B2biq

The marketplace for third-party AI vendors is huge, but what is the right solution for your enterprise? Anshuman Das, the director of robotics and testing at Warner Bros., discusses the compay’s implementation of some of his favorite tools and the changes they’ve brought. From the OCR reader Textract to UiPath for RPA, Das lets us in on a little secret about intelligent automation. “RPA is the way to go, and the best part of RPA is it can very well go hand in hand with any digital transformation process. Whether you're going to cloud or you're going into IOT or you're going to any of the areas of digital transformation, it is that catalyst which can achieve your digital transformation journey much faster in a much better way.”

It may sound simple, but the first step to implementing AI in your enterprise is to know what it does. In this episode, Vivek Wadhwa, entrepreneur and Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon, unlocks the black box of AI, including what is needed to build a proper AI foundation. Hint: it’s more than just data. Wadhwa goes on to bust myths about machine learning and the overinflated claims some vendors make regarding the utilization of ML and AI. By taking an academic, honest—sometimes brutally so—and deep look at corporate AI, Wadhwa helps enterprises avoid the pitfalls of AI’s oversell in the corporate market.

Naomi Secor joins us and shares what's next, "I anticipate that we're going to have a lot more conversation around change management and the role it plays- how to prepare our teams and how to communicate. We're going to have a lot more discussion on how we're actually preparing our enterprises to scale. I think we're going to talk a lot more about the ROI of intelligent automation now that we're seeing all these fantastic case studies come into play. We're going to be able to determine how organizations are measuring effectiveness. We'll be able to see how they're actually building automation into their business plans so that they can hold other teams accountable. And we're going to talk about how we're developing the next generation of automation leaders."

Jack Cheng covered a lot of ground in this interview. He described NIO, the company he co-founded, as “an EV provider, a mobility company, but [ultimately a] user enterprise engaged with the use of directory.” From swappable batteries to vehicle “living rooms,” Cheng takes a visionary approach to everything he does. His views on globalism are just as unique. He discussed with us the dangers of indoctrination and group think. He gave us his optimistic insight on the tension between China and the U.S. He even shared some ideas on how we can bridge the generation gap at a fundamental level.

Tarun Chopra is the president of Clements Worldwide, an insurance provider with a specialization in providing insurance solutions to individuals and companies outside their own country. He has also joined our Startup Zone, which offers resources and guidance for startups.  Chopra discussed the significant role startups have played in the evolution of the tech space. Industry disruption from startups has pushed the needle forward, and Chopra doesn’t see that ending any time soon. Taking a few tips from the small, nimble framework of a startup, Chopra then offers advice on enterprise change and technological adoptions that are worth looking into.

We spoke to Henrik Hanasand, with Seniorrådgiver, a shared service center for payroll and accountants. Hanasand discussed his enterprise’s robotic evolution starting with a proof of concept, consulting, and implementation. Still, finding the right RPA solution involved some trial and error. After relying too heavily on consultants, Hanasand decided to search internally for talent. It worked. Their new approach to a holistic IT solution has given them the flexibility to look at AI more broadly and futureproof their organization. Seniorrådgiver has made a concerted effort to continue the path forward technologically, and it’s paying off.

Deborah Kops, Tony Saldanha, and Lee Coulter are shared service experts. On this episode, they discuss why they joined the The Startup Zone advisory board within SSON. Tony touches on the advantages and agility startups have. Startups are known for leveraging cutting-edge technology and shared services in a way large companies don’t. Lee, also excited to join The Startup Zone, delves into process automation. Deborah plans on helping startups understand a marketplace unfamiliar to them. Big Tech and tiny tech are becoming increasingly digital. Disruption is inevitable, so why not jump in on the fun? The Startup Zone can teach you how.

Brian Mikkelsen, the CEO of the Danish Chamber of Commerce, talks with us during the Intelligent Automation Nordics in Copenhagen. He discusses the launch of the Digital Growth Strategy for Denmark and how it has kept Denmark’s economy competitive. Training the workforce of tomorrow through a focus on STEM education affords Denmark the opportunity to grow its economy locally. Further, the government has established a digital hub, where small companies can have knowledge about AI, big data, and other new tech for free. Brian concludes the discussion with his thoughts on wealth disparity in Denmark—or lack thereof—and its high quality of living.

Suzanne Leopodi-Nichols discusses her role in UPS and how GBS has transformed the company. She goes on to define digital transformation as she sees it and reflects on the last 25 years of growth. As if she’s not busy enough, Suzanne recently joined The Startup Zone with SSON as an advisory. The give-and-take between global enterprises and entrepreneurs can be symbiotic, and Suzanne is excited about bridging the gap between the two. The interview closes with Seth’s trademark questions regarding the mysteries of life and music.

Alexander Hubel joins us again to discuss his RPA and automation journey with Ericsson. He fills us in the last two years and their evolution toward a center of excellence. Change management, communications, and automation communities are focusing their efforts on automation and business adoption. Alexander describes the difference between tribes and communities within the organization and what their roles entail. As far as machine learning is concerned, Alexander says, “I think from an Ericsson perspective, we’re quite far ahead, and I think that relates to us being a tech company.” This hasn’t come without its challenges, though, which Alexander also delves into.

In this episode, Vartul Mittal discusses his RP agenda across industries and geographies. He also shares with us his favorite third-party software and other tips and tricks to convert big data into something usable. 

Steve Kato-Spyrou is the UX manager at John Lewis. He joins us at the Omnichannel Forum to discuss organizational change. Today’s consumer involves so many touchpoints it takes a corporation a collaborative way of thinking to reach them in an effective way. In order to get everyone on board from the top down, Steve creates workshops and provides us with some specific examples. “Now they've got to work together on these ideas that have come up. And that's going to be the next step: how we truly get away from the business functions, silos, buying, merchandising, trade, product, design, creative, slam them all together into a cross-functional team.”

Edda Blumenstein is a Ph.D. researcher at Leeds University. In this episode, she discusses her efforts to “…identify how honest retailers are supposed to survive in this dynamic environment that is constantly changing at a speed never seen before. I'm looking at how they can actually develop capabilities to do that.” Edda zeroes in on big data’s role in the transformational process. Today’s buyers expect an experience and a relationship from the brands they choose to do business with. Edda explains why businesses need to implement educated decision making in order to stay competitive prepare for an unpredictable future.

Deepak Subarao joins us to share the value of working smart and not hard: "If it doesn't add value to the business and if you don't get paid more, really there's no value by working more. So how can you get the same job done in eight hours, is it possible? Let's see now."

Deepak Subarao joins us to share the value of working smart and not hard: "If it doesn't add value to the business and if you don't get paid more, really there's no value by working more. So how can you get the same job done in eight hours, is it possible? Let's see now."

Edda Blumenstein is a Ph.D. researcher at Leeds University. In this episode, she discusses her efforts to “…identify how honest retailers are supposed to survive in this dynamic environment that is constantly changing at a speed never seen before. I'm looking at how they can actually develop capabilities to do that.” Edda zeroes in on big data’s role in the transformational process. Today’s buyers expect an experience and a relationship from the brands they choose to do business with. Edda explains why businesses need to implement educated decision making in order to stay competitive prepare for an unpredictable future.