What does the future hold for AI integration and leadership? Today, Brian Evergreen, author of “Autonomous Transformation” and CEO of The Future Solving Company, joins the show with Phillip and Alistair. The trio explores Brian's journey in AI from Accenture to Microsoft, his groundbreaking strategies for AI implementation, and the essence of having a human-centered approach in technological innovation. Brian shares insights into the importance of vision-driven strategy over use-case-driven approaches and emphasizes the role of storytelling and empathy in change management. This episode is a must-listen for understanding the future of AI in driving business transformation and creating new value.

Takeaways:

• Articulate Clear, Strategic Visions: Develop and communicate a bold, clear vision that goes beyond incremental improvements to envision transformative changes for the future.
• Emphasize Systems Thinking: Adopt a systems-thinking approach to identify how different parts of the organization interact and contribute to overall success.
• Shift from Data-Driven to Data-Informed Decisions: Use data to inform decisions rather than letting data solely drive them. Integrate human judgment and context into decision-making processes.
• Adopt the Reason-Driven Framework: Apply the reason-driven framework to strategy development by starting with the end goal and asking what would have to be true to achieve it.
• Focus on Value Creation: Identify new opportunities for value creation that AI can unlock rather than merely optimizing existing processes. Aim for exponential value rather than incremental improvements.
• Develop and Emphasize Storytelling Skills: Use storytelling to explain the strategy, why it's important, and what it means for individual teams and employees.
• Use AI to Augment, Not Replace: Focus on how AI can augment human capabilities rather than replace human roles.

Quote of the Show:

• “In the future, the human must be first and the system must be second.” - Brian Evergreen

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianevergreen/
• Website: https://brianevergreen.com/
• Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/Autonomous-Transformation-Creating-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/1119985293

Ways to Tune In:

• Transistor: https://agenticinsider.show/
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2fCCuVl6tL5p2kEAwFCQNJ
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-agentic-insider/id1807346381
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9fe0482d-d798-4420-a93a-fc6653bce437
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-agentic-insider-6057241
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iridiusAI

Join Phillip and Alistair as they dive into a conversation with two experienced industry leaders from General Motors: Brian Ames, Senior Manager of Transformation and Enablement and Bob Rapp, AI Data Scientist. They discuss the transformative role of AI in industries, from enhancing everyday operations to revolutionizing data science. Highlights include the 'Gutenberg moment' in AI, the importance of responsible AI innovation, the distinction between agents and chatbots, and the benefits of upskilling over headcount reduction. The episode wraps up with a rapid-fire Q&A on tools, industry terms, KPIs, and recommended readings. Tune in to hear firsthand insights from the front lines of AI innovation at a Fortune 500 company!

Takeaways:

• Explore and Adopt Agentic AI: Take advantage of agentic AI technologies to improve workflow efficiency and reduce time spent on repetitive tasks.
• Upskill and Augment Human Potential: Invest in training and upskilling your team rather than reducing headcount. Use AI to augment your capabilities and give employees more time to focus on creative and high-value tasks.
• Learn Continuously: Stay updated with the latest trends and developments in AI. Follow influential figures and resources in the AI community to get valuable insights.
• Evaluate Demo Effectiveness: When assessing new AI solutions, focus on their real-world applications and how they can integrate with your existing systems. Prioritize solutions that offer clear, practical benefits and can be procured within existing contracts easily.
• Embrace AI for Creativity: Recognize that AI hallucinations (unexpected or innovative outputs) can lead to creative breakthroughs. Encourage a balance of structure and innovation in AI applications.
• Leverage Personal AI Assistants: Utilize AI agents to manage personal and professional tasks, such as meeting preparation and task coordination. Ensure these agents can effectively streamline your workflow.

Quote of the Show:

• “ That's the agent I want. That gives me the superpower with the cape to be kind and to collaborate and to mentor and to get the best of everyone in the conversation.” - Bob Rapp

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianshawames/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobrapp/
• Website: https://www.gm.com/

Resources Mentioned:

• The Hidden Technical Debt in Machine Learning Systems https://proceedings.neurips.cc/paper/2015/file/86df7dcfd896fcaf2674f757a2463eba-Paper.pdf
• Matt Wolfe https://www.youtube.com/@mreflow
• Andrew Ng https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewyng/
• Andreessen Horowitz https://a16z.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Transistor: https://agenticinsider.show/
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2fCCuVl6tL5p2kEAwFCQNJ
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-agentic-insider/id1807346381
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9fe0482d-d798-4420-a93a-fc6653bce437
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-agentic-insider-6057241
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iridiusAI

Dive into discussing the complexities and opportunities of AI implementation with Peter Larsen, the Chief Technical Officer at Iridius. Him, Phillip, and Alistair explore the challenges organizations face in AI adoption, such as governance, mitigation of bias, and model transparency. Peter shares insights into the importance of integrating AI while maintaining control and compliance, emphasizing the role of agents in bridging legacy systems and new technologies. The conversation also touches on the democratization of development, the future of developer roles, the importance of safe and responsible AI, and the need for scalable and manageable AI architectures in enterprises.

Takeaways:

• Embrace AI Integration: Understand the significance of integrating AI within your enterprise to improve operational efficiency and innovation. Start exploring applications and solutions that fit your business needs.
• Utilize Existing Systems: Leverage and integrate legacy systems instead of discarding them. Use AI to extract and repurpose valuable data from these systems to drive new insights and efficiencies.
• Adopt Agent-Based Solutions: Explore the use of agent-based systems to automate tasks and processes. Agents can help in bridging departmental silos, offering cohesive solutions across different parts of your organization.
• Stay Adaptable: Prepare for rapid changes in AI technology. Keep your architecture flexible and scalable to integrate new advancements with minimal disruptions.
• Foster Cross-Functional Collaboration: Encourage collaboration between different departments through AI solutions. This can help in sharing data, improving decision-making, and enhancing overall organizational efficiency.
• Evaluate Business Impact: Regularly assess how AI solutions are impacting your business processes. Use these insights to fine-tune and optimize your AI strategies.

Quote of the Show:

• “ The efficiencies are real, but they come with a fear of a loss of control. So I think that understanding the opportunity and then retaining control are the two biggest items.” - Peter Larsen

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-swan/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alistaln/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterskjottlarsen/
• Website: https://iridius.ai/

Ways to Tune In:

• Transistor: https://agenticinsider.show/
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2fCCuVl6tL5p2kEAwFCQNJ
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-agentic-insider/id1807346381
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9fe0482d-d798-4420-a93a-fc6653bce437
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-agentic-insider-6057241
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iridiusAI