Lessons from IBM Watson

Manoj Saxena, Founder and CEO of Trustwise, explains why agentic AI represents a major shift inside organizations: from AI as a tool to AI as an active participant. He addresses the operational challenges that organizations face today, including AI-to-AI interactions, opaque decision-making, regulatory pressure, and the growing need for continuous oversight as AI systems gain autonomy.

Key Takeaways:

• The ways AI agents are already taking on roles once owned by humans

• How leaders should prepare for AI systems that negotiate, decide, and act independently

• The emerging risks of AI acting without visibility, guardrails, or accountability

• Why trust, safety, and governance must operate in real time, not retroactively

• The organizational and cultural implications of humans managing AI agents

Guest Bio: Manoj Saxena is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Trustwise—an award-winning AI safety company focused on securing and governing agentic AI systems—and the Founder and Chairman of the Responsible AI Institute. Widely regarded as the "father of IBM Watson," Manoj is a pioneer of Trusted Artificial Intelligence (TAI) and a leading voice for ethical and responsible AI. He previously served as General Manager of IBM Watson and as Chairman of the Board at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. A serial entrepreneur with over $1.8B in exit value across multiple startups, Manoj is also a lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin and a fellow contributor at University of Cambridge, where he teaches and advises on ethical AI and responsible leadership.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

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Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte