Tech Tomorrow

Many people see artificial intelligence as a tool for making decisions faster and more logically. But what if we’ve misunderstood what AI really is and how to use it well?
In this episode of Tech Tomorrow, David Elliman talks with Stephanie Antonian, Founder and CEO of Aestora, about whether AI really improves how we think. Focus on the arguments made in Stephanie’s essay, AI is Irrational, which questions the idea that AI always follows traditional logic. Instead, she explains that most modern AI, especially machine learning, finds patterns and makes predictions based on past data rather than relying on strict logical reasoning.
They discuss how this change has confused many business leaders, who expect certainty from AI systems that operate on probabilities and don’t provide fixed answers. This misunderstanding has led to overinvestment, failed AI projects, and frustration with unclear or inconsistent results.
David and Stephanie also look at what this means for accountability and governance. Stephanie stresses the need for real human oversight, transparency, and the ability to audit AI systems. Instead of only engaging in abstract ethical debates, Dave suggests a practical approach grounded in safety engineering, such as traceability and thorough testing.
The episode features practical advice for leaders who want to use AI responsibly. Stephanie suggests that organisations should compare costs and capabilities, run controlled tests, and focus on current performance factors like accuracy and integration before expanding. She also warns that without careful management, AI can make organisations more complex and lead to analysis paralysis rather than better decisions.
Episode Highlights

01:28 – The core arguments of AI is Irrational.

03:30 – Is it the tools we use, or the human interaction with them, that causes issues?
05:06 – What are some use-cases for machine learning tools?
07:09 – David’s Thoughts: The current state of play in AI.
08:29 – We need outliers, not probabilities, to make the world better.
10:45 – There always needs to be a human in the loop.
14:57 – David’s Thoughts: The AI ethics debate.
16:05 – What can business leaders actually do about all of this?
18:21  – Is irrational AI making our decision-making worse?
About Zühlke:

Zühlke is a global transformation partner, with engineering and innovation at its core. We help clients envision and build their businesses for the future – running smarter today while adapting for tomorrow’s markets, customers, and communities.
Our multidisciplinary teams specialise in technology strategy and business innovation, digital solutions and applications, and device and systems engineering. We thrive in complex, regulated sectors such as healthcare and finance, connecting strategy, implementation, and operations to help clients build more effective and resilient businesses.
Links:
Zühlke Website
Zühlke on LinkedIn
David Elliman on LinkedIn
Stephanie Antonian on LinkedIn
Aestora Website
AI is Irrational Essay
MIT report: 95% of generative AI pilots at companies are failing Article

As agentic AI gets more advanced, how do we decide where its independence should start and stop?
In this episode of Tech Tomorrow, David Elliman speaks with consultant and author Sam Newman about setting boundaries for agentic AI in large-scale systems. They also discuss why planning for uncertainty is now a key issue for many business leaders, and how doing small experiments with AI is ultimately the best approach.
Sam points out that non-determinism in agentic AI is a major challenge because its results are not always predictable. When these AI workflows are connected, small mistakes early on can spread and impact later parts of the system. To handle this, Sam suggests breaking systems into smaller, manageable parts and adding checks between steps to catch problems early. He also highlights the importance of being able to trace issues and roll back changes, so teams can fix problems and recover from failures. These steps are only possible if boundaries are set early and humans stay in the loop throughout.
They also talk about designing systems, so AI does not become a complicated dependency. One way is to keep AI tasks separate, using clear boundaries and security measures, often treating them as their own services within specific business areas. This makes it easier to manage data securely and to swap out models or vendors as technology changes and providers rise and fall.
Of course, costs make things even more complicated. Token-based pricing models can lead to unpredictable expenses, much like the early days of cloud computing, where many businesses were shocked that the promise of cost-cutting wasn’t delivered on. Subscription models for AI software can also hide high computing costs, making it hard for decision-makers to know how much they are really spending on agentic AI.
Overall, Sam’s main point is clear: try small, controlled experiments with agentic AI, but do not let them manage your large-scale systems without oversight, clear boundaries, and a way to undo changes if something goes wrong.
Episode Highlights

01:17 – How are agentic AI agents defined, and what is determinism in this context?
03:56  – What kind of issues are Sam’s clients having?
07:13  – The shift to breaking down problems into lots of modular steps.
08:48  – David’s Thoughts: What happens when AI agents pass problems down the chain?
10:12 – How does Sam approach agentic agent deployment?
16:32  –  Sometimes it just makes sense to write the code yourself.
19:30  – David’s Thoughts: Lessons learned from the move to the Cloud.
21:06  – Where Sam thinks generative AI may be heading.
25:36 – Sam’s advice on agentic AI? Do lots of small experiments.
26:56 – Wrap up.
About Zühlke:
Zühlke is a global transformation partner, with engineering and innovation at its core. We help clients envision and build their businesses for the future – running smarter today while adapting for tomorrow’s markets, customers, and communities.
Our multidisciplinary teams specialise in technology strategy and business innovation, digital solutions and applications, and device and systems engineering. We thrive in complex, regulated sectors such as healthcare and finance, connecting strategy, implementation, and operations to help clients build more effective and resilient businesses.
Links:
Zühlke Website
Zühlke on LinkedIn
David Elliman on LinkedIn
Sam Newman Website

An estimated 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia, of which Alzheimer’s is the most common form. This number continues to rise as global populations age. Despite the scale of the problem and large amounts of funding, no one has been able to find a cure. Could it be that data science, rather than medicine, holds the answers to tackling this disease?
In this episode of Tech Tomorrow, David Elliman speaks with Alejo Nevado-Holgado, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford and member of the Big Data Institute. He leads AI research within the Computational and Molecular Neuroscience Laboratory, an interdisciplinary team spanning AI, biochemistry, and bioinformatics.
The conversation explores how advanced computational methods are using vast biological and clinical datasets, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, stem cell imaging, brain scans, and electronic health records. This integrated approach aims to uncover disease mechanisms, identify new drug targets, and advance more personalized treatments, all supported by high-performance computing.
A key challenge in Alzheimer’s research is the difficulty of accessing and studying the brain. The blood-brain barrier limits treatment delivery, while the disease develops over decades before symptoms appear. The discussion also highlights ongoing scientific uncertainty about whether hallmark features such as amyloid plaques and tau tangles are causes of the disease or downstream effects.
The episode examines how AI can support early detection through blood-based biomarkers and why it is particularly effective in analysing complex, high-dimensional data such as molecular structures and genomic information. The importance of combining diverse datasets, such as population-scale biobanks and drug discovery data, is emphasised as essential for progress.
However, challenges remain, including the need for explainable AI systems and more complete longitudinal health data. The conversation also touches on emerging techniques like AI-driven molecular simulations, which may help predict how drugs interact within the brain.
Episode Highlights

01:07 – The background of Alejo’s project.
02:25 – Why are Alzheimer's and dementia so hard to treat?
05:50 – How can neurodegenerative brain diseases be prevented?
07:05 – Drug discovery and machine learning.
09:43 – David’s Thoughts: Multi-modal data.
10:29 – Why high-quality data is so hard to access.
14:55 – Why AI explainability remains an issue.
17:06 – David’s Thoughts: A black box within a black box.
19:23 – The UK Biobank and rich medical data.
23:54 – Wrap up.
About Zühlke:

Zühlke is a global transformation partner, with engineering and innovation at its core. We help clients envision and build their businesses for the future – running smarter today while adapting for tomorrow’s markets, customers, and communities.
Our multidisciplinary teams specialise in technology strategy and business innovation, digital solutions and applications, and device and systems engineering. We thrive in complex, regulated sectors such as healthcare and finance, connecting strategy, implementation, and operations to help clients build more effective and resilient businesses.

Links:
Zühlke Website
Zühlke on LinkedIn
David Elliman on LinkedIn
Prof. Alejo Nevado-Holgado Bio
Dementia Research Oxford Website
UK Biobank Website

Join David Elliman as he continues exploring the fast-changing world of emerging tech.  With his five new guests, he’ll dive into topics like the role of agentic systems, how AI’s irrationality is making our decision-making worse, and whether tech for good is even possible in a for-profit business.
About Zühlke:

Zühlke is a global transformation partner, with engineering and innovation at its core. We help clients envision and build their businesses for the future – running smarter today while adapting for tomorrow’s markets, customers, and communities.
Our multidisciplinary teams specialise in technology strategy and business innovation, digital solutions and applications, and device and systems engineering. We thrive in complex, regulated sectors such as healthcare and finance, connecting strategy, implementation, and operations to help clients build more effective and resilient businesses.

Links:
Zühlke Website
Zühlke on LinkedIn
David Elliman on LinkedIn

We’re excited to announce that Tech Tomorrow will be extending Season 3 into early 2026. Join host David Elliman for more insightful conversations designed to help you navigate the complex world of emerging technology and make more informed decisions as a leader and decision-maker.
You can expect deep dives into topics like AI, cybersecurity, and more.
Be sure to follow the show on your preferred podcast app so that new episodes are delivered to your feed as soon as they’re released.
About Zühlke:

Zühlke is a global transformation partner, with engineering and innovation at its core. We help clients envision and build their businesses for the future – running smarter today while adapting for tomorrow’s markets, customers, and communities.
Our multidisciplinary teams specialise in technology strategy and business innovation, digital solutions and applications, and device and systems engineering. We thrive in complex, regulated sectors such as healthcare and finance, connecting strategy, implementation, and operations to help clients build more effective and resilient businesses.

Links:
Zühlke Website
Zühlke on LinkedIn
David Elliman on LinkedIn