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The Bridgecast Wrapped: 2025's Top AI Insights, Predictions & Behind-the-Scenes
Season 3 · Episode 94

The Bridgecast Wrapped: 2025's Top AI Insights, Predictions & Behind-the-Scenes

In this special year-end episode of The Bridgecast, producer Gene Volpe flips the script and interviews host Scott Kinka about 2025's biggest moments. With 26 episodes, 91,000 downloads, and conversations featuring 34 tech executives, they break down the top buzzwords (AI dominated), revisit standout clips from Tim Sanders, Tony Moroney, and Michael Quince, and debate whether security should've ranked higher. Scott shares candid reflections on what IT leaders are really grappling with—from shadow AI to the "butter" analogy that changed how we think about automation. Plus: Scott's bold predictions for 2026 and why the "mom test" matters more than ever. Essential listening for anyone who wants to understand where enterprise tech is actually headed. To find out how Bridgepointe Technologies helps businesses make IT decisions faster with world-class engineering support and ongoing guidance, head to https://bridgepointetechnologies.com/

The Bridgecast with Scott Kinka · Bridgepointe Technologies

January 20, 202631m 1s

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Show Notes

In this special year-end episode of The Bridgecast, the tables turn as producer Gene Volpe steps in front of the camera to interview host Scott Kinka. It's the fourth annual wrap-up show, and this one delivers more than nostalgia—it's a strategic debrief on what 91,000 downloads and 26 episodes taught us about the state of enterprise technology in 2025.

Gene walks through the numbers: 26 episodes, 29 companies represented, 34 executives interviewed, 11 live tapings, and over 91,000 downloads. But the real story isn't in the metrics—it's in what those conversations revealed. AI dominated the year (no surprise), but security ranked sixth on the buzzword list. Scott explains why: "We're beyond scaring people. Security needs to be an undercurrent, not a topic."

The episode revisits three standout moments from 2025:

  • Tim Sanders on the "butter analogy": AI isn't a silver bullet with an end-to-end use case—it's butter that makes every workflow faster and more enriched. Scott unpacks why this reframes the conversation from "AI replacing humans" to "AI supercharging humans."
  • Tony Moroney on AI washing: Boards are pressuring executives to "do something with AI," leading to blind adoption without business outcomes. Scott adds a critical layer: IT leaders are rarely invited into line-of-business conversations, so how can they solve problems they don't even know exist?
  • Michael Quince on the "mom test": If your AI solution feels confusing or impersonal, it's back to the drawing board. Scott translates this for non-technical audiences: "A stands for artificial. You're already interacting with AI every day—you just don't realize it."

Scott also reflects on live events, the return of human interaction post-pandemic, and why 2026 will demand more from IT leaders than ever before. This isn't just a recap—it's a roadmap for navigating the next wave of transformation.

What you will learn:

  • Why AI ranked #1 but security ranked #6 on the year's top buzzwords
  • The "butter analogy" that reframes how to think about AI in workflows
  • Why IT leaders need to shift from plumbers to general contractors
  • How shadow AI can be an enabler instead of a threat
  • Why asking "why" repeatedly is the most powerful leadership tool
  • Scott's predictions for 2026 and what enterprises are getting wrong about resilience

To find out how Bridgepointe Technologies helps businesses make IT decisions faster with world-class engineering support and ongoing guidance, head to https://bridgepointetechnologies.com/

Episode Highlights:

  • [08:52] Tim Sanders: The Original Online Networker

Scott geeks out about Tim Sanders, one of the original Yahoo executives and author of Love Is the Killer App (2003). "This is LinkedIn before LinkedIn," Scott says. The book held up when he reread it before the interview—proof that the humanity of technology matters more than the tech itself. Tim's career spans the first Victoria's Secret online show, live streaming innovation, and a philosophy that relationships, not algorithms, drive success. The episode is a masterclass in why leading with love and logic still works in the AI era.

  • [16:41] Why Security Ranked Sixth, Not Second

Gene is shocked that security ranked sixth on the year's top buzzwords. Scott's response is revealing: "We're beyond scaring people. Security used to be sold through fear, uncertainty, and doubt. I think we're done with that." Security needs to be an undercurrent—embedded in every conversation, not treated as a separate topic. The shift from "fear-based selling" to "resilience-based building" is one of the year's most important themes, and Scott believes 2026 will accelerate this transformation.

  • [19:35] Tony Moroney: AI Washing is the New Greenwashing

Boards are pressuring executives to "do something with AI," leading to adoption without strategy. Tony Moroney from The Digital Explorer calls this out: "Think about what you need to do for your business to be relevant and competitive in the future. Then figure out what role AI plays in supporting that." Scott adds a critical insight: IT leaders are rarely invited into line-of-business conversations, so they're being asked to solve problems they don't understand. The solution? IT needs to decide whether they're plumbers or general contractors.

  • [22:56] The Butter Analogy That Changed Everything

Tim Sanders delivers one of the year's most memorable metaphors: "There is no end-to-end use case in the world for butter. You can't eat a stick of butter for breakfast. But tell any chef they can't cook with butter and they'll go on strike. Butter makes everything better." Scott breaks it down: Stop thinking about AI as autonomous replacement systems. Think about AI as the thing that supercharges your humans. "Be the butter," Scott says, summarizing the philosophy perfectly.

  • [26:29] Can Your Mom Use It? The AI Empathy Test

Michael Quince from NICE introduces the "mom test": If your AI feels confusing, impersonal, or untrustworthy, it's back to the drawing board. Scott takes this further, explaining to his hypothetical mom that she already uses AI every day. "You talk to Alexa. You call your bank and speak to an automated attendant. AI isn't changing how you interact with your bank—it's changing how the bank programs the infrastructure to understand your needs at scale." The point: AI is artificial intelligence, not alien intelligence.

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