Techstrong Gang
Techstrong Gang is your go-to weekday show on Techstrong TV and your favorite podcast platform, bringing together a rotating lineup of top thought leaders and technologists to break down the biggest stories and trends shaping the tech world. Hosted by industry veterans Alan Shimel, Mike Vizard, Mitchell Ashley, Jon Swartz, Lisa Martin, Tracy Ragan, Sulagna Saha, Anne Ahola Ward, Bonnie Schneider, and more, the show dives deep into everything from DevOps and cybersecurity to AI and cloud innovation. Tune in Monday through Friday for insightful discussions, expert analysis, and lively debates on the issues that matter most to today’s tech professionals.
Episodes

Friday Jul 11, 2025
Techstrong Gang - 7/11/2025
Friday Jul 11, 2025
Friday Jul 11, 2025
Alan, Mike, Jon, Camberley Bates, and Ira Winkler explore how smartphones are evolving into AI-powered digital companions and reshaping how we interact with tech daily.
They also dive into the growing concern over trust in AI outputs, especially following missteps like the Grok AI model under Elon Musk’s leadership.
Finally, the team discusses how software supply chain security is no longer just a technical issue—it’s now a full-on C-suite priority.

Thursday Jul 10, 2025
Techstrong Gang - 7/10/2025
Thursday Jul 10, 2025
Thursday Jul 10, 2025
Alan, Mike, Jon, Garima Bajpai, and Guy Currier (Futurum Group) unpack efforts to cure AI hallucinations and explore how Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic are helping teachers harness AI in the classroom 🎓.
They also look into why the Hunters International ransomware gang is shutting down—what it means for cybersecurity.

Wednesday Jul 09, 2025
Techstrong Gang - 7/9/2025
Wednesday Jul 09, 2025
Wednesday Jul 09, 2025
Mike, Chris Blask, Kate Scarcella, and Dan O’Brien (Futurum Group) unpack what IT leaders should focus on amid tariff chaos. Then, they dive into CoreWeave’s $9B buyout of Core Scientific—and what it means for the AI infrastructure race.
Plus, how the U.S. Treasury is turning up the heat on cybercriminals.

Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
Techstrong Gang - 7/8/2025
Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
Alan, Mike, JP Morgenthal and Stephen Foskett, president of the Techstrong Field Day arm of Futurum Group, dive into an advance made by Apple that promises to make artificial intelligence (AI) coding tools more efficient before delving into how an AI advance from Microsoft might improve healthcare by more accurately diagnosing symptoms sooner.
Then the gang takes a look at some recent clean energy advancements that are being made at a time when the U.S. is preparing to roll back investment credits.

Monday Jul 07, 2025
Techstrong Gang - 7/7/2025
Monday Jul 07, 2025
Monday Jul 07, 2025
Alan, Mike, Jon, Ira Winkler, Chhaya Gunawat, and Lisa Martin (CMO Advisor, The Futurum Group) explore how open source—with help from Microsoft—is bringing needed transparency to AI tools that generate code.
They also break down the risks of AI search results being poisoned, and what it means for trust in generative systems.

Thursday Jul 03, 2025
Techstrong Gang - 7/3/2025
Thursday Jul 03, 2025
Thursday Jul 03, 2025
Alan, Mike, Jon, and Garima Bajpai reflect on how artificial intelligence is reshaping our understanding of inalienable rights—just in time for Independence Day. They then unpack the DOJ’s massive $14.6 billion healthcare fraud case and ask: who should be held accountable?
Finally, the gang breaks down GitOps: what it is, why it’s catching on, and where it’s headed in the modern DevOps ecosystem.

Wednesday Jul 02, 2025
Techstrong Gang - 7/2/2025
Wednesday Jul 02, 2025
Wednesday Jul 02, 2025
Alan, Mike, Mitch, Chris Blask, Kate Scarcella, and Futurum Group analyst Guy Currier dive into the ethical and legal issues surrounding ICE’s use of facial recognition software to identify undocumented individuals. They then explore new deepfake legislation from Denmark and Ireland that bans AI-generated likenesses without consent.
Finally, the team tackles a big question in open source: Who should pay for the infrastructure that keeps it all running?

Tuesday Jul 01, 2025
Techstrong Gang - 7/1/2025
Tuesday Jul 01, 2025
Tuesday Jul 01, 2025
Alan, Mike, Mitch, Bonnie, JP Morgethal, Futurum Group president Dan O’Brien and Stephen Foskett, president of the Tech Field Day arm of The Futurum Group, dive into the terms of a settlement between the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) that will allow a $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks to proceed.
Then the gang takes a look at how much energy is being consumed by open source OpenTelemetry agent software that is being used to instrument applications before diving into a study from Microsoft that finds we’re all working too hard.

Monday Jun 30, 2025
Techstrong Gang - 6/30/2025
Monday Jun 30, 2025
Monday Jun 30, 2025
A new trade deal between the U.S. and China is making waves—especially for its impact on rare earth minerals. With America’s heavy reliance on China for these critical resources, this agreement raises big questions: Is this a step toward long-term stability or just a short-term fix? We break down the deal, its effect on U.S. dependency, and why developing domestic production and processing is more important than ever.

Friday Jun 27, 2025
Techstrong Gang - 6/27/2025
Friday Jun 27, 2025
Friday Jun 27, 2025
A recent court ruling permits AI companies to utilize legally purchased books for training, igniting debates on copyright law and ethics. The need for regulatory measures in AI development is emphasized to prevent potential misuse. Additionally, AI agents are being incorporated into CRM systems at no extra cost, disrupting traditional market practices. Concerns regarding social engineering risks in AI models highlight the necessity for governance and security protocols.