
268 – What Lies Behind AI as a Product?
From The IDEMS Podcast by IDEMS International
June 5, 2026 · 23 min
About this episode
David and Kate explore the distinction between AI as a product and AI as a sociotechnical system, discussing the underlying infrastructure and governance that shape AI technologies.
Continuing their examination of the assumptions underlying today’s dominant AI narrative, David and Kate explore the distinction between AI as a product and AI as a sociotechnical system. They reflect on the often-invisible infrastructure, labour, resources, and governance structures that sit behind AI technologies, and discuss why understanding these systems is essential for making informed choices about technology, impact, and innovation. The conversation highlights how different assumptions about ownership, trust, and accountability shape the technologies we build and the societies they serve.
People in this episode
Hosts: David, Kate
Topics covered
- AI as a product
- sociotechnical systems
- infrastructure
- labour
- governance
- technology impact
- innovation
Keywords
- AI
- sociotechnical systems
- infrastructure
- governance
- technology
- impact
- innovation
- trust
- accountability
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: AI, IDEMS International
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