Orchestrate Your Business with AI
Last week, MTLC’s sold-out event hosted by Verizon, sponsored by MIT, the Institute of Experiential AI at Northeastern, and The Akkodis Group, brought together senior leaders to explore the transformative power of AI in optimizing business processes and driving operational efficiency. Attendees gained insights from industry practitioners across various sectors on leveraging AI to enhance productivity, streamline workflows, and foster responsible AI adoption.
Opening Remarks
Blade Kotelly, Senior Lecturer at MIT School of Engineering and President of Blade Kotelly Inc., set the stage for the event, emphasizing the profound impact of AI on reshaping business operations, and driving innovation. He also reminded the audience that while solutions may leverage new technologies such as Generative AI, there is still no guarantee that they will meet customer needs.
Session 1: AI to Improve Operational Efficiency
Moderated by Sunil Kulkarni from KPMG, the panel featured David Xiao (Klaviyo), Deborah Theobald (Vecna Healthcare), and Nishaat Vasi (ZipCar). The discussion centered on aligning AI strategies with critical business goals, highlighting examples of successful AI integration in tasks automation, customer onboarding, and production cycles optimization. One point that was reiterated was the importance of establishing a ‘digital core’ data foundation in order maximize the benefits of Machine Learning and Generative AI. Addressing any backlogs of digital maturity gaps (including cloud infrastructure and data operations) will provide sustainable advantage going forward.
Session 2: AI to Augment Our Work
Mary Slater, COO of Shell TechWorks, led a dynamic panel discussion featuring Leesa Haslam (Allego), Cris Kuehl (Akkodis Group), and Michael Hanson (Verizon). Speakers shared insights on using AI to enhance employee workflows and communication, emphasizing collaboration between data scientists and business teams to drive successful AI adoption. The panel also discussed the importance of defining who owns AI work processes (both for internal processes and external customer interactions), as well as how to plan for and execute across the spectrum from large language models to AI or from generative AI to replication.
Session 3: Responsible AI and Setting Policy
Chris Hart from Foley Hoag moderated a thought-provoking discussion with Heather Gentile (IBM), Rafi Cordero (Innovasea), and Matthew Sample (Northeastern University). The panel delved into the importance of establishing responsible AI policies, emphasizing the need for multi-stakeholder involvement, ethics, and governance throughout the AI lifecycle. Conversations were held around the AI product lifecycle, what goes into the planning and development of AI technology, and the guardrails put into place throughout this process – followed by recommendations and best practices panelists shared with attendees.
Key Takeaways
–Strategic Alignment: Align AI initiatives with strategic business objectives to maximize impact and ROI.
–Collaborative Approach: Foster collaboration between technology, AI, and business teams to drive successful AI integration.
–Responsible AI: Prioritize ethics, governance, and transparency to ensure responsible AI adoption and mitigate risks.
–Continuous Learning: Embrace a culture of continuous learning and experimentation to drive innovation and stay ahead in the AI landscape.
Closing Remarks
Dr. Cansu Canca, Director of Responsible AI Practice at Northeastern University and Founder & Director of AI Ethics Lab, concluded the event by underscoring the importance of ethical AI practices in driving positive societal impact.
Join Our Next Conference
The event concluded with networking, providing attendees the chance to further engage with speakers and peers, reinforcing the collaborative spirit of leveraging AI for business transformation. If you are interested in attending our next conference, check out what’s next, here.
