Data Driven

In this episode of Data Driven, Frank and Andy dive into the future of market intelligence with Dr. Jill Axline, co-founder and CEO of Mavera—a company building synthetic populations that simulate real human behaviour, cognition, and emotion. Forget Personas. We're talking real-time, AI-driven behavioural modeling that's more predictive than your horoscope and considerably more data-backed.
Dr. Axline shares how Mavera’s swarm of AI models situates these synthetic humans within real-world business contexts to forecast decisions, measure emotional resonance, and even test marketing messages before they go live. From governance and model drift to the surprising uses in financial services, political campaigns, and speechwriting—this is one of the most forward-looking conversations we’ve had yet.
If you've ever wanted a deeper understanding of how AI can augment decision-making—or just want to hear Frank admit asset managers love ice cream—this one’s for you.
Links
Learn more about Mavera:https://mavera.io
Connect with Jill Axline on LinkedIn:https://linkedin.com/in/jillaxline
Morningstar:https://www.morningstar.com

Time Stamps
00:00 - Introduction & AI Swarms Explained
03:30 - Forget Personas: Contextual AI Models
07:00 - Evidence vs Inference & AI Governance
10:20 - Simulation Scenarios & Model Drift
14:30 - Synthetic Audiences in Action
18:00 - Evidence Feedback Loops & Small Data Challenges
22:00 - Industry Applications & Use Cases
27:00 - Analyzing Speeches & Emotional Resonance
30:45 - Sentiment, Social Listening, and Real-Time News Reactions
34:00 - Adversarial Models & Strategic Pushback
38:00 - The Cartoon Bank Portal That Failed Spectacularly
41:00 - From Skeptic to CEO: Jill’s Journey
45:00 - Data Privacy, Compliance & Synthetic Ethics
48:00 - Reflections on Empathy, Engineers, and Selling Without Selling
Support the Show
If you enjoy Data Driven, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite pod platform. It helps more people find the show—and fuels Frank’s Monster Energy habit.

In today’s show, BAILeY, your semi-sentient hostess with the mostest metadata, teams up with Frank La Vigne to welcome the ever-insightful Andrew Brust for a deep dive into the evolving Microsoft data ecosystem. From nostalgic tales of Windows history and scoring elusive Clippy swag at Ignite, to unraveling what makes Microsoft Fabric a game-changer for data integration, AI, and governance, this episode covers it all.
You’ll hear firsthand how Microsoft’s innovation goes far beyond the tech itself—focusing on seamless integration, unified billing, and organizational synergy. Andrew Brust sheds light on the journey from fragmented Azure services to the unified vision of Fabric, the rise of generative AI and “agentic” intelligence, and the increasingly important role of data sovereignty and governance in today’s regulatory landscape.
Whether you’re a data enthusiast, an AI tinkerer, or just in it for the nostalgia, grab your headphones and get ready for insights, laughs, and more acronyms than you can shake a dataset at. Stay curious and caffeinated—this episode has something for everyone!
Time Stamps
00:00 Microsoft Expertise and Industry Analysis
03:18 "Big Data and Analytics Insights"
08:31 Power BI's Rise in Azure
12:26 "Unified Fabric-Based Data Platform"
14:01 "Fabric IQ Powers AI Integration"
17:24 "Achieving Synergy Against Odds"
23:32 "Unified Compute for Seamless Integration"
24:41 "Overwhelmed by AWS Complexity"
28:21 "Microsoft Research Powers Azure Fabric"
34:20 "Azure Foundry and Tools"
37:33 "Flexibility Beyond Major Cloud Providers"
41:33 Global Data Privacy Trends
45:13 "Governance for Agentic AI"
47:29 "Azure Stack and Local Clouds"
50:13 "Kubernetes: The Cloud Caveat"
53:40 "Let's Reconnect and Reminisce"

Welcome to a milestone episode of Data Driven! In episode 400, hosts BAILeY, Frank La Vigne, and Andy Leonard gather to reflect on nearly a decade at the forefront of podcasting about data, AI, and the world of software engineering. This special edition takes you behind the scenes with stories of tech evolution, personal growth, and the wild journey from their earliest recordings to today’s AI-powered workflows.
The team digs into how generative AI has transformed their creative process—making it possible for small teams to produce vast amounts of content, drive innovation, and manage multiple podcasts at a high level. You'll hear about Frank’s latest tool, Podsy—a platform built to help creators manage the ever-growing tsunami of podcast assets using cutting-edge AI—and how tools like Claude, Grok, and Opus are unleashing new possibilities for automation and storytelling.
With their signature tangents, candid stories (including car accidents, water heater mishaps, and parenting milestones), and a bit of nostalgia about the early days of podcasting, this episode captures what makes Data Driven both insightful and relatable. If you’re a developer, data professional, or a fellow podcaster looking to stay ahead of the curve, episode 400 is packed with practical lessons, inspiration, and a few good laughs. Dive in as the team celebrates what’s possible in the age of AI—and look ahead to an exciting new chapter for the show!
Time stamps
00:00 "DGX Spark: Personal AI Supercomputer"
03:28 "Tech Innovations and Hardware Updates"
07:51 "Daily 5:40am Notification Routine"
11:10 "Podzi: Managing Podcast Assets"
15:35 "Boosting Value with AI Efficiency"
17:05 Claude Enhanced Legacy System
23:32 AI Impact on Creative Roles
25:58 "Consulting Break: Investing Time"
29:33 "Automation Evolution and Tools Demo"
31:35 "Podsy Studio: A Journey"
35:06 "AI-Powered Content Creation Demo"
38:26 "Podcast Organization and Insights"
42:10 "Streamlining Metadata for Insights"
45:47 "Unveiling AI's Hidden Potential"
50:41 "Celebrating 400 Podcast Episodes"
54:41 "Off Track Ambitions"
57:44 "Reality Strikes Back: Tech Trust"
59:36 "Podsy Progress and Workflow"

In this episode of Data Driven, hosts Frank La Vigne, Candace Gillhoolley, and BAILeY sit down with Mike Armistead, CEO of Pulse Security AI—a cybersecurity veteran who's been fortifying digital defenses since before AI made headlines and hackers had professional profiles. Together, they dig into the dual-edged sword that is artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, exploring how AI serves as both a powerful tool against cyber threats and a potential weapon in the wrong hands.
Mike Armistead shares stories from the front lines, including his experience during the "code red" era at Google when ChatGPT shook up the tech world, and offers real-world advice on why LLMs (large language models) aren’t the magic fix for every problem—and why they desperately need guardrails. You’ll hear why your next big data breach could be hiding in a cleverly crafted AI prompt, why humans still matter when it comes to judgment calls, and why good old-fashioned security hygiene is as critical as ever.
Whether you’re a developer, data scientist, or just password-paranoid, this episode will make you rethink how you approach security in the age of AI. Tune in for expert insights, hard-earned lessons, and a few laughs as the Data Driven crew uncovers where technology, risk, and "common sense" collide.
Time Stamps
00:00 AI-Assisted Cybersecurity for SOCs
04:26 "AI Rush and LLM Insights"
09:12 AI-Powered Cybersecurity Strategy Insights
10:01 "Cybersecurity, ChatGPT, and Impressions"
13:17 AI Tools: Power and Risks
18:06 "Teaching Critical Thinking in AI Era"
20:59 "Guardrails and Next-Gen AI Systems"
24:22 Human Judgment vs AI Limitations
27:37 "Pressure Testing for Accuracy"
30:09 Future Tech Advancements and Challenges
34:58 "Risk Awareness Beyond Compliance"
37:38 "Cybersecurity Risks and AI Defense"
41:54 Cybersecurity Risks and Preparedness
43:04 "Situational Security in Practice"
46:05 "Cybersecurity's Evolving Threat Landscape"
51:52 "Builders vs. Destroyers Mindset"
55:05 Modern Password Practices
56:39 "Pulse Security AI & Community"

In this episode, Frank La Vigne sits down with Itay Haber, CEO of Data Noetic, to unpack how AI is revolutionizing supply chain management. Forget spreadsheets and dashboards—Data Noetic is building an autonomous digital brain that proactively tackles delivery bottlenecks and bridges the gap between scattered data and process improvement.
You’ll hear real-world tales of missed bathroom tile deliveries, multi-million dollar construction delays, and the true impact of getting ahead of supply chain hiccups before they snowball. The trio explores how agentic AI isn’t just hype: it’s driving tangible results, saving time, boosting KPIs, and reimagining how companies of all sizes make decisions. From pharmaceuticals to consumer packaged goods, discover why trust, transparency, and agility are the new gold standards in supply chain operations—and how data-driven agents just might become indispensable.
Tune in for a masterclass that balances digital wisdom with a dash of dry wit, and learn how emerging tech is helping organizations deliver on time, in full, and with a whole lot less existential angst.

Time stamps
00:00 "Autonomous Supply Chain Optimization"
06:01 "Optimizing On-Time Delivery Failures"
07:27 Proactive Warehouse Order Management
13:06 "Aligning Perception with Reality"
15:08 "Streamlining Order Fulfillment Process"
18:18 "AI Revolutionizing Problem Coordination"
22:18 "Data Validation and AI Insights"
25:04 Predictive KPI Monitoring with Gen AI
27:09 Clarifying Questions for Assistance
31:37 "Tailored Software Delivery Models"
34:35 "AI's Role in Complex Industries"
37:00 "AI Focus and Value Debate"
42:37 "AI Bubble and Valuations"
46:43 AI's Transformative Impact on Jobs
48:17 AI Enhances Jobs, Not Replaces
51:44 "AI: Boom, Bust, Transformation"
57:38 "AI, Data, and Change"