Conversations on Applied AI

Ayisha Tabbassum, a technology visionary and founder of One Stop for Cloud, discusses the transformative impact of AI on the workforce. She emphasizes upskilling as a key strategy amidst recent layoffs, highlighting how community involvement can enhance AI education. Ayisha shares insights on AI innovations in healthcare and cybersecurity, advocating for ongoing learning and knowledge sharing in tech. Her experiences showcase the need for professionals to adapt to rapid changes in cloud computing and the importance of blending AI tools with traditional skills.

The conversation this week is with Caroline Holden. Caroline is a dynamic creative technologist with more than seven years of experience across startups, venture capital, and media in Minneapolis and New York City. She's known for delivering impressive growth, including 10,000% year-over-year sales increase at Mercado, boosting YouTube engagement by 336 % at DataVolo, and amassing 43,000 views on her AI-focused YouTube channel. Caroline's achievements span managing major events like Twin Cities Startup Week, producing award-winning scripts, and driving innovation in strategy operations and marketing. She's collaborated with top brands like MasterCard and Verizon, and has a proven ability to find creative solutions to complex problems. Most recently, she was the growth and marketing manager at DataVolo, which was recently acquired by Snowflake in November. If you are interested in learning about how AI is being applied across multiple industries, be sure to join us at a future AppliedAI Monthly meetup and help support us so we can make future Emerging Technologies North non-profit events!Emerging Technologies NorthAppliedAI MeetupResources and Topics Mentioned in this Episodecarolineswiftholden.comMercadoDatavoloMinneapolis College of Art and DesignHomSurfinSnowflakeBubbleWe Are the Nerds by Christine Lagorio-ChafkinRange by David EpsteinDesigning Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave EvansEnjoy!Your host,Justin Grammens

Join Jean Machart, a transformation executive with a rich background in healthcare and AI, as she shares her journey from finance to leading digital innovations in healthcare. She discusses the critical role of AI in early diagnosis and improving clinical trials, especially in the fight against pediatric cancer. Jean emphasizes the necessity of collaboration in organizational change and outlines how data-driven strategies can revolutionize patient health management. Her insights into integrating AI frameworks for effective leadership offer a roadmap for future advancements in healthcare.

In this conversation, Michael Pitt, an award-winning pediatrician and co-founder of Q-Rounds, discusses the innovative use of AI to enhance hospital communication. He reveals how AI can deliver empathetic updates to families, often outperforming human doctors in clarity. Michael shares his unique integration of magic in pediatric care to ease anxiety. The talk also explores the challenges of medical jargon and how AI can bridge understanding gaps, all while highlighting the significant benefits of AI in improving patient experiences.

The conversation this week is with David Howard. David is a multidisciplinary data scientist and researcher with more than six years of industry experience and eight years in academia. He's been focused on pioneering advancements in generative AI and driving decision-making through insightful analytics, predictive modeling, and advanced data interpretation.As a Ph. D. and former professor in mathematics with research in computer algorithms, he specializes in harnessing complex mathematical theories and applying them in practical ways to solve real-world problems. Makes a lot of sense being on this podcast because we really love applications. He is currently leading technical advancements at CoxAuto with a robust team of 45 data scientists, where his current role involves educating and mentoring others on the utilization of large language models in generative AI.Always an educator, like myself, he hosts a bi-weekly seminar called Mundane to Masterful, educating more than 100 people as he demonstrates generative AI and its transformative potential across various industries.If you are interested in learning about how AI is being applied across multiple industries, be sure to join us at a future AppliedAI Monthly meetup and help support us so we can make future Emerging Technologies North non-profit events!Emerging Technologies NorthAppliedAI MeetupResources and Topics Mentioned in this EpisodeCoxAutoPythagorean TriplesFleetNet AmericaReady LogisticsGartner hype cycleBayesian statisticsMTEB LeaderboardRetrieval-Augmented Generation AIEnjoy!Your host,Justin Grammens

Discover groundbreaking AI advancements and their real-world applications. A nonprofit leverages AI to enhance access for people with disabilities, while experts discuss federated learning's role in autonomous driving. Unpack the significance of explainable AI and the value of robust data management. Learn about transforming meeting transcripts into training resources to make AI accessible to all. Finally, explore the ethical implications of AI technology and its potential to empower creatives amidst evolving job markets.

The conversation this week is with Lukasz Borzecki, the CEO of VM Software House, a company specializing in bespoke IT project implementation using a nearshoring model for the central European countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.Lucas has a background that combines both sales and IT, starting with selling ERP software before transitioning to development, and eventually management. He emphasizes the importance of understanding business language for developers, as well as the need to move beyond just writing code. He also believes that AI developers will replace those who don't. Lucas is also a husband and father of three and enjoys playing the guitar and the accordion and hiking in the mountains.Lucas's unique perspective is that AI is a tool that helps with productivity, reduces busy work, and allows for more strategic thinking. He believes that AI is constantly evolving. However, he also stresses the importance of human involvement and decision-making, especially in areas governed by laws such as the EU's AI Act.When he's not working, Lucas enjoys playing the guitar and accordion and even uses his accordion skills to create a unique and positive work environment by playing "Happy Birthday" for employees on their birthdays.If you are interested in learning about how AI is being applied across multiple industries, be sure to join us at a future AppliedAI Monthly meetup and help support us so we can make future Emerging Technologies North non-profit events!Emerging Technologies NorthAppliedAI MeetupResources Mentioned in this EpisodeVM Software HouseGitHub CopilotMidjourneyThe McKinsey WayStory Brand (Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller)AI ActKey Topics DiscussedThe importance of understanding business language for developers and the ability to communicate with clients.AI as a tool for increasing productivity, reducing busy work, and focusing on strategic tasks.The role of AI in modernizing legacy software and processes.The evolving nature of AI and how it is not a 'zero to one' change, but rather a gradual process.The need for human involvement in AI processes and decision-making, especially in legal contexts.Using AI tools such as Copilot and Midjourney.Applying AI to various industries such as semiconductor, automotive, education, industry, and finance.The importance of considering the business impact of AI, – increasing revenue, decreasing costs, or decreasing risk.How to use AI for learning, and how to apply common sense when using AI tools.Enjoy!Your host,Justin Grammens

The conversation this week is with David Wynn. David is the Principal Solution Architect at EdgeDelta and an enthusiast for all things technology.With a career spanning 15 years, including a pivotal role at Google Cloud for Games, David has cultivated a deep understanding of technical sales, solution architecture, and the transformative power of cloud services in the gaming industry and beyond. His unique perspective challenges the overreliance on AI, advocating for a balanced approach that leverages human ingenuity alongside technological advancements, especially in areas like observability.When he's not steering innovation, David revels in the vibrant geek culture of Atlanta and a regular at DragonCon, the largest multimedia popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy. His diverse interests span from technology to philosophyIf you are interested in learning about how AI is being applied across multiple industries, be sure to join us at a future AppliedAI Monthly meetup and help support us so we can make future Emerging Technologies North non-profit events!Emerging Technologies NorthAppliedAI MeetupResources and Topics Mentioned in this EpisodeEdgeDeltaDragonConSaturday Morning Breakfast Cereal by Zach Wiener Smith2024 CrowdStrike-related IT outagesAntithesisVector databaseK-means clusteringEnjoy!Your host,Justin Grammens

The conversation this week is with John Stanton. John's specialties include working with nonprofits, specifically in the areas of organizational development, management, sales, marketing, and branding. He's currently the Vice President of Growth Strategy at Accord. Accord makes it possible for people living with disabilities to achieve their personal and career goals and live a full life. Their services and programs use person centric thinking and are experts in leading the way when it comes to mental health.If you are interested in learning about how AI is being applied across multiple industries, be sure to join us at a future AppliedAI Monthly meetup and help support us so we can make future Emerging Technologies North non-profit events!Emerging Technologies NorthAppliedAI MeetupResources and Topics Mentioned in this EpisodeAccordSocial Determinants of HealthLori Ryan on Conversations on Applied AIEnjoy!Your host,Justin Grammens

The conversation this week is with Kevin Liu. Kevin is an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Ohio State University and an Amazon visiting academic with Amazon.com. From August 2017 to August 2020, he was an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at Iowa State University. He currently serves as a Managing Director of the NSF AI Institute for Future Edge Networks and Distributed Intelligence at OSU. He received his PhD degree from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech in 2010. And among many awards, he was an NSF Career Award recipient and a winner of the Google Faculty Research Award in 2020.If you are interested in learning about how AI is being applied across multiple industries, be sure to join us at a future AppliedAI Monthly meetup and help support us so we can make future Emerging Technologies North non-profit events!Emerging Technologies NorthAppliedAI MeetupResources and Topics Mentioned in this EpisodeNSF AI Institute for Future Edge Networks and Distributed IntelligenceGoogle DeepMindMulti-armed banditReinforcement learningFederated learningMMLS 2024Retrieval-Augmented GenerationAlphaGoEnjoy!Your host,Justin Grammens