The Joe Reis Show
Joe Reis
What happens when a best-selling author and "recovering data scientist" gets a microphone? This podcast.
I'm Joe Reis, and each week I broadcast from wherever I am in the world, sharing candid thoughts on the data, tech, and AI industry.
Sometimes it's a solo rant. Other times, I'm chatting with the smartest people I know.
If you're looking for an unfiltered perspective on the state of AI, data, and tech, you've found it.
I'm Joe Reis, and each week I broadcast from wherever I am in the world, sharing candid thoughts on the data, tech, and AI industry.
Sometimes it's a solo rant. Other times, I'm chatting with the smartest people I know.
If you're looking for an unfiltered perspective on the state of AI, data, and tech, you've found it.
Episodes
Mentioned books
9 snips
Apr 3, 2026 • 22min
Surviving the AI Grind: Hustle Culture, Fear, and Finding Value w/ Eric Weber (Freestyle Friday Episode)
Eric Weber, a data and product leader who has worked at LinkedIn, Yelp, Stitch Fix and Grammarly, reflects on rapid AI-driven upheaval. He talks about packing a year of change into a week and the rising fear and identity shifts in tech. They explore SF hustle culture hitting a limit, risks of dehumanizing measurement, and why he stepped back to write and prioritize real human connection.
12 snips
Apr 2, 2026 • 48min
Why 90% of Your Data is Wasted (and How AI Reclaims It) w/ Amit Prakash
Amit Prakash, co-founder of ThoughtSpot and founder of Ampup who led AI teams at Google and Microsoft, tackles how we lose 90% of data by forcing reality into rigid tables. He discusses extracting high-fidelity signals from unstructured sales conversations. Topics include dynamic ontologies, sales as athletic strategy, AI agents and coaching, and building a central Business Brain to capture hidden value.
21 snips
Mar 31, 2026 • 51min
Breaking Into Data Engineering in 2026: AI Tools, Standout Resumes, and more w/ Chris Gambill
Chris Gambill, a data strategy and engineering leader and career coach, shares practical perspectives on breaking into data engineering in 2026. He discusses how AI coding tools are reshaping workflows. He explains which resume and portfolio moves get noticed. He outlines essential fundamentals, soft skills, and tools worth learning.
13 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 50min
AI in Healthcare - The Real-World Realities w/ Gowtham Chilakapati
Gowtham Chilakapati, an analytics exec and Executive Director at Humana, discusses pragmatic AI adoption in healthcare. He recounts a chaotic $1B AI initiative and a five-dimension ROI framework. Conversations cover whether AI drives layoffs, PII risks with LLMs, modernizing data pipelines, and how agentic AI enables rapid prototyping and better product-engineering collaboration.
12 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 29min
Freestyle Fridays - AI Changed Everything, Except the Hard Parts
A new Pulse Survey reveals who in data is actually using AI daily and which tools are most popular. The conversation contrasts AI-driven speedups with the persistent need for data modeling and semantic clarity. It calls out legacy debt, leadership gaps, and risky AI-generated code as problems AI will not magically solve. Practical advice focuses on fundamentals, visible wins, and cautious tool experimentation.
Mar 24, 2026 • 50min
Inside the AI "Frankenact" Disaster & The Fight for Developers w/ Jake Ward
Jake Ward, founder of the Application Developers Alliance and Data Protocol, fights for developer representation and better product-focused tools. He breaks down the EU AI Act chaos, the clash between regulation and innovation, and why one-size-fits-all policy harms engineering. He also explores how AI reshapes developer roles, the rise of utilization engineering, and the tension between rapid tech change and policymaking.
10 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 26min
Freestyle Fridays - Thoughts on the Data Job Market, Going Solo, and More
Thoughts on how the data job market has narrowed and become more production-focused. Rising demand for AI skills and AI language in job listings. Which data tasks are commoditizing and why static analytics are under pressure. Advice on building service-based side hustles, productizing narrow outcomes, and starting client work while employed. Emphasis on staying close to production and revenue.
14 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 1h 11min
Is SaaS Cooked? Why "Local First" AI Agents Are Taking Over w/ Demetrios Brinkmann
Demetrios Brinkmann, MLOps community leader and AI practitioner, sketches the chaotic rise of autonomous coding agents. They explore why many tools are becoming local-first, how teams cut SaaS costs with bespoke builds, and the strange new world of AI-driven creator economies. Conversation jumps from agent UX and trust limits to sponsorship ethics and preserving human originality.
10 snips
Mar 13, 2026 • 48min
The Buzzword Industrial Complex, AI Agents & The Future of Data w/ Matt Housley
Matt Housley, a pragmatic data practitioner and podcast co-host, shares sharp takes on analytics, AI agents, and modern tooling. They satirize the buzzword industrial complex and debate risks of deploying agents without governance. Conversation covers vector search as table stakes, security pitfalls of YOLO agent experiments, and the rise of regional conferences and niche independent creators.
25 snips
Mar 12, 2026 • 53min
The Tech Job Market is Brutal. Is Freelancing Your Plan B? w/ Jody Hesch
Jody Hesch, an independent data consultant and former SAP specialist, shares his path to freelancing and building a consulting practice. He discusses why freelancing can be a practical Plan B in a brutal tech job market. Topics include sourcing projects, giving away expertise to build reputation, data engineering fundamentals, architecture vs. development roles in an AI era, and balancing work with family.
