Neural networks are the backbone of many AI and machine learning systems. But how can they be applied to real-world scenarios? Today’s guest is Damian Borth, Professor of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning at the University of St. Gallen. He is also the director of the Computer Science Institute at St. Gallen. His work on neural networks has taken him to several subject areas including climate change, financial fraud detection, and text-to-speech. He is also the recipient of a Google Research Scholar Award. We discuss what neural networks are, what they do, and how their application could help us save the world. 00:00 - Intro 02:02 - Damian’s background 03:01 - What is a neural network? 09:21 - Neural networks and climate change 12:44 - Neural networks and text-to-speech 14:56 - Bias in AI training data 12:44 - Academia and the real world 27:12 - Dan's final thoughts LINKS: Damian Borth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianborth/?originalSubdomain=ch Dan Klein: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dplklein Zühlke: https://www.zuehlke.com/en Welcome to Data Today, a podcast from Zühlke. We're living in a world of opportunities. But to fully realise them, we have to reshape the way we innovate. We need to stop siloing data, ring-fencing knowledge and looking at traditional value chains. And that's what this podcast is about. Every two weeks, we’re taking a look at data outside the box to see how amazing individuals from disparate fields and industries are transforming the way they work with data, the challenges they are overcoming, and what we can all learn from them. Zühlke is a global innovation service provider. We envisage ideas and create new business models for our clients by developing services and products based on new technologies – from the initial vision through development to deployment, production and operation.

According to Alzheimer's Disease International, the number of people around the world with the condition will reach 78 million in 2030, and 139 million in 2050. As of 2024, there is no known cure for Alzheimer's, dementia, or similar degenerative brain conditions. So, how are those testing for these diseases using data and technology to help improve health outcomes? Today’s guest is Rhoda Au, Professor of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Neurology, and Epidemiology at Boston University, and Director of Neuropsychology at the Framingham Heart Study. She’s also the Director of Global Cohort Development at the Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative. We discuss Rhoda’s experience of paper-and-pen Alzheimer's testing in the early 90s, her switch to voice capture in 2005, and her thoughts about how medical data should be shared.  00:00 - Intro 02:02 - The pen-and-paper days of Altizmer’s testing 12:34 - The ethics of voice capture 20:20 - Why we need to open up health data to the community 26:07 - Dan's final thoughts LINKS: Rhoda Au: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhoda-au-1687277/ Boston University School of Medicine & Public Health: https://www.bu.edu/sph/ Framingham Heart Study: https://www.framinghamheartstudy.org/ Alzheimer's Disease International: https://www.alzint.org/ Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative: https://www.alzheimersdata.org/ Dan Klein: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dplklein Zühlke: https://www.zuehlke.com/en Welcome to Data Today, a podcast from Zühlke. We're living in a world of opportunities. But to fully realise them, we have to reshape the way we innovate. We need to stop siloing data, ring-fencing knowledge and looking at traditional value chains. And that's what this podcast is about. Every two weeks, we’re taking a look at data outside the box to see how amazing individuals from disparate fields and industries are transforming the way they work with data, the challenges they are overcoming, and what we can all learn from them. Zühlke is a global innovation service provider. We envisage ideas and create new business models for our clients by developing services and products based on new technologies – from the initial vision through development to deployment, production and operation.

We don’t often think about what's going on beneath the surface of our cities and towns. But how could more understanding of this underground world help deliver better public services and tackle environmental impact? Today’s guest is Holger Kessler, a renowned geoscientist who has racked up an astonishing 25 years at the British Geological Survey. In early 2024, he started a new role at AtkinsRéalis but previously worked at the Government Office for Science as the Science Lead of the Future of the Subsurface Foresight Programme. We discuss the siloed nature of data underground, the benefits of digital twins, and why it's so important to use the utilities we have underground.  00:00 - Intro 12:24 - Why is subsurface data so siloed? 23:05 - Holger’s work in the London subterranean 28:15 - Dan's final thoughts LINKS: Holger Kessler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holgerkessler/ British Geological Survey: https://www.bgs.ac.uk/ Dan Klein: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dplklein Zühlke: https://www.zuehlke.com/en Welcome to Data Today, a podcast from Zühlke. We're living in a world of opportunities. But to fully realise them, we have to reshape the way we innovate. We need to stop siloing data, ring-fencing knowledge and looking at traditional value chains. And that's what this podcast is about. Every two weeks, we’re taking a look at data outside the box to see how amazing individuals from disparate fields and industries are transforming the way they work with data, the challenges they are overcoming, and what we can all learn from them. Zühlke is a global innovation service provider. We envisage ideas and create new business models for our clients by developing services and products based on new technologies – from the initial vision through development to deployment, production, and operation.