<![CDATA[The Innovation Circuit with Theta]]>Join our tech experts for The Innovation Circuit, where we discuss the latest tech news headlines & reflect on how this impacts your business.

]]>https://www.buzzsprout.com/2456446Riverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:12:26 GMTThu, 02 Jul 2026 21:13:00 GMT60Theta<p>Join our tech experts for The Innovation Circuit, where we discuss the latest tech news headlines &amp; reflect on how this impacts your business.</p>episodicThetaevents@theta.co.nzno<![CDATA[Ep 11: Part 3 - “Treat model choice as a strategic decision."]]>In part 3 of this 3-part series, Liz Knight and Jake Kim discuss how AI governance can scale realistically for mid-sized organisations, why evaluation criteria are central to safe autonomy, and why AI model choice has become a strategic and sovereignty issue.

]]>04b3e8b4-69d3-49af-b78b-8be6a39e436aMon, 03 Aug 2026 00:46:20 GMT<p>In part 3 of this 3-part series, Liz Knight and Jake Kim discuss how AI governance can scale realistically for mid-sized organisations, why evaluation criteria are central to safe autonomy, and why AI model choice has become a strategic and sovereignty issue.</p>no00:11:46111Ep 11: Part 3 - “Treat model choice as a strategic decision."full<![CDATA[Ep 11: Part 2 - “The problem is there is no shared AI mental picture, a map.”]]>In part 2 of this 3-part series, Liz Knight and Jake Kim continue discussing how organisations should think about agentic AI, AI governance, token use and the changing role of people in an AI-enabled workplace.

]]>12bf8553-5ad6-48f7-bb8d-979804c47558Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:45:10 GMT<p>In part 2 of this 3-part series, Liz Knight and Jake Kim continue discussing how organisations should think about agentic AI, AI governance, token use and the changing role of people in an AI-enabled workplace.</p>no00:20:32111Ep 11: Part 2 - “The problem is there is no shared AI mental picture, a map.”full<![CDATA[Ep 11: Part 1 - "We became one of the first companies in Korea to build a RAG system”]]>In part 1 of this 3-part series, Liz Knight, Head of Cyber Security at Theta, speaks with Jake Kim, Theta’s Principal Consultant specialising in generative AI. The conversation focuses on how generative AI has rapidly moved from a novelty to a board-level priority, and what organisations should be thinking about as they move from experimentation to practical, governed adoption.

]]>c84ecd77-fb23-4554-bd45-c6d1040b1cb4Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:44:00 GMT<p>In part 1 of this 3-part series, Liz Knight, Head of Cyber Security at Theta, speaks with Jake Kim, Theta’s Principal Consultant specialising in generative AI. The conversation focuses on how generative AI has rapidly moved from a novelty to a board-level priority, and what organisations should be thinking about as they move from experimentation to practical, governed adoption.</p>no00:15:21111Ep 11: Part 1 - "We became one of the first companies in Korea to build a RAG system”full<![CDATA[Ep 10: Why GenAI proof of concepts (POCs) fall short in production]]>Why is there a stall between GenAI proof of concepts (POCs) and production?

Chapters

Introduction to Generative AI Challenges

05:59 Understanding POCs, Pilots and Production

09:10 The Reality Check: From POC to Production

11:12 Readiness and Organisational Approach to Generative AI

14:30 Technical Challenges

17:00 Understanding GenAI Implementation Challenges

17:44 Data Quality and Change Management

19:46 Outcome-Driven AI Strategies

27:00 Accountability in AI Usage

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

]]>Buzzsprout-19003575Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<p>Why is there a stall between GenAI proof of concepts (POCs) and production?</p><p><b>Chapters</b></p><p>Introduction to Generative AI Challenges</p><p>05:59 Understanding POCs, Pilots and Production</p><p>09:10 The Reality Check: From POC to Production</p><p>11:12 Readiness and Organisational Approach to Generative AI</p><p>14:30 Technical Challenges</p><p>17:00 Understanding GenAI Implementation Challenges</p><p>17:44 Data Quality and Change Management</p><p>19:46 Outcome-Driven AI Strategies</p><p>27:00 Accountability in AI Usage</p><p>Conclusion and Key Takeaways</p>no00:30:43110Ep 10: Why GenAI proof of concepts (POCs) fall short in productionfull<![CDATA[Ep 4: Mobile Apps EXPOSED!]]>Our panel pulls back the curtain on the evolving landscape of mobile applications. They dive into the role these apps play in our daily lives, what drives businesses to invest in them and the real-world challenges behind development - from fragmentation and maintenance to long-term sustainability. The conversation also explores future trends, including the rise of GenAI and the continued importance of user feedback in shaping app success.


Panellists

Mobile apps experts:

Philip Fourie - Practice Lead, Digital

Meg Hope - Senior Consultant, Digital

Hamish Norton - Lead Consultant, Digital

Moderator:

Liz Knight, Head of Cyber Security

]]>Buzzsprout-17328734Fri, 13 Jun 2025 01:00:00 GMT<p>Our panel pulls back the curtain on the evolving landscape of mobile applications. They dive into the role these apps play in our daily lives, what drives businesses to invest in them and the real-world challenges behind development - from fragmentation and maintenance to long-term sustainability. The conversation also explores future trends, including the rise of GenAI and the continued importance of user feedback in shaping app success.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Panellists</b></p><p><em>Mobile apps experts:</em></p><p>Philip Fourie - Practice Lead, Digital</p><p>Meg Hope - Senior Consultant, Digital</p><p>Hamish Norton - Lead Consultant, Digital</p><p><em>Moderator:</em></p><p>Liz Knight, Head of Cyber Security</p>no00:29:3014Ep 4: Mobile Apps EXPOSED!full<![CDATA[Ep 7: Swipe Right: Tech Trends Leaders Are Backing for 2026 – Part 1]]>In this two-part series, we’re diving into emerging tech trends and their potential impact as we look ahead to 2026. The topics we explore are based on insights from a series of executive events we recently hosted with our customers.

Using a simple web app, we asked attendees to ‘swipe right’ if a tech trend would be relevant to their business in the next 12 months—or ‘swipe left’ if it wouldn’t. The result? A real-time snapshot of what business and tech leaders are prioritising for the near future.

In Part 1, we cover:

  • Evolving Computing Paradigms
  • Preparing for the Quantum Era
  • Robotics and Autonomous Systems
  • Next-Generation Cyber Security

Presented by Liz Knight, Head of Cyber Security at Theta, with guests Andrew Taylor, Head of Product & Innovation, and Jeff Wogen, Head of Digital.

Stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon!

Resource links:

]]>Buzzsprout-17921048Mon, 13 Oct 2025 23:00:00 GMT<p>In this two-part series, we’re diving into emerging tech trends and their potential impact as we look ahead to 2026. The topics we explore are based on insights from a series of executive events we recently hosted with our customers.</p><p>Using a simple web app, we asked attendees to ‘swipe right’ if a tech trend would be relevant to their business in the next 12 months—or ‘swipe left’ if it wouldn’t. The result? A real-time snapshot of what business and tech leaders are prioritising for the near future.</p><p><b>In Part 1, we cover:</b></p><ul><li>Evolving Computing Paradigms</li><li>Preparing for the Quantum Era</li><li>Robotics and Autonomous Systems</li><li>Next-Generation Cyber Security</li></ul><p>Presented by Liz Knight, Head of Cyber Security at Theta, with guests Andrew Taylor, Head of Product &amp; Innovation, and Jeff Wogen, Head of Digital.</p><p>Stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon!</p><p>Resource links:</p><ul><li><a href="https://interestingengineering.com/culture/vape-pen-repurposed-web-server" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Engineer turns disposable vape pen into a working web server</a></li><li><a href="https://media.one.nz/spacex2m" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">One NZ’s Satellite TXT rockets to 2m milestone</a></li><li><a href="https://world-nuclear.org/news-and-media/press-statements/world-nuclear-association-welcomes-microsoft-corporation-as-newest-member" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">World Nuclear Association Welcomes Microsoft Corporation as Newest Member - World Nuclear Association</a></li><li><a href="https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/blog/2024/07/03/quantum-readiness-importance-a-comprehensive-guide" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Quantum Readiness Importance: A Comprehensive Guide | CSA</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_now,_decrypt_later" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Harvest now, decrypt later - Wikipedia</a></li><li><a href="https://deepmind.google/discover/blog/gemini-robotics-15-brings-ai-agents-into-the-physical-world/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Gemini Robotics 1.5 brings AI agents into the physical world - Google DeepMind</a></li><li><a href="https://news.mit.edu/2025/using-generative-ai-diversify-virtual-training-grounds-robots-1008" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Using generative AI to diversify virtual training grounds for robots | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a></li><li><a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/operations/amazon-million-robots-ai-foundation-model" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Amazon deploys over 1 million robots and launches new AI foundation model</a></li><li><a href="https://www.kardex.com/en/company/news/douglas-pharmaceuticals-installs-new-zealands-first-autostore" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Douglas Pharmaceuticals Installs New Zealand’s First AutoStore: 30% More Storage in 10% of the Space</a></li><li><a href="https://phys.org/news/2025-03-ai-powered-drones-track-german.html#google_vignette" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">AI-powered drones track down fires in German forests</a></li><li><a href="https://blog.knowbe4.com/how-a-north-korean-fake-it-worker-tried-to-infiltrate-us" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">How a North Korean Fake IT Worker Tried to Infiltrate Us</a></li><li><a href="https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/platform/charlotte-ai/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Charlotte AI: Agentic Analyst for Cybersecurity</a></li></ul>no00:15:2117Ep 7: Swipe Right: Tech Trends Leaders Are Backing for 2026 – Part 1full<![CDATA[Ep 8: Swipe Right: Tech Trends Leaders Are Backing for 2026 – Part 2]]>In this two-part series, we’re diving into emerging tech trends and their potential impact as we look ahead to 2026. The topics we explore are based on insights from a series of executive events we recently hosted with our customers.

Using a simple web app, we asked attendees to ‘swipe right’ if a tech trend would be relevant to their business in the next 12 months—or ‘swipe left’ if it wouldn’t. The result? A real-time snapshot of what business and tech leaders are prioritising for the near future.

In Part 2, we cover:

  • Human-machine Synergy & Immersive experiences  
  • AI everywhere  
  • Responsible AI & AI trust  
  • Workforce and skill evolution 

Presented by Liz Knight, Head of Cyber Security at Theta, with guests Andrew Taylor, Head of Product & Innovation, and Jeff Wogen, Head of Digital.

If you missed Part 1, go back and give it a listen and catch up on all the tech trends we covered.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Tech Trends for 2026 Part 2

01:06 Human-Machine Synergy and Immersive Experiences

05:42 AI everywhere 

07.15 Responsible AI &AI trust  

09.44 Workforce and skill evolution 

Resource links:

]]>Buzzsprout-17928247Mon, 10 Nov 2025 23:00:00 GMT<p>In this two-part series, we’re diving into emerging tech trends and their potential impact as we look ahead to 2026. The topics we explore are based on insights from a series of executive events we recently hosted with our customers.</p><p>Using a simple web app, we asked attendees to ‘swipe right’ if a tech trend would be relevant to their business in the next 12 months—or ‘swipe left’ if it wouldn’t. The result? A real-time snapshot of what business and tech leaders are prioritising for the near future.</p><p><b>In Part 2, we cover:</b></p><ul><li>Human-machine Synergy &amp; Immersive experiences  </li><li>AI everywhere  </li><li>Responsible AI &amp; AI trust  </li><li>Workforce and skill evolution </li></ul><p>Presented by Liz Knight, Head of Cyber Security at Theta, with guests Andrew Taylor, Head of Product &amp; Innovation, and Jeff Wogen, Head of Digital.</p><p>If you missed Part 1, go back and give it a listen and catch up on all the tech trends we covered.</p><p><b>Chapters</b></p><p>00:00 Introduction to Tech Trends for 2026 Part 2</p><p>01:06 Human-Machine Synergy and Immersive Experiences</p><p>05:42 AI everywhere </p><p>07.15 Responsible AI &amp;AI trust  </p><p>09.44 Workforce and skill evolution </p><p>Resource links:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.meta.com/nz/ai-glasses/?srsltid=AfmBOorA47-Jsb72mVaYC0cvtJ49jYrokQiH-1b-sb_7-pOFaiqf0ZJ4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Meta AI glasses | Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta &amp; Display glasses | Meta Store</a></li><li><a href="https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/new-brain-computer-interface-allows-man-with-als-to-speak-again/2024/08" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">New brain-computer interface allows man with ALS to ‘speak’ again</a></li><li><a href="https://openai.com/index/how-people-are-using-chatgpt/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">How people are using ChatGPT | OpenAI</a></li><li><a href="https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/cyberpedia/ai-governance" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">What Is AI Governance? - Palo Alto Networks</a></li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibe_coding" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Vibe coding - Wikipedia</a></li><li><a href="https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/future-of-jobs-report-2025-jobs-of-the-future-and-the-skills-you-need-to-get-them/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Future of Jobs Report 2025: The jobs of the future – and the skills you need to get them | World Economic Forum</a></li><li><a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/the-upskilling-imperative-required-at-scale-for-the-future-of-work" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The substantial role of companies in upskilling | McKinsey</a></li><li><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxl0w1w394o" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Microsoft to cut up to 9,000 jobs as it invests in AI</a></li><li><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360781402/phd-dropout-us250m-deal-meet-24-year-old-ai-whiz-kid" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">From PhD dropout to US$250m deal: Meet the 24-year-old AI whiz kid | Stuff</a></li></ul>no00:16:088Ep 8: Swipe Right: Tech Trends Leaders Are Backing for 2026 – Part 2full<![CDATA[Ep 1: Surprising Ways to Use GenAI You May Not Have Considered Yet]]>
  • Recent AI projects in the news that have caught our attention. From Alaska Airlines' AI-powered travel agent to Google's Big Sleep team discovering a critical zero-day vulnerability using AI for the first time.
  • Jumping feet first or small bites - what's happening out there?
  • Security concerns and Microsoft's new tool to monitor GenAI use across your organisation.
  • The mounting pressure on leaders to roll out GenAI.
  • Our experience at Theta & how we're managing the rollout of GenAI, including the 'grunt work' as well as more exciting endeavours like Theta AI Assist, our private ChatGPT


    • ]]>    Buzzsprout-17173558Tue, 04 Feb 2025 03:00:00 GMT<ul><li>Recent AI projects in the news that have caught our attention. From Alaska Airlines' AI-powered travel agent to Google's Big Sleep team discovering a critical zero-day vulnerability using AI for the first time.</li><li>Jumping feet first or small bites - what's happening out there?</li><li>Security concerns and Microsoft's new tool to monitor GenAI use across your organisation.</li><li>The mounting pressure on leaders to roll out GenAI.</li><li>Our experience at Theta &amp; how we're managing the rollout of GenAI, including the 'grunt work' as well as more exciting endeavours like Theta AI Assist, our private ChatGPT</li></ul><p><br /></p>no00:25:3111Ep 1: Surprising Ways to Use GenAI You May Not Have Considered Yetfull    <![CDATA[Ep 5: The Breaker and the Builder - Million Dollar Bug Bounties with Ron Chan (Nova Security)]]>Ron Chan, a prolific bug bounty hunter, was featured in Forbes as one of the elite few to surpass $1 million in rewards from ethical hacking programs. Throughout his career, he's made high-impact submissions to platforms such as Uber, GitLab, Yahoo, Google, PayPal and Spotify. Fast forward to 2025, Ron uses his exceptional skill set to help New Zealand organisations identify and address security vulnerabilities - now serving as Principal Consultant at Nova Security. In today's episode, we discuss the landscape of penetration testing and bug bounty programmes - and how the "builders" (product teams and technology creators) can work effectively with the "breakers" (penetration testers and ethical hackers like Ron) to create more secure digital solutions. 

    ]]>    Buzzsprout-17578899Tue, 29 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT<p>Ron Chan, a prolific bug bounty hunter, was featured in Forbes as one of the elite few to surpass $1 million in rewards from ethical hacking programs. Throughout his career, he's made high-impact submissions to platforms such as Uber, GitLab, Yahoo, Google, PayPal and Spotify. Fast forward to 2025, Ron uses his exceptional skill set to help New Zealand organisations identify and address security vulnerabilities - now serving as Principal Consultant at Nova Security. In today's episode, we discuss the landscape of penetration testing and bug bounty programmes - and how the "builders" (product teams and technology creators) can work effectively with the "breakers" (penetration testers and ethical hackers like Ron) to create more secure digital solutions. </p>no00:18:5815Ep 5: The Breaker and the Builder - Million Dollar Bug Bounties with Ron Chan (Nova Security)full    <![CDATA[Ep 2: DeepSeek | Carrot & Stick Approach | AI Agents]]>Welcome back!

    In today's virtual panel discussion, we're talking about the topic du jour - DeepSeek. Plus, we chat about the carrot & stick approach with GenAI tools and whether we're seeing any real efficiency and productivity gains within businesses.

    ]]>    Buzzsprout-16705553Fri, 14 Feb 2025 20:00:00 GMT<p>Welcome back!</p><p>In today's virtual panel discussion, we're talking about the topic du jour - DeepSeek. Plus, we chat about the carrot &amp; stick approach with GenAI tools and whether we're seeing any real efficiency and productivity gains within businesses.<br /><br /></p>no00:41:4512Ep 2: DeepSeek | Carrot & Stick Approach | AI Agentsfull    <![CDATA[EP 9: A guide to data protection with Microsoft Purview during the AI revolution]]> In this episode, we’ll be discussing how to ensure your organisation’s sensitive data remains secure and confidential with Microsoft Purview.

    We'll cover:

    • Why data protection has become critical with Copilot 
    • What data sensitivity labelling is and how it works in Microsoft Purview 
    • What’s driving organisations to start data classification (Copilot, compliance, governance) 
    • What foundations are needed before implementing Purview (planning, policies, data understanding) 
    • Key learnings from going live (encryption, internal vs external sharing, label clarity) 
    • User-led vs auto-labelling approaches 
    • Challenges with PDFs and document handling 
    • Minimising user disruption and behaviour change 
    • Designing labels for different business areas without over-complexity 
    • Importance of UAT, pilot groups, and testing before rollout 
    • Managing third-party systems and document templates 
    • Co-authoring requirements for labelled documents 
    • Controlling who can change or downgrade labels 
    • Role of training, communication, and change management 
    • What comes next: using DLP to enforce protection and control Copilot access 

    Panellists

    Gregg Taylor – Lead Consultant, Data and Insights

    Liz Knight - Head of Cyber Security/Moderator

    Chapters

    • 00:00 Introduction to Data Protection and Microsoft Purview
    • 00:51 Understanding Data Sensitivity Labelling
    • 04:06 Drivers for Data Classification and Compliance
    • 05:57 Foundational Requirements for Data Protection
    • 07:33 Lessons Learned from Implementing Sensitivity Labelling
    • 10:29 Challenges with PDF and Document Management
    • 13:42 Configuration and User Training for Labels
    • 20:36 Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Its Importance
    ]]>    Buzzsprout-18510209Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT<p> In this episode, we’ll be discussing how to ensure your organisation’s sensitive data remains secure and confidential with Microsoft Purview.</p><p><b>We'll cover:</b></p><ul><li>Why data protection has become critical with Copilot </li><li>What data sensitivity labelling is and how it works in Microsoft Purview </li><li>What’s driving organisations to start data classification (Copilot, compliance, governance) </li><li>What foundations are needed before implementing Purview (planning, policies, data understanding) </li><li>Key learnings from going live (encryption, internal vs external sharing, label clarity) </li><li>User-led vs auto-labelling approaches </li><li>Challenges with PDFs and document handling </li><li>Minimising user disruption and behaviour change </li><li>Designing labels for different business areas without over-complexity </li><li>Importance of UAT, pilot groups, and testing before rollout </li><li>Managing third-party systems and document templates </li><li>Co-authoring requirements for labelled documents </li><li>Controlling who can change or downgrade labels </li><li>Role of training, communication, and change management </li><li>What comes next: using DLP to enforce protection and control Copilot access </li></ul><p><b>Panellists</b></p><p>Gregg Taylor – Lead Consultant, Data and Insights</p><p>Liz Knight - Head of Cyber Security/Moderator</p><p><b>Chapters</b></p><ul><li>00:00 Introduction to Data Protection and Microsoft Purview</li><li>00:51 Understanding Data Sensitivity Labelling</li><li>04:06 Drivers for Data Classification and Compliance</li><li>05:57 Foundational Requirements for Data Protection</li><li>07:33 Lessons Learned from Implementing Sensitivity Labelling</li><li>10:29 Challenges with PDF and Document Management</li><li>13:42 Configuration and User Training for Labels</li><li>20:36 Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Its Importance</li></ul>no00:24:1319EP 9: A guide to data protection with Microsoft Purview during the AI revolutionfull    <![CDATA[Ep 6: Azure NZ North FAQs]]>In today's episode, we explore FAQs around Microsoft's Azure NZ North Data Centre. The panel discusses the adoption of cloud services, data sovereignty vs data residency, environmental sustainability, government certification and the benefits of a local data centre for New Zealand organisations. They also address common myths about migrating to Azure NZ North and the importance of feasibility assessments for those looking to migrate.

    ]]>    Buzzsprout-17733637Wed, 27 Aug 2025 03:00:00 GMT<p>In today's episode, we explore FAQs around Microsoft's Azure NZ North Data Centre. The panel discusses the adoption of cloud services, data sovereignty vs data residency, environmental sustainability, government certification and the benefits of a local data centre for New Zealand organisations. They also address common myths about migrating to Azure NZ North and the importance of feasibility assessments for those looking to migrate.</p>no00:15:2716Ep 6: Azure NZ North FAQsfull    <![CDATA[Ep 3: Vishing | Deepfakes | Anthropic Research]]>
    Welcome back! Today we're talking about vishing, deepfakes and some of the newest Anthropic research. Plus, we welcome new panellist, Jim Taylor - Emerging Technologies Architect at Theta.

    ]]>    Buzzsprout-17156199Wed, 14 May 2025 04:00:00 GMT<p><b><br /></b>Welcome back! Today we're talking about vishing, deepfakes and some of the newest Anthropic research. Plus, we welcome new panellist, Jim Taylor - Emerging Technologies Architect at Theta.<b><br /></b><br /></p>no00:16:5713Ep 3: Vishing | Deepfakes | Anthropic Researchfull