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The potential for a significant increase in AI implementation is poised to happen in the near future, and while some industries are ready for adaptation, others might struggle. In this episode, Melody welcomes Azmath Pasha, consummate CTO with over 25 years of technological experience. He is now an advisor to the tech community through board memberships including the Forbes Technology Advisory Board and brings a wealth of experience to today’s episode of the Absolute AI podcast. He highlights the present impact and future potential of AI implementation by industry, the power of digital analytics, how AI could be more diverse, and what it will take to educate and retain the next generation of programmers to support the explosion of AI that is bound to happen. HARNESSING THE POWER OF DIGITAL ANALYTICS Artificial intelligence has been around for almost 50 years and Azmath has been involved in the tech space for over 25 years, and AI specifically for nearly a decade. He has watched the trends as both people and companies have harnessed the power of data collection and infused it with the power of AI. Today and in the future, the leaders and communities who win will be the ones who understand and utilize the power of digital analytics. Considering the future of work and the future of data, digital technology is available to all and an increase in diversity will play a critical role in global adoption. INCREASING DIVERSITY AND SUPPORT Technologies have the power to make the world more fair, peaceful, and just. Azmath shares his vision of providing a greater bridge between technology and society, whether for combating COVID-19 and its aftermath, understanding fashion trends, or incorporating AI into business processes. In order for AI to be adapted by senior-level decision-makers, it must be presented as a tool for better decision-making at every level. AI AS A GROWTH ENABLER Data cannot always be simulated, although some AI developers are working to achieve just that. Synthetic data can be a helpful augmentation of real data, and there are benefits to utilizing synthetic databases and new analytics technologies. On a strategic level, there is a three-pillar approach to using synthetic databases, which Azmath clearly outlines in relation to organizing and structuring data that is already available. AI ADAPTATION BY INDUSTRY Many industries have quickly adopted AI, while others have struggled to implement all that AI has to offer. Azmath highlights some of the industries that have underutilized AI and are poised to experience a major transformation in the next few years, including entertainment and gaming as well as manufacturing with the use of “cobots.” Over the next 20 years, the use of AI is going to continue to expand and affect every industry, prompting a need for increased regulations and ethical use to monitor the gathering and usage of quality data. Azmath’s Insights “AI was just bound to happen. All of the technologies are moving toward machine learning and algorithms are always getting more commoditized.” [1:36] “[Users have to] show AI as a tool for better decision making at every layer.” [10:38] “Harnessing the benefits of new database and analytics technologies, that’s what we need to focus on.” [15:29] Azmath’s Bio Azmath Pasha is a consummate Chief Technology Officer with 25-plus years of experience demonstrating success leading large-scale and high-value digital transformation engagements within the evolving advanced analytics, AI, and cloud-based technology markets. Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/azmathpasha/ (Azmath Pasha Linkedin) https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/10/15/the-digital-revolution---an-opportunity-for-all/?sh=4bebb61671e4 (The Digital Revolution — An Opportunity For All)https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/06/22/15-ways-tech-leaders-can-ensure-a-culture-of-diversity-and-inclusion/?sh=3fc5e9dc525c (15 Ways...

From automating manual processes to utilizing the millions of health data points in predictive analytics, the future of healthcare stands to benefit greatly from the application of AI and machine learning. In this episode of the Absolute AI podcast, Melody welcomes Mark Kujawski, founder, CEO, and Managing Director at Aztech Health. Mark has had a long career working on the front lines of technology transformation with companies like Accenture, Oracle, and Hewlett Packard. As a strategy consultant, he has helped many healthcare organizations improve their delivery capabilities and is now leading his company, Aztech Health, to liberate patient health data. Together, they discuss a facet of AI that affects every one of us — utilizing health data. They examine the role that machine learning can play in making more informed healthcare decisions, the stumbling blocks that have yet to be overcome in making this transition, and what exactly the future of healthcare and AI could look like.

For better and for worse, the future of AI is coming at us faster than ever. In this episode of the Absolute AI podcast, Melody welcomes Tim Huckaby. Tim is an industry luminary focused on AI, Computer Vision, Machine Learning, AR/MR, Data Visualization, and Edge Computing. Tim has over 35 years of technology experience including 25 years with Microsoft where he worked on some famous and not-so-famous Microsoft Server products in the late nineties and learned how to build scalable enterprise software. He founded InterKnowlogy in 1999 and Actus Interactive Software in 2011 which became VSBLTY in 2015 and now is an AI consultant for Innodata. Tim is an accomplished keynote speaker and writer, authoring three books and hundreds of articles on topics ranging from Emerging Experiences in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, Voice Recognition, and futuristic interfaces. Together they discuss Tim’s computing predictions that have already come to fruition, the ones he has for the future of AI, and the stumbling blocks of AI that will have to be overcome before it can truly become a problem-solving part of our everyday lives.

At the intersection of both human and AI capabilities, we find the critical value of machine intelligence. In this episode of the Absolute AI podcast, Melody welcomes Jinsook Han. Jinsook’s passion lies in the future of work, at the intersection of human and artificial intelligence where technology assists, augments, and accelerates human ingenuity. She is currently the managing partner and founder of Spruce Peak Ventures LLC that advises companies on digital transformation, product roadmap, and growth strategies, and invests in companies that are working on the future of work and manufacturing. Jinsook blogs about human+AI topics in the semi-monthly newsletter HIRscape — Human Ingenuity Realized at LinkedIn. Together they discuss what it takes to lead a digital transformation, when AI needs to be directed by humans, and the true value of AI in meeting the needs of human beings.

As companies seek to integrate AI and other advancing technologies, disruption is happening at a faster and more affordable rate around the world. In this episode of the Absolute AI podcast, Melody welcomes entrepreneur, educator, and executive Maaike Doyer. Maaike is a regular speaker on management and innovation events, delivering keynote speeches and workshops about “Business Model Innovation,” as well as the founder of Epic Angels, an investor network of female executives and operators who have built and expanded companies in all parts of the world. Together they discuss the role that AI can play at the core of the business model shift from physical to digital as well as how companies can determine if AI is the solution that they need. Maaike also identifies which companies and technologies are ripe for disruption, from lab-grown meat to quantum computing, and the work that Maaike is doing with the Epic Angels investor network.

The process of moving AI beyond the theoretical and into the practical as it becomes part of our everyday lives is a complex one. While advancements and opportunities in the AI/ML space abound, there is still a long way to go. Once considered the Wild West of the digital transformation, AI is now facing questions about processes, regulations, purpose, and critical design. In this episode of the Absolute AI podcast, Melody welcomes Zachary Hanson, Head of ML Product at Brightcove, an online video platform that helps customers experience the incredible potential of video. Zach is a product management expert and remote working enthusiast who has worked at several of the world’s largest artificial intelligence companies including IBM Watson, Capital One, and Wells Fargo. They discuss the pillars of a successful AI platform, the importance of design thinking in every aspect of the customer’s AI experience, empowering AI scaling strategies, and Zach’s tips for successful remote working in any environment.

The relationship between humans and AI is growing stronger and more connected every day. With the capacity to retain knowledge and provide insights that humans didn’t know they were seeking, AI is becoming a more integrated part of everyday life. But will AI ever fully replace the human ability of knowledge workers? This week, Melody is joined by Scott Litman, the co-founder and managing partner of Lucy AI, an AI-powered knowledge management assistant, for a conversation about the future of AI learning and knowledge management. Scott details the evolution and advancements in AI, including real-life applications in today’s business environment. He reveals why Lucy AI focuses on knowledge rather than simply gathering data and shares insights into some of the real-life applications that AI has the potential to offer in the very near future. Scott’s Bio Scott Litman is the co-founder and managing partner of Lucy AI, an AI-powered knowledge management assistant. As an entrepreneur, he is in search of new ways technology can advance the mission of knowledge workers from sales, marketing and research, and insights. From the early days of the internet and the first websites, to business portals of the “dot com” era to the latest generation of artificial intelligence — Scott has a long history of building businesses that help Fortune 1000 marketers and the agencies that serve them take advantage of cutting-edge digital transformation.

Data, especially when leveraged by AI, has the potential to mitigate risk, reduce expenses, and boost revenue. No wonder countless businesses today are working to become more data driven. But how to turn raw data into a business asset rather than a liability remains a challenge across industries. This week Melody is joined by Prashanth Southekal, the Managing Principal of DBP-Institute, a Data Analytics Consulting and Education company. They discuss how companies can utilize data and analytics to achieve monetizable business results. Prashanth offers a glimpse into the massive amounts of data that companies are managing today and how to wield analytics, data, and intuition to drive informed decision making. He outlines the steps that companies need to take to improve data quality and make their data work for them.

Co-Founder and CEO of Agolo, Sage Wohns, joins Melody on the podcast today to discuss his programming and business strategy experience and how he has combined them to advance the role of AI particularly in finance and news organizations. He also reveals the keys to the founder role in which he has excelled, and the role models whose example he feels are worthy of emulating. https://innodata.com/podcast/ (Absolute AI Homepage) https://innodata.com/ (Innodata) https://www.agolo.com/ (Agolo Homepage)

This week, Melody welcomes AI educator, author, and quantum ML research scientist at Zapata, Luis Serrano, to the Absolute AI podcast. Luis discusses his journey to the world of quantum computing, the enormous potential in this ever evolving field, and his highly successful initiatives to share his knowledge.

Melody’s very special guest on the podcast this week is Darren Oberst, Senior Corporate Vice President and Global Head of HCL Software. Formally educated in the fields of Law, Physics, and Philosophy, Darren has built upon his lifelong interest in technology, especially coding, to become a leader in product and corporate development throughout the world. Today, he takes listeners through the journey of his career, offering valuable insights into the world of technology, AI, and leadership, which are as fascinating as they are informative. Darren begins by describing the role that his background in natural science and the humanities played in the vast amount of success he has enjoyed throughout his career, particularly his innovative work with HCL. A passionate hobbyist in ML development and research, Darren also has a great deal to share about the success criteria necessary when developing and testing models. This, paired with his many years of international experience, render him a leadership expert with extensive insights and helpful advice in this area as well. As you listen in, the sheer amount of information and wisdom which Darren possesses will strike you, along with the sincere enthusiasm this seasoned professional brings to the work that both inspired him as a child and continues to excite and drive him forward today. Before becoming a part of the founding team of HCL Software, Darren spent 10 years at IBM in a diverse set of leadership roles and had also launched and run businesses throughout the world. He has served as the Senior Vice President and General Manager for webMethods, a leading e-business infrastructure software company, and started his career in Silicon Valley as an investment banker at Robertson Stephens. Darren has a JD with Honors from Harvard Law School and a BA summa-cum-laude from UC-Berkeley with dual degrees in Physics and Philosophy. Episode Highlights: 1:51 Darren’s educational history and its role in his journey to professional success 6:03 His role at HCL and its integration of AI 15:09 Darren’s hobby as a ML developer/researcher and its impact on his perspective regarding models 29:05 His methods for becoming a successful leader 33:47 Darren’s vision of the future for AI Soundbites from the Expert: Darren’s educational history and its role in his journey to professional success 2:04 “I think it gave me a pretty broad set of skills, just in terms of...critical thinking, breaking down...problems, coming at it from a lot of different angles.” His role at HCL and its integration of AI 10:05 “A big...part of our playbook has been, ‘let's get the right foundation in place, let's not try to solve every problem, you know, until we're ready for it.’” 11:35 “That's very much the way that we sort of rolled out our cloud strategy - crawl, walk, run - focus on making sure the product is right before you just sort of throw it up on a cloud, and make sure that you have a differentiated strategy.” 13:28 “I think in the real world, start with the simplest model, the simplest solution that you have, make sure that you've got really good data and really good data quality, and that's usually the best place to start in any kind of AI initiative.” Darren’s hobby as a ML developer/researcher and its impact upon his perspective regarding models 16:15 “These types of predictive technologies grounded in machine learning aren't going away. They are the future, you know, they've become more prevalent in our life today than they were five years ago. They're going to be even more prevalent in our life five years from now.” 20:43 “I think when there's a good clear objective that's well defined, I think when the scope is relatively narrow, when the data is pretty high quality, I think you could have a ton of success.” 22:29 “In every day, I'm personally probably torn...

Joining Melody on today’s episode is Elizabeth Pritchard, recently named CEO of Bitvore - the leader in AI-driven intelligence from unstructured data. Elizabeth begins by sharing her journey into the STEM and finance industries, her 19-year tenure at Goldman Sachs, and the evolution of alternative data in the financial industry. She goes on to explain what alternative and unstructured data are, the challenges of extracting information from it and leveraging AI and the structured data it creates. Elizabeth illustrates how traditional and alternative data can offer differ perspectives on a company, for example they may claim to be green, but ESG data shows that they are actually heavy emitters. These insights can help investors gain a more nuanced view of companies and help combat ‘greenwashing.’ The conversation concludes with her passionate advocacy work empowering young people, especially girls, to pursue STEM, and offers her vision of the world in the year 2041. Brimming with knowledge, wisdom, and enthusiasm, Elizabeth Pritchard is a well-known serial innovator, data activist, and analytics-driven executive, and, as you will hear today, a gifted educator and agent of change as well. Elizabeth Pritchard has 25 years of experience as an executive in financial services, driving data and technology innovation for financial institutions and start-ups. She was Global Head of Market Data at Goldman Sachs and COO of the Global Data Science Group at AIG, co-founded Crux Informatics, where she was Head of Go-To-Market Strategy.  Just prior to accepting the CEO position at Bitvore, provided advisory services to alternative data and data infrastructure providers through her own company, White Rock Data Solutions. Elizabeth also advises industry professional associations SIIA and FISD Alternative Data Council on go-to-market strategy, and serves on the Board of Directors at Eagle Alpha and Global Data. Episode Highlights: · Elizabeth’s journey into STEM and finance · Her time at Goldman Sachs and the evolution she saw in the financial industry from a data driven innovation and AI perspective · Examples where traditional and alternative data offered differing views · Unstructured data and the challenges in extracting information out of it · Leveraging AI and the structured data it creates · What attracted Elizabeth to Bitvore and the initiatives there about which she is most excited · How Bitvore is bringing insights from ESG data to battle company ‘greenwashing’ · Elizabeth’s advocacy with Girls Who Code and STEM++Inno Soundbites from the Expert: Elizabeth’s journey into STEM and finance 2:05 “I was really born with this innovator bug.” 2:43 “’Listen, when you come here in the morning, you've got to put on your thick skin.’ That is the lesson…and that's wisdom that has really resonated, if you will, throughout my career.” 3:28 “I learned very much so to focus on what's really happening, and learn to be data driven, and let the data do the talking. And always be fact, based in decision making.” Her time at Goldman Sachs and the evolution she saw in the financial industry from a data driven innovation and AI perspective 6:37 “That whole discovery, if you will, of this world of data that can describe not only companies actually, but also how economies are performing…being able to mine the data in the world that's being made available in an ever increasing rate - that was the beginning of an amazing, very interesting journey.” Examples where traditional and alternative data offered differing views 9:48 “It was a part of, the new part of, the risk evaluation of a company that without AI and unstructured data, they were not able to easily...