The Improving Edge Podcast
A podcast for the innovators at the intersection of technology and AI
Welcome to The Improving Edge Podcast! This is where we have real conversations with real people who are doing the work in technology. We're sharing unique insights, trends, and updates about what is new and exciting in the tech world. Make sure you follow along on Spotify so you don't miss an episode!
Check Out Our Latest Episode
Episode #16 - The Improving Edge Best Of: Season 1 in 25 Minutes
Short on time or behind on episodes? This 25-minute best-of pulls 1 to 3 minute highlights from episodes of The Improving Edge this season. Hear the sharpest ideas, the strongest debates, and the takeaways that stuck, all in one listen. It’s the fastest way to catch up, and the best place to start if you’re new to the show.
Previous Podcast Episodes
Episode #15 - How First United Bank Is Using AI to Free Bankers for Customer Relationships
Host David O’Hara talks with Ryan Suchala, Chief Banking Officer of First United Bank, about reshaping banking with AI. Ryan explains how the bank’s 70 locations across Texas and Oklahoma are using AI to cut rework, speed up customer solutions, and sharpen local market insights. He describes how automating manual data entry lets bankers spend more time listening and advising. The conversation also covers employee concerns about AI, transparent change management, and building AI skills through training. Ryan shares how the bank works with regulators, recruits community leaders as bankers, and partners with Improving. He closes with advice for banking leaders: solve a real problem, tie AI to strategy, and explain the “why” to your team.
Episode #14 - Beyond the Pipeline: AI, Metadata, and Autonomous Data Systems
In this episode, Michael Slater, VP of Technology at Improving, explores how AI is transforming enterprise data pipelines and accelerating value delivery. Learn why data quality is the competitive advantage in an AI-driven world. Explore how metadata enables AI agents to prioritize the right information for smarter decisions. Understand the evolving role of data engineers as they shift from manual transformation to strategic quality assurance. From food science to cross-functional systems, see how real organizations are automating complex data workflows. Find out why giving AI the right contextual data is the difference between mediocre results and measurable ROI. This conversation reveals the architecture decisions that separate AI implementations that deliver results from those that don't.
Episode #13 - Cognitive Surrender: The Hidden Cost of AI Speed
When AI makes you faster, it's easy to stop paying attention. Don McGreal, author of The Professional Product Owner, breaks down why teams shipping code and strategies they don't understand is becoming the biggest hidden risk in AI-enabled development. Learn why one executive's 14-page AI-generated strategic plan tanked (full of holes and fake details), how ownership gets lost in the pursuit of velocity, and why product managers are more critical than ever. Don covers what AI is actually good at (synthesis, naming, wordsmithing) and where humans can't surrender: strategy, judgment, and accountability. For product managers and decision-makers who need to move fast without moving blind.
