Value can be calculated in a few different ways. So when the big boss starts asking, “Where’s my return on AI?” it’s best to come prepared. In this episode, Christian Thilmany joins Jonathan Gough for a much-needed check-up on AI. As Senior Director of AI Strategy at Microsoft, Christian shares his experience: what works, what doesn’t, and why so many teams still aren’t seeing the ROI they were promised. Together, Christian and Jonathan trace the evolution of AI, unpacking the critical points that often lead to failure—from model drift to hallucinations, and even when models get a little too eager to please. Then, the conversation turns to the future: the rise of Shadow AI, the risks of “vibe coding,” and the promise of Model Context Protocol (MCP), a potential game-changer that could standardize how AI connects across systems. If all the AI hype has left you wondering what’s missing from the conversation, this episode delivers the nuanced take you’ve been waiting for.