AI and the Future of Work

Dan Turchin

Host Dan Turchin, PeopleReign CEO, explores how AI is changing the workplace. He interviews thought leaders and technologists from industry and academia who share their experiences and insights about artificial intelligence and what it means to be human in the era of AI-driven automation. Learn more about PeopleReign, the system of intelligence for IT and HR employee service: http://www.peoplereign.io.

read less
TechnologyTechnology

Episodes

Suresh Vittal, CPO at Alteryx, On His Journey to Revolutionizing Data Analytics
Apr 8 2024
Suresh Vittal, CPO at Alteryx, On His Journey to Revolutionizing Data Analytics
As the Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, Suresh leads the product, engineering, design, and development teams that deliver innovative and scalable solutions for data science and analytics. He is also responsible for product pricing, packaging, and PLG strategies. Over the past 3 years, Alteryx has transformed into an analytics platform with market-leading end-to-end analytics solutions, covering the entire gamut of users from analysts to data engineers, developers, and data scientists.With over 20 years of experience in the SaaS industry, Suresh has a proven track record of driving growth, customer satisfaction, and market leadership for cloud-based platforms and products.In this conversation, we discuss:The ongoing debate between AI guardrails and user autonomy, referencing Mark Gimein's "spicy mayo problem" as a case study.Suresh Vittal's background, journey through analytics and AI, and his role as Chief Product Officer at Alteryx.Alteryx's mission of "analytics for all" and their focus on empowering users across technical and non-technical roles in data analytics.The integration of generative AI features into Alteryx's platform to simplify complex workflows and enhance collaboration among data professionals.Insights into AI-first data management strategies and the evolving landscape of AI-driven tools in the future of work.The importance of governance and transparency in AI-powered analytics, ensuring clarity and understanding across complex data workflows for improved decision-making.Additional resources: Suresh’s LinkedIn pageRelated episode you might enjoy about responsible AI useAI fun fact article in the Atlantic
Ben Kus, CTO of Box, On Responsible AI Use, Innovation Culture, and Future AI Trends
Apr 1 2024
Ben Kus, CTO of Box, On Responsible AI Use, Innovation Culture, and Future AI Trends
Ben Kus is the chief technology officer at Box, where he’s responsible for developing Box's technology vision and strategy.  Previously, Ben was the VP of product management at Box. Before joining Box, he was the co founder and CTO of Subspace, an enterprise security solution that was acquired by Box. Ben’s held various leadership positions, including chief architect for IBM and senior director of technology for BigFix.  What we discuss:The role of generative AI in enhancing productivity and unlocking new use cases within enterprises, focusing on content management.Ben shares insights into Box's innovative culture and compares it to other companies like IBM, highlighting the company's approach to technology and innovation.The discussion touches on responsible AI use, regulatory considerations, and Box's commitment to transparency and compliance.Ben addresses concerns about AI's impact on jobs, emphasizing AI's role in augmenting productivity rather than replacing human jobs.Future trends in AI, including personalized AI assistance and potential advancements in AI capabilities, are explored.The conversation ends with a fun anecdote about Box's CEO, Aaron Levie, known for his magic tricks and the company's unique culture of bringing your own self to work.Additional resourcesBen’s LinkedIn Other episodes you might enjoy about the future of Media & AIFun fact: how much energy is required to create an image with generative AI?
Neil Mandt, Emmy-Winning Entrepreneur, Unveils the Future of Hollywood & Media
Mar 25 2024
Neil Mandt, Emmy-Winning Entrepreneur, Unveils the Future of Hollywood & Media
Neil Mandt is a Hollywood entrepreneur, a five-time Emmy winner, and producer of the 2022 Golden Globes.  A pioneer in AR and VR technology, and a pro sports owner, since getting his start in Hollywood at age 10, there's almost no award he hasn't received, and almost no new form of media he hasn't tested and improved. What we coverIn this conversation, Neil shares insights into the evolving landscape of Hollywood and the role of AI in content creation and consumption.Neil discusses the potential of AI to democratize content creation, enabling individuals to produce high-quality movies and TV series with minimal resources.We delve into the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in the entertainment industry, including the gamification of user engagement and personalized content experiences.Neil emphasizes the importance of embracing AI tools for content creators to stay competitive and adapt to changing consumer preferences.Neil highlights the transformative potential of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies in enhancing the content consumption experience.Neil provides valuable insights into the skills required for content producers to thrive in a future where AI-driven, interactive storytelling becomes the norm.And much more.Additional resourcesNeil’s site — Neilmandt.com Course on making it in media and entertainment — https://neilmandt.com/courseOther episodes you might enjoy — https://aiandthefutureofwork.buzzsprout.com/520474/14689727-babak-hodjat-cto-of-ai-at-cognizant-on-creating-siri-and-the-evolution-of-ai
Babak Hodjat, CTO of AI at Cognizant, on creating Siri and the evolution of AI
Mar 18 2024
Babak Hodjat, CTO of AI at Cognizant, on creating Siri and the evolution of AI
Babak is the CTO of AI at Cognizant, the 34 billion market cap provider of tech services with more than 350, 000 global employees. He's the former co-founder and CEO of Sentient, a business responsible for the core technology behind the world's largest distributed artificial intelligence system. Before co-founding Sentient, Babak co-founded and was the CTO and a board member of Dejima where he developed the foundational technology that ultimately became Apple's Siri. He's the primary inventor of Dejima's patented technology. Babak has 31 granted or pending patents, is a published author, and is one of the most respected thought leaders in AI.  He holds a PhD in machine intelligence from Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. In our conversation, we discuss: The recent executive order on AI regulation issued by the Biden administration, exploring its key themes such as the development of a national registry for foundational large language models and safety test result sharing by vendors.Babak shares insights into the challenges and engineering intricacies involved in developing and scaling AI systems, emphasizing the importance of understanding the fundamental differences between large language models and human intelligence.The concept of responsible AI and the urgent need for defining unambiguous ethical standards, with Babak expressing concerns about AI potentially being used for destructive or malicious purposes in the wrong hands.Babak's experience as a pioneer in developing foundational technologies for SiriThe limitations and expectations surrounding large language models shed light on the challenges of fine-tuning and reinforcing these models, as well as the misconceptions related to their learning capabilities during interactions.The concept of active ontology and its role in the early development of Siri, highlights the revolutionary approach that focused on modeling functionality and ontology first, offering insights into the evolution of natural language technology over the past 25 years.Additional resourcesBabak's LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/babakhodjat/Another episode you might enjoy — https://aiandthefutureofwork.buzzsprout.com/520474/14341487-navrina-singh-founder-ceo-of-credo-ai-discusses-ai-governance-ethics
Richie Cotton, Data Scientist & Co-host of the DataFramed podcast, discusses the future of data science  & AI ethics
Mar 11 2024
Richie Cotton, Data Scientist & Co-host of the DataFramed podcast, discusses the future of data science & AI ethics
Richie Cotton and his co-host Adel have published over 150 episodes of the DataFramed podcast with some amazing guests. Richie's also a data evangelist for  DataCamp and a data scientist by training. He helps train DataCamp students and has been instrumental in the company's success. DataCamp has trained data teams at more than 2,500 companies, including 80 percent of the Fortune 100. Richie has degrees in Math from the University of Warwick and the University of York. In our conversation, we discuss: The Evolving Role of Data Scientists: Richie Cotton shares insights into the changing landscape of data science and how the role of data scientists is expected to transform in the next decade, emphasizing the increasing accessibility of powerful tools.Ethical Considerations in AI: we delve into the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, exploring the responsibility of data scientists and AI practitioners in addressing issues such as bias, transparency, and privacy in their work.Future Skills for Data Scientists: Richie discusses the essential technical skills for data scientists, including the ongoing debate between Python and R, and highlights the importance of staying adaptable as technology evolves.AI's Impact on Business Operations: we explore the potential impact of AI on various industries, focusing on business operations and efficiency, providing valuable insights for professionals looking to harness AI for strategic advantages.Predictions for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): Richie shares intriguing perspectives on the timeline for achieving artificial general intelligence, citing predictions that AGI might become a reality in the 2030s and discussing the potential implications of such advancements.Teaching and Learning Data Science at Scale: we shed light on Richie's experience at DataCamp, where he has been instrumental in teaching data science to hundreds of thousands of individuals, highlighting the platform's mission to make data science education accessible globally.Additional resourcesListen to Richie’s podcast — https://www.datacamp.com/podcastOther episodes you might enjoy — https://aiandthefutureofwork.buzzsprout.com/520474/14341487-navrina-singh-founder-ceo-of-credo-ai-discusses-ai-governance-ethics
Atif Rafiq, CEO & Bestselling Author, on the decision sprint process
Feb 19 2024
Atif Rafiq, CEO & Bestselling Author, on the decision sprint process
Atif has blazed trails in Silicon Valley and the Fortune 500 for over 25 years. After rising through digital native companies like Amazon, Yahoo!, and AOL, Atif held C-suite roles at McDonald’s, Volvo, and MGM Resorts. He oversaw thousands of employees as a global P&L, transformation, and innovation leader. Rafiq was the first Chief Digital Officer in the history of the Fortune 500, a pioneering role he held at McDonalds, and he rose to the President level in the Fortune 300. While leading business units, teams, and growth for companies, Atif has built a large following as one of today’s top management thinkers. Over 500,000 people follow his ideas about management and leadership on LinkedIn, where he is a Top Voice, and his newsletter Re:wire has over 100,000 subscribers. Atif has also been nominated Atif is passionate about helping companies push boldly into the future. He accomplishes this through Ritual, a software app revolutionizing how teams innovate and problem-solve, and through his work as keynote speaker, Board member, and CEO advisor. Listen and learnWhat’s broken about the decision-making process in large companiesWhat is the decision sprint process How will team formation/team structure change as a result of AI?How do we measure the quality of the output of a decision sprint?What are the smartest ways to engage generative AI in the decision sprint process?How do you reasonably deal with the fear of AI replacing your job?Much moreResources— Buy the book — https://www.decisionsprint.com/— Ritual — https://www.ritual.work/—  Listen to a related episode — https://www.buzzsprout.com/520474/14158168-bruce-feiler-best-selling-author-ted-celebrity-tv-personality-and-new-york-times-columnist-discusses-navigating-life-transitions
Dr. Eric Siegel, Founder of Machine Learning Week, on 6 steps to usher in successful ML projects
Feb 12 2024
Dr. Eric Siegel, Founder of Machine Learning Week, on 6 steps to usher in successful ML projects
Dr. Eric Siegel is a leading consultant and former Columbia University professor who helps companies deploy machine learning. He is the founder of the long-running Machine Learning Week conference series and its new sister, Generative AI World, the instructor of the acclaimed online course “Machine Learning Leadership and Practice – End-to-End Mastery,” executive editor of The Machine Learning Times, and a frequent keynote speaker. He wrote the bestselling "Predictive Analytics: The Power to Predict Who Will Click, Buy, Lie, or Die," which has been used in courses at hundreds of universities, as well as "The AI Playbook: Mastering the Rare Art of Machine Learning Deployment." Eric’s interdisciplinary work bridges the stubborn technology/business gap. At Columbia, he won the Distinguished Faculty award when teaching the graduate *computer science* courses in ML and AI. Later, he served as a *business school* professor at UVA Darden. Eric has appeared on numerous media channels, including Bloomberg, National Geographic, and NPR, and has published in Newsweek, HBR, SciAm blog, WaPo, WSJ, and more.Listen and learnHow he’s progressed in the field of machine learning over 30 years6-step process to usher in machine learning programs from conception to deployment What 3 things non-technical people in business should know about how machine learning works & delivers valueHow to know when to use classical machine learning vs generative AI to solve a data problemHow to mitigate the impact of human bias in shaping AIResourcesPurchase "The AI Playbook" — http://www.bizML.com Scott Zoldi episode —https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/520474.rss
Juliette Powell & Art Kleiner, Entrepreneurs & Professors, Discuss The 7 Principles of Responsible Technology
Feb 5 2024
Juliette Powell & Art Kleiner, Entrepreneurs & Professors, Discuss The 7 Principles of Responsible Technology
Juliette Powell is the founder and managing partner of Kleiner Powell International [KPI], a New York City-based consultancy. As a consultant at the intersection of responsible technology and business, she has advised large companies and governments on how to deal with the accelerating change underway due to AI-enabled technological innovation coupled with shifting social dynamics and heightened global competition. She’s also on the faculty at New York University and teaches in the Interactive Telecommunications Program. Art Kleiner is a writer, lecturer, and consultant with a background in management, interactive media, corporate environmentalism, scenario planning, and organizational learning. He is a co-author (with Pete Senge et al.) of the best-selling Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, The Dance of Change, and Schools That Learn; and author of Who Really Matters: The Core Group Theory of Power, Privilege, and Success. Since 1986, he has taught in New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program.Juliette and Art co-authored a new book, The AI Dilemma: 7 Principles for Responsible Technology.Listen and learnHow Juliette and Art started their careers The Principles of Responsible Technology What could happen if AI became sentient? How can we prevent AI from reinforcing negative biases and discrimination?How people and organizations can practice better ethics when leveraging AI?What will it take to engrain more ethical, equity-oriented thinking into business education?  Much moreReferences in this episode…Juliette and Art's websiteGary F. Bengier discusses AI’s impact on humanity
Subha Tatavarti, Wipro CTO, shares what a tech titan with 250k employees has learned about gen AI demand from 1,400+ enterprise customers
Jan 8 2024
Subha Tatavarti, Wipro CTO, shares what a tech titan with 250k employees has learned about gen AI demand from 1,400+ enterprise customers
Wipro is one of the largest providers of tech and tech services in the world with more than 250,000 employees. It was started in 1945 and is now the third largest software company in India with a market cap of more than $27B.We're lucky to be joined today by the leader driving Wipro's technology vision. Subha Tatavarti joined Wipro as Chief Technology Officer in March 2021 after a distinguished career in tech leadership roles at companies like Walmart and PayPal where she led the product, data, and infrastructure teams. Subha holds a Masters in Computer Science. She's an avid hiker and enjoys trail running and books on philosophy.Listen and learn...What Wipro's 1,400+ enterprise customers expect from gen AIWhat are the top use cases for enterprise AI in 2024Why the quality of AI-generated code has surprised SubhaOne year in... how does Subha describe the state of enterprise adoption of gen AIWhat is holding back broader adoption of gen AIWhy regulatory frameworks alone are sufficient to reign in the bad actorsEarly adopting industries and geographies you wouldn't expectSubha's advice to CIOs and CTOs about how to pick the right business problem to solve with AISubha's vision for the future of human interactionReferences in today's episode...Durga Malladi, Qualcomm SVP, on AI and the Future of WorkAI classifiers can't distinguish human from AI-generated contentWipro's billion-dollar investment in AI The Wipro ai 360 hubWipro's approach to responsible AIThe Azim Premji Foundation
Bruce Feiler, best-selling author, TED celebrity, TV personality, and New York Times columnist, discusses navigating life transitions
Dec 18 2023
Bruce Feiler, best-selling author, TED celebrity, TV personality, and New York Times columnist, discusses navigating life transitions
BRUCE FEILER is one of America’s most thoughtful voices on contemporary life. He is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including LIFE IS IN THE TRANSITIONS,  THE SECRETS OF HAPPY FAMILIES, and COUNCIL OF DADS. His three TED Talks have been viewed more than four million times, and he teaches the TED Course HOW TO MASTER LIFE TRANSITIONS. His latest book, THE SEARCH: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World (May 2023), is a bold new roadmap for finding meaning and purpose at work.A longtime columnist at the New York Times, Bruce now writes the popular newsletter THE NONLINEAR LIFE. He has appeared in numerous publications, including The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, and Gourmet, where he won three James Beard Awards. A former circus clown, he has been the subject of a Jay Leno joke and a JEOPARDY! question, and his face appears on a postage stamp in the Grenadines.Listen and learn...Bruce's search for meaning in the face of setbacks and challengesHow to reconcile our complicated relationship with work and our personal search for meaningBruce's "three lies and a truth about work"How to identify what brings you meaningThe four historical changes in the nature of workWhy it's important to "ignore the lessons of your parents"The one thing we know about AI and the future of workReferences in this episode...Bill Davidow on AI and the Future of WorkDr. Meredith Broussard on AI and the Future of WorkLinda Rottenberg on AI and the Future of WorkHow soon before LLMs replace human comedians?
Josh Drean, co-founder of The Work3 Institute, author, and future of work authority, discusses human-centric employment in the era of AI
Dec 11 2023
Josh Drean, co-founder of The Work3 Institute, author, and future of work authority, discusses human-centric employment in the era of AI
We've met future of work visionaries recently like Gary Bolles, Dr. John Boudreau, Mark McCrindle, and Josh Bersin. All have shared unique perspectives on how AI is redefining the employee experience. Today's guest belongs on that Mt. Rushmore of future of work luminaries.Josh Drean is Co-founder & Director of Employee Experience at The Work3 Institute, AI + Work Advisor at the Harvard Innovation Labs, and Co-author of Employment is Dead (Harvard Business Review Press, 2024)His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company, and The Economist and he has made appearances on The Today Show, NBC, and FOX Business. He speaks internationally to bring work tech insights to digital-first leaders who value human-centric work experiences.Listen and learn...How AI is changing our relationship with workWork 3... vs. work 1 and work 2How the metaverse is enabling a global talent marketplaceWhat RTW is doing to the relationship between employees and employersWhy "employment is dead"... but we'll soon enjoy work more as a result"There are two camps... those who are embracing AI... and those who will become obsolete."Why employee surveillance is the wrong approachWhy "passion is future-proof"References in this episode...Josh Bersin on AI and the Future of WorkGary Bolles on AI and the Future of WorkJames Lawton from Zebra on AI and the Future of WorkAI Snake Oil by Princeton Professor Arvind NarayananJosh Drean on YouTube