Unscripted

Nathan Coutinho

Unscripted is a series of podcasts that discuss and explore people's passions, work and industry trends and embracing change. The idea was to focus less on the 'production' and more on the content; less on the social aspect, and more on the thought leadership.

  1. Sep 7

    From Org Chart to Work Chart: Building the Frontier Firm

    What does the future of work actually look like when AI agents become our everyday teammates? In this episode of Unscripted, recorded live at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, we sit down with Matthew Duncan, who leads The Future of Work initiative at Microsoft. Matthew breaks down the groundbreaking concept of the "Frontier Firm," why we need to throw out the traditional industrial-era organizational chart in favor of a fluid "Work Chart," and how companies are already giving AI agents their own employee IDs. We also dive deep into Microsoft's famous Work Trend Index, how to conquer "digital debt" and employee burnout, and why the next generation is learning AI as early as elementary school. Plus, we tackle the ultimate, high-stakes question: Is it pronounced "GIF" or "JIF"? Whether you’re a business leader trying to navigate the AI revolution or just curious about how your job will change in the next few years, this conversation is packed with actionable insights you don't want to miss! 🔔 Subscribe to Unscripted for more raw, honest conversations with industry innovators! Episode Highlights: The "Work Chart" Shift: Organizations must design teams around outcomes and skills rather than rigid, siloed roles. The Hollywood Model: The future of projects involves assembling specialized human and agentic talents for a single "blockbuster" goal, then dissolving and reforming for the next project. Agent Onboarding: AI agents are no longer just software; they are fast becoming official "employees" with unique tracking IDs, measured alongside human output on corporate P&Ls. Featured Guests:  • Matthew Loys Duncan- https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewloysduncan/ The Unscripted Podcast is available on the following platforms: YouTube - https://tinyurl.com/unscriptedYT Spotify - https://tinyurl.com/unscriptedSPOT Apple Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/unscriptedAPPL Episode Time Stamps: 00:00 - Welcome to Unscripted Live at SXSW! 01:00 - What does Matthew Duncan do at Microsoft? 02:00 - Defining the "Frontier Firm" & "Intelligence on Demand" 03:00 - Org Chart vs. Work Chart: Why traditional structures are turning upside down 05:00 - The "Hollywood Model" of modern team building 06:40 - Will there be an agentic marketplace for skills? 07:45 - How AI-native startups are completely rewriting business operations 10:00 - Real-world AI use cases: How Logitech uses Logi Brand, Logi Voice, and Copilot 11:45 - Using AI as a critical teammate (not just a search engine) 13:30 - What is "Digital Debt" and how do we solve employee burnout? 14:40 - Why a major New York bank is giving AI agents unique employee IDs 16:00 - Overcoming change aversion: Shifting the corporate mindset 17:20 - AI in education: Teaching prompting to 5th graders 19:00 - Can AI uplift global humanity? (The ultimate optimist's view) 20:00 - Responsible AI, data governance, and cybersecurity guardrails 21:30 - Behind the scenes of Microsoft’s research partnership with Harvard Business School 22:15 - Capturing "tacit knowledge" and passing 30 years of experience to AI agents 23:15 - The origin story of Microsoft's Work Trend Index (WTF) 25:30 - How Microsoft uses telemetry, LinkedIn data, and synthetic data to predict work trends 27:30 - The accelerating pace of academic research in the AI era 28:30 - The hardest question of the day: Is it GIF or JIF? 29:40 - Outro & where to find Matthew's upcoming keynote sessions

    From Org Chart to Work Chart: Building the Frontier Firm
  2. Apr 11

    VR Innovation in Education: New Mexico State University

    Join us for an eye-opening conversation with Melinda, Head of VR at New Mexico State University, as she reveals how her institution is revolutionizing higher education through immersive technology. From middle school teacher to VR pioneer, Melinda shares the incredible journey of scaling from a single use case to over 400 VR headsets across 22 courses. In this episode, you'll discover: 🎓 The Digital Twin Campus - How NMSU created an immersive virtual campus tour using just iPhone photos, allowing prospective students worldwide to explore dorm rooms, walk the iconic horseshoe loop, and experience campus life before ever setting foot on grounds 🔍 Criminal Justice Innovation - The surprising story of how crime scene training became NMSU's first VR application, giving online students the same hands-on experience as their on-campus peers 💼 Soft Skills in VR - How student-athletes practice ESPN interviews, students rehearse job interviews, and learners develop crucial professional skills in safe, repeatable virtual environments 🖊️ MX Ink Pen Pilot Program - Exclusive insights into NMSU's research with Logitech's MX Ink, including surprising findings about non-traditional students and the natural feel of drawing in virtual space 📦 Managing 400 Headsets - The logistics behind shipping, tracking, cleaning, and recycling hundreds of VR devices each semester—with only 4 devices lost in 4 years! 🔮 The Future of Wearables & VR - Melinda's perspective on how VR headsets and smart glasses will coexist, complement each other, and address privacy concerns in our increasingly digital world Perfect for: Educators exploring immersive learning, corporate training professionals, VR enthusiasts, university administrators, and anyone curious about the practical applications of extended reality in education. Key Takeaway: Start small, find your advocates, embrace the growing pains, and build strong partnerships. Technology isn't perfect from day one—but with the right people and willingness to experiment, you can scale from 25 headsets to 400+ and transform how students learn. 📍 Recorded live at SXSW in Austin, Texas Timestamps: 00:00 Meet Melinda at NMSU 00:40 From Teacher to VR Lead 01:25 Digital Twin Campus Origins 02:37 Building the Twin with Photos 03:43 Why VR for Prospective Students 04:22 Criminal Justice First Use Case 04:53 Soft Skills and Interview Training 06:07 Scaling and Shipping 400 Headsets 06:53 Fleet Management and Returns 09:03 MX Ink Pen Pilot and Badges 11:25 VR and Wearables Future at SXSW 13:28 Privacy Concerns with Smart Glasses 15:28 How to Start and Get Buy In 18:22 Wrap Up and SXSW Reflections Featured Guests:  • Melina Cuilty - https://www.linkedin.com/in/melinda-cuilty-111844228/ The Unscripted Podcast is available on the following platforms: YouTube - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0hCJLH8asrZ61UZAhphI_6ZdU_6iFGVE&si=YvhkBCN5chRpJKqI Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/21yaQBzNg9c0O2ApZyInQH?si=4a6b2075de8045ac Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unscripted/id1765971579

    VR Innovation in Education: New Mexico State University
  3. Mar 30

    The Future of AV: Insights from Industry Leaders

    Welcome to Season 3! Join Nathan Coutinho at SXSW in Austin for an exclusive roundtable discussion with industry leaders Chris Neto (Midwich), Tim Albright (AVNation), and analyst Craig Durr (The Collab Collective) as they unpack the biggest trends shaping the AV landscape in 2026.🎯 Key Takeaways: • ISE's evolution as a global launch platform with record attendance and vendor participation • The shift to software-first AV solutions and cloud-based management systems • Emergence of "operational AI" for backend monitoring and troubleshooting • Challenges with fragmented management platforms across vendors • Rising demand for aesthetic design and broadcast-quality collaboration spaces🔮 What's Next: Our panel looks ahead to InfoComm, discussing anticipated hands-on demos of ISE launches, new product announcements, and continuous software evolution. They also address industry headwinds including budget constraints, supply chain challenges, memory shortages, tariff impacts, and major enterprise refresh cycles.Whether you're an AV professional, technology decision-maker, or industry enthusiast, this conversation offers valuable insights into where collaboration technology is headed and what to watch for in the months ahead.Featured Guests: • Chris Neto - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherneto/• Tim Albright - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tdalbright/• Craig Durr - https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigdurr/The Unscripted Podcast is available on the following platforms:YouTube - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0hCJLH8asrZ61UZAhphI_6ZdU_6iFGVE&si=YvhkBCN5chRpJKqISpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/21yaQBzNg9c0O2ApZyInQH?si=4a6b2075de8045acApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unscripted/id1765971579

    The Future of AV: Insights from Industry Leaders

About

Unscripted is a series of podcasts that discuss and explore people's passions, work and industry trends and embracing change. The idea was to focus less on the 'production' and more on the content; less on the social aspect, and more on the thought leadership.