#418: Jordan Kanter

Matthew McQueeny sits down with Jordan Kanter for a conversation about Chicago, sports, technology, data, AI, and what it means to stay human in a rapidly changing digital world. Jordan shares stories from growing up in the Chicago area during the Michael Jordan Bulls era, visiting iconic John Hughes movie locations, and discovering technology through VCRs, early Apple computers, Netscape, Linux, and open-source culture. From there, the conversation moves into his path from pre-med and psychology into data, analytics, consulting, and digital experience work. The episode explores how Jordan's background as a childhood cancer survivor shaped his perspective, empathy, and sense of resilience. Matthew and Jordan also discuss how DXP, CMS, data, and martech professionals may be uniquely positioned for the AI era because they have spent years working close to real human problems, not just technology for technology's sake. The conversation closes with Jordan's thoughts on AI as both a powerful tool and a disruptive force, his work with Traya Performance Academy, and how he is thinking about enterprise AI, local models, human-centered technology, and the next generation of AI-native kids.