NOW Ep118: AI | From hype cycle to hard choices
21 January 2026

NOW Ep118: AI | From hype cycle to hard choices

Investec

About
AI has moved beyond experimentation. It now sits at the centre of decision-making. At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, the conversation is clear - how can leaders use AI to drive growth, manage risk and reshape work.



In episode 2 of our Davos Debrief series, Jeremy Maggs speaks to Lyndon Subroyen, Investec’s Global Head of Digital & Technology, on why AI is a platform shift, not a passing trend, and what that means for strategy, talent and long-term competitiveness.



Key podcast moments:

00:00: Introduction

01:30: Inside Davos: the spirit of dialogue

02:10: AI’s economic promise and the platform shift

03:05: Balancing AI opportunity and disruption

04:22: Innovating fast without crashing: managing AI risk

05:12: From builders to users: how AI diffuses into society

06:06: Investing in people for an AI-augmented economy

07:16: The skills that matter most in an AI world

08:17: Keeping humans in step with rapid technological change

09:23: Rethinking operating models for the future of work

11:44: Cybersecurity, geopolitics and the dark side of innovation

12:58: Governance, ethics and guardrails for AI at scale

14:01: AI as a growth engine for the global economy

15:11: Sector winners and the universal impact of AI

15:36: Emerging markets and the opportunity to leapfrog

17:04: The one question leaders must ask after Davos



Read more on www.investec.com/now



Hosted by seasoned broadcaster, Jeremy Maggs, the No Ordinary Wednesday podcast unpacks the latest economic, business, and political news in South Africa, with an all-star cast of investment and wealth managers, economists and financial planners from Investec. Listen in every second Wednesday for an in-depth look at what's moving markets, shaping the economy, and changing the game for your wallet and your business. Investec Focus Radio SA