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Different beats better.
As an entrepreneur and business leader who has built…
As an entrepreneur and business leader who has built…
Articles by Paul
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Paul Maher shared this30,000 employees gone overnight: what can we learn from @Oracle’s cull? Larry Ellison reportedly needed to unlock $8–10 billion to fund an aggressive AI data centre push. His solution? On March 31st, tens of thousands of employees woke up to an email informing them their roles had been eliminated. No warning, no transition - just a hard reset in pursuit of scale. On today’s edition of The Difference Engine tech strategy podcast, @Paulmaher and @Jonathan Simnett raise an uncomfortable question: is this the new cost of competing in the AI arms race? Because this isn’t just about one company - it’s about a broader shift in how organisations prioritise capital, talent, and long-term strategy in the age of AI. If investment cycles become shorter and more volatile, will workforce stability increasingly take a back seat? Also in this episode, @Anthropic put the entire tech world on notice with an unprecedented announcement: it has made an AI model so advanced that it was too dangerous to release to the public. Anthropic said the new frontier language model, Claude Mythos Preview, would "reshape cybersecurity." Really? We explore whether Claude Mythos signals a genuine turning point in cyber security - or if it’s simply a masterclass in PR positioning. Tune in to the latest and all previous episodes of The Difference Engine today across all major podcast platforms. https://lnkd.in/ecis8eVk #AI #Leadership #FutureOfWork #TechStrategy #CyberSecurity #PR
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Paul Maher shared thisFrom tuning synths for David Bowie to fine-tuning the future of the cloud. David Friend joined Jonathan Simnett and myself to share his incredible story on the newest episode of The Difference Engine. While running ARP Instruments, the company behind the synths used by David Bowie and Pete Townshend, David faced a challenge: How do you predict which band will blow up next before their endorsement deal becomes too expensive? His solution? He taught himself to code on an Apple II and built Trend Spotter. David wasn't trying to start a software revolution, but when a VC walked into his office, they saw the software David was using to visualise airplay statistics and record sales. "I’ll give you a million dollars to seed a company to commercialise that software." That moment launched a career that spans six successful companies, including Carbonite and his current venture, Wasabi Technologies. Join us for a deep dive into the career of a true polymath who has spent decades at the bleeding edge of innovation. Listen to the full episode of The Difference Engine on your favourite podcast platform today. https://lnkd.in/ecis8eVk #DataStorage #WasabiTechnologies #CloudComputing #podcast
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Paul Maher shared thisJonathan Simnett and I had the pleasuring of sitting down with David Friend, most recently co-founder and CEO of Wasabi Technologies, which is re-defining data storage, for a deep dive into building category-defining tech companies. As a six-time tech founder alongside technologist Jeff Flowers, David’s journey spans successive waves of tech innovation. From pioneering synthesisers at ARP Instruments, whose sounds were used by Jimmy Page, Pete Townsend, David Bowie, and even R2D2. To founding, building and exiting a string of incredibly successful companies including Computer Pictures Corporation, Pilot Software, Faxnet, Sonexis, and Carbonite, one of the world’s leading cloud backup companies. From shaping soundtracks to shaping storage, David shares lessons from decades as a groundbreaking innovator at the forefront of technology and why this entrepreneur and philanthropist likens building tech businesses to musical composing and conducting. Tune in to the latest and all previous episodes of The Difference Engine today across all major podcast platforms. https://lnkd.in/e-Xd58Ej #storage #cloud #categoryleadership #podcast #tech #music
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Paul Maher reposted thisPaul Maher reposted thisThe photo below was taken at Google HQ. I was told my 24 years of experience mattered. I was told Google wanted to 'fix' the search ecosystem. 17 MONTHS later, they’ve ghosted us and our traffic is being cannibalized by their AI. The 'conversation' was a lie. Google invited me to HQ to help "fix" search. It was a pacification tactic. I’ve been publishing Mountain Weekly News for 24 years. I’ve spent two decades technically vetting gear in the trenches of the Tetons while Google was still in its infancy. I walk the walk, I test the gear, and I’ve survived every algorithm shift—until now. October 2024, Google invited me and 19 other independent creators (including Rutledge Daugette of TechRaptor) to their HQ for a "Web Creator Conversation." They told us they wanted to hear from the experts. They told us search was changing and they needed our help to get it right. It was a masterclass in smoke and mirrors. Danny Sullivan (who won't allow me to tag him...) and the search team asked us to stop "pining" them publicly on X and LinkedIn. Instead, they asked us to compile "internal documents" with our findings, data, and technical concerns. They promised these would be the "workbooks" for the engineering team. Rutledge sent 26 pages of exhaustive data. I sent an 8-page deep dive on how Google was rewarding corporate conglomerates over actual experts. The result? Silence. Ghosting. Total lack of accountability. Did anyone on your team see this Cathy Edwards? We weren't invited there to provide solutions; we were invited there to be silenced. It was a pacification tactic to shut us up while they finished building a parasitic search engine that values Reddit threads and AI-generated "slop" over two decades of primary-source expertise. The "Don't Be Evil" era is dead. Why did that get removed Jennifer Kutz Google has a responsibility to the ecosystem that feeds it. Instead, they’ve chosen a path that rewards media conglomerates that pay writers pennies to "spin" content, while independent publishers who actually invest in original photography and technical vetting are forced into layoffs and closure. If Google continues to prioritize "Zero-Click" results and corporate authority over human expertise, there will be no professional independent media left to crawl in two years. Any thoughts Pandu Nayak? Should I close a 24 year old business? Rutledge and I aren't giving up. We’ve found business models that don't rely on a broken search engine. But the open web is on life support, and the "physician" is the one pulling the plug. Check the data for yourself: any thoughts? Cyrus S. Barry Schwartz Lily Ray Glenn Gabe My report: https://lnkd.in/g4xCgg8Q 26 Page Report: https://lnkd.in/gbwPXVk4 #GoogleSearch #SEO #HCU #DigitalMarketing #IndependentPublishing #TechRaptor #MountainWeeklyNews #SearchEngineLand #GoogleHQ #AIO #ZeroClick
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Paul Maher shared thisAs AI rapidly dominates search, category designers and brand owners must realise the places you need to show up have changed fundamentally. Discovery power has also shifted decisively from the producer to the consumer. So why has tech industry research behemoth Gartner now recommended you double your PR budget? Also in Episode 73 of The Difference Engine tech strategy podcast, Paul Maher and Jonathan Simnett dig into some lessons from tech history. Two paradoxes and a law that are likely to govern the impact of AI on our working lives. And, if SaaS categories are saturated and AI is controlled by a few foundational players, where do the next categories emerge? And how should today’s software strategists think to create the next generation of category leaders? Tune in to the latest and all previous episodes of The Difference Engine today across all major podcast platforms. https://lnkd.in/ecis8eVk #AI #SaaS #categoryleadership #podcast #tech #PR
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Paul Maher shared thisTactics don’t last forever. We’re seeing profound shifts in the tech industry, as the old blueprint for category dominance, the SaaS Playbook, loses its edge in the age of AI. During the SaaS-dominant era, the application layer captured most of the value while infrastructure providers were mostly commoditised. Now, it’s the other way round. In Episode 73 of The Difference Engine tech strategy podcast, Paul Maher and Jonathan Simnett ask the question: if SaaS categories are saturated and AI is controlled by a few foundational players, where do the next categories emerge? And how should today’s software strategists think to create the next generation of category leaders? Also in this episode: We’ll be digging into lessons from tech history: two paradoxes and a law that are likely to govern the impact of AI on our working lives. Why tech industry research behemoth Gartner is recommending you double your PR budget. Tune in to the latest and all previous episodes of The Difference Engine today across all major podcast platforms. https://lnkd.in/ecis8eVk #AI #SaaS #categoryleadership #podcast #tech #PR
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Paul Maher reposted thisHMRC contract awarded to AWS today who were rather ironically the sole bidder. Government procurement needs a big overhaul. It’s broken right now…we only ask for a level playing field.Paul Maher reposted thisFirst #HMRC said it only wanted "hyperscalers" to tender for £473 million's worth of #cloudmigration work. Then... only #AWS tendered? We have questions. 👉 https://lnkd.in/eTrM6icu With comment from Mark Boost... Do *you* have questions (or answers?) Reach Edward Targett or Signal @Targett.11
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Paul Maher shared thisEurope does well in tech category creation when it specialises, building a defensive moat out of deep knowledge of the context of the application. In the latest episode of The Difference Engine tech strategy podcast, Jonathan Simnett and I argue Europe’s strength is building applications you run an economy on, not scroll through. With massive amounts of US money circulating to build AI software and hardware infrastructure, who are the European AI category contenders and will the future category winners actually be a blend of services and tech? Also in this episode: OpenClaw is making waves as an open-source, self-hosted AI agent platform. But is it a true breakthrough, a passing fad, or simply another feature dressed up as a revolution? And as SaaS stocks slide, is the SaaS market readjusting or structurally repricing traditional subscription software?. Tune in to the latest and all previous episodes of The Difference Engine today across all major podcast platforms. https://lnkd.in/ecis8eVk #openclaw #categoryleadership #podcast #tech #SaaSpocalypse
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Paul Maher shared thisOpenClaw is making waves as an open-source, self-hosted AI agent platform. But is it a true breakthrough, a passing fad, or simply another feature dressed up as a revolution? With a reported 2 million weekly users, its momentum is hard to ignore. Founders are rapidly deploying agents, investing in hardware, and experimenting at full speed. Even Jason M. Lemkin of SaaStr Ai has integrated 20 AI agents into his team. Yet his hands-on trials have also surfaced some messy limitations. So what’s the verdict? In the latest episode of The Difference Engine tech strategy podcast, Jonathan Simnett and I discuss whether AI agents are outperforming human workers, or are they in fact more similar than we expect. Also in this episode: We’re going to highlight the Europeans leading the AI charge and sift through the debris of the so-called Saaspocalypse. Tune in to the latest and all previous episodes of The Difference Engine today across all major podcast platforms. https://lnkd.in/ecis8eVk #AI #openclaw #categoryleadership #podcast #tech
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1h
Liking for reach
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3d
This is one of the most intelligent and practical analysis out there.
It comes as the Mythos Move, a classic category flex, as Dario et al seeks to have everyone look elsewhere.
This ‘leak’ is a wake-up call for the cyber sector. It all starts with basic cyber hygiene.
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Paul Maher liked thisPaul Maher liked thisThey say three years in cybersecurity is actually a lifetime; I say it’s just enough time to find out what you’re truly made of. When I stepped in to run global comms at Armis in 2023, I knew the mission was massive but I passionately believed in it and knew it could be done. Looking back now from 2026, I know that the "success" everyone sees on the outside, the headlines, the growth, the market dominance, is only half the story. The real story is written in the quiet moments…. the shared look of determination across teams, the "we’ve got this" messages at 11 PM before a global launch, the quiet of my house when I am still working at 1am, my husband and kids already in bed, the dog by my side. It’s the raw, unfiltered heart of a team that doesn't just work together, but breathes the same vision of supporting one another and getting s**t done. Recently a good friend asked me: “If you knew what it took, would you still do it again?” The answer is unequivocally yes and I will do it again and soon. Colleagues who are now life long friends, my team who I absolutely adore and who have shown up for me beyond just work. People I would NEVER have met if it had not been for this time, this moment. Knowledge, travel and personal development. We’ve faced the relentless pace of an industry that never sleeps, and we didn’t just keep up, we led the conversation and the end result; not too shabby I think we can agree!! It's now the beginning of a new dawn. Armis is part of ServiceNow - there are new paths to tread, new roads to explore. To the Armis team: the end of a chapter for sure but the beginning of a new one. 🚀 Tears have been shed, hugs have been given. Thank you for the high-fives, the hard truths, and the unwavering belief in what we were doing and the grit to fight side by side with my team and I. 🥰 Just a few weeks left for me to wind down my time here and hand over the reins. It has been epic. 🤩 To my family: Thank you for being so gracious over the missed birthdays and anniversaries, endless cooling dinners and disrupted family time. Thank you for all your support. I cannot wait for an extraordinary summer and finally spending some time with my beautiful girls. 😎 #Leadership #GlobalComms #CyberSecurity #GritAndGrace #TeamCulture
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Paul Maher liked thisPaul Maher liked thisWe’re growing at ST Engineering and currently looking for great people to join us. One of the roles we’re hiring for is AVP, Healthcare Sales. If you know someone who would be a strong fit, or if this speaks to you, I’d be happy to connect. Always grateful for referrals and shares from my network. Thank you for helping us spread the word. #STEngineering #careers #healthcare
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Paul Maher liked thisPaul Maher liked thisIf you're based in London and working on AI, clear your calendar for 2 May. MongoDB is putting on a hackathon and the brief is really interesting: build the next generation of AI agents. Systems with real memory, self-improving skills, and the ability to embed into how we actually work. £15,000 in prizes across the top three teams, and finalists present live at MongoDB.local London on 7 May. You need to apply to get a spot and space is tight, so get in early. -> https://lnkd.in/deWM2qb7
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Paul Maher liked thisPaul Maher liked thisAI has evolved from being a tech race to a values race. Whoever decides what AI should do will define global power. Sharing my thoughts on how AI is transforming into a general-purpose capability to amplify advantage across economics, military power, governance, and culture, and what companies should do to maintain strategic autonomy.AI at the Intersection of Technology and SovereigntyAI at the Intersection of Technology and Sovereignty
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Paul Maher liked thisPaul Maher liked thisI am thrilled to announce that Armis is now officially part of ServiceNow. Looking back at this photo from when we started 10 years ago with my co-founder and friend Nadir Izrael, it’s incredible to see how far we’ve come. Today is a moment of immense pride, not just for us, but for every member of our Armis team whose talent and dedication have brought us to this historic chapter. This milestone is a testament to a decade of your relentless passion, innovation, and execution. We couldn’t have achieved this without you and the “Be number 1” culture we have built together. At Armis, we are obsessed with customers and committed to their success in securing their most critical environments; we do that by constantly listening to feedback, innovating fast and staying close throughout the journey. I want to thank our customers for their trust and collaboration and, once again, commit that from here we are only accelerating our journey focusing on driving innovation. On a personal note, Armis has been my life’s work for the past decade of being able to solve challenges for our customers, innovate and introduce new technologies in the cybersecurity space. Scaling Armis meant non-stop dedication and hard work for both me and Nadir Izrael. It's also a moment to say Thank You to my wife Sharin Fisher Dibrov who’s always been there for me during this journey - I couldn’t do it without you. Now, together with ServiceNow, our journey accelerates with a clear vision in mind: building the world's largest cybersecurity platform to power and secure the Agentic Enterprise. With Armis’ ability to discover and secure every connected asset (physical or virtual), Veza’s ability to map every identity and permission, and ServiceNow’s AI control tower for autonomous orchestration of actions, we provide the only end-to-end platform that reinvents enterprise security for the AI era. To lead this shift, we are launching the AI Center for Cyber Defense — a global hub dedicated to pioneering the transition from reactive security to autonomous, agentic cyber defense. I want to thank Amit Zavery, Bill McDermott, and the extended ServiceNow leadership team for the trust they have put in Armis. You can read more about this vision at https://lnkd.in/drWgExcw You can also read more directly from ServiceNow leaders in this featured blog from John Aisien https://lnkd.in/dBivnMK2 #Armis #ServiceNow #Cybersecurity #AgenticAI #AICenterForCyberDefense #CyberExposureManagement #DigitalTransformation #OTSecurity #IoTSecurity #CriticalInfrastructure #VulnerabilityManagement #AppSec #AISecurity
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