Matt McKenzie is President of Alloy Digital, a digital product development firm that builds custom software and solves complex business challenges for enterprise clients. He is also the Founder of Meaningful AI, which focuses on creating AI-native applications for businesses. With over 15 years of experience, Matt has helped Alloy Digital deliver impactful solutions across industries such as automotive, insurance, and healthcare, and has recently expanded his influence through Meaningful AI and co-ownership of Deploy, an AI talent solutions company. He’s passionate about applying behavioral economics to technology and is a recognized connector in the tech community, organizing the TECHS AND THE CITY event series and collaborating with top Silicon Valley AI talent.
About the Episode
AI is moving faster than most companies can keep up with. Some leaders see its transformative potential, while others hesitate — unsure how to start safely or strategically. In this episode, Tyler Lane sits down with Matt McKenzie to explore how curiosity, education, and governance drive meaningful AI adoption. Matt shares practical advice for avoiding “pilot purgatory,” building data readiness, and creating innovation that aligns people, process, and technology.
Key Moments
Matt’s Background and Vision
- How Matt went from university tech support to product leader and AI founder [02:16].
- Why behavioral economics shapes the way he builds digital experiences [02:16].
Digital Products versus AI Native
- What truly distinguishes AI native applications from traditional digital products [05:16].
- Why AI teams require different roles and decision frameworks than standard product squads [05:16].
Overcoming Fear and Getting Started
- How fear is holding businesses back from AI adoption and what to do about it [07:38].
- Simple governance guardrails to enable safe experimentation and early wins [10:14].
Escaping Pilot Purgatory
- Why pilots stall without clear use cases and data readiness, plus how to fix it [16:22].
- How unsupervised learning reveals hidden patterns and practical opportunities in your data [20:18].
Ethics, Scale, and the Talent Gap
- Why this wave of AI may be the biggest technology shift of our lifetime [13:22].
- The messy reality of data ethics and regulation and how to navigate it responsibly [25:16].
- Why upskilling is essential to close the growing AI capability gap [34:08].
Top Insights
- Start with education and governance – Establishing basic AI guidelines and guardrails helps teams innovate safely without risking sensitive data.
- Encourage experimentation in a safe environment – Allowing teams to test AI tools in controlled settings builds confidence and sparks creative problem-solving.
- Assess your data readiness – Evaluating the quality, structure, and accessibility of your data ensures that AI models can deliver real business value.
- Align people, process, and technology – Integrating these three pillars creates sustainable digital transformation rather than short-term, siloed experiments.
- Foster a culture of curiosity over fear – Promoting learning and exploration around AI helps employees see it as an opportunity, not a threat.
Notable Quotes
- “Fear is a big part of what we’re seeing today in this space from all different areas.”
- “You have no choice but to adopt it or be left behind.”
- “AI and ML are only as good as your data, and most businesses don’t have the data readiness.”
- “I don’t need AI to do the things that I want to do; I want it to do the things that I don’t want to do.”
- “People do not make decisions based upon logic; we make decisions based upon emotion.”
Resources
Industry Experts
Companies and Organizations
Tools and Platforms
The Path to Meaningful AI Transformation
AI is changing how businesses operate. But without the right strategy, data, and mindset, it can create more confusion than clarity. At Session Interactive, we help brands cut through the noise by building smarter, data-driven digital strategies that scale. Whether you’re exploring AI, improving analytics, or integrating automation into your workflow, our team helps you turn insight into execution.
For more conversations on digital growth and innovation, subscribe to the Built to Convert podcast. Ready to transform with purpose? VisitSession Interactive to start your AI-driven growth journey.
