EPISODE · Sep 26, 2025 · 27 MIN
Weekly Set: Design Thinking Is Out. Embedded AI Engineers Are In.
from A Digital Strategy Podcast · host Marcello Gortana, Symon Oliver
Topics & Timestamps:(00:00) Post-vacation chaos & travel with kids(01:32) Toronto's ultra-walking trend and "suffer-fest" culture(04:02) Why 95% of enterprise AI projects fail (and why that stat is flawed)(05:02) OpenAI's Forward Deployed Engineer: new name, old consulting playbook(10:42) How design thinking lost its strategic seat — from systems to pixel pushing(14:10) Grassroots vs. enterprise AI: where real impact happens(21:18) Side quests: car UX, sensors, and Italian road drama Resources Mentioned:• MIT's enterprise AI failure stat (context & critique)• OpenAI's Forward Deployed Engineer job description• IDEO's legacy of design thinking• Toronto Reddit ultra-walking stories Key Quotes:"Design thinking didn't die — it got downgraded to pixel pushing.""If it's turnkey, it's repeatable. And if it's repeatable, AI can do it.""These FDE roles feel like consulting 2.0 — but still too engineering-led." LinksYou can learn more about Tennis at our website. Be sure to follow us at LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter
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What this episode covers
Ultra-walking, AI flops, and the slow death (and rebirth) of design thinking. We unpack OpenAI's new Forward Deployed Engineer role, why 95% of enterprise AI projects stall, and how design lost its strategic seat. Plus: Toronto's suffer-fest walking trend, car UX done right (hello, 360° sensors), and a quick detour through travel chaos with kids. (Short alt:) Walking trends, failing AI rollouts, and why design must be more than pixels.
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Weekly Set: Design Thinking Is Out. Embedded AI Engineers Are In.
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