The DEX Show: A Show for IT Change Makers

Phil Kirschner returns to The DEX Show to explore how AI is reshaping work far beyond productivity gains and chatbot hype. From hybrid work and organizational silos to employee experience and the future of jobs themselves, Phil argues that leaders must rethink how work is designed—not just automate existing processes. We discuss why most change initiatives fail, what AI means for workplace strategy, how organizations can overcome resistance to transformation, and why the companies winning with AI are often those that mastered remote-first ways of working. A provocative conversation about the next era of work, leadership, and organizational design.Check out Geoffrey Wright's fantastic AMA on Nexthink's new DEX subreddit hereBook your ticket for Nexthink Experience 2026 (October 5–7, ⁠JW Marriott Grande Lakes ⁠Orlando, Florida) todayLearn more about Nexthink Spark, the personal IT agent for every employee, here

In this episode, Benedict Lelijveld joins us to unpack what it feels like to start a career in an era shaped by COVID disruption, hybrid work, and accelerating AI. We dig into his writing on Mustafa Suleyman and the idea of “pessimism aversion”: holding genuine hope for breakthroughs (from personal AI to advances in biology) while staying clear-eyed about risks like misuse, weak regulation, and who really benefits. Benedict also reflects on what early-career professionals lose when work becomes too remote—and why protecting your voice, curiosity, and craft matters more than ever as automation spreads.Read Benedict’s articles on the DEX Hub:The Silent Divide: Why AI Adoption Is Failing Your Frontline WorkersMustafa Suleyman: Why Tech Leaders Need to Stop Ignoring AI's RisksHow to Enhance Employee Experience Through PersonalizationRead Cracking The DEX Equation: The First Annual Workplace Productivity Report hereLearn more about Spark here: https://nexthink.com/platform/spark

In the first episode of a NEW ERA for the DEX Show, Tom (that's right, just Tom 😭) welcomes back AI and digital transformation leader Anthony Firmin to unpack the reality of enterprise AI adoption. Drawing on hard-won, real-world experience, Anthony explores why so many organisations are stuck in the “messy middle” of AI, where usage rises but value doesn’t. The conversation digs into trust, experience debt, shallow versus deep AI, and why “same work, more windows” is an early warning sign leaders ignore at their peril. It’s a grounded, human-centred look at what it really takes to make AI improve work, not just change it.Follow Anthony on LinkedIn here.Read Anthony's article on AI and ROI hereLearn more about Spark here: https://nexthink.com/platform/spark Learn more about AI Drive here: https://nexthink.com/platform/ai-drive

The full panel comes together to mark Tim Flower’s final appearance on Reality Bytes, reflecting on his impact, insight, and anchoring presence over the years. Alongside the goodbyes, the conversation turns to a landmark moment for Nexthink: the release of Spark. Framed as a pivotal shift in the capabilities of digital employee experience, Spark is explored through real-world stories and personal takes, including how it empowers employees, reduces IT friction, and redefines support.A fittingly forward-facing send-off for a Reality Bytes and Nexthink legend. Learn more about Spark here: https://nexthink.com/platform/spark

The Matrix hits different.. when you're in the Matrix.The team rings in 2026 by reflecting on past predictions—and charting what’s next. From eerily accurate calls on AI consolidation to the unsettling prescience of The Matrix, the conversation looks ahead to a pivotal shift: from conversational AI to operational “do-bots,” the challenge of measuring real enterprise value, and the growing risks of over-automation.With vivid examples like Waymo literally stuck on the tracks, the episode digs into productivity versus jobs, human-centered design, and the possibility of the first true AI crises. As Tim put it post-show: “AI isn’t off the tracks—it’s on the tracks.” Is this really what the coming year will look like?Learn more about Spark, The World’s Most Powerful DEX Agent for Employees here Download The First Annual Workplace Productivity Report here