This exclusive interview with Waseem Mirza was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Motivational Speakers Agency.
Waseem Mirza has spent nearly two decades translating complex technology into stories people can actually understand. An award-winning journalist, BBC presenter and actor, his work now sits increasingly at the intersection of AI, finance, emerging technology and the way those systems affect everyday life.
In an exclusive interview with the AI Speakers Agency, Mirza discusses why agentic AI is the development he is watching most closely, how technology can make sustainability more practical, where trust is being won and lost in financial services, and why the most useful innovation is often the technology that quietly becomes part of daily life.
Question 1. Where do you see the most significant opportunities emerging from AI, particularly as agentic systems become more capable?
Waseem Mirza: “I think AI is the obvious choice for me, but more specifically, I would home in on agentic AI.
“That’s where AI is becoming a creative collaborator, almost our friend, rather than just a simple prompting tool. It can carry out tasks without us having to constantly prod and ask. It already knows us, it has built a relationship, it knows what we do, and now it’s carrying out tasks for us as if we’d hired someone to do that on a day-to-day basis.
“We’re seeing a shift where individuals and smaller teams can now produce at a level that previously required an entire studio. That democratisation of creativity is incredibly exciting for the media world, especially for storytelling and content production.
“At the same time, I’m very interested in how AI integrates with real-world systems, particularly energy, infrastructure, smart environments and smart cities.
“That’s where it moves from being a novelty to having a tangible impact that we can picture and say, “I can see that working in the real world for me, for my benefit and for the benefit of my community or city.”
“That’s where things really start to get interesting for me.”
Question 2. How can technology make sustainability more practical and scalable for individuals and businesses?
Waseem Mirza: “Technology plays a critical role in making sustainability practical and scalable for the masses.
“For example, in energy, which is a huge issue right now because of geopolitical crises, smart systems, solar optimisation and real-time monitoring allow people at home and large businesses to actively manage their consumption rather than passively using energy.
“We can begin to see how we can save money and shift our usage away from fossil fuels, which are very changeable at the moment because of geopolitical crises.
“More broadly, data is absolutely key. When people can see their impact, whether that’s energy use, carbon footprint or efficiency, they’re much more likely to change their behaviour for the better.
“The most important thing is that technology should simplify sustainability because it can be a minefield. It’s critical to make things intuitive and accessible because once we do that, adoption follows.
“I know that firsthand through my career at BBC News, following the latest technology breakthroughs. The technologies that really stood the test of time were the ones that were simple, easy to use and accessible to everybody.
“One example is Wi-Fi mesh networks. We now take them for granted, built into our broadband routers at home or in the office. But all those years ago, it was simply a start-up in Cambridge developing mesh technologies, and they didn’t have enough money to attract funding at that stage.
“I saw the potential of that very early on. I’m glad innovators push forward on making things simple because simple is ultimately smarter.”
Question 3. How is AI reshaping financial services, particularly around credit, risk and consumer trust?
Waseem Mirza: “Another part of my work is hosting a new podcast called Connected with Experian, where I’m sitting at the intersection of finance, data and emerging technology.
“In one keynote, I help unpack how AI and automation are reshaping something we depend upon in all phases of our lives: credit, risk and everyday money decisions, and what that ultimately means for consumers, brands and regulators.
“Through this, I translate complex concepts into human stories, explaining where trust is being won on one hand or lost on the other.
“I think I can help offer a practical principle, or set of principles, for building financial products and communications that people understand and ultimately feel safe using.
“I think financial services and the fintech industry would be wise to look at some of those principles for the future.”
Question 4. What do people still misunderstand about the metaverse and the role of emerging technology in everyday life?
Waseem Mirza: “I think the big misconception is that the metaverse, or emerging technology more broadly, is just about guys wearing massive goggles and escaping into the ether. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
“In reality, the most powerful applications are about enhancing our real-world experiences at work, for example collaboration, training, the boardroom, live events or storytelling.
“It’s not about replacing our reality. It’s about adding to it and augmenting it.
The same applies to most technology. Its value is in how it integrates into everyday life in a meaningful way, not just as an afterthought.”
