Start At Zero
Start at Zero is a conversation-first podcast about what it actually takes to modernize technology, build a business from scratch, and make sense of AI without the hype. Episodes range from focused 15-minute interviews with government leaders and tech founders to longer deep dives where I walk through what I'm building in real time - the AI agents, the automation stack, the hard lessons from 20 years of consulting.
The tone is direct and honest. I don't do scripted questions or softball setups. I want the story behind the story - what went wrong, what you'd do differently, what nobody in the room was willing to say. Guests should expect a conversation that feels like two people working through a real problem together, not a performance.
Topics include government technology, AI in the real world, entrepreneurship, consulting, procurement, and the messy intersection of all of them. Some episodes are interviews, some are just me thinking out loud about something I built or broke that week.
If you've got a real story - something you built, something that failed, a lesson that cost you - you'll fit right in here. I'll send a loose topic outline beforehand, but the best episodes happen when we go off-script.
Start At Zero
Public Good, Private Code: AI Ethics in Local Government
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AI in government isn’t just about automation—it’s about ethics, accountability, and public trust.
In this episode of Untangled, we sit down with Tom Gilbert, CEO of Hortise.AI and one of the world’s first PhDs in AI Ethics, to explore the very real consequences of putting artificial intelligence to work in the public sector. From invisible bias in automated tools to the danger of vendor lock-in, we examine why values like transparency, explainability, and civic oversight matter more than ever.
We discuss:
- What it means to build AI for the public good
- How public agencies can avoid snake oil and prioritize real outcomes
- The need for a new “digestive system” for AI products—one built on trust and documentation
- Why the real ethical questions aren’t about machines, but about systems
If you’re in local government, civic tech, or just curious about the human impact of emerging technologies, this one’s for you.
🎧 Listen in and join the conversation on how to shape AI’s role in our shared future.
Hortus.AI Startup Showcase: A chance for AI startups and vendors to be among the first companies listed on our marketplace when it goes live later this year
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