At a London panel I moderated with Simplito’s Kasia and Mirek, we explored the growing challenge of building AI that is sovereign, private and properly controlled.

For this episode of Futurise, I continued that conversation with Błażej, CTO of Simplito, going deeper into one of the biggest questions facing enterprise AI:

How much autonomy should we actually give an AI agent?

As agents gain access to enterprise data, systems and processes, privacy and security become fundamentally different problems. It is no longer enough to control the model or protect the data — organisations need to control what the agent can access, what it can do and what happens when it acts.

Błażej takes a deliberately challenging position: he doesn't believe fully autonomous agents have a place inside highly secure enterprise environments.

That opens up a fascinating discussion about the AI harness, privacy-by-design, sovereign infrastructure, permissions, governance and risk management — and whether the future of enterprise agentic AI is actually about controlled agency rather than autonomy.

For European organisations, the EU AI Act adds another layer of complexity, requiring careful consideration of risk, human oversight, monitoring and accountability for relevant high-risk systems.

But there is an interesting twist: the very controls that can make European AI adoption more considered are attracting interest from US organisations too. Rather than seeing European privacy and governance requirements simply as constraints, some US organisations are looking to the European approach as a way of building AI that is safer, more controlled and more trustworthy.

A conversation about privacy, sovereignty and where we draw the line between AI that can assist, AI that can act, and AI that should never be allowed to act alone.

Quantum Computing Meets Agentic AI: Opportunity, Hype and “Woo Woo Quantum Consciousness”

What happens when quantum computing meets agentic AI? Could autonomous AI agents help accelerate quantum research and unlock the potential of quantum technology? And is quantum computing about to transform the future of artificial intelligence?

In this episode of Futurise, Rob is joined by Lori, co-founder of The Quantum Links Group, based out of Seattle, USA, to explore the emerging relationship between quantum computing, agentic AI, autonomous agents and quantum consciousness. From serious scientific and commercial possibilities to the more speculative world of “woo woo quantum consciousness”, the conversation examines where genuine opportunity ends and hype begins.

Quantum computing promises extraordinary processing power for highly complex problems, but practical, scalable applications remain limited. Agentic AI, meanwhile, is already moving from experimentation into real-world deployment — with autonomous AI agents capable of reasoning, planning, collaborating and completing complex tasks.

The discussion explores an important asymmetry: agentic AI may be able to help quantum computing progress more quickly, make quantum systems easier to use and accelerate the path towards practical applications. But quantum computing is unlikely to add significant value to mainstream agentic AI in the near future.

So, is the future quantum-powered AI — or will AI agents be the technology that helps quantum finally deliver on its promise?

A thought-provoking conversation about quantum technology, agentic AI, autonomous systems, emerging technology, scientific innovation and the reality behind the hype.

AI is creating new opportunities for estate agencies—but knowing where to start is often the hardest part.

In this episode of Futurise – AI for Business, Rob Price sits down with one of the early team behind Zoopla, Mal McCallion, who is now travelling the UK speaking with estate agencies about practical AI adoption.

The conversation goes beyond the hype to explore how AI is changing the day-to-day reality of running an estate agency. From generating property listings and managing enquiries to streamlining operations, improving customer experience and supporting negotiators, this episode focuses on the opportunities available today—not in five years' time.

They discuss why many SME businesses are still struggling to move beyond experimentation, what skills leaders need to develop, and how estate agencies can build confidence in adopting AI while preserving the trusted relationships that remain at the heart of the industry.

Whether you're an estate agency owner, branch manager, property professional or SME leader looking for practical lessons on AI adoption, this episode offers real-world insights you can apply immediately.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Where AI is delivering practical value in estate agencies today
• Why many SMEs remain stuck at the experimentation stage
• How AI is augmenting the work of estate agents, not simply replacing it
• The skills businesses need to make AI adoption successful
• Practical ways to improve productivity and customer experience
• What the next generation of AI-enabled estate agencies could look like

If you're responsible for leading an SME through AI adoption, this episode provides practical insights from someone working directly with estate agencies across the UK.

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