Disconnected

Hosted by Jag Sharma

Technology Business Society CultureInterviews guestsExplicit

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Episodes

124

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-GB

About the show

Disconnected shines a light on the secrets and the impact that social media and technology is having on our society, culture, politics, human interactions, and behaviour. My name is Jag Sharma - and I’ve spent the last 12 years creating, developing and executing social media strategies for a number of global brands across a variety of industries, and have witnessed first-hand the impact that algorithms, behaviour modification, negative feedback loops, ad targeting, and mass data collection have had on shaping our world in a new direction. This podcast is all about making you aware - giving you the insight, a look behind the giant tech curtain - and allowing you to make your own fully-informed decisions on how you strategically play (or don’t play) their game. This is not about advocating for going dark or deleting your accounts, this is about looking under the hood and getting more informed about what’s really happening to us on a societal level as result of our tech driven lives. I’ll be producing a new episode regularly, so be sure to subscribe to receive a notification for a new release - you can also follow me on either Instagram (@jagsharma) or add me on LinkedIn, where I’ll be conducting debates and social experiments from the discussions within the episodes. I’d love for you to join the conversation and share your thoughts and opinions on how social media and technology is influencing our lives.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 7, 2026Episode 12246 min

Lost to Time: Which Tech Deserves a Revival in 2027? with Jason Kapadia, Matt Webster and Jag Sharma #122

What if progress gives us more convenience, but takes away what we used to love about technology? In a nostalgia-filled episode of Disconnected this week, we’re doing the opposite of Room 101, and reviving technology that we think deserves a place in today’s world. Jag, Matt and Jason look back at Blockbuster, removable phone batteries, LaserDiscs, SD card slots, and ask what it is that we truly miss about old tech. This episode of Disconnected covers: The trade-offs of technological progress Nostalgia, ritual and shared experiences Digital convenience versus physical ownership Repairability, storage and consumer control The role of sensory details in how we experience technology Matt Webster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwwebster/ Jason Kapadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkapadia/ https://www.instagram.com/jasonkapadia/ Jag Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagsharma https://www.instagram.com/jagsharma/ Jag Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagsharma https://www.instagram.com/jagsharma/ Jen Campbell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-m-campbell/ Jason Kapadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkapadia/ https://www.instagram.com/jasonkapadia/ Felina Tan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felinagabrielletan/ Matt Webster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwwebster/

September 23, 2026Episode 12151 min

Bioweapons, Biomarkers, and Bargaining with Cows: AI’s Impact on Biology with Jay Wang, Jen Campbell, Jason Kapadia, Jag Sharma and Matt Webster #121

AI isn’t just writing emails and generating pictures anymore - it’s starting to design the molecules that go into our bodies. In this special episode of Disconnected, we sit down with young scientist Jay Wang to explore how generative AI is helping create new proteins, accelerate drug discovery, and whether we should be concerned about bioweapon risks and health inequality. We also end the episode with a wonderfully weird look into the emerging world of AI that tries to open up two-way communications with whales, cows, and maybe even your dog. This episode of Disconnected covers: AI in Drug Discovery and Synthetic Biology The New Bottlenecks in Medicine Dual-Use and Biosecurity Risks Health Data, Inequality, and Surveillance Decoding Animal Communication with AI Jag Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagsharma https://www.instagram.com/jagsharma/ Jen Campbell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-m-campbell/ Jason Kapadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkapadia/ https://www.instagram.com/jasonkapadia/ Felina Tan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felinagabrielletan/ Matt Webster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwwebster/

September 9, 2026Episode 12053 min

Disconnected Room 101: Killing AI Slop, Pointless Apps, and Fake Notifications with Jason Kapadia, Jag Sharma and Jen Campbell #120

It’s time to reopen the doors to Disconnected’s Room 101, and this time, Jen Campbell is in the judge’s chair… AI customer service chatbots, AI-slop social posts, compulsory apps, cookie walls, and Captcha tests all go on trial in this special episode of the podcast. While Jen makes the final call, Jag and Jason offer up their picks for the tech that promised to make life smoother but instead buried us in friction, fake empathy, and notification spam. This episode of Disconnected covers: AI Slop and the Death of Having a Unique Voice Compulsory Digitisation and Unnecessary Apps Privacy Fatigue from Cookie Pop-Ups and Faux Consent Outdated Human-Proof Tests Like Captcha Jag Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagsharma https://www.instagram.com/jagsharma/ Jen Campbell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-m-campbell/ Jason Kapadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkapadia/ https://www.instagram.com/jasonkapadia/ Felina Tan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felinagabrielletan/ Matt Webster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwwebster/

August 26, 2026Episode 11953 min

Disconnected Room 101: QR Menus, Public Wi-Fi and the Bane of 2 Factor Authentication with Jen Campbell, Matt Webster and Jag Sharma #119

In a world where every ‘modern convenience’ is inconvenient, what technological advancements would you actually delete if you could? In this ‘Room 101’ edition of Disconnected, Jag puts Jen and Matt’s biggest everyday gripes on trial - from QR-only restaurant menus and broken public Wi‑Fi to two-factor authentication and self-service bag drop. Join us in the debate as to whether some creature comforts have become unavoidable nightmares, and deserve to be banished to the realm of abandoned, forgotten tech… This episode of Disconnected covers: How ‘modern convenience’ becomes digital friction Human interaction vs automation Security vs usability with Two Factor Authentication Digital inclusion and access to connectivity Jag Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagsharma https://www.instagram.com/jagsharma/ Jen Campbell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-m-campbell/ Jason Kapadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkapadia/ https://www.instagram.com/jasonkapadia/ Felina Tan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felinagabrielletan/ Matt Webster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwwebster/

August 5, 2026Episode 11851 min

‘Skynet Day’, AI Abundance and Why Social Feels Different Now with Jag Sharma, Jen Campbell, Jason Kapadia and Matt Webster #118

Social media posting is becoming psychologically expensive now - is the old internet we loved slowly wasting away? Your feed now looks more like TV programmed by an algorithm that doesn’t know you, but knows how to keep you watching. In this week’s Disconnected episode we cover the new social landscape, the companies quietly rehiring their ‘AI layoffs’, and whether the emerging age of AI superintelligence brings abundance, or an existential threat… This episode of Disconnected covers: Social media turning into entertainment media The psychological cost of posting and creator concentration The migration of “real social” into private spaces AI, employment, and the unreliable promise of automation Superintelligence, ‘Skynet Day’, and civilisation-level threats Jag Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagsharma https://www.instagram.com/jagsharma/ Jen Campbell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-m-campbell/ Jason Kapadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkapadia/ https://www.instagram.com/jasonkapadia/ Felina Tan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felinagabrielletan/ Matt Webster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwwebster/

July 22, 2026Episode 1171 hr 1 min

Fix Your Tech Neck, Roaming Humanoid Surgeons and Who Decides Your University? with Mel Palleschi, Jag Sharma and Matt Webster #117

Our phones are reshaping our bodies. Not just mentally, not just metaphorically… LITERALLY reshaping them. This week on Disconnected, special guest Mel Palleschi helps us dive into how tech is moving closer to us, ruining our necks and grip strength, choosing our university paths, and performing live surgery from across the globe. This episode of Disconnected covers: How tech is physically reshaping our bodies, and moving closer to them AI as a new gatekeeper in university choices Ethics and inequality in AI‑mediated education and healthcare Humanoid robots and the future of surgery Mel Palleschi https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpalleschi/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/hubbublabs/ Jag Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagsharma https://www.instagram.com/jagsharma/ Jen Campbell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-m-campbell/ Jason Kapadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkapadia/ https://www.instagram.com/jasonkapadia/ Felina Tan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felinagabrielletan/ Matt Webster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwwebster/

July 8, 2026Episode 1161 hr 6 min

Who Pays for the AI Boom? Data Centers, Democracy and Power with Blake Stone-Banks, Jag Sharma, Jason Kapadia and Matt Webster #116

AI is more than the software, more than the lines of code in Silicon Valley. It’s concrete, water, power lines and political deals reshaping small towns and entire industries. Returning to the show from episode 6, Blake Stone-Banks joins us to unpack who really benefits from the AI boom, and who quietly pays the price. Alongside Jag, Jason and Matt, we explore why China can build world-class products but still struggles to build brands people actually trust, and why AI might be turning “marketing” into a dirty word. This episode of Disconnected covers: AI’s Physical Footprint and Local Backlash Democracy, Transparency and the AI “Race” Narrative Money, Lobbying and Political Power in Tech China’s Innovation Strength vs. Global Brand Weakness Marketing’s Identity Crisis in the Age of AI Blake Stone-Banks https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-stone-banks/ Jag Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagsharma https://www.instagram.com/jagsharma/ Jen Campbell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-m-campbell/ Jason Kapadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkapadia/ https://www.instagram.com/jasonkapadia/ Felina Tan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felinagabrielletan/ Matt Webster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwwebster/

June 24, 2026Episode 1151 hr 1 min

The Essential Survival Guide for the Great AI Reshuffle with Sangeet Paul Choudary, Jason Kapadia, Jen Campbell and Jag Sharma #115

The world is being reshuffled. When the dust settles, who will be left behind? This very special episode of Disconnected features the oracle of tomorrow’s world, author and strategist Sangeet Paul Choudary, to unpack why AI isn’t just automating tasks but rearranging the entire economy. What happens when knowledge work becomes abundant? Why is “will AI take my job” the wrong question? What does a resilient, entrepreneurial career look like in the age of AI? Sangeet gives us clarity in the chaos - you don’t want to miss this glimpse into the future… This episode of Disconnected covers: AI as a Coordination Layer, Not Just Intelligence Unbundling of Jobs and the Automation/Augmentation Trap From Knowledge Scarcity to Knowledge Abundance (and New Scarcity) Entrepreneurial Careers in an Uncertain Economy Reshuffling Industries and Value Chains Sangeet Paul Choudary https://www.linkedin.com/in/sangeetpaul/ Reshuffle https://reshufflebook.com/ Jag Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagsharma https://www.instagram.com/jagsharma/ Jen Campbell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-m-campbell/ Jason Kapadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkapadia/ https://www.instagram.com/jasonkapadia/ Felina Tan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felinagabrielletan/ Matt Webster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwwebster/

June 10, 2026Episode 11455 min

IKEA’s $1.4bn AI Experiment & The Cost of Avoiding Accountability with Jag Sharma, Jen Campbell, Jason Kapadia and Matt Webster #114

IKEA uses an AI chatbot to automate nearly half of its customer service inquiries - you’d expect that to mean layoffs… not promotions. They’ve retrained 8,500 workers into higher‑value roles instead of cutting headcount. Could this become the new blueprint in a society scared for our livelihoods? Jag, Jen, Jason and Matt dive into this on Disconnected this week, where we also tackle Meta’s accountability issues (and the monumental cost of avoiding it), plus the widespread community pushback on data centres. This episode of Disconnected covers: Human‑First AI vs Headcount Cuts Leadership Choices as the Real AI Variable Accountability, Social Media, and Youth Mental Health The Physical Backlash to an Invisible Technology Trust as AI’s Next Bottleneck Jag Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagsharma https://www.instagram.com/jagsharma/ Jen Campbell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-m-campbell/ Jason Kapadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkapadia/ https://www.instagram.com/jasonkapadia/ Felina Tan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felinagabrielletan/ Matt Webster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwwebster/

May 27, 2026Episode 1131 hr 2 min

Terminators are REAL, Your Car is Spying on You & Google Goes Ambient with Jason Kapadia, Matt Webster and Jag Sharma #113

Cars, glasses, maps, even humanoid cops – the tools around us are quietly turning into an environment that watches, profiles, and nudges us. In this week’s Disconnected we trace a shift in the world which no longer serves you, but spies on your every move. From Google’s ambient AI and car-cam reconnaissance to China’s combat-ready robots, what’s really left of privacy, agency, and work when the machines are an irreversible part of our infrastructure? This episode of Disconnected covers: Cars becoming lucrative data-farming platforms Surveillance normalised through convenience and small print AI shifting from a tool to an ambient layer of everyday life Embodied AI and humanoid robots entering the public realm Jag Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jagsharma https://www.instagram.com/jagsharma/ Jen Campbell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-m-campbell/ Jason Kapadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonkapadia/ https://www.instagram.com/jasonkapadia/ Felina Tan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felinagabrielletan/ Matt Webster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwwebster/