Coworking: Matt McLarty works to ‘set the right technical strategy’

Coworking is a weekly segment where we spotlight Tech Brew readers who work with emerging technologies. Click here if you’d like a chance to be featured.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in tech?

As a chief technology officer—or as a software architect more generally—my job often centers around trying to help organizations set the right technical strategy. I look at a lot of factors, make predictions, and make an effort to influence many different factors that are out of my control. Overall, I’d liken my role to a farmer—trying to plant the right seeds in the right soil and then hoping the weather conditions turn out all right.

What’s the most compelling tech project you’ve worked on, and why?

I was an early supporter of TechLit Africa, a nonprofit organization that reuses computer equipment from North America for schools in rural Kenya, where children were able to get hands-on education on digital literacy and coding. Because web access is sparse there, the organization created an unbelievable infrastructure—a kind of internet in a box—that gives kids the web experience. The founder, Nelly Cheboi, has a remarkable story, and she was CNN’s Hero of the Year in 2022.

What technologies are you most optimistic about? Least? And why?

Interestingly, the answer to what I’m most optimistic about and least optimistic about is the same: AI. It all comes down to how society proceeds with the explosion of AI innovation we’re seeing today. I’m most optimistic about the potential of AI to empower people, to solve fundamental issues around health and sustainability, and to create opportunities for social mobility in the digital economy.

However, there’s a risk that AI gets used with the wrong intentions, to extract a lot of wealth for a small group of people, to marginalize workers, or for destructive purposes.

It’s on all of us in the tech community to steer this to ensure it’s used in the right way with the right intentions.

What’s the best tech-related media you read/watch/listen to?

I love what IT Revolution is doing. They have a focus on all the factors around technology that allow tech to be transformational. They have a number of highly influential titles—The Phoenix Project, The DevOps Handbook, Accelerate, Team Topologies—and Gene Kim also hosts the excellent Idealcast podcast.

What’s something about you we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile?

I’m a musician! I have six albums on Spotify, Apple Music, etc.

What do you think about when you’re not thinking about tech?

As much as I love my field of work, I have a wide variety of interests. For example, my family, friends, music, sports, travel, literature, and more. Interestingly, I do find that most of the ideas I have that end up helping me in the tech field come to me when I’m thinking about non-tech topics.