In this second part of Jerry Cuomo’s conversation with Scott Crowder from the IBM Quantum team, the discussion shifts from the foundations of quantum computing toward the growing signs of practical, real-world impact.

If you haven’t yet listened to part one, you may want to start there first: Click to watch it here.

Recorded inside IBM Research in Yorktown Heights, New York, this episode explores what quantum computing could mean for software engineers, students, cybersecurity professionals, and the broader technology industry as quantum systems continue to mature.

Jerry and Scott discuss the growing push toward post-quantum cryptography, what Scott learned from speaking before Congress about the “Quantum Age,” and why the future value of quantum computing may depend as much on software, algorithms, and applications as the hardware itself.

The conversation also explores the emerging “skills gap” in quantum computing, including why domain expertise and strong mathematical foundations may become increasingly valuable as organizations begin experimenting with real-world quantum workflows.

Along the way, Jerry pauses the podcast to try something live: using generative AI to produce a working quantum program that connects to a real IBM quantum computer and visualizes qubit coherence times.

The episode closes with a look at practical applications beginning to move beyond research demonstrations, including chemistry simulation, optimization problems, and hybrid quantum-classical computing systems already being explored today.

You may also hear a few hints that Jerry has started work on his latest book in the Think series, Think Quantum. Much like Think Blockchain and Think AI, the book takes a student-friendly, builder-first approach to understanding complex technology through code, experiments, and hands-on examples.

If you'd like early access to draft chapters, updates, and behind-the-scenes material as the book evolves, visit wildducks.us and join the free early access list.

In this first part of a two-part conversation, Jerry Cuomo sits down with Scott Crowder from the IBM Quantum team inside IBM Research in Yorktown Heights, New York, with an actual IBM Quantum System hanging in the background.

If you haven’t yet listened to the earlier episode introducing the ideas behind Thinking Quantum, you may want to start there first: ⁠ click here.

Scott helps frame where we are in the evolution of quantum computing, comparing today’s moment to the vacuum tube era of the 1940s, when the foundations were forming but the future applications were still unfolding. The discussion explores how quantum systems fit alongside classical computing, why QPUs are different from CPUs and GPUs, and how hybrid quantum-classical systems are likely to evolve.

Jerry and Scott also get into Shor’s algorithm, the long road from factoring the number 15 in a classroom example to breaking real-world cryptography, and why organizations should already be preparing for a post-quantum security world.

Along the way, they cover quantum hardware, logical qubits, error correction, Q-Day, and the practical realities behind today’s systems, all through the lens of builders, software engineers, and students trying to understand where this technology may actually fit.

You may also hear a few hints that Jerry has started work on his latest book in the Think series, Think Quantum. Much like Think Blockchain and Think AI, the book takes a student-friendly, builder-first approach to understanding complex technology through code, experiments, and hands-on examples.

If you'd like early access to draft chapters, updates, and behind-the-scenes material as the book evolves, visit wildducks.us and join the free early access list.

In this episode of the Wild Ducks Podcast, Jerry Cuomo and a group of AI-generated student avatars introduce the core ideas behind quantum computing, including superposition, entanglement, interference, decoherence, and quantum hardware. Along the way, listeners explore how quantum systems differ from classical computers and why researchers believe they may eventually help solve problems involving cryptography, chemistry, optimization, and artificial intelligence.

Jerry also introduces his upcoming book, Think Quantum, now available for free early access at wildducks.us. Early readers can receive draft PDF chapters, project updates, GitHub resources, and release announcements as the book continues to evolve over the coming months.

The student avatars and voice performances featured in this episode were created using Synthesia.io and generative AI tools as part of the educational storytelling experience.

In this second half of their conversation, host Jerry Cuomo and Phil Gilbert pick up where they left off—moving from the craft of design to the culture that makes design thrive.

Phil shares how his work at IBM revealed that the real challenge wasn’t design talent, but organizational mindset. He explains how he and his team turned culture change into a product—earning buy-in across 300,000 employees and proving that true transformation happens when people choose to adopt new ways of working.

They also discuss the creation of the IBM Garage, the power of design thinking at scale, and how these lessons inspired Phil’s new book, Irresistible Change: A Blueprint for Earning Buy-In and Breakout Success.

Key Takeaways from Part 2 (on Culture & Change):

1. From Design to Culture — Great design can’t flourish without a culture that values empathy, collaboration, and curiosity.
2. Culture as a Product — Phil treated culture change like a product launch: define the audience, prove value, and earn adoption.
3. Outcomes Over Inputs — Change succeeds when it’s tied to measurable outcomes, not training programs or slogans.
4. The IBM Garage — A model for co-creation that brings design thinking to life with real clients and teams.
5. Earning Buy-In — Sustainable transformation is built on trust, participation, and shared purpose—not mandates.

In essence, Part 2 shows how Phil applied design principles to reshape an entire organization, culminating in the lessons captured in Irresistible Change.

#WildDucksPodcast #PhilGilbert #DesignThinking #CorporateCulture #IrresistibleChange #JerryCuomo #Leadership #Innovation

In this first of a two-part conversation, host Jerry Cuomo sits down with Phil Gilbert — entrepreneur, design leader, and the mind behind IBM’s modern design movement.

Phil takes us back to his startup roots in the 1980s, when helping professionals adopt personal computers sparked a lifelong passion for design as a force for clarity and connection. Along the way, he reflects on the thinkers who influenced him — from Alan Cooper’s persona-based design to Richard Buchanan’s “Wicked Problems in Design Thinking.”

Phil reminded us that great design scales quality, solves real human problems, and sometimes means knowing when to break the mold. Whether designing products or the organizations that design great products, this formula has proven to be a winner.

Key Takeaways from Part 1 (on Design):

1. Design as a Way to Scale Quality — Design isn’t decoration; it’s a method for making complex systems more usable, reliable, and human-centered at scale.

2. The Alan Cooper Moment — Persona-based design reframed how to build products around real people, not requirements.

3. Wicked Problems, Not Simple Fixes — Inspired by Buchanan’s 1992 paper, Phil saw design thinking as a way to address messy, evolving challenges.

4. Design Beyond Products — The same mindset that shapes great software can redesign organizations and cultures through empathy and experimentation.

5. Breaking the Mold — From early PCs to the iPhone, Phil shows that great design sometimes means knowing when to break consistency to create transformation.

In essence, Part 1 traces Phil’s evolution from software builder to design thinker, showing how design became his lifelong tool for meaningful, human-centered change.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where Jerry and Phil continue the story — exploring how design principles shape companies and inspire Phil’s new book, Irresistible Change.

#WildDucksPodcast #PhilGilbert #DesignThinking #Innovation #IrresistibleChange #JerryCuomo

In this episode of Wild Ducks, Jerry reconnects with his first programming teacher, Brent Hailpern, to explore how a simple course on Karel the Robot sparked a lifelong passion for software. They reflect on the early days at IBM’s TJ Watson Research Center, the art of programming, and today’s rise of AI code assistants. Join them for a thoughtful and lively discussion on how the tools may change, but the core discipline of coding endures.

In part two of this conversation, host Jerry Cuomo continues his discussion with Ken Kocienda, creator of iPhone’s autocorrect and author of Creative Selection. Ken reflects on his post-Apple career, including roles at Postmates, Airbnb, and co-founding his AI company, Infactory. He explores making AI-powered tools more transparent and enterprise-ready while sharing his vision for the future of human-computer interaction.

Key Takeaways:

1. AI’s next frontier lies in enterprise applications beyond consumer chatbots.
2. Transparent AI models can improve reliability and decision-making.
3. The future includes seamless, conversational interfaces for businesses and individuals alike.

In part one of this two-part conversation, host Jerry Cuomo talks with Ken Kocienda, former Apple software engineer and author of Creative Selection: Inside Apple's Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs. Ken shares the backstory of creating the iPhone’s autocorrect feature and working closely with Steve Jobs. He reflects on the significance of blending design and technology to shape user experiences, offering insights into Apple’s innovation culture that still resonates in today’s tech landscape.

Key Takeaways:

1. Creating iPhone autocorrect required blending design with tech for seamless typing.
2. Apple’s innovation culture emphasized decisive, user-focused development.
3. Working with Steve Jobs meant delivering fast, clear, and impactful solutions.