The IT Crowd Podcast

Hosted by Upright Digital

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Latest episode

May 2026

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About the show

Welcome to The IT Crowd Podcast, your go-to resource for industry news, IT consulting, cybersecurity, telecommunications, backup and recovery systems, and management and business consulting - all in one place. With an unmatched reach from top to bottom, our podcast connects business owners from leaders of highly notable corporations and tech entrepreneurs, to start-ups looking to build their network. Join us for expert insights and discussions across multiple industries, empowering you to make strategic IT decisions and drive your business forward.

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39 recent

May 31, 202637 min

#38. Trust, AI, and Digital Operations

Live from the opening day of the 2026 Baker Hughes Annual Meeting in Florence, Josh Lowrey and Richard Rodriguez sit down with Laura Van Beers and Aravind Yarlagadda to unpack Baker Hughes’ “Energy Equation” and the real challenges behind scaling digital in industrial operations.From the shift toward problem-driven solutions to the role of AI in modern operations, this conversation explores how companies are building trust in digital systems, while keeping humans firmly in the loop.00:00 Live From Florence00:29 Show Energy And Passion01:19 Meet Laura And Aravind06:24 IT Meets OT08:50 From Products To Problems12:16 Services And Domain Context14:16 Human In The Loop18:24 Bridging Generational Change19:34 Training and Change20:01 Integration Without Tool Sprawl21:05 Two Product Paths23:17 Breaking Data Silos25:14 Contextualizing Asset Data27:29 Innovation With Safety29:07 Hype Versus Reality31:32 Experimenting With New Tech33:47 Scaling IT Into OT36:33 Trust and Closing Thoughts

May 12, 20261 hr 12 min

#37. AI Hype vs. Execution, Data Governance & Cyber Resilience

AI is not the advantage anymore; execution is.From Upright Digital Media Studios in Houston, hosts Josh Lowrey and Richard Rodriguez welcome back Robby Gulri, Head of Advanced Technologies at Intelisys.The conversation explores the gap between AI hype and real execution—highlighting why successful AI strategies start with strong data governance, clear business outcomes, and cyber resilience.Gulri also breaks down practical AI use cases, rising cybersecurity risks, and why companies must shift from selling products to delivering solutions.00:00 Podcast Kickoff01:18 Meet Today’s Guest03:51 Robbie’s Origin Story04:51 Career Path and Role07:09 Entrepreneur Roots11:03 Why AI Is Mostly Hype14:05 AI Governance and Guardrails19:49 Consumer Expectations and CX22:31 Real World AI Examples24:49 Three AI Use Case Buckets30:09 How LLMs Actually Work31:54 AI Slop and Hallucinations34:03 AI Email War Story36:45 Energy and Social Costs38:25 Security Implications Ahead38:46 Phishing Gets Personal39:30 AI Powered Cybercrime Markets41:53 Zero Trust In Real Life43:53 Security ROI For CEOs46:55 SMBs Under Constant Attack49:01 Cyber Resilience Mindset Shift51:33 Cloud Shared Responsibility Reality54:57 CIO Evolution And Misalignment59:55 Is AI Really IT01:01:41 FinOps Ownership Debate01:04:55 Writing The SKU To Solution Book01:10:06 Wrap Up And Where To Connect

April 14, 202644 min

#36. Brian Uhlmer on Power Systems for Data Center Demand

Can today’s power systems handle data center volatility?From the Thrive Energy Conference, The IT Crowd Podcast hosts Josh Lowrey and Richard Rodriguez sit down with Brian Uhlmer, CEO at EKU Power Drives, to break down what it really takes to manage extreme, real-time power demand.They dive into OEM-agnostic controls, mixed-asset integration, and why flexibility—not standardization—is becoming the key advantage in power-as-a-service.00:00 Welcome From Vegas00:33 Why Piper Sandler Matters00:52 Meet Brian Olmer02:45 Brian’s Career Journey06:56 What EKU Builds07:32 Data Centers Need Control11:15 OEM Agnostic Power Mixing12:55 Genesys and Maximus Stack14:13 Integration Timelines16:01 Controls as Growth Bottleneck18:16 AI Demand Debate20:01 AI Adoption Stories24:39 Cybersecurity and Data Flow26:03 Cybersecure Power Controls26:51 Nuisance Trips Explained27:12 Uptime Penalties Reality28:47 Droop Logic And Sync30:01 Why Grid Falls Short32:26 Beyond Data Centers33:30 Conference Target Customers35:12 Founder Owned Funding37:47 Standardizing Gen Sets41:19 How To Find EKU41:48 Stuttgart Speed Record Story43:36 Wrap Up And CNBC Call

April 7, 202634 min

#35. What Really Drives Energy Value? with Jim Gordon and Phil Lavis

What actually drives asset value in today’s energy market?Live from Thrive Energy Conference, The IT Crowd Podcast hosts Josh Lowrey and Richard Rodriguez sit down with Jim Gordon, Managing Director at Macquarie Group, and Phil Lavis to break down how capital really gets deployed—from asset-backed financing to operating leases.They cover how tech, data, and cybersecurity are reshaping risk, plus the impact of rising data center demand and early AI use in asset valuation.00:00 Live From Thrive01:10 Meet The Guests01:52 Macquarie And Roles03:12 Phil’s Background04:07 What Macquarie Does05:14 Financing Oilfield Gear05:55 Jim’s Career Path08:02 Valuing Tech Shifts09:09 Asset Value Framework11:04 Obsolescence And Cyber Risk14:21 Deal Fit And Underwriting15:32 Data Centers And GPUs16:58 Why Macquarie Wins17:22 Why Clients Choose Us19:11 Happy Hour Sponsor Break19:36 Operating Lease Explained21:12 Residual Value Edge22:29 Global Mining Remarketing23:57 Tech Shifts In Equipment27:19 AI In Asset Valuation29:10 Our Real Value Proposition31:48 Wrap Up And Thanks

March 31, 202642 min

#34. What’s Actually Holding AI Back in Energy? | Dennis Jol

AI is booming, but energy might be its biggest bottleneck.Live from the Daniel Energy Partners Thrive Energy Conference, hosts Josh Lowrey and Richard Rodriguez sit down with Dennis Jol, CEO of AIQ, to unpack what’s really slowing AI adoption, and why the answer is not what most think.From its roots with ADNOC and G42, to real deployments across the field, Jol reveals what’s working, what’s not, and where the biggest opportunity is being missed.00:00 Live From Thrive00:54 Studio Setup Story02:00 Meet Dennis Jol02:54 What Is AIQ04:26 Dennis Career Path06:01 AI for Energy08:15 Data Sharing Gap10:01 Breaking US Mindsets13:25 US Market Reception15:33 Scaling Beyond Pilots18:10 UAE Moves Fast19:41 Proven AI Products22:06 How AIQ Builds Fast23:56 Where To Learn More24:28 Frac Roots And Margins25:11 Productizing AI Use Cases25:56 AI Commoditization And Energy26:43 Data Centers As Refineries27:19 Build Buy Or Keep IP29:28 Transferable Tech And Focus31:48 AI For All Themes33:53 Curating Real AI Companies35:23 Abu Dhabi Momentum36:53 How To Connect And APEC40:03 Donut Detour And Wrap Up41:06 Final Thanks And Sign Off

March 10, 202649 min

#33. Jim Brady: How AI Is Transforming Oilfield Operations

AI in the oilfield sounds powerful, but can the industry trust it?Recorded at the 2026 Baker Hughes Annual Meeting in Florence, IT Crowd Podcast hosts Josh Lowrey and Richard Rodriguez sit down with Jim “James” Brady, Chief Digital Officer for Baker Hughes’ Oilfield Services & Equipment segment.Brady explains how digitalization is moving the industry from siloed data to collaborative, recommendation-driven decisions, and why trust, transparency, and domain expertise are essential to scale AI in energy.They also discuss tools like Lucida, optimizing production under real-world constraints, and how AI can act as a human capital extender in an industry facing talent shortages.00:00 Live From Florence01:33 Meet Jim Brady03:37 Digital As Language06:32 Breaking Data Silos09:43 From Data To Recommendations12:29 Efficiency And Transition14:44 Trust And Pilots17:36 Scaling Beyond Proof20:18 Regional Adoption Differences24:48 AI as Career Extender26:32 Oil and Gas AI History27:16 GenAI Unlocks Data30:15 Measured AI Adoption33:34 Hybrid Physics Plus AI35:06 Reskilling and Code Gen38:42 Avoiding Shiny Tech43:11 Bold Energy Prediction45:42 Conference Takeaways46:40 AI for Safety Gains49:04 Final Wrap and Thanks

December 16, 2025Episode 3231 min

#32. AI & the Future of Drilling with William Fox

Live from the Daniel Energy Partners BBQ in Midland, hosts Josh Lowrey and Richard Rodriguez sit down with William Fox, General Manager of Drilling at Cova, to discuss how AI and automation are reshaping the oil and gas industry. From predictive drilling to generative programs, get a sneak peek at the innovations driving efficiency, safety, and what’s coming next over the next 24 months. Tune in now!00:00 Welcome to the IT Crowd Podcast00:07 Setting the Scene: Annual Energy Partners Barbecue00:34 Event Overview and Audience Engagement01:15 Introducing Richard Rodriguez02:29 Special Guest: William Fox from Cova04:00 Technological Innovations in Oil and Gas04:49 Challenges and Opportunities in Digital Adoption07:50 Generative AI and Machine Learning in Action14:13 Success Stories and Future Prospects16:30 The Value of Automation and Efficiency17:10 Stuck Pipe Prediction Models18:35 Customer Success and Market Growth19:53 Adoption of AI and Machine Learning21:10 Tailored Solutions for Clients24:54 Future Tech Roadmap29:31 Community and Networking at the Barbecue31:27 Closing Remarks and Social Media

December 9, 202536 min

#31. Revolutionizing Oil & Gas: GeoForce's Journey at the Permian Basin BBQ

How is AI reshaping asset tracking in oil & gas?Join hosts Josh Lowery and Richard Rodriguez live from the Permian Basin BBQ as they sit down with Roopa Misra, SVP of Account Management at GeoForce. In this short but insightful conversation, they explore GeoForce’s journey from early energy trading to today’s AI-powered tracking, and what this evolution means for safety, efficiency, and the future of the industry.Tune in NOW!00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:36 Event Overview and Guest Introduction02:43 Guest Background and Career Journey04:54 Technological Advancements in Oil and Gas10:47 Safety Innovations and Product Development15:07 Data Utilization and Asset Management20:09 Introduction to Powered Asset Class20:27 Importance of Maintenance and Alerts21:22 Role of AI in Predictive Maintenance22:18 Advancements in AI and Technology25:39 Customer Feedback and Integration33:31 Global Presence and Commitment36:19 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

October 29, 202525 min

#30. Solution Stack | Digital Evolution with Jay Slaughter: AI, Insurance, and the Future of Business

What makes someone walk away from a successful corporate career to start over?That’s exactly what Jay Slaughter did. Once the CIO at Tokio Marine, Jay decided to trade boardrooms for building his own insurance agency, and the story behind that decision is full of lessons about courage, innovation, and purpose.In this episode of Solution Stack, host Richard Rodriguez sits down with Jay to talk about how technology has evolved, the real impact of AI on business, and what digital modernization looks like from someone who’s lived on both sides, corporate and entrepreneurial.They unpack the risks, the rewards, and the human side of adopting new tech and how following your gut can sometimes be the smartest business decision you’ll ever make.00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:40 Guest Introduction: Jay Slaughter01:27 Technology and Modernization in Insurance02:32 AI and Risk Management03:53 Challenges in Modernization08:02 Jay's Career Transition10:11 Starting a New Business: Slaughter Family Insurance11:54 The Importance of Proper Insurance Coverage19:54 Leveraging Technology in Insurance23:15 Conclusion and Contact Information

October 14, 202530 min

#29. Solution Stack | From SIP to AI: How IntelePeer Is Powering the Future of Automation

Discover how IntelePeer is reshaping the future of intelligent automation In this episode of The Solution Stack, host Richard Rodriguez talks with Aqeel Shahid, SVP of Channel Sales at IntelePeer, about the company’s evolution from SIP to AI and automation, its partnerships with OpenAI and Azure, and the importance of data privacy. They also share practical steps to start an AI journey, key timelines, and real-world use cases across industries.Tune in now!00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:20 Overview of IntelliPeer01:13 AI and Automation Solutions03:00 Privacy and Compliance Measures05:38 Starting the AI Journey11:50 Implementation and Change Management15:57 Industry Use Cases and Success Stories23:50 Customer Support and Sentiment Analysis30:02 Conclusion and Contact Information