Are we asking ourselves an honest question about who really owns automation inside a business anymore?

In my conversation with Darin Patterson, Vice President of Market Strategy at Make, we explore what happens when speed becomes the default requirement, but visibility and structure fail to keep up.

Make has become one of the breakout platforms for teams that want to build automated workflows without writing code, and now, with AI agents joining the mix, the stakes feel even higher. Darin talks candidly about the tension between empowerment and chaos, especially in organizations that embraced no-code tools fast and early, only to discover that automation can quietly turn into sprawl if left unchecked.

What struck me most is how strongly Darin challenges the idea that documentation alone can save modern IT teams. He argues that traditional monitoring tools and workflow documentation are breaking down under the weight of constant iteration.

That's where Make Grid comes in. Make Grid creates an auto-generated, real-time visual map of a company's automation ecosystem, something Darin describes as a turning point for governance.

He explains why this matters now, not later. As companies deploy AI into processes that used to be owned by specialists, Grid provides a shared lens for understanding what is running, who built it, and where dependencies exist. It's an answer to a problem many IT leaders are reluctant to admit publicly, that automation systems often grow faster than oversight systems ever could.

Darin also offers a refreshingly grounded take on the psychology of ambitious teams. He talks about the need to prevent "no-code anarchy," a phrase I've heard whispered at conferences, but rarely unpacked with clarity.

His view is simple, trust teams to build, but give them shared maps, guardrails, and governance that don't slow them down. That balance between autonomy and oversight becomes even more meaningful when AI is introduced into workflows that touch security, IT performance, and cross-team accountability.

Make Grid attempts to solve that balance by showing the automation architecture visually, even when internal documentation has gone stale.

So here's the question I want to leave you with, if AI agents can now design, connect, and deploy workflows across an organization, what role will visual governance play in keeping businesses both fast and accountable? And what does good oversight look like when humans are no longer the only builders in the system?

Useful Links

• Learn more about Make
• Connect with Darin Patterson

Thanks to our sponsors, Alcor, for supporting the show.

Was 2025 the year the games industry finally stopped talking about direct-to-consumer and started treating it as the default way to do business?

In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I'm joined by Chris Hewish, President at Xsolla, for a wide-ranging conversation about how regulation, platform pressure, and shifting player expectations have pushed D2C from the margins into the mainstream. As court rulings, the Digital Markets Act, and high-profile battles like Epic versus Apple continue to reshape the industry, developers are gaining more leverage, but also more responsibility, over how they distribute, monetize, and support their games.

Chris breaks down why D2C is no longer just about avoiding app store fees. It is about owning player relationships, controlling data, and building sustainable businesses in a more consolidated market. We explore how tools like Xsolla's Unity SDK are lowering the barrier for studios to sell directly across mobile, PC, and the web, while handling the operational complexity that often scares teams away from global payments, compliance, and fraud management.

We also dig into what is changing inside live service games. From offer walls that help monetize the vast majority of players who never spend, to LiveOps tools that simplify campaigns and retention strategies, Chris shares real examples of how studios are seeing meaningful lifts in revenue and engagement. The conversation moves beyond technology into mindset, especially for indie and mid-sized teams learning that treating a game as a long-term business needs to start far earlier than launch day.

Here in 2026, we talk about account-centric economies, hybrid monetization models running in parallel, and the growing role of community-driven commerce inspired by platforms like Roblox and Fortnite. There is optimism in these shifts, but also understandable anxiety as studios adjust to managing more of the stack themselves. Chris offers a grounded perspective on how that balance is likely to play out.

So if games are becoming hobbies, platforms are opening up, and developers finally have the tools to meet players wherever they are, what does the next phase of direct-to-consumer really look like, and are studios ready to fully own that relationship?

• • Connect with Chris Hewish on LinkedIn
  • Learn more about Xsolla
  • Follow on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook

Thanks to our sponsors, Alcor, for supporting the show.