Chet Kapoor, Chairman and CEO of Datastax, is all in on GenAI, aka Generative Artificial Intelligence. When ChatGPT burst into public consciousness in November 2022, Chet pivoted his team and the company to seize a leadership position in the fifth major technology wave of his 30+ year technology career.

Data at scale, vectorizing databases, and an open-source ethos are just a few ingredients necessary to enable developers to build and deliver the next revolution of GenAI native, and GenAI infused applications. This opportunity goes beyond merely saving money and increasing efficiency by a few points; to fundamentally reinventing processes, business models, and daily life assisted by human-like agents specifically designed around the context of our individual preferences, productivity, and priorities.

Please join me in welcoming Chet Kapoor to the Work 20XX podcast.

From RAG to LLMs, SLMs to hallucinations, and the exponential curves that will provide each of us with our own personal agents running locally, tuned to various processes, GenAI apps promise to change everything. From managing personal email to the marketing department, to our personal social calendars, these technologies will be based on the context and relevance of what matters most to each of us. The implications are broad and Chet and I discussed a number of important topics, from regulation and governance, developer tools, to the ramifications of 24/7 speech access to a supercomputer running apps tailored to our preferences. Exciting, scary, brave new world? Yes, yes, and yes.

What can we learn from the four most recent technology epochs (client-server, web, mobile, cloud), and what makes this GenAI chapter so unique?

Join me in this conversation with someone who has lived through prior transformations and has strong opinions on how this next chapter will unfold. Chet’s eyes still sparkle, the data-centric, open-source excitement burns as brightly as when he first picked up *The Little Kingdom: The Private Story of Apple Computer* by Michael Moritz in 1984, knowing then that he had to be part of this technology-powered transformation.

YouTube - Click Here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcvLOREN5IE&list=PLZURvMqWbYjmmJlwGj0L0jWbWdCej1Jlt&ab_channel=TurntheLenswithJeffFrick

Transcript and Show Notes - Click Here

https://www.work20xx.com/episode/chet-kapoor-genai-my-agent-human-like-reinvention-work-20xx-ep32

Julie Whelan and the CBRE research team delivered the updated 2024 edition of the US Office Occupier Sentiment Survey. This marks the third consecutive year we’ve had Julie on to share the findings and some of the insights behind the numbers.

For the first time since Covid, according to Julie, the survey feels somewhat ‘normal,’ reflecting a significant shift in sentiment regarding organizations ‘shedding’ space. While the past few years focused on downsizing and adapting to hybrid work models, companies are now reaching a "steady state" where office space utilization is stabilizing, and some organizations are even considering expanding their space.

Please join me in welcoming Julie Whelan back to Work 20XX.

We covered a range of topics, including the difference between measuring efficiency vs. effectiveness. We reviewed the latest on technology investments, from video conferencing and space scheduling to occupancy sensors and more. We also explored some innovative ways companies are using flexible and shared spaces to accommodate peak days when most employees are in the office, while still maintaining ‘vibrancy’ on days with fewer people present.

With New York’s Local Law 97 coming into play, we discussed the role of sustainability, net-zero goals, office conversions, and the capital markets adjustments that will reset a number of properties that no longer meet today’s standards.

These topics and more make for another highly engaging conversation with Julie, who has her finger on the pulse of the office market from a national perspective.

YouTube - Click Here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2khvxe9CcQY&list=PLZURvMqWbYjmmJlwGj0L0jWbWdCej1Jlt&ab_channel=TurntheLenswithJeffFrick

Transcript and Show Notes - Click Here
https://www.work20xx.com/episode/julie-whelan-v3-sentiment-shift-location-vibrancy-work-20xx-ep31

Evan Benway, a musician and the child of musicians, has been immersed in the creation and study of music since his earliest days. Through his deep appreciation for the evocative power and joy of sound, Evan understands how profoundly music can affect mood and emotions. However, in his professional journey, he discovered a stark contrast: sound is often considered a major distraction in traditional knowledge worker environments, especially in open floor plans filled with sound-reflecting materials like concrete and glass. Even in the most cutting-edge offices, unmanaged noise—particularly from people talking—can overwhelm other positive design elements. Evan experienced this firsthand and was struck by how unproductive such environments could be due to a poorly managed soundscape.

Traditional methods of sound management—absorbing, blocking, and covering, known as the ABCs of acoustics—are increasingly inadequate in modern office designs where sound sensitivity is high, and conventional solutions like carpets and acoustic tiles are less practical.

There had to be a better way.

Join me in welcoming Evan Benway to Work 20XX.

Evan founded Moodsonic to transform sound from a negative element into a positive force that enhances productivity, mood, and well-being. Moodsonic uses science-backed, biophilic sounds to create contextually relevant, dynamically generated soundscapes (with no loops) for built environments. Starting with offices and expanding into healthcare and educational markets, Moodsonic's approach brings the power of nature-inspired sound into these spaces.

Evan and his team are pioneering the use of dynamic soundscapes to improve people's experiences in built environments, leveraging the deep-seated biological impact of sound on attention, health, productivity, and well-being. At the same time, they carefully design these soundscapes to avoid the many pitfalls that poorly designed audio environments can bring.

In this episode of Work 20XX, we dive into the details, science, methods, and results of creating intentional soundscape designs that work in harmony with visual and other design elements to create better workplace experiences.

YouTube - Click Here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OqytQDMf80&list=PLZURvMqWbYjmmJlwGj0L0jWbWdCej1Jlt&index=1

Eposide page with transcript and show notes - Click Here
https://www.work20xx.com/episode/evan-benway-dynamic-sound-positive-well-being-work-20xx-ep30