AI Today Podcast: Artificial Intelligence Insights, Experts, and Opinion

In this episode of AI Today, hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer dive into the many ways artificial intelligence is reshaping the restaurant and food service industry. From back-of-house operations to customer-facing innovations, AI is transforming how food is prepared, delivered, and experienced.Discover how AI is being used to:Automate food preparation with robotics for consistent quality and reduced labor costsOptimize restaurant menus based on sales data, customer feedback, and seasonal trendsEnable predictive maintenance of kitchen equipment to avoid downtime and cut repair costsImprove food safety and quality control through real-time monitoring and alertsForecast demand and manage inventory to reduce waste and prevent stockoutsStreamline ordering and payment via AI-powered kiosks, mobile apps, and chatbotsPersonalize the dining experience through tailored recommendations and dynamic pricingEnhance customer service with conversational AI for reservations, inquiries, and ordersOptimize food delivery routes for speed, efficiency, and lower fuel costsWhether you're a food industry professional or a tech-savvy diner, this episode showcases how AI is improving efficiency, reducing costs, and elevating customer experiences across the food landscape.

In this episode of AI Today, hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer explore how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry. From enhancing product development to optimizing inventory and boosting customer engagement, AI is driving innovation and operational efficiency across the value chain.Learn how AI is used to:Accelerate product innovation through trend and ingredient analysisImprove demand forecasting and inventory management with real-time insightsEnable dynamic pricing strategies responsive to market conditionsOptimize supply chains, reduce waste, and meet sustainability goalsEnhance quality control with computer vision and predictive analyticsDrive hyper-personalized marketing and sentiment analysisPower 24/7 customer service through AI chatbots and virtual assistantsImprove in-store retail strategies using retail analytics and shopper behavior insightsWhether you're in the industry or a consumer of its products, this episode sheds light on the impactful ways AI is shaping the future of CPG. Tune in to discover real-world use cases, emerging trends, and practical lessons that apply well beyond the grocery aisle.

AI is significantly transforming the travel industry by enhancing customer experiences, optimizing operations, and personalizing services. In this episode hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss various ways that AI is applied in travel and hospitality. AI Improving the Travel Experience We are seeing AI be applied to improve the entire experience. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Travel and Hospitality [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI is making significant advancements in the aerospace industry, enhancing everything from design and manufacturing to flight operations and safety. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch discuss various ways that AI is being used in the aerospace industry. AI-Assisted Flight & Operations AI is at the core of developing autonomous aircraft, including drones and pilotless planes. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Aerospace [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss various ways that AI is being applied for Physical Security & Safety. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Physical Security & Safety [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss various ways that AI is being applied in cybersecurity. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Cybersecurity [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI is being applied in the AI in Automotive industry. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Automotive [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss various ways that AI is being applied in pharma. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Pharma [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI is being applied in insurance. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Insurance [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss various ways AI is being used in the supply chain. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in the Supply Chain [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

In this episode of AI Today we discuss how AI is being applied to Human Resources. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Human Resources [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI is being used in marketing. Show Notes: Free Intro to CPMAI CPMAI Training and certification AI Use Case Series: AI in Project Management [AI Today Podcast] AI Use Case Series: AI in Transportation [AI Today Podcast] AI Use Case series: AI in Manufacturing [AI Today Podcast] AI Use Case Series: AI in Defense [AI Today Podcast] AI Use Case Series: AI Applications in Government [AI Today Podcast] AI Use Case Series: AI in Media and Entertainment [AI Today Podcast] AI Use Case Series: AI in Education [AI Today Podcast] Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Marketing [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI is driving significant advancements in the telecommunications industry, improving network management, customer service, and operational efficiency.  In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss various ways that AI is being applied in Telecommunications. With the help of AI telecommunication companies can optimize network performance by analyzing vast amounts of data in real time and then using that data to help predict and resolve network issues before they affect users. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Telecommunications [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

The real estate industry is embracing AI for enhancements across a wide range of applications. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI is being applied in real estate. AI is helping with data-driven decisions. It can quickly analyze a variety of different data points such as historical sales data, market trends, and specific features for each individual home to provide accurate pricing recommendations, ensuring properties are neither undervalued nor overpriced. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Real Estate [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI is helping lawyers and the legal profession in a number of ways. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI is being applied in legal. AI is helping to assist with research and discovery. AI powered legal research platforms are able to use natural language processing to quickly analyze vast data stores of legal documents, case law, statutes, and regulations. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Legal [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI tools are helping to transform the media and entertainment industry. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss various ways that AI is being applied to media and entertainment. Automated systems are helping with brainstorming ideas, writing articles, summarizing information, and even drafting movie scripts. In the age of streaming, personalization has become a welcome and expected part of audience engagement. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Media and Entertainment [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer share how AI is being applied and adopted in governments. From international, federal, state, and local governments, AI is having an impact on everything from facial recognition and computer vision technology, to AI enabled chatbots. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI Applications in Government [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI is being applied in defense. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Defense [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

When it comes to AI, the topic of energy is quickly becoming a point of discussion. It's no surprise that AI is energy hungry, whether we're using that energy to train complicated AI models or responding to the huge amount of demand for generating results and inferences from those trained models. However, AI is also increasingly helping with the generation, transmission, and consumption of energy. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Energy [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss various ways that AI is being used in transportation. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Transportation [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI is being used in every industry and manufacturing is no exception. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI is being used in manufacturing. We discuss how AI is improving the manufacturing process. AI-driven robots are used for automating repetitive tasks, such as assembly, welding, and material handling. Continue reading AI Use Case series: AI in Manufacturing [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI is revolutionizing the retail industry by enhancing customer experience, optimizing operations, and driving innovation. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss the impact of AI in retail. Show Notes: AI Today Podcast #126: Autonomous RetailAI Today Podcast: Hyperpersonalization at Diageo: Interview with Nick Owen, Diageo Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Retail [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

The experiences that customers are important. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI is being used to enhance the customer experience. We discuss how brands are using AI to provide personalized product or service recommendations. No longer do people need to be provided general suggestions. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI and Customer Experience [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI is having an impact on just about every industry. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss the impact of AI is healthcare. From streamlining operations to enhancing patient outcomes, AI is rapidly becoming an integral part of modern healthcare. We share how one of the most significant impacts of AI is its role in diagnostics. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Healthcare [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

The construction industry is increasingly using AI in a range of ways. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI is being applied in a number of ways. Design and Planning for construction AI and generative AI tools are helping to optimize building designs. We discuss how AI tools analyze vast amounts of data to suggest the most efficient and cost-effective design solutions, reducing material waste and construction time. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Construction [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

One of the oldest professions is agriculture, and over the course of time has undergone significant transformations. Agriculture is now experiencing another transformation with the integration of AI into various processes. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI in agriculture is having a profound impact. AI's impact on agriculture One of the most significant ways AI is being applied in agriculture is through precision farming. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Agriculture [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

Using AI in education can have a dramatic impact on students and teachers alike. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI is being applied in education and learning. AI powered education Indeed, AI-powered learning is really exciting people! In this episode we discuss how hyperpersonalized learning is allowing each individual to learn at their own pace. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Education [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI in impacting every industry and Journalism & News is no exception. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer will discuss the use of AI in Journalism and News industry. Assisting with producing content for journalism and news For newsrooms that need to get content generated, but might not have enough reporters, AI can quickly produce data-driven articles based on structured data, allowing journalists to focus on more complex stories. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Journalism and News [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

As GenAI tools are becoming even more accessible, project professionals are seeing tremendous value when using these tools. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer interview Donna Gregorio. She is the department head of the IT project management office at MITRE Corporation and also Vice President of professional development for the PMI Massachusetts Bay Chapter. Continue reading Mastering Critical Project Success Areas with GenAI: Interview with Donna Gregorio [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI is having a profound impact on many professions, and project management is no exception. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer interview Pierre Le Manh. He is President and CEO of the Project Management Institute (PMI). Pierre shares insights into PMI's recent acquisition of Cognilytica and how it's helping PMI expand its AI-focused offerings. Continue reading The Future of AI in Project Management: Interview with Pierre Le Manh, CEO of Project Management Institute (PMI) [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI tools have been proving valuable to help handle a variety of different tasks. And, project managers are seeing the value AI tools provide. In this episode of AI Today we interview Jay Kiew who is a Founder at Citizen Centric. He discusses the essentials skills for AI-Driven project managers. Jay discusses the critical abilities project managers need to succeed in the AI landscape. Continue reading Essential Skills for AI-Driven Project Managers: Interview with Jay Kiew [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

Companies of all sizes in just about every single industry are looking to see how AI, machine learning, and cognitive technology projects can provide a competitive edge, provide efficiencies, and improve ROI in today's competitive landscape. As a result, this creates tremendous opportunity in the field of AI for professionals who are CPMAI certified and follow the CPMAI methodology. Continue reading Applying CPMAI Methodology to AI Projects: Interview with Chris Mielke [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

This episode is the audio recording of the discussion moderated by Kathleen Walch at PMI's Global Summit 2024 event. This event took place in LA on September 20th. On this panel we get insights from Vince Lynch who is CEO of IV.AI. The discussion starts off with Vince sharing some of the biggest challenges he's seen with managing AI-driven projects. Continue reading Ethical AI and Project Management: Interview with Vince Lynch, CEO of IV.AI [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

in today's competitive landscape, quality service is crucial for long-term success of any business. In this episode of the AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss the use of AI in customer service. AI-Powered Offerings The use of AI chatbots and LLMs are having a significant impact on customer service. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Customer Service [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

The financial industry, long known for its use of technology and data, is embracing AI as a tool for innovation and efficiency. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI is being applied in finance. AI Helping to Streamline and Enhance Finance Operations AI is being applied to automate routine tasks, reduce human error, and optimize processes. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Finance [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

Enterprises are increasingly incorporating AI into many aspects of their daily business. And, with this, the project professional is increasingly using AI for a number of tasks. From AI chatbots, to predictive analytics, to generative AI applications that help automate project management duties such as project documentation, meeting minutes, or report generation, the use of AI among project managers is growing. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Project Management [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

We have some super exciting news to share with you all! And, we want our community to hear this news directly from us. Project Management Institute (PMI), the world's leading organization for the project management profession has acquired Cognilytica and Managing Partners Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer have joined PMI's Senior Leadership Team! In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer reflect on Cognilytica's and AI Today's journey these past eight years. Continue reading Cognilytica is now part of PMI! [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

In our very first podcast we asked the question “Why Does AI Matter?”. So we thought it only fitting as we start our eighth season of AI Today to come back to this topic. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss whether or not the mood is turning against AI. Continue reading Is the Mood Turning Against AI? [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI continues to impact and enhance every industry. From better nutrition, better sleep, practicing mindfulness and meditation, to improved insights on one's overall health AI is having a big impact on fitness and wellness. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schemzler share AI's impact on the fitness and wellness industry. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: AI in Fitness and Wellness [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI is being used in many industries and sports is no exception. AI is being applied to enhance all areas of sports from the athlete to the fan, the coach to the referee, and even in judging athletic competition. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss how AI is being applied in professional sports. Continue reading AI Use Case Series: How AI is being Applied in Sports [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

Adaptability is the ability to adjust to new conditions, environments, or situations effectively and efficiently. It involves being open to change, learning quickly from experiences, and having the flexibility to modify one's approach in response to shifting circumstances. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer continue with the soft skills series and discuss the soft skill of adaptability. Continue reading The Need for Adaptability with AI [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

An AI-First Mindset refers to a proactive and strategic approach to integrating AI into all aspects of your life both personally and professionally. It involves prioritizing and using AI as a key driver for decision-making, innovation, and problem-solving. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss what having an AI-First mindset means. Continue reading What is an AI-First Mindset? [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

If you're ever done a web search you know that getting relevant and appropriate answers on the web can take a lot of effort. Oftentimes, it also requires multiple attempts to get relevant results. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss the changing landscape of AI and search. How AI is changing search Already, AI is proving to be a massive enhancement and augmentation to the everyday work and tasks of businesses, enterprises, and organizations of all types. Continue reading What's happening with AI and Search? [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

Data is integral at any organization. However, data on it's own doesn't provide much value. If we want to get more from our data and AI systems, and if we truly want to get machines to become more intelligent, we need to bridge that gap with at least some understanding of those patterns. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer interivew Rich Maltzman. Continue reading Understanding and Power Skills – Keys to AI Success: Interview with Rich Maltzman, Boston University at Cognilytica.

CIOs everywhere are gearing up for increased investments in AI, while facing challenges and overcoming barriers that come with implementing and scaling AI. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer interview Linda Yao. Linda is COO and Head of AI Solutions and Services at Lenovo. AI's Impact on CIOs Recently, Lenovo conducted a global survey of CIOs. Continue reading How AI is Transforming Manufacturing and Other Industries: Interview with Linda Yao, Lenovo [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

Here's a hint as to what is separating the AI failures from successes: skip the proof of concept. When it comes to AI projects go right for pilot projects. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss AI Pilots vs. Proof of Concepts. AI Pilots vs. Proof of Concepts A proof-of-concept is a project that is a trial or test run to illustrate if something is even possible and to prove your technology works. Continue reading Skip the AI Proof of Concept [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI and generative AI is proving transformational in every industry. This includes long established industries like insurance. In particular, the growth of generative AI in the insurance and insurtech space in showing tremendous potential. In this episode of AI Today we interview Connor Atchison (CEO) & Itay Mishan (CTO) at Wisedocs. How is AI used in the insurance industry? Continue reading How AI is Transforming Insurance: Interview with Connor Atchison & Itay Mishan, Wisedocs [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

Artificial intelligence has been on the horizon for over seventy years. In fact, the term AI was officially coined in 1956. So, why does it seem so close but also so unattainable? In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss the question: Are we still repeating the same mistakes with AI? Continue reading Are We Still Repeating the Same Mistakes with AI? [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

AI projects aren't dying because of big problems. Rather it's the small things that are causing projects to fail. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss what iteration really means for AI projects. Continuous Model Iteration We always say that AI projects are never set it and forget it. Continue reading What Iteration Really Means with AI [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

Move Fast and Break Things worked for high flying Silicon Valley startup megatech companies but it doesn't work for AI projects. Between 70%-80% of AI projects are failing to meet their objectives. With stats like this, it's clear that breaking things isn't leading to success in AI. In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer dig into this topic. Continue reading Why “Move Fast and Break Things” Doesn't Work for AI [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.

One of the most vexing problems in even today's highly capable intelligence systems is for systems to actually understand what they are generating as output. Repeating a pattern, even a sophisticated pattern, while showing good knowledge of the pattern, doesn't really help if the system doesn't really understand what it is generating.  In this episode of AI Today hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer discuss this DIKUW pyramid and why the “U” understanding level is a critical, but often left out, layer of the pyramid. Continue reading The Necessary (and often Missing) “U” in the DIKUW Pyramid [AI Today Podcast] at Cognilytica.