CDO Matters Ep. 41 | A Chat with Microsoft Americas CDAO, Erik Zwiefel
Jan 11, 2024
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Malcolm welcomes Erik Zwiefel, CDAO of Microsoft Americas, on this live episode. Topics include AI readiness for CDOs, data governance and responsible AI, the future of technology and LLMs, leveraging tools for data quality, and understanding data lake house architecture.
Data governance is crucial for becoming AI-ready and implementing responsible AI practices.
The RAG pattern allows organizations to leverage large language models (LLMs) without extensive customization.
Large language models (LLMs) act as operating systems, while add-ons provide specialized functionalities, transforming user experiences.
Deep dives
The Importance of Data Governance and Data Quality
One of the main insights from the podcast is the crucial role of data governance and data quality in becoming AI-ready. The guest emphasizes the need to govern data, establish good policies, and ensure data access control. Data is considered the fuel that powers AI, and it is essential to have access to the right data at the right time. Responsible AI practices are also highlighted as a key consideration when implementing AI initiatives.
The RAG Pattern for AI Readiness
The podcast discusses the RAG (Retrieve, Augment, Generate) pattern as a means to become AI-ready. The RAG pattern allows organizations to leverage large language models (LLMs) without the need for extensive custom model training. By retrieving data, augmenting it with relevant information, and generating responses or insights, organizations can harness the power of AI without the need for significant model customization. The RAG pattern helps reduce hallucinations and ensures that the LLM gives responses based on the provided fact set.
The Rise of LLMs as Operating Systems
The podcast explores the concept of large language models (LLMs) as operating systems. The guest and host discuss how LLMs, such as the Microsoft 365 Co-pilot, act as an OS, while their add-ons function as applications. This new paradigm allows users to leverage LLMs as reasoning and language centers, while the add-ons provide specialized functionalities. The LLMs and add-ons are seen as part of a larger shift towards smart assistance and co-pilots, transforming user experiences and interactions.
The Microsoft Fabric and the Future of Data Architecture
The podcast highlights the Microsoft Fabric as an emerging data architecture approach. The Fabric provides a foundation with features like OneLake, Delta Lake, and serverless compute, enabling organizations to access and work with data efficiently. The Fabric abstracts away the complexities of different storage and compute technologies, allowing multiple workloads to coexist and access the same data set simultaneously. The conversation also touches on the potential convergence of operational and analytical data storage and highlights the need for effective data governance and master data management in this evolving landscape.
The Shift towards Data Products and the Value of Data
Another key topic discussed in the podcast is the rise of data products and the challenge of demonstrating the value of data. The guest emphasizes the importance of adopting a product management approach to data and focusing on the entire lifecycle of data products. By defining clear beginnings, middles, and ends for data products, organizations can improve data governance, retire unused data, and enable better decision-making. The conversation also emphasizes the need to differentiate between data and technology, viewing data as a valuable asset essential for business success.
In this live episode of the CDO Matters Podcast, Malcolm welcomes Erik Zwiefel, the CDAO of Microsoft Americas. Malcolm and Erik go deep on many of the biggest topics front-of-mind for many CDOs today, including Artificial Intelligence – especially how CDOs can best position themselves and their organizations to be more AI ready, and some practical tips on how to operationalize LLMs within their organizations - today.
Other timely topics for CDOs include the Microsoft Fabric and the concept of ‘One Lake’, a single environment for enterprise data management, persistence, and compute.