The Digital Lighthouse

Author: Softwire

The Digital Lighthouse is a podcast for CTOs and other tech leaders looking to navigate their organization through endless disruption and turbulence. Packed full of real life stories and insights, this podcast serves as your guiding light - wherever you are in your journey and whatever challenges you face.
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Language: en

Genres: Technology

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Why AI is like a highly motivated intern
Episode 16
Tuesday, 24 March, 2026

Host Zoe Cunningham speaks with Steve Burrows, a global product delivery and technology leader with more than 20 years of experience delivering digital platforms and transformation programmes across industries. Zoe and Steve explore how organisations can actually capture value from AI in complex environments. While excitement around generative AI is high, many initiatives struggle because they begin with the technology rather than the problem. Drawing on his experience across consulting, product development, and delivery, Steve explains why the most successful AI implementations start by understanding users and mapping workflows. Instead of replacing people, AI works best when it removes repetitive work and allows humans to focus on judgment, creativity, and decision-making. He also shares a practical way to think about AI: treat it like a highly motivated intern. Useful for many tasks, but still requiring oversight, guardrails, and human judgment. Why successful AI adoption starts with the problem, not the technology Why many AI initiatives fail due to unrealistic expectations How to identify the right workflows for AI automation Why AI works best when it removes repetitive work but keeps humans in control Why treating AI like a highly motivated intern is a useful mindset Why agile delivery is essential when working with rapidly evolving technology