How close are we to the moment when quantum computing moves from scientific curiosity to real-world infrastructure? In today's episode of Tech Talks Daily, I speak with Christian Weedbrook, Founder and CEO of Xanadu, a company pushing the boundaries of what quantum computers might soon achieve.

Xanadu has taken an unconventional route in the race to build practical quantum systems. Instead of relying on electronic approaches used by many others in the field, the company builds quantum computers using photonics, effectively computing with particles of light. Christian explains why this matters and how working with photons could unlock advantages in energy efficiency, scalability, and networking as quantum machines grow into large data center–scale systems.

The conversation also arrives at a fascinating moment for the company. Xanadu has announced plans to go public through a SPAC deal that values the company at around $3.1 billion. Christian shares what that milestone means, not only for Xanadu but for the broader quantum ecosystem. According to him, the excitement surrounding quantum computing is no longer limited to research labs. Governments, enterprise partners, and investors are increasingly paying attention as the technology edges closer to commercial relevance.

One of the most engaging parts of our conversation is Christian's own journey into the world of quantum physics. Before earning a PhD in photonic quantum computing, he began as a film student who admits he once dreamed of becoming a filmmaker. That winding path eventually led him into physics and entrepreneurship, where he founded Xanadu in 2016 with a mission to make quantum computers useful and accessible to everyone.

We also discuss PennyLane, the open-source quantum programming framework developed by Xanadu that has quietly become one of the most widely used tools in the quantum developer community. Now taught in universities across more than 30 countries, PennyLane plays an important role in building the next generation of quantum talent.

Christian also shares a realistic timeline for where the industry stands today. Quantum computers already exist, but they remain smaller than what is needed for commercial breakthroughs. Xanadu's roadmap points toward large-scale quantum data centers by the end of the decade, systems capable of tackling problems in drug discovery, materials science, logistics, and finance that traditional computers struggle to simulate.

For enterprise leaders listening today, the message is clear. The quantum future is closer than many people assume, and organizations that begin exploring use cases now will be far better prepared when these systems mature.

So how should businesses prepare for a computing paradigm based on the mathematics of quantum physics rather than traditional software logic? And what lessons can founders learn from a journey that began with filmmaking ambitions and led to building one of the most ambitious quantum companies in the world? Let's find out together.

How should businesses rethink infrastructure when applications, data, and users are increasingly spread across thousands of locations?

In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with Mark Cree, President and Chief Operating Officer at Scale Computing, to talk about why the future of enterprise infrastructure is moving closer to where data is actually created.

This conversation was recorded following the 66th edition of The IT Press Tour, where some of the most interesting conversations in enterprise infrastructure centered on what happens when businesses move away from oversized, monolithic stacks and start focusing on practical, distributed solutions. From retail stores and airports to remote industrial sites, the edge is becoming a critical part of modern IT strategy.

Mark shares how Scale Computing has spent years building an edge-first platform designed to run critical workloads reliably across everything from a single location to tens of thousands of distributed sites.

Mark also reflects on his own journey through the technology industry, which includes founding companies acquired by Cisco and NetApp, working as a venture capitalist, and leading major storage initiatives at AWS. That experience gives him a unique perspective on how enterprise infrastructure has evolved, particularly as organizations reconsider the balance between centralized cloud environments and local processing closer to users and devices.

During our conversation, we explore why edge computing is becoming increasingly important for AI workloads, especially when large volumes of data are generated outside traditional data centers. Mark explains how processing information locally can reduce costs, improve performance, and enable entirely new use cases, from monitoring customer behavior in retail environments to running intelligent systems in remote locations.

We also talk about the ongoing reassessment happening across enterprise IT teams following major industry shifts, including changes in the virtualization market and growing concerns around vendor lock-in. Mark explains how Scale Computing is positioning itself as a flexible alternative by combining virtualization, containerization, networking, and security into a platform designed specifically for distributed environments.

Looking ahead, Mark shares his perspective on where enterprise infrastructure is heading over the next five years. As smaller AI models become more capable and organizations seek greater control over their data and systems, the role of edge platforms may become even more important.

Instead of relying solely on massive centralized environments, companies may find new value in distributing intelligence closer to the places where real-world activity happens.

So as organizations rethink how they deploy applications, manage data, and control infrastructure, is the next big shift in enterprise IT happening right at the edge? And how prepared is your organization for that change?

How can companies invest heavily in AI and still struggle to see meaningful returns?

In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with Thomas Scott, CEO of Wrike, to unpack a growing tension many organizations are facing right now.

Artificial intelligence adoption is accelerating rapidly across the workplace, yet the structures needed to support it are struggling to keep pace. Wrike's latest research into the "Age of Connected Intelligence" reveals that more than 80 percent of employees are already using AI at work. Yet fewer than half have received any formal training, guidance, or governance around how these tools should be used.

That gap between enthusiasm and enablement is creating a new workplace phenomenon that many leaders are only just beginning to notice.

Shadow AI. When employees cannot find approved tools that solve their problems quickly, they often turn to unapproved applications or personal accounts instead. Wrike's data shows that 42 percent of workers admit they have already done this. For organizations handling sensitive data, intellectual property, or regulated information, that trend raises serious questions about security, compliance, and trust.

Thomas explains why this pattern is not surprising. Whenever a new technology emerges, the builders and experimenters move first. They explore possibilities, test new tools, and discover productivity gains long before formal policies or training frameworks arrive. The challenge for leadership teams is learning how to harness that momentum without letting experimentation turn into fragmentation.

We also explore one of the most overlooked barriers to AI return on investment. Integration. Many employees are now juggling multiple AI tools every week, yet those systems rarely communicate with one another or connect deeply into the core business platforms where real work happens. As a result, context gets lost, workflows become fragmented, and organizations end up running expensive pilots that never scale into meaningful transformation.

Thomas introduces the idea of connected intelligence as a possible solution. Instead of deploying AI tools in isolation, companies need systems that understand context across projects, teams, and workflows. When AI can access structured data, shared history, and operational context, it becomes far more capable of supporting real decision making rather than simply generating isolated outputs.

Our conversation also explores how leaders can move beyond scattered experimentation and start building structured AI adoption across their organizations.

Thomas argues that the most successful companies start with highly specific problems, empower small groups of motivated builders, and maintain strong executive involvement throughout the process. AI transformation is rarely driven by technology alone. It requires people, process, and leadership alignment working together.

So if your organization has already deployed AI tools but still struggles to see real impact, perhaps the question is not whether you are using AI. The real question might be whether those tools are truly connected to the work your teams are trying to do every day.