From the Horse's Mouth: Intrepid Conversations with Phil Fersht

Phil Fersht
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As technology rapidly evolves, the world has undergone a significant transformation. Society has shifted from being human-centered to a complex web of digital automation, AI, and human workers who support it. This rapid innovation outpaces regulations and threatens social mobility. The rise of AI presents a critical challenge: how can businesses and policymakers ensure that AI enhances, rather than hinders, human creativity and innovation? Automating routine tasks could free up people for roles requiring creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence, but it demands a focus on continuous learning and digital literacy. The first season of From the Horse's Mouth: Intrepid Conversations with Phil Fersht explores the intersection of AI, work, and society, aiming to shape the future.

  1. Jul 17 ·  Video

    Phil pods with You.com Co-Founder and CEO Richard Socher: Everyone becomes a manager of AI — The Eureka machine & the new science

    In this episode of From the Horse’s Mouth, HFS Research CEO and Chief Analyst Phil Fersht speaks with Richard Socher, co-founder and CEO of You.com, co-founder and CEO of Recursive, founding investor at AIX Ventures, and author of the forthcoming book The Eureka Machine. A pioneer in modern NLP, Richard invented the widely used GloVe word vectors at Stanford and helped advance prompt engineering while leading AI research at Salesforce. He explains how AI is evolving from a tool into a coworker, and why agency, creativity, and delegation will define the next generation of work. Phil and Richard explore how AI is transforming scientific discovery, education, search, and software development. They discuss why researchers are becoming orchestrators of AI agents, why writing remains essential for critical thinking, and why AI requires a new generation of search infrastructure built on accurate, cited information. They also examine AI's impact on healthcare, biology, and enterprise workflows; why opting out of AI will create a long-term competitive disadvantage; and Richard’s vision for The Eureka Machine, where AI accelerates scientific discovery through knowledge, data, simulation, experimentation, and agent swarms. Chapters 00:00 Meet Richard Socher 02:30 Reinventing AI search 03:53 AI and scientific discovery  04:36 Managing AI, not just using it  06:01 How AI is changing research  08:27 Rethinking education  11:36 Why writing still matters  13:25 The future of search  15:49 AI's impact on industries  18:02 The cost of opting out  20:52 The Eureka Machine  23:04 Closing thoughts Learn more & connect HFS Research: https://www.hfsresearch.com The podcast: https://horsesmouthpodcast.comPhil Fersht on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pfershtRichard Socher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardsocher From the Horse’s Mouth: Intrepid Conversations with Phil Fersht brings together founders, executives, and contrarian thinkers for unfiltered conversations on the forces reshaping business and technology. Hosted by HFS Research CEO and Chief Analyst, Phil Fersht. #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AIforScience #FutureOfWork #RichardSocher #PhilFersht #HFSResearch #AISearch

    Phil pods with You.com Co-Founder and CEO Richard Socher: Everyone becomes a manager of AI — The Eureka machine & the new science

  2. Jul 10 ·  Video

    Phil pods with Rohan Narayana Murty, Founder and CEO, Workfabric AI: Why your AI fails without context, the work graph & the rise of digital twins

    In this episode of From the Horse's Mouth, HFS Research CEO and Chief Analyst Phil Fersht speaks with Rohan Narayana Murty, Founder & CEO of Workfabric AI, Harvard computer science PhD, former MIT postdoc, and only the second computer scientist after Marvin Minsky to be elected to the Harvard Society of Fellows, about why context, not model power, is the real frontier of enterprise AI.   Rohan explains why office and knowledge work can now be studied scientifically through what he calls human attention data. By understanding what people focus on as they work, organizations can build a "work graph" that captures how work really gets done.   Phil and Rohan discuss why AI agents need the unique context of every organization, how breaking down silos reveals new opportunities and risks, and how digital twins could transform the way employees collaborate across teams.   The conversation also explores how AI will reshape enterprise structures, why culture matters as much as technology, and why services firms should focus on context engineering to stay competitive. They discuss how smaller, AI-native firms could challenge incumbents and why traditional billable-hour models may become increasingly difficult to sustain.   They close by exploring what true AGI would require, why humans will continue teaching machines for years to come, and a timeless lesson from Rohan's father on why services businesses continue to matter, even in the age of AI.   Essential viewing for CEOs, technology and services leaders, founders, and anyone interested in context engineering, AI agents, digital twins, and the future of knowledge work.   Chapters  00:00 – Intro: Meet Rohan Narayana Murty 01:34 – From Academia to AI Entrepreneurship 03:08 – Rethinking Human-Machine Work 03:46 – Studying Knowledge Work with AI 06:22 – Work Graphs & Human Attention Data 08:33 – Why AI Agents Need Context 09:18 – The Context Engineering Challenge 11:34 – Breaking Enterprise Silos 13:29 – How Human Attention Data Works 15:13 – Privacy, Consent & Incentives 15:31 – Digital Twins Explained 17:33 – Phil's Digital Twin Example 19:05 – AI That Writes in Your Voice 20:39 – Inside the Work Graph 23:28 – The Future of Enterprise Work 24:30 – Where Enterprise Context Lives 26:55 – AI Culture Over Technology 29:36 – Managing for Outcomes 31:15 – Why Context Engineering Matters 33:55 – AI-Native Services Models 34:41 – The Rise of Specialized AI Firms 35:43 – The End of Billable Hours? 38:43 – Why Services Still Matter 39:01 – A Timeless Lesson on Services 42:07 – Is Context the Key to AGI?   Learn more & connect  HFS Research:  https://www.hfsresearch.com The podcast:  https://horsesmouthpodcast.com Phil Fersht on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/pfersht Rohan Narayana Murty on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohanmurtyFrom the Horse’s Mouth: Intrepid Conversations with Phil Fersht brings together founders, executives, and contrarian thinkers for unfiltered conversations on the forces reshaping business and technology. Hosted by HFS Research CEO and Chief Analyst, Phil Fersht.   #AI #EnterpriseAI #FutureOfWork #DigitalTwins #ContextEngineering #AIagents #PhilFersht #HFSResearch

    Phil pods with Rohan Narayana Murty, Founder and CEO, Workfabric AI: Why your AI fails without context, the work graph & the rise of digital twins

  3. Jul 2 ·  Video

    Phil pods with Exponential View Founder Azeem Azhar: There is no AI bubble: The enterprise velocity gap & China's efficiency moat

    In this episode of From the Horse’s Mouth, HFS Research CEO and Chief Analyst Phil Fersht sits down with Azeem Azhar, founder of Exponential View, Bloomberg contributor, and author of Exponential, for a candid conversation about where AI really stands inside the enterprise. Azeem explains why he believes there is no imminent AI bubble, pointing to enterprise investment, customer spending, and revenue growth as signs of sustained momentum. Together, Phil and Azeem discuss the growing AI velocity gap between individuals and enterprises, why legacy systems and leadership remain major barriers to adoption, and how AI agents, forward-deployed engineers, and organizational agility are reshaping competitive advantage. They also explore China’s AI progress, enterprise trust in AI, workforce reskilling, and why speed of execution, rather than technology alone, will define tomorrow’s market leaders. This episode is essential viewing for business leaders, technology executives, consultants, investors, and anyone looking to understand the real impact of AI on enterprise transformation and the future of work. Chapters   00:00 – Introduction   01:23 – AI in the enterprise today   04:24 – Is there really an AI bubble?   08:47 – The AI velocity gap   14:13 – Culture, talent, and AI adoption   21:21 – Building competitive advantage with AI   30:30 – Lessons from China’s AI ecosystem   37:15 – Why enterprise trust in AI matters   44:05 – The future of work and productivity   52:55 – Closing thoughts Learn more & connect HFS Research: https://www.hfsresearch.com The podcast: https://horsesmouthpodcast.com Phil Fersht on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pfersht Azeem Azhar’s Exponential View: https://www.exponentialview.com  About From the Horse’s Mouth From the Horse’s Mouth: Intrepid Conversations with Phil Fersht brings together founders, executives, and contrarian thinkers for unfiltered conversations on the forces reshaping business and technology. Hosted by HFS Research CEO and Chief Analyst, Phil Fersht. #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #EnterpriseAI #FutureOfWork #AzeemAzhar #PhilFersht #HFSResearch

    Phil pods with Exponential View Founder Azeem Azhar: There is no AI bubble: The enterprise velocity gap & China's efficiency moat

  4. Jun 25 ·  Video

    Phil pods with Genpact CEO Balkrishan "BK" Kalra: The $18 trillion reason your AI isn't working

    In this episode of From the Horse's Mouth, HFS Research CEO and Chief Analyst Phil Fersht sits down with Balkrishan “BK” Kalra, President and CEO of Genpact, for a candid conversation on why most enterprises are still chasing AI returns on broken foundations, and what it actually takes to unlock value at scale.   BK argues there is no artificial intelligence without process intelligence. Drawing on Genpact’s roots in running mission-critical operations at GE, the birthplace of Lean and Six Sigma, he makes the case that the fundamentals have never changed: until enterprises do the foundational work in data, process, technology, and talent, the ROI on AI simply won't materialize.  At the heart of the conversation is the concept of enterprise debt. Technology debt, BK says, is only the tip of the iceberg — the real drag lies in the hidden process, data, and talent debt beneath the surface. Phil and BK unpack the HFS–Genpact research showing aspirations are high while readiness is low, why only 6% of enterprises have meaningfully acted despite widespread awareness, and why the challenge now is less about awareness and more about leadership courage, ownership, and execution speed.   They also dig into the staggering $18 trillion in recoverable enterprise value tied to debt remediation, and why AI transformation and enterprise debt remediation are really the same program — a holistic, CEO-level agenda rather than a CIO/CTO technology project. BK explains why the payoff is a factor change, not just incremental improvement, why the gains compound over three to six years of disciplined execution, and why active, high-frequency governance is what separates enterprises that execute from those that remain stalled.   Finally, BK shares how this is reshaping Genpact itself: the “five billion dollar startup” mindset, the Yin-and-Yang leadership blend of deep-domain veterans and tech natives, and the bold workforce bet that within three to four years there will be only two kinds of people at Genpact —AI builders and AI practitioners — with nearly 10,000 builders and 20,000 practitioners already earned, with zero whitewashing allowed.   Essential viewing for CEOs, CFOs, COOs, heads of supply chain, services, and outsourcing leaders, and anyone serious about turning AI ambition into measurable enterprise value. Learn More & Connect  HFS Research:  https://www.hfsresearch.com  The podcast:  https://horsesmouthpodcast.com  Phil Fersht on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/pfersht  BK Kalra on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/balkrishan-kalraAbout From the Horse’s Mouth: Intrepid Conversations with Phil Fersht brings together founders, executives, and contrarian thinkers for unfiltered debate on the forces reshaping business and technology. Hosted by HFS Research CEO and Chief Analyst Phil Fersht.   #AI #EnterpriseAI #FutureOfWork #Genpact #AgenticAI #BKKalra #PhilFersht #HFSResearch

    Phil pods with Genpact CEO Balkrishan "BK" Kalra: The $18 trillion reason your AI isn't working

  5. Jun 11 ·  Video

    Phil pods with Cognizant Co-Founder Frank D'Souza: Why AI is breaking the IT services industry

    The man who co-founded Cognizant and scaled it from a startup to 280,000 people, $16B in revenue, and ~$40B in market cap has a blunt message for the IT services industry: the scarcity-era playbook is finished.  In this episode of From the Horse’s Mouth, HFS Research CEO and Chief Analyst Phil Fersht sits down with Frank D’Souza, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Recognize and author of the new white paper The Great Decoupling, for a candid debate on how AI is rewriting the economics of services. They unpack “the great paradox”: code has never been more valuable, yet the cost of producing it is collapsing toward zero. Frank explains why the industry’s habit of pricing the input (billable hours, utilization, headcount) instead of the output is the real threat — and why the firms that survive will sell certainty and outcomes, not tires and spark plugs.  This is a no-nonsense conversation about the AI reckoning facing IT services, consulting, and digital transformation — and a roadmap for the leaders willing to drop revenue before they grow it.   Chapters  00:00 – Meet Frank D’Souza: from Cognizant to Recognize01:43 – The 3 things that built Cognizant into a $16B giant 03:27 – The innovator’s dilemma: why incumbents get disrupted 04:41 – The great paradox: code priceless AND worthless 07:45 – Selling the experience, not the inputs 09:46 – Why talent — not tech — is the real bottleneck 12:13 – The J-Curve danger: how to spot a firm on the wrong side 14:19 – Wall Street, Jevons’ paradox & people-heavy businesses 17:08 – The “first mile and last mile” services opportunity 20:15 – OpenAI & Anthropic services deals: threat or gift? 22:46 – Mass retraining, young talent & “artificial wisdom” 25:21 – From the pyramid to the diamond: the new talent geometry 30:26 – A NASSCOM-style industry-wide apprenticeship? 32:10 – Building culture from the bottom up 34:49 – Do we need better leaders in services? 36:03 – Big vs. small: who wins the AI transition? 39:46 – The Syclum story: managing through war and the J-Curve 43:24 – “Outcome density”: what we’ll talk about in 2 years 45:10 – The coming wave of chaotic consolidation & M&A   Explore More  HFS Research: https://www.hfsresearch.com/  The Podcast: https://horsesmouthpodcast.com/  Phil Fersht on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pfersht/  Frank’s white paper, The Great Decoupling: https://recognize.com/the-great-decoupling/ Frank D’Souza on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franciscodsouza About From the Horse’s Mouth: Intrepid Conversations with Phil Fersht brings together founders, executives, and contrarian thinkers for unfiltered debate on the forces reshaping business and technology. Hosted by HFS Research CEO and Chief Analyst Phil Fersht.   #AI #ITServices #GenerativeAI #FutureOfWork #DigitalTransformation #Consulting #leadershiptips

    Phil pods with Cognizant Co-Founder Frank D'Souza: Why AI is breaking the IT services industry

  6. May 27 ·  Video

    Phil pods with Accenture's Chief Strategy and Services Officer Manish Sharma: Same movie, bigger budget? Pressure-testing Accenture's reinvention bet

    Phil Fersht asked Accenture's Manish Sharma a blunt question: is enterprise reinvention genuinely a different operating model, or is it just transformation 2.0 with a bigger budget  Manish's answer is one of the most candid conversations on the subject we've recorded this year.  In this episode of From the Horse's Mouth, HFS Research CEO and Chief Analyst Phil Fersht and Accenture's Chief Strategy and Services Officer Manish Sharma cut through the noise on what enterprise reinvention actually requires.  They debate the line between transformation programs that end and reinvention capabilities that compound. They name the five things every enterprise has to unblock for AI to deliver any measurable value: process, data, digital core, operating model, and talent. They walk through what the human-and-AI workforce actually looks like inside a services firm at Accenture's scale, including a concrete before-and-after example of how a mid-career Delivery Lead's day has shifted in the last 12 months. And they pressure-test the dominant narrative that AI is a productivity story, arguing the real prize is revenue and growth, but only for the enterprises willing to redeploy the capacity AI frees up.  If you're running an AI program, sitting on a board reviewing one, or trying to figure out why your last five pilots stalled, this is the conversation to listen to.  Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: Phil Fersht | LinkedIn Learn more about HFS Research: About us - HFS Research

    Phil pods with Accenture's Chief Strategy and Services Officer Manish Sharma: Same movie, bigger budget? Pressure-testing Accenture's reinvention bet

  7. Apr 27 ·  Video

    AI at a crossroads: The state of the industry on trust, leadership, and execution

    In this episode, Phil Fersht is joined by members of the HFS Global Advisory Board to explore why AI has reached a critical inflection point for enterprises. The panel features Malcolm Frank, Steven Hill, Mark Hodges, Cliff Justice, Mary Lacity, and Jesus Mantas, bringing together decades of leadership experience across consulting, academia, and global enterprises. Together, they discuss the growing gap between AI experimentation and real execution, and why trust, leadership conviction, and organizational design are now the biggest barriers to scaling AI. While individuals are rapidly adopting AI in their daily work, enterprises remain slowed by process debt, siloed structures, and fear-driven decision-making. The discussion also examines how AI is reshaping services, workforce models, and business outcomes, and why success will depend less on technology and more on culture, accountability, and the willingness to redesign how work gets done. To watch the full webinar, visit here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/webinar/ai-at-a-crossroads-the-state-of-the-industry-on-trust-leadership-and-execution/ What you’ll hear• Why enterprises are struggling to move from AI experimentation to execution• The AI velocity gap between individuals and organizations• How trust, fear, and leadership behavior are slowing adoption• Why process debt is a bigger barrier than data or technology• The shift from effort-based services to outcome-driven models• How AI is reshaping workforce structures and middle management Key takeaways• AI challenges are more about people, culture, and leadership than technology• Trust in AI remains a major barrier, especially at senior leadership levels• Process ownership and accountability are critical to unlocking value• Enterprises must redesign workflows, not just layer AI onto existing systems• Services firms must move toward outcome-based models to remain relevant• Organizations that act with speed and conviction will outpace competitors Chapters00:00 Introduction and panel overview00:20 Meet the HFS Global Advisory Board02:20 The AI velocity gap in enterprises04:17 Why adoption is slowing inside organizations05:02 Trust vs capability in AI adoption06:41 Lack of strategy and enterprise readiness07:59 Building trust and securing AI systems09:07 Process debt as the biggest barrier10:40 Leadership, culture, and change management12:46 Overcoming fear and driving adoption14:42 The shift to services as software16:48 Industry disruption and business model change18:28 The future of services and global impact21:09 Key takeaways from the panel24:50 Closing remarks

    AI at a crossroads: The state of the industry on trust, leadership, and execution

  8. Apr 7 ·  Video

    Beyond LLMs into the physical world: Phil Fersht with Cathy Hackl

    In the latest episode of From the Horse’s Mouth, Phil Fersht is joined by Cathy Hackl, the tech futurist widely known as the “Godmother of the Metaverse”. Together, they explore the failings of the metaverse, the wider emerging tech space, and what comes next for AI. Cathy makes clear that the future of AI isn’t defined by language alone. Looking beyond LLMs, it will have a much bigger impact in the physical world. That’s why Phil and Cathy discussed world models, spatial intelligence, and even why Claude can’t come to your house and change your lightbulb… Yet! They delve into the shifts we’re seeing as a result of AI, including the reality of AI-driven layoffs and how societies will have to shift when AI is embedded in everything we do. What you’ll hear in 30 minutes: What really happened to the metaverse, and which parts survived Why the future of AI extends beyond language models into the physical world How world models and spatial intelligence are reshaping the next wave of innovation Why enterprises are struggling to scale AI despite widespread adoption The growing tension between AI-driven efficiency and workforce stabilityGuest Snapshot Cathy Hackl is a tech futurist, investor, and gaming executive, and a leading voice on spatial computing and the future of the internet. She has worked with global brands including Nike, Ralph Lauren, and Louis Vuitton, currently holding a role with Nokia, and is an active member of the World Economic Forum. Explore More Phil Fersht on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pfersht/HFS Research Website: https://www.hfsresearch.com/Cathy Hackl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathyhackl/

    Beyond LLMs into the physical world: Phil Fersht with Cathy Hackl
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As technology rapidly evolves, the world has undergone a significant transformation. Society has shifted from being human-centered to a complex web of digital automation, AI, and human workers who support it. This rapid innovation outpaces regulations and threatens social mobility. The rise of AI presents a critical challenge: how can businesses and policymakers ensure that AI enhances, rather than hinders, human creativity and innovation? Automating routine tasks could free up people for roles requiring creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence, but it demands a focus on continuous learning and digital literacy. The first season of From the Horse's Mouth: Intrepid Conversations with Phil Fersht explores the intersection of AI, work, and society, aiming to shape the future.

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