AI is the New UI… But Is Anyone Getting Value?

Big summer. New roles. Same obsession with transformation.

In this episode, Pete and Kat compare notes on what happens when you step into new gigs right as AI goes from “this is cool” to “okay… but is it actually doing anything?”

They get into:

• How AI is still, inconveniently, a people problem
• Why “AI is the new UI” is about to stop being a slogan
• Why most organisations don’t have an AI problem… they have a focus problem
• And yes… the AI reckoning that’s coming when everyone looks up and goes “oh no...what have we done?”
• A sneak peek at what’s coming at Knowledge (it’s big 👀)
• And Pete bravely preparing for a life without proper Australian coffee (thoughts and prayers)

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If Caleb Hammer hosted a show for CIOs, this would be the episode. 💥

Kat and Pete sit down to deliver the roast every IT leader needs - unpacking how technical debt quietly drains innovation, creates risk exposure, and costs you 27% interest on every “quick fix”.

In this episode:
🚨 Why tech debt isn’t an IT issue - it’s an organizational problem
💸 The real cost of duplicate platforms, workarounds, and “Jimmy’s app”
🧱 How to renovate your tech foundations without stopping innovation
🤖 Why ignoring integration points will haunt your AI strategy
🧭 Practical steps to measure, manage, and reduce tech debt for good If your IT architecture looks like a house with rotting walls - this is your sign to call an intervention.

🎧 Subscribe to The Change Agents Podcast for more brutally honest takes on digital transformation, AI, and the future of enterprise agility.

--- Hosted by ServiceNow's human agents: Peter McDonnell, Chief Transformation Officer and Katrina Read, Director of Transformation APJ

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What’s the real difference between innovation and transformation—and why do so many leaders get it wrong? 🤔

In this episode, Kat and Pete break it down with simple analogies (including The Wizard of Oz 👠), real-world examples like Kodak, Netflix, and Uber, and a few laughs about gym memberships and ruby slippers along the way.

Key insights you’ll learn:

💡 Why innovation = new ways of doing things (products, services, customer experience)
💡 Why transformation = the cultural, process, and technology shifts that make innovation stick
💡 The dangers of “innovation without transformation” (and vice versa)
💡 Practical tips for executives: how to measure success, empower people, and balance both for sustainable growth

Whether you’re a CEO, business leader, or transformation strategist, this conversation will help you rethink how to drive change, embrace AI, and build future-ready organizations.

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Hosted by ServiceNow's human agents: Peter McDonnell, Chief Transformation Officer and Katrina Read, Director of Transformation APJ

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.