This week, Sushma Niwalkar, Senior Director of Customer Centric AI at Northwestern Mutual, joins your co-host Joe Bradley to share insights gleaned from decades of experience as an AI strategy leader in B2B and B2B2C — as well as her role implementing AI solutions within the financial industry. Sushma’s passion for advanced data science has helped her enhance customer experience and drive alignment among critical stakeholders, and she’s sharing lessons learned that apply across industries.Discussed in today’s episode:How AI enhances advisor-client relationshipsThe role generative AI can play in financial planningStriking a balance between proven techniques and more experimental approachesThe ethical implications and challenges of using first-party data in AI applications

Energy is, quite literally, what allows our societies to run the way they’re supposed to. So it should come as no surprise that our top tech minds are finding ways to harness the potential of AI to aid energy companies and consumers alike. This week, co-host Joe Bradley is joined by Sreedhar Sistu, VP of AI Offers at Schneider Electric, to uncover how AI is revolutionizing the way energy is consumed and regulated — and what lessons the industry has for AI and CX on a wider scale. From microgrids and smart homes to virtual power plants, Sreedhar and Joe explore the specific applications of AI in energy, in addition to reflecting on the state of AI across verticals.Join us as we discuss:How AI can dramatically improve sustainabilityGenerative AI’s role in improving knowledge management within enterprisesWhy AI literacy is becoming imperative for professionals at all levels

In this engaging conversation, Gaby Koren, a seasoned executive with nearly 30 years of experience in driving business growth, shares insights on the swift adoption of AI and its transformative impact on customer experience. Gaby elaborates on balancing innovation with regulation, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right AI partners. They also delve into AI's expanding role in various sectors and Gaby's five key life principles for personal and professional growth, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own guiding values.

Nir Galpaz, Group VP at 8x8, discusses AI in customer service. Topics include mistakes with bots, balancing cost and customer service, and the impact of AI on job roles. Explore how AI augments human skills and improves customer experiences.

No matter what industry you work in, data is all around you. Understanding and harnessing that data is essential to unlocking your organization’s full potential.This week, Ranjeeta Bhattacharya, Senior Data Scientist at BNY Mellon’s AI Hub, joins Joe to discuss data science, its many applications, and the most important skills for success in the field. Ranjeeta’s current focus is on data science’s role in the financial sector, and she brings plenty of sharp insights into the importance of diverse backgrounds and skill sets for data scientists — as well as the challenges of applying innovations within the field (like AI) to all manner of industries.Join us as we discuss:The role of communication, metrics, and analytics in getting the most out of your dataAddressing skeptics who aren’t sold on AIHow AI can help with issues ranging from customer attrition and fraud protection

Justin Gonzalez, former Director of Customer Empowerment at Square, discusses creating 'legendary' customer experiences using AI, addressing the impact of bad bots on customer reluctance. The podcast also explores embracing innovation in digital support channels and the importance of using AI to care for customer needs.

Generation AI is back for a stellar second season! Season 1 featured interviews with leaders from Virgin Media, Alvaria, IBM, TechCrunch, ZoomInfo, and many more — and we're leveling up for Season 2. To kick off this new slate of episodes, your co-hosts Ruth Zive (CMO, LivePerson) and Joe Bradley (Chief Scientist, LivePerson) break down the emerging “AI Gap” between businesses and their customers when it comes to using artificial intelligence to engage with one another.Also new to Season 2: our “Hype It or Hate It?” segment, which puts 60 seconds on the clock for a rant about what’s going great or what’s failing in AI, CX, or the business world right now. Join us as Ruth and Joe discuss:The hard truths in the recently released State of Customer Conversations report – and what brands need to know to live up to consumer expectationsWhy customers are skeptical – and which customer demographics feel most positive and negative toward AI and automationStrategies for closing “the AI Gap” between businesses and their customers

Great news: Generation AI is coming back for Season 2! While we prepare for our next season, please enjoy this illuminating bonus episode, in which Joe interviews Ori Freiman from McMaster University's Digital Society Lab and the Centre for International Governance Innovation's Digital Policy Hub.There is no lack of societal concern around the advent of AI in our everyday lives. Its influence on the cultural fabric of our world is becoming more and more advanced each day. AI can cause conflict, but it can also be used to help solve disputes and build consensus. So how do we parse out how to use AI — and who makes the rules over how it is governed and regulated?Ori Freiman joins the podcast to discuss the impact of AI-generated content on culture, the challenges in regulating tech giants, and the ethical considerations of AI's influence on education. Plus, we'll get into some more futuristic topics like how AI takes on an element of humanity — because it can actually build its own culture.With Joe and Ori, take a dive into:- The interplay between AI and culture, examining the potential of AI-generated content and its influence on cultural narratives- Insights into the regulatory challenges faced by policymakers, including concerns about multinational corporations' sway over regulation- The ethical dimensions of AI in education: positive and negative influences and the varying adoption trends among different age groups

To close-out a truly remarkable year in AI, and looking ahead to next year, our hosts, Ruth Zive and Joe Bradley reflect on the year’s most pressing questions and exciting breakthroughs in the space. They highlight how customers, employees, and brands have benefited, as well as their predictions around the ongoing impact on businesses going forward.Join us as Ruth and Joe discuss:The profound impact of AI on customer service, from augmenting human activities to the economic considerations surrounding big language models vs. smaller, data-trained models for decision-makingThe evolution of ethics in AI development — and the persistent challenges in creating and working within guardrailsThe potential emergence of diverse AI systems for various applications — and the role of open source in shaping the industry's future

Discover how AI is reshaping the manufacturing workforce through a no-code platform. Explore the impact of AI on jobs, the practical applications of AI in sales, and the democratization of machine vision technology. Learn about the challenges and opportunities of adopting AI technology in various industries.