Super Data Science: ML & AI Podcast with Jon Krohn 953: Beyond “Agent Washing”: AI Systems That Actually Deliver ROI, with Dell’s Global CTO John Roese
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Dec 30, 2025 
John Roese, Global CTO and Chief AI Officer at Dell Technologies, dives into the crucial concept of 'agent-washing' and what true autonomy means for AI. He shares insights on achieving impressive ROI, revealing Dell's success in driving revenue growth significantly. John outlines his forward-thinking predictions for AI by 2026, including the importance of knowledge layers and AI factories, essential for data management and security. His emphasis on governance and disciplined AI use cases highlights a strategic roadmap for the future of technology.
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Agentic AI Means Autonomous Work
- Agentic AI are autonomous systems that accept objectives, reason, navigate and execute work with humans on the loop rather than in the loop.
- The term was overused in 2025 but true autonomous agents will become disruptive in 2026.
Secure MCP With Centralized Controls
- Do centralize and control MCP endpoints in enterprise deployments and wrap them with security controls until the protocol matures.
- Treat MCP as a powerful but early abstraction for tool and data access and harden it with OAuth and other enterprise controls.
Target Few High-ROI Use Cases
- Do focus AI efforts on a few high-impact use cases with measurable ROI rather than gifting tools broadly across the company.
- Measure hard business metrics to avoid 'AI slop' and ensure projects produce real revenue or cost improvements.
