418. Weekly Pulse Check on Automation & AI News

·25 min·2 clips

Michael and Brad kick off their weekly AI news check with a warning: deploying AI agents fast might backfire without governance.

The episode begins with hosts Michael Marchuk and Brad Hairston introducing their weekly format, where they analyze five recent articles on AI and automation. First, they examine an article from TechRadarPro about AI agent governance, stressing that competitive advantage comes from safe, explainable deployment rather than speed, with Brad highlighting the need for traceable data lineage and automated monitoring. Next, they discuss a Retail Dive article on Amazon's AI agent for sellers, which helps two million third-party merchants manage inventory, shipments, and ads, showcasing practical agentic automation. The third article from The Independent covers a study by Dr. Sandra Wachter finding that 85% of people lie more when using AI, attributed to moral distance, with Brad comparing it to social media dynamics. Fourth, a Business Insider article features Anthropic co-founders warning that AI could eliminate half of entry-level white-collar jobs in five years, potentially raising unemployment to 20%, leading to a discussion on education reform. Finally, they review another Independent article on Elon Musk claiming Grok 5 might achieve AGI, noting his turnaround from earlier warnings about AI threats. Throughout, the hosts share personal insights, such as Brad's governance-first approach at SS&C and Michael's use of multiple AI models. The episode concludes with a reminder to listen to guest episodes and subscribe for more on agentic automation.

As heard by us

A practical AI pulse check linking governance, moral distance, and model ambition to business decisions.

Transform NOW's weekly pulse check frames AI and automation news as a set of business questions rather than a run of headlines. Michael Marchuk and Brad Hairston move from early governance for agentic automation to what machine-mediated behavior can suggest about organizational…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a weekly AI and automation pulse check that opens with governance from day one and closes with Grok 5 watchfulness.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Transform NOW