Henry Nash: Forget hyped-up AI. We must now focus on real value and ROI

I had the pleasure of catching up with the veteran, serial deeptech entrepreneur, mentor and author Henry Nash to discuss various aspects of AI, the current hype, its impact on society, and its true value.

Henry, who began his entrepreneurial journey in 1986, has worked on a range of tech startups, including Insignia Solutions and Transitive. He is currently involved in leading IBM’s startup programs that support companies scaling through the IBM ecosystem.

He emphasised the importance of maintaining a focus on practical applications of AI, highlighting the significant difference between AI models working in a controlled experimental environment and functioning effectively in the real world.

Henry’s key argument is that practical AI applications that deliver a return on investment (ROI) should be the focus, rather than the hype and speculation often associated with the technology. We discussed how innovators, entrepreneurs, and businesses should think critically about the potential benefits and challenges of AI, and prioritise solutions that offer tangible, measurable benefits.

Nash also touched on the topic of quantum computing, through his work with IBM, which he believes is a fundamental change in the computing infrastructure. He predicts that quantum computing will become a core area of investment and development. However, he also cautioned about the potential security risks posed by quantum computing, as it could potentially decrypt any existing security codes.

There is so much more we have discussed. Join the conversation now and discover what it takes to successfully deploy AI models and become a successful tech entrepreneur.

* This conversation was recorded in 2024, before I decided to launch the podcast. Yet the talking points are so relevant to today’s hype-driven AI world that I felt the episode needed to be revived and included in the CEOR debates. It also demonstrates the reality that AI has not really changed much. It’s my counterparts behind the technology who keep on moving the goalposts.

Thumbnail image of persons generated with Grok AI.