On Thursday, December 14, 2023, the world’s 1st-ever Chief AI Officer Summit was held and hosted by the Institute for Experiential AI at Northeastern University!

We’d like to thank our sponsors: BigID, CDO Club, Constant Data Integration, Cybertech-es.com, Ellig Group, KX, Ultranauts Inc, and ZoomInfo!

The 10th annual edition of the event, this year’s CDAO Summit focused on Digital Transformation, Data Driven Culture, and Real-Time Analytics. The gorgeous venue was filled with Chief Digital and Data Officers, Chief Analytics Officers, CDAOs, Chief Experience, Innovation, Strategy, Technology, & Transformation Officers, and Chief Compliance, Governance, Privacy, & Risk Officers.

Delegates were welcomed by emcee Groom , CEO at Digimentors and former CDO of NYC, the Metropolitan Musem of Art, and Columbia University.

Opening remarks were delivered by Samuel Scarpino, Director of AI + Life Sciences at Northeastern University.

The opening keynote was delivered by David Mathison, CEO of the CDO Club and CDAO/CAIO Summit, on “The Chief AI Officer Talent Map.”

The first panel of the day explored “Creating a Culture of AI to Maximize Value, Productivity, and Efficiency” and was moderated by David Mathison, CEO of the CDAO/CAIO Summit.

Our panelists, representing a diverse range of sectors and experiences, shared their practical insights on how to create and sustain a culture of AI within large organizations. They discussed the challenges they’ve faced and the strategies they’ve employed.

Panelists included:

• David Barnes, Chief AI Ethics Officer, US Army AI Integration Center (AI2C)
• Eileen Vidrine, Chief Data and AI Officer, US Department of the Air Force, Chief Data & AI Office
• Ronke Ekwensi, VP and Chief Data Officer, T-Mobile
• Sol Rashidi, Former Chief Data, Analytics, AI Officer, Estee Lauder, Merck, Sony Music, Royal Caribbean
• Sunil Senan, SVP & Business Head: Data Analytics and AI Unit, Infosys

Delegates then took a break for networking with colleagues and peers.

Following the break, the panel on “Generative AI Strategy in the Enterprise” was moderated by Michael Krigsman, Publisher at CXOTalk.

This session explored the transformative impact of generative AI technologies on business operations and strategy. We examined technical aspects, the importance of data quality, along with ethical and governance considerations surrounding generative AI deployment. The panel took a practical view of real-world applications, opportunities, and challenges.

Panelists included: 

• Bruno Aziza, Partner, CapitalG (Alphabet)
• Sreedhar Sistu, Vice President, AI Offers, Schneider Electric
• Vipin Mayar, EVP, Head of AI Innovation, Fidelity Investments
• Yvonne Li, VP of Enterprise AI, Data Engineering, and Decision Science, Advance Auto Parts

Next up, Daniel Hulme Chief AI Officer at WPP delivered a keynote on “ Rethinking AI and Impact on Business and Humanity.”

In his Keynote, WPP’s Chief AI Officer Daniel Hulme discussed a radical new framework for thinking about AI, and discusses how organizations can practically adopt these technologies and avoid being seduced by the hype. Daniel also covers the macro impact these technologies may have over the coming decades.

Panelists included:

• Tim Davis, Executive Director, Data and AI Architecture at IBM
• Kelly Mannes, Vice President, Business Development, Constant Data Integration
• Kamal Distell, VP Data, Analytics, Platforms and Data Science, Toyota Motor Corporation
• Sol Rashidi, Former CDAO, Estee Lauder, Merck, Sony Music, Royal Caribbean
• Chip Crane, Americas Security Technical Leader, IBM

Thanks to all participants for asking such great questions and being so involved and engaged at the Summit:

Delegates then took a break for lunch and networking with colleagues, speakers, and peers.

As delegates returned from the break, our moderator, Groom, , thanked our sponsors.

Thank you BigID, CDO Club, Constant Data Integration, Cybertech-es.com, Ellig Group, KX, Ultranauts Inc, and ZoomInfo! 

After our lunch, the keynote “Crafting the AI Vision: Bridging Business Strategy and Human Capital” delivered by participants: Lisa Bettinger-Buckingham President at the Ellig Group, Hamoon Ekhtiari CEO at FutureFit AI and Kevin Martin Chief Research Officer at the Institute for Corporate Productivity. 

This keynote discussion delves into the heart of AI’s role in modern enterprises, exploring the intricate balance between technological advancement and human capital strategy.

Next, the keynote on “The Intersection of AI & GTM: Powering Next Gen Strategies” delivered by Henry Schuck, Founder & CEO, ZoomInfo.

The audience learned best practices for leveraging AI to optimize go-to-market efforts in 2024 and beyond. He also covered how AI can help bridge the gap between sales and marketing, enhance data accuracy and timely outreach.

The panel “Balancing Exponential AI Innovation vs Risk in Regulated Industries – Medical and Insurance” was moderated by David Mathison CEO, CDAO/CAIO Summit.

A panel of experts at the forefront of medical and insurance challenges discussed strategies, best practices, and real-world experiences. The panelists addressed critical questions about maintaining a balance between harnessing exponential AI innovation and mitigating risks in these industries. 

Panelists included: 

• Darien Acosta: Chief AI Officer, Cover Whale
• Jerry Gupta: Senior Vice President, P&C R&D, Swiss Re
• Mark Gleason: Chief of Enterprise Architecture, Head of Global Data, Head of AI Innovation, Hudson Insurance Group
• Matt Lewis: Global Chief Artificial and Augmented Intelligence Officer, Inizio Medical
• Shawn Wang: Chief AI Officer, Elevance Health

Delegates then took one final break to network with colleagues and peers. 

After our final break we had a fireside chat “Realizing AI’s Potential – Insights from the Frontlines of Enterprise and Innovation” panelists explored perspectives on how to effectively cut through the AI hype – providing actionable insights on utilizing data to truly realize AI’s transformative power at scale.

Participants included:

• Jeff Boudreau: Chief AI Officer, Dell Technologies
• Kleida Martiro: Partner, Glasswing Ventures
• Usama Fayyad: Executive Director, Institute for Experiential AI, Northeastern University

The final keynote of the day “The Secrets of Making AI and Generative AI Work: What They Are Not Telling You” was delivered by Usama Fayyad, Executive Director, Institute for Experiential AI, Northeastern University.

In this chat Usama covered technology at a high level with an emphasis on how the models work to guide us into examples of how the technology fails and what is the appropriate model of using it.

The event was wrapped up by Hamit Hamutcu, Senior Advisor, Institute for Experiential AI, Northeastern University before the networking reception began.

Thank you to everyone for making this event a success, including all delegates, speakers, and participants:

Thanks again to our sponsors BigID, CDO Club, Constant Data Integration, Cybertech-es.com, Ellig Group, KX, Ultranauts Inc, and ZoomInfo! 

Huge thanks to our gracious hosts at the D’Amore-McKim School of Business and the Institute for Experiential AI at Northeastern University!

The next CDAO Summit will be in Washington DC on Tuesday June 11, 2024.

The next Chief AI Officer Summit will be in the same venue the following day, on Wednesday June 12, 2024.

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See you there – be sure to register NOW! 

All Photos by David Lubarsky Photography: https://www.davidlubarsky.com