Sarah Aerni is a data scientist Salesforce. In this conversation, Sarah leads off by talking about what that even means. First, she gives a brief history of the expectation in customer experience and how it’s evolved with the introduction of AI. Then she describes her role in this way: “My role is to lead a team of really brilliant individuals that are focused on how to make it possible for Salesforce customers to build models, add predictions and intelligence without building out an entire data...
Dec 18, 2019•30 min
Martin Felder is the head process automation center at Linde Global Services. He discusses his role with Linde as well as their journey into RPA. Instead of taking the typical low-hanging-fruit approach, Martin tackled Linde's impending future when deciding where to implement RPA first. He explains the whys and hows of this, including how he got the C-suite to sign off—and fund—such a huge initiative. As Linde is a global enterprise, Michael next discusses the pain points, mistakes, and happy ac...
Dec 17, 2019•29 min
Dr. Ayanna Howard is a chair of the School of Interactive computing at Georgia Tech, an academic, and a startup founder. While her talents are as vast as her pursuits, she sums up their common thread in this way: “Interactive computing is really this theme that the human is center to everything that we do when we think about computing and artificial intelligence.” Dr. Howard pursues interactive computing for the greater good, including robotics in healthcare and education. She shares some exciti...
Dec 16, 2019•35 min
Dario Izzo joins us from the World Summit AI to talk space. As the scientific coordinator the Advanced Concepts Team out of the European Space Agency, Dario is tasked with some serious undertakings. First, Dario summarizes ESA’s mission for us. He humbly describes some of his accomplishments since 2003—such as swarming missions—but, as Dario says, his goal is to stay focused on the future. Currently, energy efficiency is a major area of focus for Dario. He also discusses asteroid deflectors and ...
Dec 13, 2019•35 min
Helenio Gilabert is the senior director for digital transformation with Schneider Electric. Right out of the gate, Helenio stresses that word “transformation” over “digital.” While technology is the enabler, meaningful implementation can’t happen without a process and cultural change. This process must include all enterprise verticals and every individual within an organization. As Helenio puts it, “You have to offer [employees] a clear view of the path that they can take as an individual to con...
Dec 11, 2019•26 min
AI strategist for the Volvo Group, Jair Riberio, discusses Volvo’s decision to develop the AI and machine learning Center of Excellence. His interest in AI stems from his time at IBM, which he sentimentally outlines before moving on. Next, Jair talks about the difference between a company who is solely IT-based and a company like Volvo who is implementing those technologies into a product that isn’t inherently tech. As reliability and safety is and has always been Volvo’s number one concern, Jai...
Dec 10, 2019•33 min
Michael Xiao starts this conversation a little off topic with Daoism. Or is it? As the conversation goes on, the philosophies behind Daoism get compared to the way humans navigate technology in an almost primal way. Programs like Facebook are designed to be addictive, giving those types of platforms a negative connotation. But at Blue Cross Blue Shield, where Michael works, their approach to AI is for the greater good. However, in order to move any legacy company in the direction of digital tran...
Dec 09, 2019•46 min
Maneesh Kumar Verma is the team leader and head of operations at Lunar Zebro. He’s also a lead robotics at Stellar Space Industries. In this conversation, Maneesh talks about the future of space exploration. In order to thoroughly explore places like Mars, a high level of autonomy must be given to the devices sent there. On top of that, the devices must be agile, plentiful, and inexpensive—compared to a Rover, for example. Maneesh calls these futuristic devices "artificial ants." He then gets in...
Dec 06, 2019•30 min
Joining us again is Tony Saldanha, president of Transformant, to discuss the role of the CIO and IT in organization transformation. Tony first talks about the legacy role of the CIO and whether or not it’s still relevant. Traditionally, CIOs have excelled at their number one task: scaling. However, with Industry 4.0 on the horizon, scaling is replaced by transformation. Next, Tony outlines the ideal mentality and vision of a CIO for today’s enterprise landscape. Tony’s solution for IT’s new plac...
Dec 03, 2019•11 min
Barbara Hodge opens this discussion with why the world needs more English majors. She makes the point that, while STEM majors are on the rise, data is nothing without a story behind it. Today’s workforce needs to be adaptable, well-rounded, and, yes, technologically savvy. What gets overlooked is the importance of building a narrative. As our world becomes increasingly automated, our jobs as humans will be to influence. We must know the data, interpret it in a way that makes sense, and communica...
Dec 02, 2019•17 min
The CIO of Amsterdam’s Spectral, Stephen Donnelly, joins us to talk energy. Spectral is “on the bleeding edge of the energy transition” as a tech developer and systems integrator. Steven outlines the pros and cons of each renewable energy resource and also discusses smart cars and smart cities. He then offers solutions to these problems using AI. Before Spectral, Stephen was with the European Commission at the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. He describes what that level of upper...
Nov 29, 2019•29 min
Deepak takes us through structured data: what it is, when we need it, and when we don’t. He talks about how to discover the history of structured data at your enterprise and what to do with it. Data comes flooding in in mass quantities and various forms. Is it worth structuring that data? Will it fit into our old ideas of “structure?” Next, Deepak talks about unpacking the value of structured data and how to get the most out of it. He suggests asking the right questions before preparing reports ...
Nov 27, 2019•9 min
Ravi Rao defines “emotional business” and why the analytical, numbers-based approach to running an enterprise just isn’t enough. In this episode, he specifically addresses nonverbal communication. “As we roll out operational improvement programs in a lot of organizations, people are paying attention to what's being written in the email. People are paying attention to what's happening on a stage coming from the manager or executive. But the things that most executives and managers and program man...
Nov 26, 2019•28 min
A digital workforce is useless without a plan. Delphine Bernard discusses the steps it takes to make sure your AI is working for you. She stresses the importance of a solid planning phase. During this time, an enterprise should be answering questions such as, what do I want my bots to do? What processes do I want to automate? Next, simulate scenarios with KPIs and ROI. Make sure to have backups in place if bots fail. Delphine outlines the importance of building a strong digital workforce before ...
Nov 25, 2019•7 min
Max Just talks us through digital environments in this installation of Future of Work. Max opens by discussing the importance of improving the employee experience with a focus on people “inside the tent.” HR and procurement services aren’t enough to satisfy today’s employee. Instead, employees expect a seamless digital experience more on par to the one they experience in their day-to-day dealings. If a company feels archaic to an employee, they are less likely to feel like they belong. Max offer...
Nov 20, 2019•22 min
We spoke with Nicole Raimundo, the chief information officer for the town of Cary, North Carolina, and its tech appeal.. Brands like Cisco, SAS, and Epic Games call Cary home. Further, Raiumundo discusses her process in building Cary into the “connected community” it is today. From big data to IoT, the reinvention of Cary involved a lot of training and reskilling. The success in Cary’s transformation lies in the cooperation of universities, tech companies, and the city. Listen to Raimundo lay ou...
Nov 19, 2019•27 min
Juan Arya discusses his eight CoE keys to success. Juan doesn’t mince words when it comes to the importance of building a strong, nuanced team and fixing what’s broken. He also discusses why it’s critical to build and sustain capabilities. He reminds us that, while success comes in sets of sprints, ultimately, the race is a marathon. Goals and metrics are another key for Juan, but the numbers are a moot point without the right performance management. Finally, Juan focuses on sustaining and build...
Nov 18, 2019•17 min
Chief Analytics Officer for ING, Görkem Köseoğlu, talks data during this panel discussion. While modeling and analytics is not new in the banking sector, AI and machine learning has reinvented it. Görkem discusses his inspiration, motivation, and role in transforming ING—including a pivotal trip to Silicon Valley—and why now is the time. He doesn’t tread lightly when it comes to the ethics and regulations involved and offers advice on how to transform the right way. Learn what Görkem means when ...
Nov 15, 2019•24 min
In this episode, Ty Grandison takes some time to step back from this flawed reality we live in and discusses some of the unintended consequences of tech in the past 30 years. First, Ty gets real about the power of AI—or lack thereof—and its tendency to be overhyped. He then lays out the three steps that need to take place before responsible change can happen. Ty speaks candidly about bias in AI, saying, “There are multiple different chasms that are actually being built in the AI machine learning...
Nov 13, 2019•15 min
Joshua Beaudry, cofounder of LPSTK Skateboards and professional skater, discusses the evolution of the brand-turned-nonprofit. LPSTK was a digital native from the start. “All of our sales, fulfillment, our shipping, our donation, handling, our accounting, that's all automated with robots.” Josh goes on to detail the solutions they deploy, such as UiPath, and the learning curve involved in a hybrid DIY-type solution. He compares the differences between change in a large corporation and a small st...
Nov 12, 2019•32 min
Barbara Hodge gives us a glimpse into the future of global enterprise. She offers actionable advice on what can be done today to support tomorrow’s AI efforts. The power of predictive outcomes grows as our understanding and technology grows. In fact, our choices as humans are increasingly influenced by machines. Despite this, corporations still struggle with how to best cleanse data. More time is spent on data cleansing that is spent on analyzing, evaluating, and deciding combined. Without a cle...
Nov 11, 2019•16 min
Digital transformation and its global impact is the topic at hand for this panel discussion. Dr Hamed Al Hashemi, Director, Strategy & Corporate Performance Division Department of Health – Abu Dhabi; Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Director General of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture in Dubai; and Khaled ElShabrawy, Government Solutions Executive with Microsoft UAE discuss how AI can be used as a power for good. They get granular about how AI can assist with sustainable agriculture a...
Nov 08, 2019•34 min
Rohit Amberker opens this episode of Pace of Change with a clear disclaimer: he is no expert on this week’s topic. However, he does have some experience and insights on the Productivity Paradox. Rohit opens by outlining the definition and history of the Productivity Paradox. Then he moves on to the meat of the topic. Ultimately, the goal of technology is to create customer-centric value from something that doesn’t currently exist. As technology’s capabilities exponentially expand, the Productivi...
Nov 06, 2019•14 min
Nov 05, 2019•28 min
The marketplace for third-party AI vendors is huge, but what is the right solution for your enterprise? Anshuman Das, the director of robotics and testing at Warner Bros., discusses the compay’s implementation of some of his favorite tools and the changes they’ve brought. From the OCR reader Textract to UiPath for RPA, Das lets us in on a little secret about intelligent automation. “RPA is the way to go, and the best part of RPA is it can very well go hand in hand with any digital transformation...
Oct 25, 2019•38 min
It may sound simple, but the first step to implementing AI in your enterprise is to know what it does. In this episode, Vivek Wadhwa, entrepreneur and Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon, unlocks the black box of AI, including what is needed to build a proper AI foundation. Hint: it’s more than just data. Wadhwa goes on to bust myths about machine learning and the overinflated claims some vendors make regarding the utilization of ML and AI. By taking an academic, honest—sometimes brutally so—an...
Oct 18, 2019•26 min
Naomi Secor joins us and shares what's next, "I anticipate that we're going to have a lot more conversation around change management and the role it plays- how to prepare our teams and how to communicate. We're going to have a lot more discussion on how we're actually preparing our enterprises to scale. I think we're going to talk a lot more about the ROI of intelligent automation now that we're seeing all these fantastic case studies come into play. We're going to be able to determine how organ...
Oct 14, 2019•20 min
Jack Cheng covered a lot of ground in this interview. He described NIO, the company he co-founded, as “an EV provider, a mobility company, but [ultimately a] user enterprise engaged with the use of directory.” From swappable batteries to vehicle “living rooms,” Cheng takes a visionary approach to everything he does. His views on globalism are just as unique. He discussed with us the dangers of indoctrination and group think. He gave us his optimistic insight on the tension between China and the ...
Oct 11, 2019•31 min
Tarun Chopra is the president of Clements Worldwide, an insurance provider with a specialization in providing insurance solutions to individuals and companies outside their own country. He has also joined our Startup Zone, which offers resources and guidance for startups. Chopra discussed the significant role startups have played in the evolution of the tech space. Industry disruption from startups has pushed the needle forward, and Chopra doesn’t see that ending any time soon. Taking a few tips...
Oct 07, 2019•16 min
We spoke to Henrik Hanasand, with Seniorrådgiver, a shared service center for payroll and accountants. Hanasand discussed his enterprise’s robotic evolution starting with a proof of concept, consulting, and implementation. Still, finding the right RPA solution involved some trial and error. After relying too heavily on consultants, Hanasand decided to search internally for talent. It worked. Their new approach to a holistic IT solution has given them the flexibility to look at AI more broadly an...
Oct 04, 2019•23 min
