In this engaging episode of the Data Malarkey Podcast, Master Data Storyteller and host Sam Knowles welcomes Cecilia Dones, a thought leader in data, AI, and human connection. Ceci explores how technology shapes the way we interact, trust, and build relationships—both online and offline. She shares insights into AI ethics, uncertainty in machine learning, and why trust is the cornerstone of all our digital futures.

From her work in AI ethics to her philosophy on leadership and adaptability, Ceci provides fresh perspectives on the best ways to navigate the ever-evolving world of artificial intelligence. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on data, trust, and what it means to be human in the age of AI.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why trust in digital interactions is becoming harder to establish

• The role of AI in shaping human relationships and decision-making

• How uncertainty in AI responses from LLMs may be an advantage not a weakness

• The power of adaptability and why labels limit creativity

• Why leaders need to embrace ambiguity in the AI era

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction
01:27 - Cecilia Dones on connections and human-centred technology
07:43 - Why trust in digital spaces is complicated
13:53 - How AI influences our relationships and decision-making
20:02 - The challenge of uncertainty in AI models
30:36 - Leadership, adaptability, and embracing ambiguity
39:07 - No Labels: Why Ceci avoids definitions and fixed roles
45:00 - The ethical dilemmas of AI, privacy, and consent
50:30 - Where Cecilia Dones is sharing her work and insights

About our guest:

Cecilia Dones is a data and analytics practitioner-academic, founder of 3 Standard Deviations, with expertise spanning Fortune 500 companies and academia. She specialises in AI applications, technology's impact on human interactions, and bridging data insights across sectors. Currently, she is completing her doctoral studies on interpersonal trust in digital environments. She holds degrees from NYU Stern and Columbia University. She has taught at top business schools and authors the "Authentic Interactions" newsletter on Substack exploring technology, data, authenticity, and trust.

Resources mentioned:

• Cecilia Dones’ Substack: Authentic Interactions

• Ceci’s LinkedIn newsletter “What is a CMO to do with AI?”

• Data Storytelling Scorecard: data-storytelling.scoreapp.com

Join the conversation:

• Take the Data Storytelling Scorecard: data-storytelling.scoreapp.com

• Follow the podcast for more insights on AI, data, and leadership

Connect with us:

• Cecilia Dones: LinkedIn | Substack blog – https://authenticinteractions.substack.com

• Sam Knowles: LinkedIn

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In this thought-provoking episode of the Data Malarkey Podcast, master data storyteller Sam Knowles sits down with Sylvie Delacroix, the inaugural Jeff Price Chair in Digital Law in the Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College London. Sylvie shares her insights into data ethics, the vulnerabilities we face in a data-driven world, and the transformative potential of generative AI. She also introduces the Centre for Data Futures, her initiative to build participatory data infrastructure that empowers individuals and communities. This is a conversation about ethics, identity, and the future of AI that you won’t want to miss.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The hidden vulnerabilities of our daily data leaks.

• How AI can both limit and empower personal reinvention.

• Why participatory infrastructure is essential for ethical AI development.

• The concept of ‘humility markers’ in AI and their potential to transform conversations.

• How Sylvie’s work bridges the gap between theory and practice in digital law and data ethics.

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:27 - Sylvie Delacroix’s journey and research focus
07:43 - The vulnerability of self in the data-driven age
13:53 - Building participatory data infrastructures
20:02 - Rethinking AI and conversational models
30:36 - The importance of humility markers in AI
39:07 - The future of ethical AI: aspirations and hopes

About our guest:
Sylvie Delacroix is a leading expert in digital law and ethics. As the Jeff Price Chair in Digital Law at King’s College London, Professor Delacroix directs the Centre for Data Futures, focusing on participatory data infrastructure and ethical governance of AI. Her work on data trusts and habitual ethics has shaped policy initiatives worldwide. To learn more about her work, visit https://delacroix.uk

Resources mentioned:

• Sylvie Delacroix’s home page https://delacroix.uk

• The Center for Data Futures https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/centre-for-data-futures

• The Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College, London https://www.kcl.ac.uk/law

• Sylvie’s book, Habitual Ethics?, available via Bloomsbury (open-access) https://www.bloomsburycollections.com/monograph?docid=b-9781509920440

• Sam Knowles’ book, Asking Smarter Questions: How to be an Agent of Insight https://asksmarterqs.com

• Find Out What Kind of Data Storyteller you are: https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com/

Join the conversation:

• Take the Data Storytelling Scorecard: https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com

• Follow the podcast for more insightful conversations on data and AI

Connect with us:

• Sylvie Delacroix: King’s College London Profile, LinkedIn profile

• Sam Knowles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samknowlesdatastory

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In this special wrap-up episode of Data Malarkey, host and Master Data Storyteller, Sam Knowles, takes us through the standout moments from Season 6 of the podcast. From neuroscience-driven storytelling to data privacy law, this compilation showcases some of the smartest and most impactful ways people are using data to improve communication, branding, and societal outcomes. Featuring insights from a diverse lineup of experts, this episode is packed with lessons and strategies for anyone curious about making data work smarter.

Key Highlights:

• The Neuroscience of Marketing (00:02:10): Cristina de Balanzo discusses how to avoid the pitfalls of “neurobollocks” in neuroscience-driven market research.

• Data-Backed Simplicity in Storytelling (00:07:02): Natalia Talkowska explains how neuroscience and behavioural science enhance storytelling effectiveness in data-heavy communication.

• Breaking the Curse of Knowledge (00:12:26): Mike Ellicock shares tips for simplifying data communication, especially in utilities and financial services.

• GDPR: A Force for Good (00:18:09): Alice Wallbank defends the GDPR and unpacks its hidden benefits and costs.

• Levelling the Playing Field for Women Scientists (00:27:22): Ylann Schemm highlights how Elsevier uses data to advance inclusive research and health.

• The Science Behind Accurate Exit Polls (00:34:05): Professor Sir John Curtice reveals how academic methods have transformed election night predictions.

• Barbarians Rugby’s Data-Driven Rebrand (00:42:00): Branding guru Bill Wallsgrove showcases how data informed a fresh, digital-first identity for the iconic club.

External Links:

• Using Data Smarter guest application form: Submit a Guest

• Follow Sam Knowles on LinkedIn: Sam Knowles

• Catch full episodes and video content on YouTube: Data Malarkey YouTube Channel

Subscribe and Stay Connected:
New episodes drop every other Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!

To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com. It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard.

In this episode of Data Malarkey, we sit down with Natalia Talkowska, founder of Natalka Design, to explore the fascinating intersection of neuroscience, visual communication, and storytelling. Natalia shares her inspiring journey and how she helps people overcome self-doubt, embrace creativity, and communicate their big ideas with impact.

From her revolutionary Visualise Futures tool to the importance of breaking perfectionist habits, this episode is packed with insights for anyone looking to unlock their creative potential.

• Why visual communication is the future of storytelling.
• How neuroscience can guide effective communication.
• Overcoming perfectionism and self-doubt.
• The role of AI in enhancing creativity and connection.
• Natalia’s personal tips for building confidence and creating impact.

• Natalka Design Website: www.natalkadesign.com
• Visualise Futures Substack: visuaisefutures.substack.com
• Creative Brain Club Newsletter: creativebrainclub.substack.com
• Data Storytelling Scorecard: data-storytelling-scorecard.com

• LinkedIn: Natalia Talkowska
• Instagram: @natalkadesign

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on your favourite podcast platform! 🎧

In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, master data storyteller Sam Knowles is joined by Bill Wallsgrove, Head of Ideas at Brighton-based communications and design agency, Brandad.

Bill has more than 30 years’ experience working in business strategy, brand creation, and communications development. He trained at the London College of Printing and cut his teeth at the legendary design agency, Coley Porter Bell. Bill’s worked in 3D design and packaging design. He is also the man responsible for the creation of the McCoy’s brand of crisps.

Throughout his career, Bill has been keen to share the tools of his trade with succeeding generations, both through academic and industry bodies. These include the Design Council and the University of Brighton, where today he is an honorary lecturer in the school of Art and Media.

Through his wittily-named consultancy, Brandad, Bill today brings his decades of experience to a wide range of businesses and third-sector organisations, with a particular focus on start-ups in his adopted home city of Brighton, the start-up capital of Europe. Indeed, it was one of his start-up clients that named his business for him.

But Bill’s expertise is just as relevant to centuries-old institutions, as evidenced by his data-driven development and activation for the rugby football club, the Barbarians.

Bill’s approach to data-driven design is well captured by his son’s description of his role as “a fashion designer for businesses”. And though he’s into his fourth decade of advising brands on how to stand for something meaningful in their consumers’ lives – and trading as Brandad – his tools and techniques couldn’t be more contemporary.

An early adopter of AI – and particularly Midjourney for “30-second mood boards that might have taken days or weeks before”, provided the prompts are right – Bill advocates the use of artificial intelligence. “It makes the research process more effective,” he says, “it makes our jobs more focused.”

EXTERNAL LINKS

The Brandad homepage – https://brandad.co.uk

Bill’s LinkedIn profile (and Bill is quite prolific on the platform) – https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-wallsgrove1/

To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com. It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are.

In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, master data storyteller Sam Knowles is joined by Alice Wallbank, a professional support lawyer for the law firm Shoosmiths, whose clients include Mercedes-Benz, Octopus Ventures, and Travelodge. The company also specialises in working for businesses in both the property and banking sector.

The Financial Times has garlanded Shoosmiths as “one of Europe’s most innovative law firms”, and Alice’s pioneering role at the company – focused on privacy, data, and increasingly AI – is symptomatic of a business in the vanguard of a profession catching up with the broadest implications of technology.

At the start of this year, Alice co-hosted an excellent ‘data insights’ conference – naturally hybrid, both in the room and online – which featured a keynote from Austrian activist and lawyer, Max Schrems. Schrems is famous for his successful campaigns against Facebook (and Meta) for their violations of European data privacy laws.

Before joining Shoosmiths, Alice spent six years as the principal legal counsel for the cyber and information security division of the leading technology business, QinetiQ.

Alice is a passionate advocate of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), describing it “as a good thing for data privacy – without a shadow of a doubt”. Although first introduced in 2016 and in place since 2018, it has its origins in a 1995 directive, designed to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals from Big Tech. Alice believes this showed “remarkable foresight”.

One of the very few people in the UK, Europe, and the world to have read all 90,000 words of the EU’s AI Act, artificial intelligence gives Alice that fabled reaction to trench warfare of “a combination of boredom and terror”. There are huge potential upsides – such as radiography diagnostics – and massive downsides from a system that is “at heart a self-limiting black box” dealing in “biases in, biases out”.

And in a Data Malarkey exclusive, Alice is our first guest in more than 40 episodes … to sing. She dons her white stilettos, dances round her handbag, and turns the clock back to 1984 for a tuneful rendition of Rockwell’s dancefloor smash, Somebody’s Watching Me – for Alice, an insightful foreshadowing of data privacy issues 40 years into the future.

EXTERNAL LINKS

Shoosmiths home page – https://www.shoosmiths.com

Alice’s profile on the Shoosmiths’ site – https://www.shoosmiths.com/people/cvdetails/alice-wallbank

Alice’s article on Ashley Madison – https://www.grip.globalrelay.com/could-the-ashley-madison-data-breach-happen-today/

Another blog from Alice, this time on the environmental credentials of GDPR.

The EU AI Act – all 90,000 words of it – here

Rockwell’s Somebody’s Watching Me from 1984 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YvAYIJSSZY

To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com. It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are.

Join master data storyteller, Sam Knowles, for an enlightening conversation with Sir John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde and senior research fellow at the National Centre for Social Research. As we navigate 2024 which has been dubbed "the ultimate election year," Sir John shares his insights on polling accuracy, political volatility, and data-driven decision-making in the UK and US elections. We explore the intricacies of his more-accurate-than-most exit polling methodology, the challenges of interpreting voter behaviour, and the future of electoral systems. Plus, Sir John reveals his secrets for communicating complex data effectively.

Key Takeaways:

- Sir John Curtice's approach to accurate exit polling

- Analysis of the 2024 UK General Election results

- Challenges of predicting the outcome of the 2024 US election

- Insights on communicating data clearly and avoiding the Curse of Knowledge

• Thoughts on the future of first-past-the-post and proportional representation in the UK

EXTERNAL LINK:

https://bit.ly/4hij0FG - University of Strathclyde

To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com. It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard which tells you what kind of data storyteller you are.