governance and Brand Voice with CMS + AI18:13 Empowering Creators with AI, Not Replacing Them22:46 Common Mistakes IT Leaders Make with AI Adoption32:32 Building Trust and Security Through CMS Capabilities37:47 The Pressure to Create More with Less: How to Adapt40:38 Choosing the Right CMS: What IT Leaders Need to Know45:54 Measuring CMS Success and Business Impact50:10 Future Trends in Content Management and AI Integration
-- This episode of IT Visionaries is brought to you by Meter - the company building better networks. Businesses today are frustrated with outdated providers, rigid pricing, and fragmented tools. Meter changes that with a single integrated solution that covers everything wired, wireless, and even cellular networking. They design the hardware, write the firmware, build the software, and manage it all so your team doesn't have to. That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.---Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
--------
52:56
--------
52:56
The Future of IT and IT Visionaries
Meet Chris Brandt, the new host of IT Visionaries.In this special episode, outgoing host Albert Chou passes the mic to Chris—a seasoned Technology Strategist with a passion for connecting bold ideas to real business outcomes.Chris’s career spans startups to global enterprises, from building an EMP-shielded data center deep underground to deploying 200PB HPC environments in Fintech. His expertise includes business strategy, IT operations, security, and network architecture.Outside of work, he enjoys life with his wife Julie, their two kids, Lily and Camden, and their dog, Hobs.Get to know the new voice behind IT Visionaries—and what’s coming next.
-- This episode of IT Visionaries is brought to you by Meter - the company building better networks. Businesses today are frustrated with outdated providers, rigid pricing, and fragmented tools. Meter changes that with a single integrated solution that covers everything wired, wireless, and even cellular networking. They design the hardware, write the firmware, build the software, and manage it all so your team doesn't have to. That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.---Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Gain unparalleled access to the minds of industry-leading CIOs, CTOs, and CISOs. Enjoy episodes filled with expert insights, inspiring stories, and trend analysis, all brought to you by the people shaping the future of technology. Whether you're an IT professional, aspiring tech leader, or general tech enthusiast, IT Visionaries has something for everyone. Don't miss out on the chance to learn from the best – subscribe now!
Produced by the team at Mission.org and brought to you by Brightspot.
South Africa