Episode 4, Season 4 |The Place of AI in Creating Interoperable Systems

January 19, 2026
Data...for What?!
Data...for What?!
Episode 4, Season 4 |The Place of AI in Creating Interoperable Systems
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In Episode 4 of Season 4 of the Data…for What?! Podcast, we turn to the growing intersection between artificial intelligence (AI) and interoperability.

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in public and private systems, the ability for data and technologies to work together – and to generate high-quality, usable training data – is more critical than ever. But these opportunities come with real trade-offs. This episode explores how choices around data storage, technical infrastructure, and system design shape access, scale, and the protection of citizens’ data rights.

We’re joined by Jesse Wright, Project Lead for the Solid Project at the Open Data Institute, and Fernando Ferreyra, Director of Software Development at Development Gateway: An IREX Venture. Together, they unpack the geopolitical, legal, and technical implications of where data lives, and what it takes to build sustainable, interoperable, and future-proof AI-enabled systems.

Credits

Host: Beverley Hatcher-Mbu

Producers: Wakini Njogu, Beverley Hatcher-Mbu, and Anna Chewter

Editing/Mixing: Joseph Wagner and Wakini Njogu 

Theme Music: Mark Hatcher

Resources

  1. Demistifying Interoperability white paper by Development Gateway
  2. What Does Interoperability Mean for the Future of Machine Learning? By Appen
  3. Cloud Reassurance: A Framework to Enhance Resilience and Trust by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
  4. Interoperability in AI Governance: A Work in Progress by Tech Policy Press
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