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In this episode, Pavlé Sabic, Senior Director in Generative AI Solutions and Strategy at Moody's, joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to discuss how agentic AI is redefining workflows in financial institutions. Pavlé explains why large enterprises are turning to AI-driven automation to overcome persistent challenges — from fragmented data and manual inefficiencies to evolving regulatory demands. He shares practical examples, including credit memo automation that reduces production time by 60%, portfolio monitoring tools that detect emerging risks earlier, and sales intelligence workflows that deliver highly targeted client insights. Pavlé also outlines why proprietary data is a strategic advantage in regulated industries and how leaders can implement agentic AI without losing human oversight. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Moody's. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest on the ‘AI in Financial Services' podcast is Charleyne Biondi, Associate Vice President of Moody's Ratings in the Digital Economy Team. Charleyne Biondi, Associate Vice President of Moody's Ratings in the Digital Economy Team. Charleyne returns to the program to share her perspective on the rapidly evolving landscape of AI regulation, comparing the EU AI Act, the US sector-specific approach, and emerging international frameworks. She outlines how regulatory divergence is shaping adoption, trust, and compliance costs for companies operating globally. Charleyne also emphasizes the risks of regulatory fragmentation in the US, where state-level laws often impose requirements as stringent as Europe's. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/e2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj's flagship' AI in Business' podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!
As AI adoption accelerates in financial services, governance leaders face the challenge of keeping oversight processes aligned with innovation. OneTrust provides data governance and risk management tools, serving over 14,000 customers worldwide across privacy, security, third-party, and AI domains. Traditional data governance models, often designed for structured databases, are not built to manage today's dynamic, unstructured AI workflows. Without clear frameworks, organizations risk compliance gaps, inconsistent oversight, and even internal conflict over ownership of AI decision-making. In this episode, Shane Wiggins, Director of Product at OneTrust, explores how enterprises can build governance models that not only mitigate risk but also support innovation. He explains why visibility into unstructured data is essential, how to align compliance and product teams through self-service governance, and the importance of making governance “invisible to developers but visible to auditors.” Wiggins also details best practices for staying ahead of regulatory change, from embedding flexible policies to creating system cards that clarify model purpose and limitations for clients. The discussion highlights how governance, when done right, can accelerate time to market, reduce compliance costs, and even create a competitive advantage. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show! This episode is sponsored by OneTrust. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
As enterprises scale their AI initiatives, leaders face mounting challenges in balancing compute demands, sustainability goals, and hybrid cloud strategies. Many organizations rush to secure GPUs and cloud resources without accounting for hidden costs, data bottlenecks, and sustainability trade-offs. In this episode of the AI in Business podcast, Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello speaks with Jason Hardy, Chief Technology Officer of AI at Hitachi Vantara, about the realities of scaling AI infrastructure at the enterprise level. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Hitachi Vantara is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. that provides data infrastructure foundations that help leading innovators manage and leverage their data at scale. Through data storage, infrastructure systems, cloud management and digital expertise, the company helps customers build the foundation for sustainable business growth. To learn more, visit www.hitachivantara.com. Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show! This episode is sponsored by Hitachi Vantara. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Banks face some of the highest stakes when it comes to IT reliability. Even small disruptions can ripple into regulatory exposure, reputational harm, and major financial losses. Yet many financial institutions still rely on reactive monitoring systems that chase alerts without addressing the root causes of outages. On today's episode of the ‘AI in Business' podcast, Dale Skeen, CTO and Co-founder of Vitria Technology, explains how AI and agentic systems are reshaping IT operations in financial services. Vitria Technology is a global leader in AI-driven operations platforms, helping enterprises move from data analysis to automated action with its flagship VIA AIOps solution. Built for scale, VIA AIOps delivers total ecosystem observability and intelligent automation, reducing downtime, improving customer experience, and accelerating ROI. Dale's appearance goes into great detail on how knowledge graphs improve explainability and trust, how automation is already reducing time to resolution for common failures, and how AI copilots are helping teams tackle the most complex system outages. Dale also shares a roadmap for financial leaders looking to reduce downtime, cut manual toil, and scale toward self-healing IT systems—one sprint at a time. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Vitria Technology. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
The consumer goods and retail industries face an overwhelming challenge: too much fragmented data and too little clarity. From mismatched retailer reports to legacy systems that can't keep up with today's SKU volumes, many organizations find themselves bogged down in “data indigestion” instead of actionable insights. Today's guest is Henrique Wakil Moyses, Vice President of Data Science at Crisp. Crisp is a data platform designed for the consumer goods ecosystem, helping brands, retailers, and distributors harmonize fragmented data from multiple sources. By providing real-time visibility into sales, inventory, and supply chain signals, Crisp enables faster, data-driven decisions that reduce waste and improve business outcomes. Henrique joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to break down how CPG and retail leaders can cut through this complexity. He explains why building a data-driven culture is the first barrier to overcome, how to align AI adoption with ROI, and where brands are already seeing the biggest payoffs—such as supply chain optimization, inventory forecasting, and personalized retail experiences. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Crisp. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
As universities and enterprises both turn to large-scale digital learning, the challenges of scaling education look remarkably similar across sectors. From managing data pipelines to ensuring learners feel a sense of connection, success depends on more than just technology. In this Pure Storage-sponsored episode of the ‘AI in Business' podcast from Emerj, Norma Scagnoli, Chief Learning and Innovation Officer at the Illinois Institute of Technology, discusses how higher education institutions are navigating cultural resistance, accreditation hurdles, and governance demands while scaling MOOCs and degree programs. She also shares lessons enterprises can apply as they build partnerships with universities and adopt AI-driven personalization for workforce training. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show! This episode is sponsored by Pure Storage. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
What if the real AI revolution isn't in the models — but in the reimagined systems beneath them? In this episode, Deborah Golden, U.S. Chief Innovation Officer at Deloitte, joins Emerj CEO and Head of Research Daniel Faggella to rethink what powers (or derails) AI at scale. The conversation challenges conventional wisdom – proposing that the future of AI may hinge less on algorithms and more on the invisible infrastructure that surrounds them. Golden surfaces the hidden risks of silo systems, unchecked shadow AI, and the all-too-common “speed trap” mindset – making a bold case that infrastructure isn't just operational – it's strategic. From governance to cross-functional orchestration, this conversation explores what it takes to embed AI with resilience, trust, and sustained ambition. This isn't about chasing the next model. It's about elevating the questions we're asking – and reimagining the systems that will define whether AI fulfills its promise or fractures under pressure. This episode is sponsored by Deloitte. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
In today's high-volume service environments, the smallest misstep can erode both efficiency and customer trust. In this episode, Eric Rivas, Director for Service Repair at Electrolux, joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to share how frontline data and technician expertise can be better captured, organized, and applied to deliver consistent, first-visit success. Rivas advises service leaders on best practices for approaching the challenges of tribal knowledge transfer, skill development, and diagnostic accuracy in large service organizations. He also breaks down the build-versus-buy dilemma facing many service leaders when it comes to new technology—and why effective partnerships often prove more valuable than internal development. Listeners will gain insights into balancing efficiency with reliability, empowering frontline teams, and building long-term trust with customers at scale. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Aquant. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Joe Lang, Vice President of Service Technology and Innovation at Comfort Systems USA, joins the AI in Business podcast to discuss why a clear data strategy must come before investing in storage infrastructure for AI adoption. Joe outlines the risks of assuming that cloud providers or storage solutions alone will produce reliable intelligence, and why organizations should approach AI initiatives as iterative R&D projects rather than instant ROI efforts. He shares practical guidance on right-sizing storage to business goals, addressing the skilled trade gap through scalable systems, and the advantages of a cloud-first approach with sequestered, trusted data. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Pure Storage. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Madhav Madaboosi, who is with bp. Madhav Madaboosi leads a global Digital Transformation Team in Future Midstream and Strategy at bp, where he is involved in leading initiatives spanning supply chain, logistics, energy movement, and customer-facing operations. With over two decades of experience in AI, advanced analytics, strategy, and portfolio management, he specializes in driving enterprise-wide transformation that bridges business strategy and digital innovation. bp is an integrated energy company operating across oil, gas, and low-carbon energy solutions, with a presence in more than 60 countries. Madhav joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to explore how companies can operationalize digital transformation at speed and scale — balancing short-term ROI with long-term infrastructure goals. He shares insights on aligning transformation roadmaps with both regulatory and commercial imperatives, emphasizing the role of culture, frontline engagement, and digital literacy in driving successful change. Madhav also highlights the value of rapid-turnaround pilots and explains why simplicity and self-service are essential for effective platform design. This episode is sponsored by Arkestro. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
Today's guest on the ‘AI in Financial Services' podcast is Charleyne Biondi, Associate Vice President of Moody's Ratings in the Digital Economy Team. Charleyne brings a broad perspective on how AI adoption is unfolding in financial services and the wider global economy. She explains how generative AI has lowered adoption barriers, accelerating experimentation while raising new challenges around integration, risk, and reliability. While many businesses see immediate efficiency gains at the individual level, Charleyne notes that true productivity impact requires deeper organizational transformation—connecting AI to legacy IT systems, retraining staff, and ensuring secure and reliable outputs. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/e2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj's flagship' AI in Business' podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!
Today's guest is Joe Lang, Vice President of Service Technology and Innovation at Comfort Systems USA — a leading national provider of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing building systems services, with more than 45 operating companies across 170+ locations. Joe shares insights on managing data complexity in large field service operations — from translating tribal knowledge into clean, usable data to building internal tools that treat technicians like their own customers. He explains why cleaning data too early can slow progress, how AI tools can gradually align terminology across legacy teams, and which KPIs matter most when moving from reactive to predictive service. This episode is sponsored by Aquant. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
Today's guest is Amit Gupta, Chief Digital Officer, Life Sciences Manufacturing Industry, at Danaher. Amit returns to the program to share the operational playbook behind building enterprise-ready AI infrastructure. While AI headlines tend to focus on models, Amit emphasizes that success begins with what's underneath — the data. He outlines a four-part architecture that includes data aggregation, integration, transformation, and harnessing, walking listeners through how Danaher built a system that enables — not constrains — AI deployment. He also explores how tiered storage strategies address not just technical needs, but real-world challenges in compliance, cost control, and security. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Pure Storage. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
In today's enterprise landscape, many AI initiatives stall before delivering real business value—especially in service operations, where data lives in disconnected systems and frontline speed is critical. For Amit Gupta, Chief Digital Officer, Life Sciences Manufacturing Industry, at Danaher, overcoming these challenges requires a structured, business-first approach. On this episode of the AI in Business podcast, Amit shares how Danaher uses a 70/30 buy-versus-build strategy to accelerate time to value while maintaining flexibility. He details a step-by-step framework for identifying high-impact AI use cases, involving cross-functional teams early, and guiding projects from strategic concept to measurable results—what he calls moving from “strat to street.” Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Aquant. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Kelly Dempski, Head of Solutions for Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) at Turing. Turing is one of the world's fastest-growing Artificial Intelligence companies, working with the world's leading AI labs to advance frontier model capabilities and leveraging that work to build real-world AI systems that help businesses solve their toughest problems — delivering real business results, faster, smarter, and at scale. Kelly is a seasoned technology executive and innovator at Turing, where he leads the development of disruptive, business-focused Artificial Intelligence solutions for financial services clients. Over a 30-year career, he has held Managing Director roles at Accenture, Citi, and JPMorgan Chase, as well as working with smaller start-ups. In each role, he has developed solutions that leverage the latest technologies to solve real business problems. As AI becomes increasingly essential to the financial services industry, Kelly offers a grounded perspective on what really makes or breaks enterprise adoption. He explains that the greatest challenges aren't always in the AI models themselves — but in how they connect to legacy systems, regulatory requirements, and fragmented data environments. From document intelligence to client onboarding, Kelly explores the use cases where AI is already delivering measurable value — and how firms can scale that value by starting small and building momentum. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Turing. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
In this candid conversation between old friends and former co-founders, Hannit Cohen—VP R&D at Easy and Chedva's past CTO at Emerj—shares her journey through tech's boom-bust cycles from the late '90s and ever since. From starting as a programmer in the Israeli army to becoming one of the few female CTOs in tech, Hannit discusses the strategic choices that shaped her career, including the difficult decision to step back from deep tech to raise her three children. They explore what it truly means to build diverse teams (Hannit's current team is 50% women), the importance of creating psychologically safe work environments, and why asking "What do you want to be when you grow up?" never gets old. The conversation touches on the harsh realities of raising money as female co-founders, the myth of work-life balance, and why the best managers plan for their employees' careers beyond the current company. Key Topics: Navigating tech's cyclical nature through multiple boom-bust cycles Strategic career planning: From programmer to CTO by 35 The difficult choice between high-level tech roles and family time Building truly diverse teams The evolution (or lack thereof) of workplace culture for women in tech Why "unlimited vacation days" is the greatest scam in tech The challenges of being self-employed when you love coding but hate business Raising money as female co-founders doing "soft" social good work Creating psychological safety and shutting down inappropriate workplace behavior Mentoring as the most enjoyable part of leadership Notable Quotes: "You don't have to have a wonderful idea to succeed. You need to have a decent idea... What matters more than that is the execution on all bases." "At the time, programming was a world of the youngs... You knew for sure that your only way to have a career in this world will be to become an executive." "The higher you get, the percentage [of women] goes down a lot." "You don't have to live with this masculine bullshit around you." "When I look at my job, I think that's a very crucial part of it, to look at my people and tell, okay, they're working here now, but it's only a step." Hannit's Powerful Question: "What do you want to do when you grow up?" (Asked to herself and her team members at every stage of their careers) Resources Mentioned: Hannit Cohen on LinkedIn Emerj - The startup Chedva and Hannit co-founded The Curiosity Lab - Strategy sessions for leaders by Chedva Chedva's newsletter - Weekly musings and questions
Today's guest is Gautam Samanta, President and Executive Director, Head of Global Banking and Financial Services at Coforge. Coforge is a global IT services firm specializing in digital solutions for industries such as banking, insurance, travel, and manufacturing, with a focus on domain-driven consulting and emerging technologies like AI and cloud. Gautam joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to unpack how banking and financial services leaders can align digital transformation with business goals, move generative AI and blockchain initiatives beyond the hype, and build resilience through cybersecurity, modernization, and global delivery strategies. Their conversation also explores how mid-market banks are scaling offshore capabilities, and why strong data governance and a clear cultural vision are critical to navigating the next wave of change in financial services. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/e2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj's flagship' AI in Business' podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!
What does it really take to bring AI into the heart of financial services—and why are so many firms still stuck in manual mode? In this episode of the ‘AI in Business' podcast, Frank Hattann, Chief Commercial Officer at Ocorian, joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to explore how legacy financial institutions can unlock real commercial value from AI without losing the human touch. Frank draws from his unique background across Microsoft, PayPal, and professional services to explain why mindset — not just infrastructure — is the true bottleneck to transformation. From improving top-of-funnel outreach to redefining service pricing in an AI-supported world, the conversation breaks down what's possible today and what's at stake for firms that delay. Frank also addresses common misconceptions about AI adoption, offers tactical advice for commercial leaders, and highlights how firms can shift from reactive workflows to proactive, data-informed systems — without getting overwhelmed by technical complexity. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by FE fundinfo. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Ryan Anderson, CEO and Founder of Filevine. Filevine is a cloud-based enterprise legal practice management platform that automates and centralizes workflows—covering case and document management, contract lifecycle, client communication, billing, e-signatures, analytics, and AI‑powered insights. Ryan joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello on today's show to discuss how enterprise legal teams can move from reactive to proactive operations with the help of agentic AI systems. As legal departments face unprecedented data volume and complexity, Anderson outlines a vision for AI-enabled workflows that preserve human judgment while surfacing the right insights at the right time. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Filevine. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guests are Dwight Hill, Vice President of Retail & Consumer Products at Turing, and Joe Troy, Senior Manager of Site Risk at Amazon. Turing is one of the world's fastest-growing Artificial Intelligence companies, working with the world's leading AI labs to advance frontier model capabilities and leveraging that work to build real-world AI systems that help businesses solve their toughest problems —delivering real business results, faster, smarter, and at scale. Joe and Dwight join Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to examine how generative AI is delivering measurable value in retail, starting with loss prevention and expanding across store operations, marketing, and workforce strategy. Throughout the episode, Joe shares how AI-powered video analysis and behavioral intelligence tools are helping risk teams surface anomalies faster, reduce investigation time, and prevent insider threats. In turn, Dwight discusses how retailers are using GenAI to optimize pricing, personalize customer experiences, and streamline marketing campaigns — emphasizing the importance of unified data and human-in-the-loop execution. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Turing. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
For decades, manufacturers have relied on traditional dashboards that often fell short when it came to understanding the complexity of real-time operations. In this episode of the ‘AI in Business' podcast, Microsoft's Rad Desiraju and NVIDIA's Mike Geyer explore how AI-powered 3D digital twins and real-time simulation are transforming the way manufacturers monitor, collaborate, and optimize production environments. The conversation begins with a breakdown of how dashboards have evolved—from static displays of sensor data to immersive, simulation-based platforms driven by AI. Rad and Mike then dive into the technical backbone behind today's most advanced digital twin solutions, including edge computing, accelerated computing, and frameworks like Azure Arc and Omniverse. This episode is sponsored by Microsoft and NVIDIA. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
Today's guest is Bryan Willett, Chief Information Security Officer at Lexmark, joining Emerj Senior Editor Matthew DeMello to explore how organizations can navigate the trade-offs between cloud and on-prem AI deployments—balancing speed to market, cost efficiency, and the protection of sensitive data. Bryan also emphasizes the importance of a strong governance triad—security, privacy, and AI teams working together—to ensure ethical, compliant, and effective AI adoption. From managing data surges in IoT and biometrics to creating hybrid storage strategies, he shares actionable insights for leaders in security, IT, and AI strategy. This episode is sponsored by Pure Storage. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
Today's guest is Zar Toolan, General Partner and Head of Data & AI at Edward Jones, joining Emerj Senior Editor Matthew DeMello to explore how AI can be strategically aligned with corporate goals in financial services. Zar shares his perspective on overcoming barriers to AI adoption, the critical build-versus-buy-versus-partner decisions, and the human-centered change management required for scalable AI transformation. He also discusses the importance of responsible AI principles, leveraging data as a competitive asset, and evolving talent strategies to thrive in today's intelligence age. This episode is sponsored by EPAM. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
Today's guest is Kyle Hathorn, Director of Customer Experience and Strategy at First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO). FNBO is a privately held, family-led financial institution with over $32 billion in assets and approximately 4,500 employees, offering personal, business, commercial, and wealth banking across eight Midwestern states, alongside a national reach through its credit‑card programs. Kyle joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to explore how banks can meet rising customer expectations while navigating economic uncertainty and digital transformation. Together, they unpack the unique challenges of delivering seamless, personalized experiences in a heavily regulated, multi-platform environment. From the impacts of inflation on customer loyalty to the cautious integration of AI, Kyle emphasizes the importance of trust, transparency, and alignment across product and data teams. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/e2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj's flagship' AI in Business' podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!
Today's guest is Bryan Willett, Chief Information Security Officer. Bryan discusses how organizations can shift security from a reactive compliance task to a strategic advantage by leveraging AI partnerships and transparent communication. He explains how proactive security packages and AI-driven tools streamline vendor due diligence and RFP responses, reducing bottlenecks and improving cross-team collaboration. Bryan also emphasizes the importance of evaluating vendor development hygiene and maintaining developer awareness as key components to managing evolving AI-enabled cyber threats. This episode is sponsored by Aquant. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
Today's guest is Neil Bhandar, Chief Data Analytics Officer for Generac. Neil brings decades of experience in artificial intelligence, from academic research to enterprise-scale implementation across manufacturing and financial services. He joins Emerj Managing Editor Matt DeMello to explore the hidden costs of building AI in-house, the risks of over-relying on large models, and how service organizations can deploy GenAI to improve efficiency and preserve institutional knowledge. Neil shares how GenAI is helping field teams access hard-to-find information in real-time — reducing the need for costly site visits and accelerating issue resolution. He also explains why human empathy remains essential in last-mile service roles, even as AI tools take on more diagnostic and decision-making responsibilities. Finally, Neil offers practical advice for enterprise leaders evaluating AI partnerships — emphasizing cultural alignment, modularity, and the need to protect what makes their organizations uniquely competitive. This episode is sponsored by Aquant. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
As global food demand accelerates, the agricultural sector faces rising pressure to innovate faster, safer, and more sustainably. Today's guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast is Brian Lutz, the Vice President of Agricultural Solutions at Corteva Agriscience, the world's leading pure-play seed and crop protection company. Brian joins Emerj Senior Editor Matthew DeMello to discuss their partnership with Deloitte to drive AI for discovery across biology and chemistry in agriculture. He explains how Corteva integrates AI into every phase of R&D — from genetic optimization in seeds to molecule discovery in crop protection. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Deloitte. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Neil Bhandar, Chief Data Analytics Officer for Generac. Generac is a U.S.-based industrial manufacturer that designs and produces a wide range of power solutions—including portable, residential standby, commercial, and industrial generators, along with automatic transfer switches and related accessories. Neil joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello on today's show to explore how companies can make smarter decisions around compute and storage—without falling into the trap of overbuilding for marginal gains. Drawing from his deep background in both business and analytics, Bhandar explains why many infrastructure conversations go off-course by starting with technical specs instead of strategic outcomes. He shares real-world examples of when less compute — and less data — actually delivers more value and why thinking in 3–6 month increments is key to making sustainable, cost-effective choices in today's fast-moving AI landscape. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Pure Storage. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Phil Christianson, Chief Product Officer at Xurrent. Xurrent is an IT service management platform that helps large organizations coordinate incident response and improve system reliability. They serve clients across healthcare, government, and financial services and are known for their focus on post-incident accountability and automation. Phil joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello on today's episode to explore how AI can help break this cycle and build lasting resilience, drawing from years of experience in fintech, e-commerce, and enterprise IT. Phil outlines how war rooms — once a necessary constant in tech operations—are evolving with automation and machine learning, enabling faster response times, cleaner postmortems, and real accountability. He emphasizes how IT's central role in most organizations uniquely positions the function to lead AI adoption — provided the right technology, executive backing, and cultural readiness are in place. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Xurrent. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Brad Kennedy, Senior Director of Business Solutions Strategy at Orlando Health — a not-for-profit healthcare organization headquartered in Florida. With years of experience leading innovation and patient experience programs in hospital systems, Brad joins Emerj Managing Editor Matthew DeMello on the show today to explore how healthcare leaders can turn emerging technologies into measurable improvements for patients and clinical teams. He explains how federal policy has elevated patient experience to a top-level business concern and why small, incremental wins — particularly in AI-driven clinical decision support — are proving the value of innovation on the ground. The conversation also explores the real barriers to adoption in clinical environments, from provider trust and workflow integration to building a compelling business case that secures legal, IT, and leadership buy-in. This episode is sponsored by Productive Edge. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
Today's guest is Itumeleng Masunyane, Senior Vice President of Internal Audit at Amicorp Group. Together, they examine the shifting landscape of compliance and internal audit as organizations adopt more advanced forms of AI, including agentic systems. The conversation begins by outlining why traditional, manual audit processes often struggle to keep pace with evolving regulations across multiple jurisdictions—leading to inconsistencies, burnout, and heightened risk. Itumeleng explains how AI-driven automation and predictive modeling can help teams reconcile regulatory requirements, detect anomalies in real-time, and generate more reliable audit trails. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/e2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj's flagship ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Automation Anywhere. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Itumeleng Masunyane, Senior Vice President of Internal Audit at Amicorp Group. Amicorp provides corporate management, financial markets, and fund administration services with a strong presence in emerging markets. Itumeleng joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello on the show to discuss the expanding role of AI in internal audit — moving beyond compliance into broader strategic influence across the enterprise. She shares how AI is enabling real-time risk monitoring, automating routine audit tasks, and helping internal audit teams generate timely insights for business leaders. Their conversation also explores how audit functions can reposition themselves as key players in digital transformation efforts and what foundational shifts in data infrastructure and team culture are needed to support that evolution. For audit and risk leaders, Itumeleng offers a grounded perspective on where AI is already making a measurable impact — and why human judgment remains essential for interpreting results, advising stakeholders, and driving long-term value. The views expressed by Itumeleng on today's program do not reflect that of Amicorp or its leadership. This episode is sponsored by MindBridge. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
Today's guest is Arun Subramaniyan, Founder and CEO of Articul8. After earning his PhD simulating jet engines and leading GE's digital twin revolution, he's helping Articul8 build domain-specific AI solutions for the world's most complex industries - from Wall Street to electrical grids and aerospace design. Arun joins us on today's show to share why simply plugging in large language models isn't enough for industries with complex, high-stakes processes. Arun explains how enterprises can move beyond general-purpose AI by creating domain-specific models that understand specialized terminology and data, and how orchestration frameworks—what he calls the “Model Mesh”—enable these models to work together dynamically to answer nuanced business questions. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Articul8. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Joe Troy, Senior Manager of Sight Risk at Amazon. Joe leads efforts to harness AI-powered video intelligence to transform retail security and operational workflows. With extensive experience in risk management and physical security, Joe joins Emerj Managing Editor Matt DeMello to discuss how AI is accelerating investigations, reducing labor costs, and enabling real-time fraud and safety alerts. He unpacks how video intelligence is shifting security teams from reactive surveillance roles to proactive business partners focused on enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency. Joe also shares practical advice for retail leaders on adopting AI-driven video systems responsibly, balancing enablement with privacy and trust considerations. This episode is sponsored by Solink. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
Today's guest is Michael Zaiac, Head of Medical Oncology for Europe and Canada at Daiichi Sankyo. Michael joins the platform in a special episode focused on how AI is driving measurable ROI in clinical trials—particularly in patient recruitment and eligibility. Their conversation explores how life sciences teams are applying advanced analytics to accelerate enrollment, improve diversity in study populations, and reduce time to trial completion. Michael also shares where generative AI is beginning to play a role in patient-facing materials, including simplified consent forms and study summaries. Throughout the episode, Michael emphasizes the importance of early stakeholder alignment, regulatory transparency, and the discipline required to deploy AI responsibly in high-risk clinical environments. This episode is sponsored by Medable. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
Today's guest is Miranda Jones, SVP Data & AI Strategy Leader at Emprise Bank, to explore how banks can design AI systems that balance compliance obligations, customer expectations, and employee experience. Miranda unpacks why explainability shouldn't be an afterthought—and how embedding transparency into AI workflows helps institutions avoid costly rework and build trust across all stakeholders. She discusses the importance of co-designing solutions with the people closest to the work and why slowing down to define meaningful KPIs is essential to long-term success. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Searce. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Marc Fredman, Chief Strategy Officer at CCC Intelligent Solutions. Marc joins Emerj CEO and Head of Research Daniel Faggella to discuss how leading insurers are using AI to manage growing complexity across the insurance supply chain — from vehicle damage assessment to claim settlement and subrogation. He breaks down where AI is already delivering value across the claims process — including computer vision for total loss prediction, generative AI for document summarization, and predictive analytics for early subrogation detection. Marc emphasizes the need for insurers to shift their mindset from siloed departments to orchestrators of an interconnected “insurance economy” involving repair shops, OEMs, medical providers, and more. He also shares strategies for adopting AI at scale — starting with quick-win use cases that fund the journey, designing pathways to production, and integrating AI side by side with human expertise to improve speed, accuracy, and customer experience. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Brad Kennedy, Senior Director of Business Solutions Strategy at Orlando Health. Brad joins Emerj Senior Editor Matthew DeMello to explore what it takes to implement AI across a complex care environment. From improving patient experience to easing clinician burdens, Kennedy highlights the need for precision, transparency, and collaboration to ensure AI earns its place in provider workflows. Brad shares lessons from his experience in patient experience strategy and innovation, offering insights into how AI tools—from virtual care to clinical decision support—can improve outcomes without replacing physician judgment. The conversation also touches on key inflection points from COVID-19 to the generative AI boom and what's next as agentic systems come into focus. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by NLP Logix. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Raheel Retiwalla, Chief Strategy Officer at Productive Edge. Productive Edge is a digital transformation consultancy specializing in healthcare that helps payers, providers, and health tech companies use data to streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve outcomes. Raheel returns to the program to outline how agentic AI is helping payers and providers shift from reactive workflows to proactive, real-time engagement. Raheel explores practical use cases already in deployment—from AI agents that monitor benefit utilization and prevent care disruptions, to systems that surface behavioral health risks through missed appointments or medication gaps. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Productive Edge. Learn how brands work with Emerj and explore media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Dr. Ankur Sharma, Head of Medical Affairs for Medical Devices and Digital Radiology at Bayer. Dr. Sharma joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to explore the complex intersection of AI, medical devices, and data governance in healthcare. Dr. Sharma outlines the key challenges that healthcare institutions face in adopting AI tools, including data privacy, system interoperability, and regulatory uncertainty. He also clarifies the distinction between regulated predictive models and unregulated generative tools, as well as how each fits into current clinical workflows. The conversation explores the evolving roles of the FDA and EU AI Act, the potential for AI to bridge clinical research and patient care, and the need for new reimbursement models to support digital innovation. This episode is sponsored by Medable. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
Today's guest is Yunke Xiang, Global Head of Data Science for Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality at Sanofi. Yunke joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to discuss the challenges that slow AI adoption in life sciences manufacturing, highlighting how fragmented data systems and legacy infrastructure create hurdles for AI initiatives. In this episode, Yunke explains how years of acquisitions and siloed data have made building a cohesive data foundation difficult, impacting AI's potential in manufacturing and supply chain optimization. Yunke shares Sanofi's approach to balancing build versus buy decisions for AI solutions and the critical role leadership plays in fostering an environment where data science can thrive. Yunke also reflects on the evolving landscape of AI in pharma manufacturing and the importance of strong governance and collaboration for successful implementation. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
What does it take to build truly intelligent customer experiences at enterprise scale? In this episode of the AI in Business podcast, Shardul Vikram, Chief Product Officer of SAP Application AI, returns to explore the critical role of generative AI in transforming CX across industries. From telecom to healthcare, Shardul breaks down how leading firms are aligning data strategy, automation, and personalization to drive measurable impact in both B2C and B2B environments. Shardul outlines SAP's vision for “intelligent CX” — where AI doesn't just automate tasks but bridges the gap between front-line support and back-office execution. Throughout the episode, he underscores how tools like SAP's CX AI Toolkit and GenAI copilot (Juul) are helping service agents anticipate customer needs, detect anomalies in real-time, and reduce wait times without sacrificing trust or compliance. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/e2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj's flagship' AI in Business' podcast! If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!
In this episode of the ‘AI in Business' podcast, Principal Group Product Manager Will Guyman of Microsoft and Senior Director Lyndi Wu of NVIDIA explore how healthcare providers are deploying AI at scale to drive clinical and operational transformation. With host Matthew DeMello, they discuss the combined power of NVIDIA's GPU acceleration and Microsoft's Azure cloud to enable seamless AI integration—from the exam room to the data center. Will explains how AI is alleviating administrative burdens, improving imaging diagnostics, and reshaping physician workflows through ambient documentation and agentic systems. Lyndi expands on the infrastructure demands of scaling these systems, highlighting NVIDIA's full-stack ecosystem approach and the role of healthcare startups in fast-tracking AI deployment across hospitals and life sciences organizations. This episode is sponsored by Microsoft and NVIDIA. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast!
Today's guest is Tim Burge, Director at Aquant. Aquant is an AI platform built for service teams that maintain and repair complex equipment. It gives clear, accurate answers to service questions — from basic fixes to deep diagnostics — so field techs, call centers, managers, and customers can get to solutions faster. Used by top manufacturers like Siemens and Hologic, Aquant helps reduce downtime, lower service costs, and boost customer satisfaction. Tim joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello for today's conversation to discuss how manufacturing leaders are reevaluating their AI deployment strategies across field service and operations. As the dust settles on the generative AI hype cycle, organizations are moving past the build-versus-buy binary and embracing hybrid approaches. Tim explains why service departments in particular require a specialized lens for AI implementation and shares how leaders can optimize time-to-value, improve data quality, and drive adoption across legacy environments. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Aquant. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Enterprise leaders are no longer asking if they should adopt AI — the question is how to do it effectively. In this episode, Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello speaks with James Raybould, SVP and GM of Turing Intelligence at Turing, about what distinguishes successful enterprise AI deployments from stalled pilots. Turing is one of the world's fastest-growing Artificial Intelligence companies, working with the world's leading AI labs to advance frontier model capabilities and leveraging that work to build real-world AI systems that help businesses solve their toughest problems —delivering real business results, faster, smarter, and at scale. James outlines three critical factors that determine whether an AI initiative gets traction: business alignment, workforce readiness, and infrastructure. He explains why companies that start with the technology — instead of the problem — are likely to fall behind, and what it really means to prepare a workforce for AI when automation changes the expectations of work quality and speed. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Turing. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Fraud in retail is evolving fast — from return scams to first-party misuse that blurs the line between customer error and criminal intent. In this episode of the ‘AI in Business' podcast, Naveen Kumar, Director of Financial Crimes at Walmart and former PwC fraud specialist, joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to discuss how AI, automation, and policy analytics are reshaping fraud detection strategies in retail and beyond. Naveen outlines the expanding threat surface across digital touchpoints and the rise of personalized, context-aware fraud. He shares how Walmart's financial crimes team applies signal-based analysis, real-time feedback loops, and agentic AI systems to improve proactive detection while preserving customer trust. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Justt. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Alain-Sam Cohen, Head of Product at InstaDeep—an AI firm using reinforcement learning and other advanced techniques to solve complex design and optimization problems across industries. It may not make headlines like generative AI, but for manufacturers and engineers, PCB design remains one of the most time-intensive steps in building physical systems. From strict physical constraints to millions of potential component arrangements, even expert teams face persistent bottlenecks. Alain-Sam breaks down how InstaDeep's AI-driven approach is changing that reality—using reinforcement learning to accelerate and enhance circuit board layout in ways rules-based systems can't match. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by InstaDeep. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
Today's guest is Damion Nero, Head of Data Science at Takeda Pharmaceuticals. With over 15 years of experience applying AI, machine learning, and real-world data to drug development and precision medicine, Damion joins Emerj Managing Editor Matthew DeMello to explore the evolving role of AI in drug development and supply chain management. He breaks down how AI is currently streamlining administrative and regulatory tasks, improving efficiency across clinical trials, and saving valuable time for healthcare professionals. Damion also discusses why broader, transformative supply chain efficiencies are still on the horizon, as AI continues to evolve and scale in the pharmaceutical industry. This episode is sponsored by Arkestro. Learn more about Arkestro's upcoming Advisory Council event here. Find out more about sponsored content and how to engage with the Emerj audience at emerj.com/ad1.
With customer expectations at an all-time high, even one broken interaction can result in permanent brand damage. In this episode of ‘AI in Business,' Cognigy Chief Marketing Officer Alan Ranger joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to explore how conversational, generative, and agentic AI are reshaping contact center strategy across telecom, retail, and financial services. Cognigy is a leading provider of AI-powered customer service solutions, offering an advanced platform that enables businesses to deliver instant, personalized, and multilingual support across various channels. Throughout the episode, Alan outlines the evolution from chatbots to co-pilots to fully agentic systems—and explains how these technologies are shifting enterprise workflows from task-based to value-driven service. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Cognigy. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.