Business Lab

MIT Technology Review Insights

The Business Lab is a sponsored podcast produced by Insights, the custom content division of MIT Technology Review. The Business Lab podcast features a 30-minute conversation with either an executive from the sponsor partner or a technologist with expertise in a relevant technology area. The discussion focuses on technology topics that matter to today’s enterprise decision-makers. Laurel Ruma, MIT Technology Review’s custom content director for the United States, is the host.

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23 episodes
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English

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#110
Wednesday · 18 min
Building the materials foundation for AI
As AI pushes semiconductors and data centers toward new physical limits, advanced materials are becoming critical to performance, efficiency, and sustainability, says Mike Finelli, chief technology and innovation officer and chief North America officer at Syensqo.
#109
September 2 · 24 min
Facilitating AI integration with simplicity at scale
As companies scale, the technology supporting operations can become a liability just as quickly as it becomes an asset. Disconnected systems, site-specific tools, spreadsheets, and manual workarounds can create data silos that make it harder to spot problems early, coordinate responses, and make decisions with confidence. For Jabil, a global manufacturing company with more than 100 sites across more than 30 countries, the answer has been to make integration and simplification a priority.
#108
September 1 · 29 min
Making the AI-powered case for legacy modernization
For years, legacy technology has been a problem companies knew they needed to solve, but one they often struggled to tackle. The cost, complexity, and risk of replacing business-critical systems could make modernization feel like a disruption to manage instead of an opportunity to pursue. But with the rise in customer expectations and the changes AI brought to the economics of software development, that calculation is changing. Bupa’s modernization of its My Bupa mobile application offers a case
#107
July 2 · 26 min
Building the foundation for an autonomous enterprise
Artificial intelligence may have captured the public imagination through chatbots and image generators, but some of its most consequential use cases are unfolding far from consumer-facing tools. In industries where physical infrastructure, operational continuity, and safety are paramount, AI is becoming a core operating layer. With its sprawling industrial systems and constant stream of operational data, the energy sector offers a glimpse into what that future could look like.
#106
April 27 · 48 min
Rebuilding the data stack for AI
Artificial intelligence may be dominating boardroom agendas, but many enterprises are discovering that the biggest obstacle to meaningful adoption is the state of their data. While consumer-facing AI tools have dazzled users with speed and ease, enterprise leaders are discovering that deploying AI at scale requires something far less glamorous but far more consequential: data infrastructure that is unified, governed, and fit for purpose. That gap between AI ambition and enterprise readiness is
#105
February 16 · 26 min
Tuning into the future of collaboration
Intelligent audio and intuitive tools are transforming collaboration from connection to creativity, says Sam Sabet, chief technology officer at Shure, and Brendan Ittelson, chief ecosystem officer at Zoom.
#104
January 26 · 37 min
The power of sound in a virtual world
In an era where business, education, and even casual conversations occur via screens, sound has become a differentiating factor. We obsess over lighting, camera angles, and virtual backgrounds, but how we sound can be just as critical to credibility, trust, and connection.
#103
January 5 · 24 min
The overlooked driver of digital transformation
When business leaders talk about digital transformation, their focus often jumps straight to cloud platforms, AI tools, or collaboration software. Yet, one of the most fundamental enablers of how organizations now work, and how employees experience that work, is often overlooked: audio. As Genevieve Juillard, CEO of IDC, notes, the shift to hybrid collaboration made every space, from corporate boardrooms to kitchen tables, meeting-ready almost overnight. In the scramble, audio quality often lag
#102
Dec 15, 2025 · 21 min
The fast and the future-focused are revolutionizing motorsport
From predictive analytics to personalized fan experiences, data and AI are powering the next generation of motorsport, says Rohit Agnihotri, principal technologist at Infosys, and Dan Cherowbrier, CTIO of Formula E.
#100
Jul 22, 2025 · 18 min
Fighting forever chemicals and startup fatigue
What if we could permanently remove the toxic “forever chemicals” contaminating our water? That’s the driving force behind Michigan-based startup Enspired Solutions, founded by environmental toxicologist Denise Kay and chemical engineer Meng Wang. The duo left corporate consulting in the rearview mirror to take on one of the most pervasive environmental challenges: PFAS.
#101
Jul 15, 2025 · 15 min
Building community and clean air solutions
When Darren Riley moved to Detroit seven years ago, he didn’t expect the city’s air to change his life—literally. Developing asthma as an adult opened his eyes to a much larger problem: the invisible but pervasive impact of air pollution on the health of marginalized communities. “I was fascinated on why don't we have the data that we need,” Riley recalls, “or why don't we have the infrastructure to really solve these issues, to understand where pollution is coming from, how's it impacting our
#99
Jul 8, 2025 · 26 min
Building an innovation ecosystem for the next century
Michigan may be best known as the birthplace of the American auto industry, but its innovation legacy runs far deeper, and its future is poised to be even broader. From creating the world’s largest airport factory during World War II at Willow Run to establishing the first successful polio vaccine trials in Ann Arbor to the invention of the snowboard in Muskegon, Michigan has a long history of turning innovation into lasting impact. Now, with the creation of a new role, chief innovation ecosys
#98
May 27, 2025 · 27 min
Building customer-centric convenience
In the U.S., two-thirds of the country’s 150,000 convenience stores are run by independent operators. Mom-and-pop shops, powered by personal relationships and local knowledge, are the backbone of the convenience sector. These neighborhood operators have long lacked the resources needed to compete with larger chains when it comes to technology, operations, and customer loyalty programs. As consumer expectations evolve, many small business owners find themselves grappling with outdated systems,
#97
Jan 15, 2025 · 38 min
Fueling the future of digital transformation
Our topic today is digital transformation, from back office operations to infrastructure in the field like oil rigs, companies continue to look for ways to increase profit, meet sustainability goals, and invest in the latest and greatest technology. Two words for you: enabling innovation. My guest is Luis Niño, who is the digital manager of technology ventures, and innovation at Chevron. This podcast is produced in association with Infosys Cobalt.
#96
Oct 16, 2024 · 28 min
Cloud transformation clears businesses for digital takeoff
Cloud is revolutionizing airline operations, enabling improved agility, time-to-market, and operational efficiency, according to general manager of IT infrastructure and security at Cathay Pacific, Rajeev Nair.
#95
Jul 17, 2024 · 22 min
Transforming the energy industry through disruptive innovation
Our topic today is disruptive innovation in the energy industry and beyond. We use energy every day. It powers our homes, buildings, economies, and lifestyles, but where it came from or how our use affects the global energy ecosystem is changing, and our energy ecosystem needs to change with it. My guest is Nadège Petit, the chief innovation officer at Schneider Electric.
#94
Apr 2, 2024 · 24 min
Purpose-built AI builds better customer experiences
Successfully improving customer satisfaction through AI means becoming data-driven, prioritizing employee feedback and resources, and letting business goals guide technology deployment, says senior product marketing manager at NICE, Michele Carlson.
#93
Apr 1, 2024 · 28 min
Scaling customer experiences with data and AI
Integrating data and AI solutions throughout the customer experience journey can enable enterprises to become predictive and proactive, says vice president of product marketing at NICE, Andy Traba.
#92
Feb 26, 2024 · 23 min
Conversational AI revolutionizes the customer experience landscape
AI can create seamless customer and employee experiences but it’s important to balance automation and human touch, says head of marketing, digital & AI at NICE, Elizabeth Tobey.
#90
Feb 21, 2024 · 22 min
Data at the center of business
Operationalizing data allows enterprises to optimize decision-making, deliver growth, and improve customer experiences, according to Mark Birkhead, firmwide chief data officer at JPMorgan Chase.

Showing 1–20 of 23 episodes