The AI in Business Podcast

Shandon Quinn, Vice President of Patent Intelligence at Clarivate, shares insights on the transformative role of AI in patent strategy. He discusses how AI-driven workflows enhance decision-making and streamline patent reviews, reducing timelines from weeks to mere minutes. Shandon explains the shift towards predictive analytics and benchmarking for improved portfolio management, turning IP teams into revenue drivers instead of cost centers. Key takeaways include the importance of integrating IP into strategic leadership and the decision-making process for adopting AI tools.

Faithe Toomy is the Director of Voice of the Customer and Insights at Insulet, a leader in wearable diabetes care technology. She explores how AI enhances call center operations while ensuring compliance and customer trust. Faithe shares insights on training agents to navigate AI's complexities, emphasizing conversational analytics for better outcomes. She also discusses the importance of maintaining human connections amid technological changes and offers practical tips for fostering agent confidence and engagement.

Stuart Russell, Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at UC Berkeley and AI safety advocate, dives into the pressing risks of AGI development. He highlights the urgency of creating responsible governance to prevent catastrophic outcomes. Russell discusses the corporate race towards AGI and its dangers, the potential for self-improvement of AI, and the importance of safety regulations. He also explores the necessity of international cooperation and the role of public awareness in shaping policy. His perspectives emphasize both the opportunities and challenges AI presents for humanity.

In a thought-provoking discussion, Aaron Demory, Senior Partner at Fearlus and IT Chief at the FDIC, delves into the importance of safeguarding institutional memory. He highlights the risks associated with the erosion of tribal knowledge and how this affects compliance and operations across industries. Aaron shares practical strategies for enhancing communication with frontline employees and aligning data strategies with cultural goals. His insights on using data visualizations for early risk detection and the balance between automated tools and human intuition are particularly compelling.

Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com since 2017, shares his expertise in e-commerce and AI-powered tools for small and medium-sized businesses. He highlights how SMBs face numerous challenges in global sourcing, such as language barriers and compliance issues. Zhang details Alibaba's agentic AI system, Axio, which transforms sourcing from months to mere hours. He emphasizes a strategic approach to AI adoption, enabling organizations of any size to enhance their procurement processes and drive efficiency in their global trade efforts.

Anthony Mikulaschek, Vice President of Commercial Strategy at IQVIA Technologies, brings over 30 years of expertise in clinical trial technology. He discusses the evolution of electronic clinical outcome assessments (eCOAs) and their critical role in oncology. Mikulaschek highlights how AI enables real-time patient data capture, easing burdens for both patients and clinicians. He also delves into the importance of cultural and linguistic nuances in global trials and how compliance automation accelerates research, ultimately enhancing patient experiences.

Pavlé Sabic, Senior Director of Generative AI Solutions at Moody's, dives into how agentic AI is transformation financial workflows. He discusses how large enterprises tackle issues like fragmented data and manual inefficiencies through AI automation. Pavlé highlights impressive tools for credit memo automation that cut production time by 60%, and techniques for early risk detection in portfolio monitoring. He emphasizes the strategic edge of proprietary data in finance and the critical need for human oversight in AI implementation.

Yunke Xiang, the Global Head of Data Science for Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality at Sanofi, discusses the transformative power of AI in pharmaceutical operations. He highlights how generative AI is improving data access and automating regulatory tasks. Yunke emphasizes the crucial need for human oversight as AI moves from simple tools to more autonomous agents. He also explores the evolving role of management in guiding teams that include both humans and AI, navigating the complexities of this new landscape.

Abhii Parakh, VP and Head of Customer Experience at Prudential Financial, discusses the transformative role of AI in enhancing customer interactions and streamlining processes. He addresses the balance between AI efficiency and human empathy, highlighting the regulatory challenges in the financial sector. The conversation also delves into strategies for successful AI integration, emphasizing the collaboration needed between tech and data teams. Listeners gain insights on how to adopt AI responsibly while improving employee and customer outcomes in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Shane Wiggins, Director of Product at OneTrust, dives into the pressing need for effective governance in AI adoption, especially in financial services. He discusses how traditional models fail to handle unstructured data and the importance of seamless oversight. Wiggins highlights strategies for aligning compliance with innovation, including embracing self-service governance and adapting to regulatory changes. He also shares insights on enhancing transparency to build client trust, stressing that governance done right can accelerate time to market and provide a competitive edge.