The Only Constant

• Episode #75 | Serge Belongie | On AI as ordinary technology, and the bias of anthropomorphisms

  In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom sits down with Serge Belongie, Director of the Pioneer Centre for AI and one of Europe’s leading AI thinkers, for a conversation that cuts through the noise of hype and panic to reach something far more enduring. Together, they explore: Why AI isn’t a revolution but a continuation of the march of automation How the “idiot wind” of hype always blows through history and major technological changes Why spreadsheets once terrified CEOs the same way large language models now do The problem of “data washing” and how a biased baby monitor reveals the limits of clean datasets Why AI should be treated as statistics and software - ordinary technology - until proven otherwise The dangers of anthropomorphizing chatbots and why friction can be a democratic safeguard Belongie’s blend of historical analogy, dry humor, and academic precision makes this conversation one of the most illuminating yet and a standout episode of The Only Constant.     About Serge Belongie: Serge Belongie is a professor of Computer Science at the University of Copenhagen, where he also serves as the head of the Pioneer Centre for Artificial Intelligence (P1). Previously, he was a professor of Computer Science at Cornell University, an Associate Dean at Cornell Tech, a member of the Visiting Faculty program at Google, and a professor of Computer Science & Engineering at UC San Diego. His research interests include Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Augmented Reality, and Human-in-the-Loop Computing. He is also a co-founder of several companies including Digital Persona and Anchovi Labs.  He is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award, the Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, the MIT Technology Review “Innovators Under 35” Award, the Stibitz-Wilson Award, the Helmholtz Prize, the Everingham Prize, and the Koenderink Prize for fundamental contributions to the Computer Vision community.  He is a member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters and serves on the board of the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS).

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• Episode #74 | Elin Hauge | On benefits from bruises, and the cost of being wrong

  In this episode, Lasse Rindom speaks with Elin Hauge - board member, strategist, AI advisor, kickboxer, and part-time law student - about the messy truth behind AI adoption. Their conversation navigates the sharp edges between math, language, risk, and responsibility: Why understanding the cost of being wrong is central to responsible AI adoption - especially when decisions affect real people How the confusion matrix reveals the hidden risks leaders rarely factor in What generative AI really does (and doesn’t do) when it comes to language, meaning, and truth Why pragmatism - not hype - should guide how companies deploy AI, and why most boards are still unprepared And yes, how full-contact kickboxing might be the perfect metaphor for tech strategy A conversation packed with edge, insight, and just the right amount of bruising honesty. Do you want to know more about Elin Hauge? Elin has built bridges between data-fuelled technologies and business value for more than 20 years. Through her collaborations with business leaders and tech entrepreneurs, she has developed an exceptional ability to connect business strategy with the application of data-driven technologies, including artificial intelligence. She brings novel perspectives to familiar challenges, persistently demystifying jargon and buzzwords, and consistently remains ahead of the curve with her insights into societal implications, sustainability, regulation, security, and geopolitics. She approaches her perspectives with a humorous, down-to-earth, and pragmatic mindset, focusing on what is feasible now, what is responsible in both corporate and societal contexts, and what leaders need to understand about data and algorithms to make informed decisions. She then adopts a futurist perspective, looking ahead to potential scenarios and future outcomes, challenging established beliefs and viewpoints. Her strong and engaging stage presence and her unique ability to tailor her communication style and narrative to specific audiences is highly regarded by her clients and audiences. As a moderator, she adopts a dependable, grounded, and professional approach to clients' needs. Her extensive speaking experience enables her to provide valuable support to clients and speaker line-ups in their preparations, content development, and delivery. She is particularly adept at crafting engaging narratives, infusing scripts with her personal expertise to create a natural and captivating experience. Elin excels at fostering a relaxed yet professional atmosphere, ensuring all participants feel at ease while maintaining high standards. Her collaborative approach, combined with her creative energy and ideas, enhances the flow and impact of events, making her a highly recommended choice for professional events. Through systematic incorporation of the human perspective, she emphasizes that "it is up to us – the humans – to design the future of technology to be human-more, not human-less." In her talks, she provides tangible and well-grounded recommendations on how to derive real benefits from data-driven technologies, mitigate risks, comply with regulations, and consolidate and leverage data as a valuable business asset. Acadmically, she holds an MEng in Biophysics and Medical Technology from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and an MSc in Management Science and Operational Research from Warwick Business School. Recently, she has also commenced law studies to further enhance her ability to connect responsible and accountable business practices with regulatory frameworks. Her strong academic foundation in mathematics and physics, combined with extensive business experience, provides a solid basis for her perspectives on the revolutionary opportunities and complex challenges associated with artificial intelligence and other data-driven technologies. She also holds several non-executive board positions, serving as chair for the majority of these companies.

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• Episode #73 | Sue Turner | On the power of technology, and the anchor of the past

  In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with Sue Turner, founder of AI Governance and Professor in Practice at the University of Bristol Business School. Their conversation spans both the pragmatic and philosophical dimensions of AI adoption, with key discussions points being: Why most organisations are stuck in their AI maturity – experimenting without moving to real transformation The tension between legacy data as both “gold dust” and “an anchor” holding companies back How humility and a beginner’s mindset are essential for leaders to make sense of AI’s possibilities The dangers of shadow AI in enterprise software and why transparency from vendors should be mandatory The risk of letting AI development be driven by a handful of tech giants, and Sue’s call for more democratic, purposeful leadership around AI It’s a wide-ranging discussion that touches on power, governance, and the sheer speed of technological change.   Do you want to know more about Sue Turner? Sue Turner is dedicated to using her expertise in AI governance and ethics to inspire people and organisations to use AI with wisdom and integrity. With both a Law degree and an MSc in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, she established AI Governance Limited in 2020 to advise businesses and policy makers on pragmatic AI, data ethics and governance issues, and making a positive societal impact. Her Board development clients range from Fortune 100 and FTSE 350 businesses to small charities, and her reach is global through accredited training programmes and being a founder member of the United Nations AI Skills Coalition. She has been rated in the World's Top 100 Women in AI Ethics and was one of the first 14 people globally to be accredited in the Foundations of Independent Audit of AI systems. She is Professor in Practice for AI and Technologies at the University of Bristol Business School, Board Chair and Non-Executive Director for purpose-driven businesses in regulated industries and has been a Mentor on the Turing Institute’s Skills Policy Awards. Her career spans entrepreneurial private businesses and not-for-profit organisations where she has led significant organisational growth, raised £27 million for charity and collaborated to shift power to help people improve their prospects. She was awarded the OBE in 2021 for Services to Social Justice.

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• Episode #72 | Jason Stanley | On autonomy for machines, and the diffusion of surfaces

  In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with Jason Stanley from ServiceNow - AI expert, sociologist, and someone who actually reads the footnotes. Together, they unravel the real frontiers of AI in enterprise - not in the labs, but in the messy middle where governance, workflows, and risk collide.   Topics covered include: Why large-scale organisations need more than just great models - they need infrastructure How agents force a rethink of steerability, auditability, and control in AI systems The exploding attack surface of GenAI and why prompt injection should be on everyone's mind What “neuro-symbolic” means and why it matters Whether augmentation is just displacement in disguise - and what history tells us about it A discussion into the deep. Into workflows. Into sociology. Into the uncomfortable. Exploring, as usual.   Do you want to know more about Jason Stanley? Jason Stanley is Head of AI Research Deployment at ServiceNow, leading a team de-risking and finding product value in AI research. Previously he led the company's applied research team working on AI trust and governance.    In the past, he has led research and product teams in technology companies, was an invited expert on AI issues for OECD, served on the Partnership on AI's Expert Group on Human-AI Collaboration and worked on labor market policy for the Government of Canada.    He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from New York University and social science degrees from Oxford University and Williams College. 

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• Episode #71 | Michael Carroll | On the nature of agency, and the value of discomfort

  In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with retired tech executive and deep thinker Michael Carroll about the coming shift from automation to true agency. They explore what it means when AI no longer just supports decisions, but begins to reason with us - and sometimes, for us.   Highlights include: What agency really means - and why some AI projects miss the point The illusion of better decisions through more dashboards Why discomfort is essential for growth - and what’s lost when AI does the hard things for us How causal AI could change enterprise architecture from gatekeeping to guidance Whether AI isolates us from peer groups - or makes us more deeply understood It’s a conversation that asks more than it answers - which is exactly the point.   Do you want to know more about Mike Carroll? Mike Carroll grew up on a farm in Ohio, where work began at breakfast and was measured in sunrises, where results were earned with sore muscles and finished with calloused hands. That foundation instilled the discipline of process, respect for time-tested practices, and the belief that lasting value is built, not borrowed. Those lessons carried him from the fields into engineering and later into leadership, shaping a career grounded in both tradition and innovation.   From the mills of Mead’s pulp and paper operations to executive leadership at Georgia-Pacific, he drove transformation at scale by embedding innovation into the core of operations. As Deputy Chairman and CEO at Shepard LTD in the UK, he navigated global markets. At McTech Group, he forged growth with Walmart, Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Kroger. Today he serves as Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at Trek.AI, Research Fellow at LNS Research, and Board Advisor to the Industrial AI Nexus, working with the Chief Architects Network. Alongside these roles, he advises multiple AI startups, mentoring the next generation of leaders shaping the future of intelligence.   Across this journey, Carroll has been recognized as Visionary of the Year by Smart Industry and Innovator of the Year by the Association of Suppliers to the Paper Industry. A sought-after keynote speaker and columnist, he weaves real-world case studies with lyrical storytelling that challenge leaders with a simple question: “What must be true in one year, three years, a decade?” Whether advising boards, guiding innovation councils, or speaking to global audiences, he holds to one conviction,  the next industrial revolution will not be won by those who claim to have every answer, but by those willing to seek and bold enough to ask better questions.

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