The "Holidays are Coming" trucks are an iconic symbol of the season. But this year, the engine driving them is Artificial Intelligence.

In this episode, the BPP Digital Marketing Training Team sits down for an unfiltered review of Coca-Cola’s controversial new AI-generated Christmas ad.

It’s the campaign that has split the marketing world down the middle. Is it a glimpse into the future of cost-effective, reactive advertising, or is it a "lazy" step into the uncanny valley? The team breaks down the strategy, the tech and the backlash.

Key topics discussed:

• Man vs. Machine: The surprising reality behind the production—it took 17,000 AI-generated clips and a team of 100 humans to build it.
• The Pivot to Animals: Why Coca-Cola likely focused on squirrels and polar bears to avoid the "uncanny valley" criticism leveled at previous AI attempts.
• The Backlash: Addressing the criticism that AI ads are "lazy" or taking jobs away from creatives, versus the argument for efficiency and speed.
• The Consistency Problem: A look at where the tech still falls short, specifically in maintaining character and asset consistency across scenes.

Whether you think it’s brilliant or a creepy look into the future, this is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of Brand Heritage and Generative AI.

To find out more and to see our full range of programmes, please visit our website at: www.bpp.com

I'm Idris Fabiyi, Head of Technology and Innovation at BPP University, Estio Training, Firebrand Training & host of the TechSphere podcast. I'm on a mission to demystify complex technology and make it accessible for businesses and learners.

Follow me on LinkedIn: Idris Fabiyi

My Medium.com profile: Read my Articles

Get in Touch: idrisfabiyi@bpp.com

In this episode of TechSphere, host Idris Fabiyi sits down with Owais Khan, a Level 6 Digital Technology Solutions Apprentice and Quality Engineer at Lloyds Banking Group.

Owais shares his journey from a change from an Electronic Engineering degree to finding his true path in an apprenticeship. He pulls back the curtain on what it’s really like to work in tech at a major bank, revealing a culture that is racing to become "the biggest FinTech in the UK".

In this episode, you will learn:

• The Evolution of Testing: Owais explains the shift from the "slow" world of manual testing to modern automation, and why his team size dropped from 30 to 12 while productivity soared .
• AI as a Tool, Not a Crutch: Owais gives a crucial warning to new developers: "Don't ask AI to write the code for you." He explains why you must understand the logic before you let AI automate it .
• The Future of the Role: A bold prediction that the distinction between "Software Engineer" and "Software Tester" might disappear entirely in the next 5 years.

Tune in for a real-world look at the future of work, the power of apprenticeships, and why soft skills are your secret weapon in a tech career.

I'm Idris Fabiyi, Head of Technology and Innovation at BPP University, Estio Training, Firebrand Training & host of the TechSphere podcast. I'm on a mission to demystify complex technology and make it accessible for businesses and learners.

Follow me on LinkedIn: Idris Fabiyi

My Medium.com profile: Read my Articles

Get in Touch: idrisfabiyi@bpp.com

Welcome to this episode of TechSphere, where we sit down with Ashley Trigg – A Data and Business Architect at Marlborough Group studying a Level 6 Data Science degree apprentice with BPP and newly appointed Chair of the British Computer Society's Inclusion Committee.

Ashley's journey challenges everything you thought you knew about apprenticeships. This isn't a fresh-faced college leaver story. It’s about a professional who chose to upskill after discovering their company's apprenticeship levy pot was sitting unused.

In this conversation, Ashley opens up about battling anxiety while building a career, explaining how pushing beyond comfort zones from moving to Scotland at 18 to speaking on a panel for the first time became the key to growth.

We also get into the technical details: What really happens when launching a new mutual fund (a process that starts at the London Stock Exchange)?

Why does Excel remain the "lifeblood" of data work, even as you're migrating to Microsoft Fabric? How can an apprenticeship align perfectly with a company's digital transformation, letting you learn SQL and Python at the exact same time you need them for a real-world project?

But perhaps most inspiring is Ashley's work beyond the day job: serving as a trustee for 2 charities, chairing the BCS Inclusion Committee, and championing the message that volunteering isn't a chore it's an opportunity that can fundamentally change your trajectory.

Tune in for an inspiring, honest story about building a career, finding confidence, and why, as Ashley says, "you can be an early careers professional at any stage in your life."

To find out more and to see our full range of programmes, please visit our website at: www.bpp.com

I'm Idris Fabiyi, Head of Technology and Innovation at BPP University, Estio Training, Firebrand Training & host of the TechSphere podcast. I'm on a mission to demystify complex technology and make it accessible for businesses and learners.

Follow me on LinkedIn: Idris Fabiyi

My Medium.com profile: Read my Articles

Get in Touch: idrisfabiyi@bpp.com