We’ve reached 51 episodes and wrapped Season 7 of Data Malarkey! In this greatest hits episode, host Sam Knowles shares the most powerful moments from a season packed with insights—from AI ethics to data puppets, from psychology and kindness to practical business transformation.

Revisit brilliant guests like Sylvie Delacroix, Julie Holmes, Cecilia Dones, Robin Banerjee, Adam Davidson, and Scott Taylor, all of whom shared their real-world, often surprising, insights on how to use data smarter.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to rethink AI through the lens of humility and uncertainty
  
  

• The ethics of online trust and virtual relationships
  
  

• Why businesses need to upgrade soft skills, not just systems
  
  

• The power of kindness in society and psychology
  
  

• How satire and puppets explain data better than PowerPoint ever could
  
  

Special Mentions:

• Take the Data Storytelling Scorecard
  
  

• Guest Application Form
  
  

• Subscribe on YouTube: Data Malarkey
  
  

🧠 "Best of AI & Empathy"
or
📊 "Greatest Hits: Data Gets Human"

In this energising episode of the Data Malarkey Podcast, Master Data Storyteller Sam Knowles speaks with Julie Holmes, entrepreneur, inventor, and AI advisor. Julie shares her insights into how businesses can make AI work with their people – not instead of them. She dives into creative automation, ethical AI, and the dangers of dabbling without direction.

From her practical UPGRADE Framework to her “intern not genius” approach to creating effective prompts for LLMs, Julie delivers a candid, actionable masterclass on the human side of AI.

What You'll Learn:

• Why AI should be seen as an intern – not a threat.

• How to scale creativity and automation.

• What most businesses get wrong about AI readiness.

• The ethical responsibilities we must now embrace.

• How to build smarter prompts that actually deliver results.
  
  

Resources Mentioned:

• Julie Holmes’ website: https://www.julieholmes.com
  
  

• Julie’s AI readiness assessment for businesses: https://julieholmes.com/ai-readiness-assessment-2025/

• The AI prompt library and archive https://julieholmes.com/prompt/

• Data Storytelling Scorecard: https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com
  
  

• The Insight Agents’ website – Sam Knowles’ business, including the archive of Data Malarkey podcast episodes: https://insightagents.co.uk

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In this episode of the Data Malarkey Podcast, host Sam Knowles welcomes Scott Taylor, The Data Whisperer, to break down why data storytelling is the missing business skill in the world of AI, analytics, and business intelligence.

Scott shares why he believes in Truth Before Meaning, the idea that businesses need clean, structured data before they can extract meaningful insights. He also explains why tech jargon is holding the data industry back, why business leaders don’t care how data works, and how he’s making the world of data more relatable through Data Puppets.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• The biggest mistakes data leaders make when presenting to executives

• Why data management is the foundation for AI success

• How to tell data stories that business leaders actually understand

• The origins of Data Puppets and why humour matters in data

Resources Mentioned:

• Scott Taylor’s book: Telling Your Data Story (Amazon)

• Scott’s YouTube Channel: The Data Whisperer

• Data Puppets: www.datapuppets.com

• Scott’s 2024 Big Data London keynote – “Data is the new bullsh*t” www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LRVF-1nGPQ

• “The Little Red Data Hen” www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBFwiGN3XK0

• The DataVengers: www.datacated.com/datavengers

• Data Storytelling Scorecard: data-storytelling.scoreapp.com

Join the Conversation:

• Take the Data Storytelling Scorecard: data-storytelling.scoreapp.com

• Follow the podcast for more insights on data, storytelling, and business communication.

Connect with Us:

• Scott Taylor: LinkedIn | MetaMeta Consulting

• Sam Knowles: https://insightagents.co.uk

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Is kindness just a “soft” concept, or is there real science behind it? In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, Master Data Storyteller Sam Knowles is joined by Professor Robin Banerjee, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global and Civic Engagement at the University of Sussex. Robin’s research explores the psychology of kindness, empathy, and human connection, revealing how data can unlock powerful insights about our social world.

From leading the BBC Kindness Test – a groundbreaking study with over 60,000 participants – to his work on how fiction and television shape empathy, Robin shares fascinating insights about the science of human connection. He also explains why he finds joy in data – a phrase that might just change how you see statistics forever.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The psychology behind kindness—what drives it, and how we measure it

• Surprising insights from the BBC Kindness Test

• How fiction and TV shape our ability to empathise

• The joy in data and why it’s more than just numbers

• Why understanding human behaviour through research is so important

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction
01:27 - Robin Banerjee’s career and research focus
07:43 - What makes someone kind?
13:53 - The BBC Kindness Test: Key findings
20:02 - The psychology of human connection
30:36 - Finding joy in data
39:07 - Empathy and storytelling: fiction vs reality
45:00 - What TV tells us about our emotions
50:30 - Where to find out more about Robin’s research

About our guest:

Professor Robin Banerjee is a leading researcher in developmental psychology and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global and Civic Engagement at the University of Sussex. His work focuses on kindness, empathy, and social development, and he is the founder of the Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness.

Robin’s research has been featured widely, including his collaboration with BBC Radio 4 on the Kindness Test, the largest study of its kind, exploring how people experience and perceive kindness across different cultures and communities.

Resources mentioned:

• Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness on the University of Sussex website

• BBC Kindness Test: BBC Radio 4

• Data Storytelling Scorecard: https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com

• Sam Knowles’ website: https://www.insightagents.co.uk

Join the conversation:

• Take the Data Storytelling Scorecard: https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com

• Follow the podcast for more insights on psychology, data, and human behaviour.

Connect with us:

• Robin Banerjee: University of Sussex profile

• Sam Knowles: LinkedIn profile

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In this engaging episode of the Data Malarkey Podcast, Master Data Storyteller and host Sam Knowles welcomes Cecilia Dones, a thought leader in data, AI, and human connection. Ceci explores how technology shapes the way we interact, trust, and build relationships—both online and offline. She shares insights into AI ethics, uncertainty in machine learning, and why trust is the cornerstone of all our digital futures.

From her work in AI ethics to her philosophy on leadership and adaptability, Ceci provides fresh perspectives on the best ways to navigate the ever-evolving world of artificial intelligence. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on data, trust, and what it means to be human in the age of AI.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why trust in digital interactions is becoming harder to establish

• The role of AI in shaping human relationships and decision-making

• How uncertainty in AI responses from LLMs may be an advantage not a weakness

• The power of adaptability and why labels limit creativity

• Why leaders need to embrace ambiguity in the AI era

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction
01:27 - Cecilia Dones on connections and human-centred technology
07:43 - Why trust in digital spaces is complicated
13:53 - How AI influences our relationships and decision-making
20:02 - The challenge of uncertainty in AI models
30:36 - Leadership, adaptability, and embracing ambiguity
39:07 - No Labels: Why Ceci avoids definitions and fixed roles
45:00 - The ethical dilemmas of AI, privacy, and consent
50:30 - Where Cecilia Dones is sharing her work and insights

About our guest:

Cecilia Dones is a data and analytics practitioner-academic, founder of 3 Standard Deviations, with expertise spanning Fortune 500 companies and academia. She specialises in AI applications, technology's impact on human interactions, and bridging data insights across sectors. Currently, she is completing her doctoral studies on interpersonal trust in digital environments. She holds degrees from NYU Stern and Columbia University. She has taught at top business schools and authors the "Authentic Interactions" newsletter on Substack exploring technology, data, authenticity, and trust.

Resources mentioned:

• Cecilia Dones’ Substack: Authentic Interactions

• Ceci’s LinkedIn newsletter “What is a CMO to do with AI?”

• Data Storytelling Scorecard: data-storytelling.scoreapp.com

Join the conversation:

• Take the Data Storytelling Scorecard: data-storytelling.scoreapp.com

• Follow the podcast for more insights on AI, data, and leadership

Connect with us:

• Cecilia Dones: LinkedIn | Substack blog – https://authenticinteractions.substack.com

• Sam Knowles: LinkedIn

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Enjoyed the episode? Please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your support helps us bring more thought-provoking discussions to you.

In this thought-provoking episode of the Data Malarkey Podcast, master data storyteller Sam Knowles sits down with Sylvie Delacroix, the inaugural Jeff Price Chair in Digital Law in the Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College London. Sylvie shares her insights into data ethics, the vulnerabilities we face in a data-driven world, and the transformative potential of generative AI. She also introduces the Centre for Data Futures, her initiative to build participatory data infrastructure that empowers individuals and communities. This is a conversation about ethics, identity, and the future of AI that you won’t want to miss.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The hidden vulnerabilities of our daily data leaks.

• How AI can both limit and empower personal reinvention.

• Why participatory infrastructure is essential for ethical AI development.

• The concept of ‘humility markers’ in AI and their potential to transform conversations.

• How Sylvie’s work bridges the gap between theory and practice in digital law and data ethics.

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:27 - Sylvie Delacroix’s journey and research focus
07:43 - The vulnerability of self in the data-driven age
13:53 - Building participatory data infrastructures
20:02 - Rethinking AI and conversational models
30:36 - The importance of humility markers in AI
39:07 - The future of ethical AI: aspirations and hopes

About our guest:
Sylvie Delacroix is a leading expert in digital law and ethics. As the Jeff Price Chair in Digital Law at King’s College London, Professor Delacroix directs the Centre for Data Futures, focusing on participatory data infrastructure and ethical governance of AI. Her work on data trusts and habitual ethics has shaped policy initiatives worldwide. To learn more about her work, visit https://delacroix.uk

Resources mentioned:

• Sylvie Delacroix’s home page https://delacroix.uk

• The Center for Data Futures https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/centre-for-data-futures

• The Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College, London https://www.kcl.ac.uk/law

• Sylvie’s book, Habitual Ethics?, available via Bloomsbury (open-access) https://www.bloomsburycollections.com/monograph?docid=b-9781509920440

• Sam Knowles’ book, Asking Smarter Questions: How to be an Agent of Insight https://asksmarterqs.com

• Find Out What Kind of Data Storyteller you are: https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com/

Join the conversation:

• Take the Data Storytelling Scorecard: https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com

• Follow the podcast for more insightful conversations on data and AI

Connect with us:

• Sylvie Delacroix: King’s College London Profile, LinkedIn profile

• Sam Knowles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samknowlesdatastory

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In this special wrap-up episode of Data Malarkey, host and Master Data Storyteller, Sam Knowles, takes us through the standout moments from Season 6 of the podcast. From neuroscience-driven storytelling to data privacy law, this compilation showcases some of the smartest and most impactful ways people are using data to improve communication, branding, and societal outcomes. Featuring insights from a diverse lineup of experts, this episode is packed with lessons and strategies for anyone curious about making data work smarter.

Key Highlights:

• The Neuroscience of Marketing (00:02:10): Cristina de Balanzo discusses how to avoid the pitfalls of “neurobollocks” in neuroscience-driven market research.

• Data-Backed Simplicity in Storytelling (00:07:02): Natalia Talkowska explains how neuroscience and behavioural science enhance storytelling effectiveness in data-heavy communication.

• Breaking the Curse of Knowledge (00:12:26): Mike Ellicock shares tips for simplifying data communication, especially in utilities and financial services.

• GDPR: A Force for Good (00:18:09): Alice Wallbank defends the GDPR and unpacks its hidden benefits and costs.

• Levelling the Playing Field for Women Scientists (00:27:22): Ylann Schemm highlights how Elsevier uses data to advance inclusive research and health.

• The Science Behind Accurate Exit Polls (00:34:05): Professor Sir John Curtice reveals how academic methods have transformed election night predictions.

• Barbarians Rugby’s Data-Driven Rebrand (00:42:00): Branding guru Bill Wallsgrove showcases how data informed a fresh, digital-first identity for the iconic club.

External Links:

• Using Data Smarter guest application form: Submit a Guest

• Follow Sam Knowles on LinkedIn: Sam Knowles

• Catch full episodes and video content on YouTube: Data Malarkey YouTube Channel

Subscribe and Stay Connected:
New episodes drop every other Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!

To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com. It takes just two minutes, and we’ll send you your own personalised scorecard.