NOW Ep118: AI | From hype cycle to hard choices

Loading player...
AI has moved beyond experimentation. It now sits at the centre of decision-making. At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, the conversation is clear - how can leaders use AI to drive growth, manage risk and reshape work.

In episode 2 of our Davos Debrief series, Jeremy Maggs speaks to Lyndon Subroyen, Investec’s Global Head of Digital & Technology, on why AI is a platform shift, not a passing trend, and what that means for strategy, talent and long-term competitiveness.

Key podcast moments:
00:00: Introduction
01:30: Inside Davos: the spirit of dialogue
02:10: AI’s economic promise and the platform shift
03:05: Balancing AI opportunity and disruption
04:22: Innovating fast without crashing: managing AI risk
05:12: From builders to users: how AI diffuses into society
06:06: Investing in people for an AI-augmented economy
07:16: The skills that matter most in an AI world
08:17: Keeping humans in step with rapid technological change
09:23: Rethinking operating models for the future of work
11:44: Cybersecurity, geopolitics and the dark side of innovation
12:58: Governance, ethics and guardrails for AI at scale
14:01: AI as a growth engine for the global economy
15:11: Sector winners and the universal impact of AI
15:36: Emerging markets and the opportunity to leapfrog
17:04: The one question leaders must ask after Davos

Read more on www.investec.com/now

Hosted by seasoned broadcaster, Jeremy Maggs, the No Ordinary Wednesday podcast unpacks the latest economic, business, and political news in South Africa, with an all-star cast of investment and wealth managers, economists and financial planners from Investec. Listen in every second Wednesday for an in-depth look at what's moving markets, shaping the economy, and changing the game for your wallet and your business.
Chapters
  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:30 Inside Davos: the spirit of dialogue
  • 02:10 AI’s economic promise and the platform shift
  • 03:05 Balancing AI opportunity and disruption
  • 04:22 Innovating fast without crashing: managing AI risk
  • 05:12 From builders to users: how AI diffuses into society
  • 06:06 Investing in people for an AI-augmented economy
  • 07:16 The skills that matter most in an AI world
  • 08:17 Keeping humans in step with rapid technological change
  • 09:23 Rethinking operating models for the future of work
  • 11:44 Cybersecurity, geopolitics and the dark side of innovation
  • 12:58 Governance, ethics and guardrails for AI at scale
  • 14:01 AI as a growth engine for the global economy
  • 15:11 Sector winners and the universal impact of AI
  • 15:36 Emerging markets and the opportunity to leapfrog
  • 17:04 The one question leaders must ask after Davos
20 Jan English South Africa Business · Investing

Other recent episodes

What's next? | The value of values

In this episode, of What's Next, we explore how corporate values shape decision-making in a time of political polarisation and markets that reward short-term performance. Ethics expert, Alison Taylor, and experienced board chair, Karen Wood, discuss the tension between purpose and profit, the realities of trade-offs, and how leaders can…
26 Feb 48 min

Macro Monday Ep105: Trump’s tariff setback

It was a difficult Friday for US President Donald Trump, as the Supreme Court ruled against his tariffs, while GDP in the fourth quarter grew by less than expected and a core measure of inflation rose. But, notes Chris Holdsworth, Chief Investment Strategist, at Investec Wealth & Investment International, Trump…
23 Feb 13 min

Whats Next | The Tech Reckoning: Who Shapes the Next Economy?

What Next? Leadership Conversations for a Better Future examines how leaders can build future-fit economies in a time of accelerating technological and societal change. This episode looks at the power shifts created by AI and digital systems - asks where real agency still lies. Hosts Lindsay Hooper and Marc Kahn…
20 Feb 32 min

Art in Focus Series 2 | Ep 5: Framing African art for the world

In the final episode of Art in Focus Series 2, Tristanne Farrell is joined by Alexander Richards (Stevenson), Jana Terblanche (Southern Guild) and Hamzeh Alfarahneh (Art Advisory) to unpack how narrative shapes perception, value and global positioning in African art. From curating across continents to challenging dominant canons, the conversation…
18 Feb 31 min