Risk Never Sleeps Podcast – Episode #183

Title: Why Building AI In-House Can Be Safer Than Buying It
Guest: Brian Yam, Chief Operating Officer at Somnology
Date: January 6, 2026
Host: Ed Gaudet
Co-host/Guest Interviewer: Saul

Episode Overview

This episode explores the pressing question: Is it safer for healthcare organizations to build their own AI solutions rather than relying on vendors? Brian Yam, COO at Somnology, shares his experience and rationale for leading the build-vs-buy decision at a digital sleep therapeutics company—where data security, regulatory compliance, and patient empowerment are paramount. The episode also delves into Brian's personal journey bridging sports, law, and digital health, and offers actionable insights for other innovators balancing risk, passion, and purpose.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Rationale for Building AI In-House (00:57 – 03:52)

• Regulatory Evolution & Control:

  • AI regulations are rapidly developing, with special attention to healthcare (references to EU AI Act, IEEE UL 2933).
  • Quote: “For us, we’ve looked at building internally... to keep up with regulations, that's what we’ve done.”
    — Brian Yam (01:47)
  • Recognizes cost can be a barrier but says compliance drives the decision.

• Security & Ownership of Data:

  • Building AI in-house means controlling "the keys to the kingdom," especially regarding patient health information (PHI).
  • Quote: “If you don’t have those keys internal, you still don’t know where you’re putting your client’s PHI, and in the world of health, that is just so important, and you can’t let that out.”
    — Brian Yam (03:09)
  • Somnology’s portfolio includes work with professional sports teams, the US armed forces, and commercial airlines—clients with sensitive, high-value data.

About Somnology: A Medical-Grade Approach to Digital Sleep Health (03:52 – 07:02)

• Company Origins & Mission:

  • Founded by a physician frustrated with the limits of non-medical wearables.
  • Focus: Empower patients with actionable, interpretable sleep health data before, between, and after clinical appointments.

• Device Strategy:

  • Somnology takes a device-agnostic approach—integrating any medical-grade wearable that meets their doctors’ standards.
  • Quote: “As long as [the device] is medical grade...let’s figure out how to make those data points line up with our graphs and then be able to work alongside the AI platform we've built.”
    — Brian Yam (05:47–06:25)
  • Commitment to partnerships only with hardware meeting strict health standards; ongoing discussions with global tech companies to raise device quality.

Challenges and Opportunities of AI in Healthcare (07:02 – 09:19)

• AI’s Dual-Edged Role:

  • While innovative, applying AI to healthcare—especially when PHI or even PII is involved—demands the highest cybersecurity standards.
  • Quote: “You can put [AI] on OpenTable, or you can put it on stuff that doesn’t include PHI... But when you even get into the world of PII...those [cybersecurity standards] aren’t as stringent as what you have to make sure [when] you have client’s PHI. You cannot play with that.”
    — Brian Yam (07:39)

• Doctor Trust & Human-in-the-Loop:

  • Anxiety from medical professionals about potential PHI leaks or HIPAA breaches.
  • Importance of maintaining human oversight; AI should not be viewed as a jobs threat but as a support tool.

Industry Leadership & Regulatory Advocacy (09:19 – 10:35)

• Brian’s Work with Regulatory Bodies:
  • Member of a board (TTIC) focused on trustworthy AI in healthcare—helping to set and clarify industry standards.
  • Plans for panel participation with major professional sports orgs concerned about vendor AI compliance.

Brian Yam’s Unconventional Career Path (10:35 – 13:37)

• Background:

  • College basketball manager, law school graduate, professional sports agency experience, now in digital health.
  • Universal thread: helping athletes maximize health and career longevity; deep belief in sleep health as a core area for improvement.

• Risk Taking:

  • Left the traditional legal path for entrepreneurial sports and health-tech roles.
  • Quote: "The easiest route is going to a law firm... but I decided [to] be a part of something that would get to work with a professional sports league or athlete."
    — Brian Yam (12:42)

Passion, Unique Ability, and Leadership Insights (13:37 – 17:01)

• Pursuing Passion for Maximum Impact:

  • Family and mentors always recognized Brian’s commitment to combining sports and health.
  • Quote: “Find something that you absolutely love to do and chase it... If you go to the office and do something you love, you’ll find yourself working any hours to do that.”
    — Brian Yam (14:12)
  • Discussion of the “unique ability” leadership quadrant: passion differentiates true high-impact work.

• Handling Demands of Purposeful Work:

  • The “2am call” test—does passion make you eager to serve, even after hours?
    — (15:46–16:26)

Personal Reflections and Fun

• Music as Motivation: (17:02 – 18:54)

  • Desert Island Album: Eminem’s Lose Yourself—a theme of seizing opportunity and passion.
  • Also, the “Rocky” theme song for celebration and perseverance.

• Advice to Younger Self and Listeners: (19:02 – 22:53)

  • “Have faith in yourself. Don’t ever let your passions go.”
  • “Worst thing anyone’s ever going to say to you is no...you can assist the areas you want to and the people you want to help if you just take that chance.”
  • On career regrets: Would have kept up with baseball rather than quitting after a traumatic incident as a child—lesson in not letting fear limit your path.

• The Power of Relationships:

  • Never burn bridges; every connection can become valuable in unexpected ways.
  • Anecdote about reconnecting with Saul after a random initial meeting—highlighting the serendipity of networking in healthcare.

Closing Resources & Contact Information (23:44 – End)

• Brian invites listeners to connect via LinkedIn and Somnology’s website for insights on sleep health and digital therapeutics.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Security and Control:
  “If you don’t have those keys internal, you still don’t know where you’re putting your client’s PHI, and in the world of health, that is just so important, and you can’t let that out.”
  — Brian Yam (03:09)

• On Device Standards:
  “As long as it’s medical grade... let’s figure out how to make those data points line up with our graphs and then be able to work alongside the AI platform we've built.”
  — Brian Yam (05:47–06:25)

• On Trust in Healthcare AI:
  “There’s a lot of mistrust right now by doctors... is that just gonna all of a sudden be a PHI leak, a HIPAA breach? That’s a real worry.”
  — Brian Yam (08:13)

• On Purpose:
  “Find something that you absolutely love to do and chase it... If you go to the office and do something you love, you’ll find yourself working any hours to do that.”
  — Brian Yam (14:12)

• On Seizing Opportunity:
  “Eminem, Lose Yourself... you got one opportunity, you got one life. You don’t chase your passion, if you don’t own kind of the opportunity, you will miss out.”
  — Brian Yam (17:27)

• On Relationships:
  “Never burn bridges... you never know when that person will end up the assistant GM of a professional baseball team...[or] signing a $20 million contract in the NBA.”
  — Brian Yam (21:31)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment Topic | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------------|-----------------| | Regulatory landscape & decision to build AI in-house | 00:57 – 03:52 | | About Somnology & device agnosticism | 03:52 – 07:02 | | Cybersecurity, PHI, and AI trust | 07:02 – 09:19 | | Regulatory advocacy and industry standards | 09:19 – 10:35 | | Brian’s career story – sports, law, and health tech | 10:35 – 13:37 | | Passion, leadership, and risk-taking | 13:37 – 17:01 | | Desert island music / motivation | 17:02 – 18:54 | | Advice to younger self | 19:02 – 22:53 | | Relationship and networking lessons | 21:27 – 22:53 | | Resources and how to connect with Brian | 23:44 – End |

Final Thoughts

This episode is a rich look at the practical and philosophical decisions behind building AI “in-house” in healthcare, with real-world examples from a leader straddling the worlds of sports and digital health. If you care about patient safety, regulatory compliance, data control, or meaningful leadership, Brian’s candid reflections provide actionable inspiration.