The AI in Business Podcast

Kriti Sharma, CEO of IFS Nexus Black, leads efforts to integrate AI in industrial settings, focusing on rapid, practical solutions. She reveals how embedding AI teams with frontline workers enables quick problem-solving. Kriti discusses uncovering hidden data within aging assets and emphasizes reducing unplanned downtime through predictive maintenance. She shares insights on upskilling technicians with AI and advises targeting impactful use cases for real business results. These approaches promise meaningful ROI by transforming operational challenges into actionable solutions.

Andrew Deutsch, CEO of the Fangled Group and Director of Operations at RR Donnelley, dives deep into the art of transforming operational data into AI-ready assets. He discusses the pitfalls of fragmented data and the importance of tailoring KPIs to specific business contexts. Andrew highlights how real-time forecasting can replace static assumptions and suggests using AI to identify and correct repeated failures in business strategies. He emphasizes the need for organizations to clarify their value proposition and engage decision-makers early to break down silos effectively.

Roanie Levy, a Licensing and Legal Advisor at Copyright Clearance Center, shares insights on the evolving landscape of copyright in the age of generative AI. She discusses the risks posed by Shadow AI, contrasting today’s challenges with those from the Napster era. Roanie highlights the complexities of fair use, explaining the risks of relying on it for AI training. She advocates for proactive copyright strategies, including robust licensing policies and cross-team education, to navigate compliance and protect intellectual property effectively.

Trish Vassar, Vice President of Global Learning & Development at Coca-Cola, shares her extensive expertise in talent management and leadership development. She discusses the pitfalls of traditional role-based planning in the workplace, advocating for a shift to skills-based strategies driven by AI. Trish highlights practical approaches to defining skills through business outcomes and the importance of a shared skills language. She also addresses the balance between AI automation and human judgment, offering insights on utilizing AI to enhance workforce agility.

Julian Tang, Chief Operations Officer for the Innovation Office at BlackRock, shares his vast expertise in financial technology and AI infrastructure. He discusses how enterprises struggle to scale AI due to unclear goals and siloed operations. Julian emphasizes the importance of smooth workflows and strong governance, advocating for early involvement of legal and security teams. He also suggests practical steps for legacy firms, the viability of hybrid cloud solutions, and lessons learned from past tech trends. Crucially, he highlights the need for transparent data practices to foster trust.

Raúl Monroig, People Organization Vice President at Bristol-Myers Squibb, dives into the complex challenges of integrating AI in HR. He emphasizes the importance of quality HR data for meaningful insights and advocates for focusing on a few critical skills like curiosity and agility over broad training. Raúl discusses the ideal AI systems for skill identification and how AI coaching can enhance performance and engagement. He stresses the need for customer-centric HR tools and the value of hiring great users of AI instead of just builders.

Taylor Sullivan, Head of Product and Assessments at Workera, dives into the world of AI-driven skills verification. He shares insights on the limitations of traditional skill inferencing methods like resumes. Discover how AI can create detailed skill taxonomies to better match candidates to roles. Taylor discusses the importance of psychometrically valid assessments for accuracy and fairness. He also highlights how verified skills data can enhance business outcomes, reduce hiring errors, and promote meritocratic practices in organizations.

In this engaging discussion, Sachit Kamat, Chief Product Officer at Eightfold AI, unveils the transformative potential of agentic AI in HR. He explains how it automates and scales candidate interviews, enhancing engagement and talent discovery. The conversation also touches on ensuring compliance in regulated industries and rethinking HR workflows to adapt to agentic practices. Sachit highlights the importance of fluid talent processes to address skills gaps while emphasizing that human adaptability is irreplaceable, even as AI systems grow more complex.

In this discussion, Greg Ratcliff, Chief Innovation Officer at Vertiv with three decades of experience in data and IoT, shares insights on scaling AI through smart infrastructure. He highlights the significance of addressing power, latency, and throughput constraints. Greg advocates for modular, prefabricated data centers to tackle talent shortages. He also emphasizes the value of hybrid data strategies and the importance of keeping sensitive data local. Misconceptions about data center careers are addressed, portraying them as high-tech and sustainable job opportunities.

In this engaging discussion, Jim Johnson, President of AnswerRocket, dives into the complexities of consumer packaged goods (CPG) data. He highlights how SKU and market scaling challenges complicate data analysis. Jim reveals how agentic AI can revolutionize decision-making by transforming data into actionable insights, eliminating the need for tedious dashboards. He emphasizes training AI systems like new hires and advocates for positioning AI as a helpful augmentation, ultimately enabling teams to uncover fresh revenue opportunities.