Lead With AI Podcast
Host: Dr. Tamara Nall
Guest: John Fitzpatrick, CTO of Nitro Software
Episode: Former Apple AI Engineer Brings Privacy-First Automation to Document Management
Date: January 13, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the evolution of Nitro Software from a conventional PDF tool to an AI-powered, privacy-first document automation platform under the guidance of CTO John Fitzpatrick, a former Apple AI engineer. Dr. Tamara Nall and John discuss how AI is revolutionizing productivity, document management, and industry workflows—while emphasizing ethical data use and real-world impact. The conversation offers technical insight, behind-the-scenes product decisions, and stories of AI transforming everyday business practices.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. John Fitzpatrick’s Journey and Passion for AI

[01:38–02:33]

• John brings 10+ years of AI experience, including leadership roles at Apple where he built on-device AI models after his startup Voices was acquired.
• He’s worked across startups, cybersecurity, and telecom, grounding his expertise in building practical, privacy-centric solutions.

2. Nitro Software’s Evolution

[02:37–03:14]

• Originally a straightforward PDF management and e-signature tool, Nitro now serves a spectrum from individuals to large enterprises (pharma, legal, engineering, banking).
• AI has enabled Nitro to automate complex, repetitive document-related tasks across industries and functions.

3. Applying AI—Not for Hype, But for Real Value

[03:14–06:52]

• John explains their deliberate framework to identify workflows where AI brings tangible benefits—avoiding "AI for AI's sake."

• Tasks Automated by Nitro AI:

  • Data extraction
  • Form creation and processing
  • Bulk document handling
  • Redaction (PII/data privacy)
  • Summarization
  • Document Q&A

• Quote:

  “We didn’t want to suffer from that condition that we see a lot ...just adding AI into your product for the sake of AI.”
  (John, 03:36)

4. Real AI-Driven Impact: "Holy Smokes!" Moments

[07:19–09:37]

• Launch of Document Assistant:
  • Lets users ask conversational questions about documents, even in other languages, and get plain-language answers instantly.
  • Quote:

    "Being able to simply ask about a document, even when it's in other languages, and get instant accurate answers is still...incredible to me."
    (John, 07:33)

• Smart Redact:
  • AI identifies and suggests redaction of PII (names, SSNs, license plate numbers, account numbers) automatically, transforming tasks from hours to minutes.
  • Quote:

    “Now our AI will automatically identify all the names, addresses, phone numbers and account numbers...transforming something that takes hours into something that we've done in minutes or even seconds.”
    (John, 08:59)

5. Under the Hood: How Nitro’s AI Tech Works

[11:07–12:24]

• Nitro operates dedicated, private AI model instances—no third-party data sharing.

• No customer data or documents are stored after processing – privacy is core.

• Separate, tailored models for different tasks, all within Nitro’s private infrastructure.

• Quote:

  “We also never store any customer data or documents. …We process it and then it's gone.”
  (John, 11:44)

6. Transformative Examples from the Field

[13:35–15:58]

• Pharma client: Nitro’s Autoform solution takes flat documents, auto-creates forms, and processes tens of thousands of varied patient intake forms, extracting structured data to CSV/Excel within seconds.
  • Handles disparate forms and aggregating related data.
  • Massive timesaving and increased accuracy.

7. Ethics & Privacy in AI Document Management

[16:38–19:42]

• The Apple-inspired "maniacal focus on privacy:" All document processing is ephemeral—no persistent data storage or training on customer data.

• Ethical stance: AI should augment, not replace, human work.

• Custom dictionaries for redaction coming; otherwise, only open-source or public data used for model training.

• Quote:

  “We process it ephemerally, which basically means we process it and then it's gone.”
  (John, 16:46) “The privacy of our users and the data protection [is] so much more important.”
  (John, 17:20)

8. The Future of Nitro and the PDF Format

[19:53–21:53]

• Predicts growing need for "trusted, immutable sources of truth" as content generation enters the AI era.
• PDF will only become more robust and essential due to audit trails and tamper evidence.
• Future tools will auto-surface relevant information within documents, proactively suggest actions, and automate more workflow steps.

9. More AI Magic: New Features

[22:33–23:26]

• Auto Form Field Placement: AI in Nitro’s e-signature product now identifies all recipients and places appropriate fields instantly, replacing tedious manual tagging.
• Summarization, smart workflows, various industry-specific features are available in the free trial at gonitro.com.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On AI Adoption Philosophy

“Any good product-led business…you have a quick win, we shipped it. Okay, move on. Now, what's the next problem we're going to go solve?”
(John, 10:25)

On Data, Ethics, and Privacy

“We absolutely do not take any customer data, store it, or...train on customer data. It's too important.”
(John, 19:37)

On the Role of AI in Society

“The real power of AI…it's not replacing humans, but it's augmenting them. Right. So that we can focus on what matters more.”
(John, 17:59)

On Connection vs. Isolation

“Like most technologies, it's going to depend on how we as individuals, businesses, and society hopefully choose to apply AI and integrate [it] into our lives.”
(John, 25:11)

Scare Us/Wow Us—Future Prediction

“[AI] can actually slow us down…we’ll have less and less people in our society in the detail needed to really innovate…”
(John, 28:54)

Book Recommendation

"The Last Question" (Isaac Asimov, science fiction short story)
(John, 27:52)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Start Time | |---------------------------------------------|------------| | Intro & John’s Background | 01:38 | | Nitro’s Business & Evolution | 02:37 | | AI for Real Value, Not Hype | 03:14 | | Magic Moments: Document Assistant, Redact | 07:19 | | AI Privacy Architecture | 11:07 | | Real-World Example: Pharma Autoform | 13:35 | | Ethics & Data Privacy | 16:38 | | Nitro's Future Vision | 19:53 | | Latest AI Features & Free Trial Info | 22:33 | | Society: AI Connection or Isolation? | 23:59 | | Rapid Fire: Over/Underrated Trends, Books | 26:39 | | Scary/Future Prediction | 28:54 | | Contact & Closing | 30:44 |

Contact & Further Resources

• Try Nitro: gonitro.com
  • Free 14-day trial for B2B and B2C users
• Guest Contact: LinkedIn (John Fitzpatrick – “John Fitzpat, Nitro”)
• Host: Dr. Tamara Nall

Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is friendly, curiosity-driven, and practical—equal parts technical deep dive and real-world storytelling. Both guests and host push beyond buzzwords to emphasize tangible outcomes, ethical responsibility, and the critical future role of privacy-aware AI. Listeners walk away with insights into how AI can quietly but profoundly increase productivity, protect sensitive data, and “give time back to the people behind the screens.”