What Is AI at Enterprise Scale with Dan Priest

What does enterprise AI transformation look like? What does it really take to move beyond AI experiments and transform an entire enterprise? In this episode of The Future of Less Work, host Nirit Cohen sits down with Dan Priest, Chief AI Officer at PwC US, to explore what happens when AI shifts from isolated use cases to a strategy for growth, innovation, and trust.

Drawing on insights from PwC’s latest AI Jobs Barometer, Nirit and Dan unpack how AI is reshaping business models, job design, and the skills we need to thrive. They explore why enterprise AI transformation isn’t just about cost savings—but about building new value, reimagining work at scale, and bringing people along for the journey.

Together, they offer a roadmap for leaders navigating this change—and explain why, in the age of AI, the real differentiator will always be human.

 Want to dive deeper into this topic? Read Nirit’s Forbes article, “⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Would Amazon Employees Help Build AI That Replaces Them?⁠“, to explore these ideas further. 

https://youtu.be/qMIy-80Zv-Q?si=02wkFZnBE6_LM5bs

Guest Information:

Dan Priest is the US Chief AI Officer for PwC, responsible for leading the firm and its clients in navigating the complexities of AI and harnessing its power. He spearheads the company’s historic $1 billion investment in AI technologies and works with major Fortune 100 companies to develop cutting-edge AI-powered solutions. Priest is a renowned expert in AI and Cloud technology, with more than 25 years of experience as a tech and innovation leader.

Prior to his appointment as Chief AI Officer, Priest held various leadership roles within PwC, including Cloud & Digital Leader, where he played a pivotal role in executing digital transformations within a $2 billion P&L. He also served as the Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Vertical Leader, managing a $1 billion P&L. Additionally, he served as the leader for Strategy&, the PwC network’s strategy business.

Prior to joining PwC, Priest served as the VP and Chief Information Officer at Toyota Financial Services, leading a team of over 1,000 in driving the company's data, analytics, digital, and tech agenda. His outstanding achievements were recognized with the 2012 CIO Innovation Award for his groundbreaking work.

Priest holds a bachelor’s degree in Business and Japanese from California State University and Nanzan University, and a master’s of business administration degree from the University of Maryland.

find the PwC’s AI Jobs Barometer: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/artificial-intelligence/ai-jobs-barometer.html

Chapters:

00:00 – What Does Enterprise AI Transformation Look Like?
01:36 – How Will AI Reshape Work at Scale?
03:35 – Will AI Replace People?
07:25 – Why Humans Still Matter in an AI World
09:25 – Can AI Drive Structural Change in Business?
13:25 – How Do AI and Humans Work Together?
15:44 – Why Leaders Can’t Remove People Entirely
18:32 – Can AI Code Without Coders?
20:02 – What’s the Role of Leaders in Reskilling?
23:51 – Are We Seeing the End of Degrees?
25:20 – What New Skills Will AI Demand?
28:00 – How Will the Human Value Proposition Evolve?