44 episodes

Want expert insight on what’s trending in the world of technology, data and innovation each month? The Smart Dust Podcast is for you.

But what on Earth is Smart Dust? The name refers to the very real and extraordinary dust-sized computers designed to be breathed in and monitor the human brain. No, we are not making that up.

The mission of the Smart Dust Podcast is to give you brain-expanding ideas and perspectives to breathe in and apply to your daily and professional life. With industry-leading presenters, Nick Abrahams and Douglas Nicol, our podcast brings a perspective on technology, data and innovation you’ve never heard before.





Nick Abrahams is the Global Head of Technology & Innovation at law firm Norton Rose Fulbright. Nick co-created the world's first AI-enabled privacy chatbot (built on IBM Watson) and co-founded Australia's leading online legal service, LawPath.

He is on the board of ASX300 global software company, Integrated Research as well as being on the boards of the Garvan Foundation (leaders in genomic medicine), the Vodafone Foundation and the Institute for Economics & Peace. He wrote the Kindle Business #1 book Digital Disruption in Australia.

Douglas Nicol is a Partner at The Works, currently B&T CX and Brand and Agency of the Year and part of the RXP Services group – an 800-person strong Australian ASX listed digital transformation business. Douglas is also the founder of On Msg, Gartner's Top 5 Cool Vendors for Conversational AI in APAC.


Nick can be contacted on nick.abrahams@nortonrosefulbright.com or on LinkedIn on https://au.linkedin.com/in/nickabrahams

Douglas can be contacted at douglas@theworkssydney.com or on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglasnicol/

Views expressed by Nick and Douglas are personal and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers. We welcome your feedback and ideas for our podcast.

Smart Dust The Works & Norton Rose Fulbright

    • News
    • 4.8 • 34 Ratings

Want expert insight on what’s trending in the world of technology, data and innovation each month? The Smart Dust Podcast is for you.

But what on Earth is Smart Dust? The name refers to the very real and extraordinary dust-sized computers designed to be breathed in and monitor the human brain. No, we are not making that up.

The mission of the Smart Dust Podcast is to give you brain-expanding ideas and perspectives to breathe in and apply to your daily and professional life. With industry-leading presenters, Nick Abrahams and Douglas Nicol, our podcast brings a perspective on technology, data and innovation you’ve never heard before.





Nick Abrahams is the Global Head of Technology & Innovation at law firm Norton Rose Fulbright. Nick co-created the world's first AI-enabled privacy chatbot (built on IBM Watson) and co-founded Australia's leading online legal service, LawPath.

He is on the board of ASX300 global software company, Integrated Research as well as being on the boards of the Garvan Foundation (leaders in genomic medicine), the Vodafone Foundation and the Institute for Economics & Peace. He wrote the Kindle Business #1 book Digital Disruption in Australia.

Douglas Nicol is a Partner at The Works, currently B&T CX and Brand and Agency of the Year and part of the RXP Services group – an 800-person strong Australian ASX listed digital transformation business. Douglas is also the founder of On Msg, Gartner's Top 5 Cool Vendors for Conversational AI in APAC.


Nick can be contacted on nick.abrahams@nortonrosefulbright.com or on LinkedIn on https://au.linkedin.com/in/nickabrahams

Douglas can be contacted at douglas@theworkssydney.com or on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglasnicol/

Views expressed by Nick and Douglas are personal and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers. We welcome your feedback and ideas for our podcast.

    Smart Dust Investigates: Is the current Metaverse trend a first step towards it being possible that we are living in a convincing simulation?

    Smart Dust Investigates: Is the current Metaverse trend a first step towards it being possible that we are living in a convincing simulation?

    In the third and final part of the 'Smart Dust Investigates' series, we interview Microsoft Hololens' Asia Pacific Director, Lawrence Crumpton and things really heat up as we dive deep on all things from immersive virtual reality and mixed reality to the much talked about metaverse. And Nick and Douglas make their conclusions on whether, maybe, just maybe this life as we know it is a simulation.

    • 41 min
    Smart Dust Investigates: Is it possible that we are living in a simulation? Part 1 with Rodney Ascher

    Smart Dust Investigates: Is it possible that we are living in a simulation? Part 1 with Rodney Ascher

    In the first of a three-part 'Smart Dust Investigates' series, we will take you on an adventure through the possible truths behind one of techs biggest (and possibly craziest) theories - “Is it possible that we live in a simulation”? Elon Musk believes we are living in a sim – he says “There is a billion to one chance we are living in a true base reality.” While popular physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson says it is “very likely” that our universe is a simulation.
    Tune into part 1 - Introduction to the SIM Theory debate: Interview with Rodney Ascher, Director of Sundance hit doco ’A Glitch in the Matrix’. Be prepared to have your mind stretched.

    • 39 min
    Smart Dust Investigates: Is it possible that we are living in a simulation? Part 2 with Rizwan Virk

    Smart Dust Investigates: Is it possible that we are living in a simulation? Part 2 with Rizwan Virk

    In the second instalment of the 'Smart Dust Investigates' podcast series, we interview MIT Games Lab founder and author of the new book “The Simulated Multiverse” (and “The Simulation Hypothesis”), Rizwan Virk. 
     
    Want to explore the possibilities for XR to create an immersive virtual world? Tune into part 2. 

    • 31 min
    Smart Dust with Amy Webb on crypto, assistive reality and emotional AI

    Smart Dust with Amy Webb on crypto, assistive reality and emotional AI

    Exponential advances in technology are changing our world at a rapid pace, and for most of us, predicting what comes next feels a little like gazing into a cloudy crystal ball.
    Enter this week’s very special guest, Amy Webb. A world-renowned futurist, Amy’s expertise in the realm of emerging technologies is second to none. She’s the CEO and founder of the Future Today Institute, which advises some of the world’s biggest companies, and a professor of strategic foresight at New York University’s Stern School of Business. 
    In this episode, we cover crypto, assistive reality, ‘The You of Things’, emotional AI and robots-as-a-service  

    • 28 min
    Smart Dust with Dr Kirstin Ferguson on leadership, gender equality and diversity in the COVID-19 era

    Smart Dust with Dr Kirstin Ferguson on leadership, gender equality and diversity in the COVID-19 era

    Kirstin Ferguson knows a thing or two about career diversity. At just 17 she enrolled at the Australian Defence Force Academy, graduating as a Flying Officer and Dux of her class.
    But not one to rest on her laurels, Kirstin juggled her Royal Australian Air Force service with study, earning a law degree that facilitated a move out of the military and into civilian life. Her career was just getting started.
    Today, Kirstin sits as a non-executive director on several boards, was Deputy Chair of the ABC for 2 Years, writes a column in the Sydney Morning Herald and advocates for gender equality and diversity in the workplace. In this episode, we chat with Kristen on leadership in the era of COVID-19.  

    • 33 min
    Smart Dust with Julie Inman Grant on e-Safety, online threats and legislative responses aimed at keeping us safe

    Smart Dust with Julie Inman Grant on e-Safety, online threats and legislative responses aimed at keeping us safe

    With lives increasingly lived online, safety in the digital world has never been more important. That’s why we sat down with Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner.
    Having worked across the not-for-profit, public and private sector – filling key roles at Microsoft, Twitter and Adobe – there’s simply no better person to talk to about online safety in Australia today.
    In this episode, we discuss her career, online threats and the legislative responses aimed at keeping us safe.

    • 37 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
34 Ratings

34 Ratings

Reggie the Wonder Dog ,

The Gonski beat

Gonski - a towering intellect. A man of infinite wisdom and a joy to listen to. Your best interview to date gentlemen. Thank you.

Roundhouser ,

Simon

Highly recommended! A not too serious look at the future. Check it out.

KunjTiwari ,

Informative on innovations

Glad to hear this podcast and Smart Dust did a wonderful job in sharing the ideas. Look forward to attend to the other podcasts on this series. Thanks, Kunj

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