CXOTalk

An AI chatbot that hallucinates is annoying. A robot or physical AI that hallucinates can cause injury or death. Burkhard Boeckem, CTO of Hexagon, explains why the bar for physical AI is fundamentally higher than digital AI, and what it takes to deploy robots that actually work in the real world. All this in CXOTalk episode 905.\
In this conversation, we cover:
→ What physical AI actually means (and why it's different from the AI you use every day)
→ Why digital twins are the foundation for training robots safely
→ The gap between impressive YouTube demos and robots that create economic value
→ Functional safety: the "big theme" coming in 2026
→ Cloud vs. edge computing for autonomous systems
→ Where robotics deployments fail (hint: it's not the technology)
→ What boards get wrong about robotics investments
→ Timeline: when will we see real autonomy?

Key insight: "Many boards overestimate the speed and underestimate the system work. It's not a software rollout—it's a complex engineering system."

Burkhard's prediction: Autonomy in constrained environments is 1-3 years away. The "butler humanoid" that does everything? Still a ways off.

⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction: What is Physical AI?
02:06 Digital Twins as the Foundation
03:23 Understanding Ground Truth
06:42 Digital AI vs. Physical AI: Safety and Reliability
08:47 Real-World Business Applications
10:48 Security and Functional Safety
14:57 CES Announcements and Industry State
20:01 Cloud vs. Edge Computing in Robotics
22:32 Regulations for Physical AI
25:10 Addressing Bias in Physical AI
27:51 Timeline to Autonomy
31:46 Creating Economic Value Beyond Demos
33:26 Where Robotics Deployments Fail
35:59 The Future of Humanoid Form Factors
38:38 The Humanoid as User Interface
40:06 Digital Twins for Robotics
42:36 Fleet Collaboration and Swarm Intelligence
43:46 What Boards Get Wrong About Robotics
45:18 The Future of Work
46:32 Responsible Deployment
47:15 Manager AIs for Worker AIs?
48:16 Looking Ahead: Next 2-3 Years
49:37 Core Technical Challenges
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🔷 Full episode, show notes and resources: https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/google-clouds-cto-inside-the-ai-strategy
🔷 Newsletter: www.cxotalk.com/subscribe
🔷 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cxotalk
🔷 Twitter: twitter.com/cxotalk
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About the Guest:
Burkhard Boeckem is Chief Technology Officer at Hexagon, a global leader in digital reality solutions combining sensor, software, and autonomous technologies.

About CXOTalk:
CXOTalk features direct, unfiltered conversations with the world's top business and technology leaders. No fluff, no PR speak—just honest discussion about what's actually working (and what isn't).

#PhysicalAI #Robotics #Humanoids #DigitalTwin #AI #AutonomousSystems #CXOTalk #EnterpriseAI #Manufacturing #FutureOfWork

Nation-states are already harvesting your encrypted data, betting they'll crack it when quantum computers mature. It's happening now.
In CXOTalk episode 904, Anand Oswal, Executive Vice President of Network Security at Palo Alto Networks, explains what business leaders need to understand about quantum security and how to address it. The impact of quantum computing on cybersecurity will be huge.Key timelines discussed:-- Cryptographically relevant quantum computers expected by end of this decade-- RSA and ECC algorithms deprecated by 2030, disallowed by 2035-- Enterprise cryptographic migrations typically take 5-10 years🔷 Show notes: https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/cybersecurity-and-quantum-computing-a-readiness-guide🔷 Newsletter: www.cxotalk.com/subscribe🔷 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cxotalk🔷 Twitter: twitter.com/cxotalkChapters:00:00 Introduction00:36 What is quantum computing?01:17 The core security threat02:29 Customer awareness of quantum risk02:57 Timeline: When will quantum arrive?03:53 Implications for security leaders05:35 Compliance timelines06:24 Business risk explained07:52 How encryption works today09:22 Harvest now, decrypt later attacks09:57 How the industry is preparing12:27 Pillar 1: Discovery and visibility14:26 Pillar 2: Protect16:29 Pillar 3: Accelerate17:40 The role of AI18:10 Talent and skills19:31 Practical steps for quantum readiness20:43 What leaders should do now

Most enterprises aren't ready for agentic AI, but ChristianKleinerman, Snowflake's EVP of Product, shares practical advice on what it takes to succeed: data readiness, governance, AI economics, and workforcestrategy.

In this episode of CXOTalk, Kleinerman draws on 25 years ofenterprise technology experience to give leaders a realistic roadmap for AI adoption. He explains how to evaluate AI vendors in hours instead of months, which use cases deliver measurable ROI today, and how to build the data foundation that makes AI agents effective.
💡 KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED:
-- How to assess AI agent capabilities through rapid iteration and low-cost experimentation
-- The data prerequisites that determine whether AI initiatives succeed
-- Which use cases deliver orders-of-magnitude productivity gains right now
-- How coding assistants create value for non-technical roles like product managers and sales engineers
-- Why the economics of technology evaluation have fundamentally shifted in your favor
-- A practical framework for measuring ROI when outputs are non-deterministic
-- How to structure small rollouts that scale based on proven success
 
🔷 Show notes: www.cxotalk.com/episode/snowflakes-evp-of-product-talks-hard-truths-on-agentic-ai-readiness-governance-and-ai-economics
🔷 Newsletter: www.cxotalk.com/subscribe
🔷 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cxotalk
🔷 Twitter: twitter.com/cxotalk
 
📍 CHAPTERS:
00:00 ☁️ Introduction to AI Data Cloud and Snowflake's Role
01:15 🤖 Capabilities and Use Cases of Enterprise-Grade  AI Agents
03:55 🤖 Exploring AI Models and Their Potential
04:55 ⚙️ Challenges and Prerequisites for AI Adoption
09:43 💡 Practical Use Cases and Evaluating AI Solutions
18:39 💡 The Evolution of AI in Enterprise Technology
21:42 🤖 Agents and Interoperability in AI
25:06 📊 Data Challenges and the Role of AI
31:39 ⚙️ Challenges in Scaling AI from Proof of Concept to Production
33:48 📊 Governance and ROI in AI Implementation
38:37 🤖 AI's Impact on Jobs and Recommendations for Leaders
 
About CXOTalk:
CXOTalk presents intimate conversations with the world's top business and technology leaders. No scripts. No rehearsals. Real insights.
#aitransformation #ArtificialIntelligence #AgenticAI#EnterpriseAI #DataGovernance #Snowflake #CXOTalk #DigitalTransformation#AIStrategy #DataQuality #MachineLearning #BusinessLeadership

Can a digital replica of your heart save your life? In CXOTalk episode 902, Michael Krigsman talks with Dr. Joe Alexander, Director of the Medical and Health Informatics Lab at NTT Research, to explore the revolutionary world of Bio-Digital Twins.Discover how researchers are using mathematical modeling to build "computational replicas" of the human cardiovascular system. Dr. Alexander explains how these digital twins can predict heart failure, automate critical care in the ICU through closed-loop intervention systems, and pave the way for a future where personalized medicine is accessible to everyone.We dive deep into the science of treating the heart as an electrical circuit, the ethics of AI in medicine, and the "moonshot" goal of eliminating cardiovascular disease..🔷 Show notes: https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/cardiac-digital-twins-inside-the-research-lab🔷 Newsletter: www.cxotalk.com/subscribe🔷 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cxotalk🔷 Twitter: twitter.com/cxotalk💡 KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED:Bio-Digital Twins: How digital replicas of organs allow doctors to test treatments virtually before applying them physically.Closed-Loop Systems: The development of autonomous systems that can regulate heart medication beat-by-beat to minimize oxygen consumption and improve recovery.The Physics of the Heart: How Dr. Alexander uses resistors, capacitors, and diodes to model blood flow and pressure.The Future of MedTech: Moving from acute care (ICU) to managing chronic heart failure with wearable technology.👥 ABOUT THE GUEST:

Dr. Joe Alexander is the Director of the Medical and Health Informatics Lab at NTT Research. With a unique background as a chemical engineer and a burn survivor who later attended Johns Hopkins for his MD/PhD, Dr. Alexander is leading "moonshot" research into bio-digital twins to transform cardiovascular care.📍 CHAPTERS:0:00 - Introduction: What is a Cardiac Digital Twin? 2:20 - The Aviation Analogy: Predictive Maintenance for the Body 4:54 - The "Electrical Analog" Model: Viewing the Heart as a Circuit 6:42 - Autonomous Closed-Loop Intervention: Automating ICU Care 12:04 - How a Digital Twin is Built (Population vs. Patient Data) 17:09 - Animal Trials & Validating the Technology 22:11 - Ethics & Safety: Can We Trust AI with Life-and-Death Decisions? 29:03 - Causal vs. Black Box AI: Why Physiology Matters 44:58 - The "Bionic" Approach: Interdisciplinary Teams 50:32 - Health Equity & The Quintuple Aims of Healthcare#DigitalTwins #Cardiology #MedTech #AIinHealthcare #NTTResearch #FutureOfMedicine #HeartHealth #CXOTalk

How do you turn a 150-year-old industrial giant into an agile, AI-first organization?
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Please support our sponsor Emeritus:
Explore executive education programs from Emeritus, in collaboration with top universities: https://cxotalk.partner.emeritus.org/
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For Hexion CEO Michael Lefenfeld, the answer isn't just about technology, but about culture, safety, and rethinking value. In episode 901 of CXOTalk, Lefenfeld details his strategy for integrating AI across every level of a billion-dollar manufacturing enterprise, from the R&D lab to the factory floor.
Michael Krigsman and Michael Lefenfeld discuss the practical realities of moving beyond "pilot purgatory." They dive into how to manage workforce anxiety (the "carrot vs. stick" approach), leverage Private Equity for long-term innovation, and maintain strict safety guardrails while moving fast.
If you are a leader navigating the complexities of digital transformation, this interview offers a concrete roadmap for driving growth without sacrificing your company's heritage.

📋 DISCUSSION TOPICS:
-- The AI-First Culture: Why Hexion incentivizes AI adoption rather than forcing it.
-- Workforce Strategy: How to upskill employees and ensure AI is a "partner," not a "job taker."
-- Operational Excellence: Using AI to achieve the "Golden Batch"—reducing waste and energy usage.
-- The Private Equity Advantage: How ownership structure impacts long-term tech investment.
-- Strategic Partnerships: Using data to deepen customer intimacy and escape the commodity trap.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 🏭 Introduction to Hexion and Its Role in Everyday Life
01:28 🤖 Hexion's Integration of AI Across Operations
03:34 🚀 AI as a Tool for Growth and Empowerment at Hexion
13:47 🤖 Leadership Philosophy and AI Integration at Hexion
16:44 🛡️ AI's Role in Safety and Decision-Making
20:25 ⚙️ AI-Driven Efficiency and Learning in Manufacturing
26:54 💉 Personal Experience with Diabetes and Continuous Glucose Monitoring
28:30 🤖 AI's Role in Customer Service and Business Operations
32:53 🌍 AI Learning, Ecosystem Collaboration, and Organizational Growth
38:32 🤖 Using AI to Enhance Manufacturing and Investment Decisions
40:04 🏢 Hexion's AI-First Strategy and Customer-Centric Approach
46:32 💼 Private Equity's Role in AI Investment and Long-Term Growth
50:20 🧪 Optimizing Products with Data and Batch Chemistry
51:44 🤖 AI's Impact on Business Models and Lessons Learned
53:30 🚀 Advice for AI Implementation and Closing Remarks

🎯 FEATURED GUEST
Michael Lefenfeld is the CEO of Hexion Inc. and a serial entrepreneur with a passion for revitalizing legacy industries.
-- He holds 100+ patents and was named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
-- Michael specializes in bridging the gap between deep science (chemistry/physics) and practical business strategy (AI/profitability).
-- Previously served as CEO of Cyanco and SiGNa Chemistry.

📚 RESOURCES
🔷 Show notes:https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/ai-first-rewiring-a-150-year-old-industrial-manufacturer
🔷 Newsletter: www.cxotalk.com/subscribe
🔷 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cxotalk
🔷 Twitter: twitter.com/cxotalk Subscribe to CXOTalk newsletter: https://www.cxotalk.com/newsletter

🎙️ ABOUT CXOTALK
CXOTalk features unfiltered conversations with C-suite executives from major companies about AI, digital transformation, and business strategy. Hosted by Michael Krigsman. Episode 901 | Recorded November 21, 2025