AI Con USA 2025 - AI Leadership
Sunday, June 8
Tuesday, June 10
AI Deep Dive: Exploring AWS Using Real-World Scenarios
Deepen your AI and machine learning expertise using AWS in an Immersive, hands-on workshop. You’ll use real-world AI challenges while leveraging AWS services like Amazon SageMaker, Bedrock, and Lambda to build and optimize AI-driven solutions. As the session unfolds, new constraints and data anomalies will emerge, mirroring the complexities of real-world AI/ML implementation. Gain insight into how AI solutions perform under evolving conditions, learning to adapt, optimize, and troubleshoot unexpected challenges. Learn the importance of collaboration, strategic thinking, problem-solving,...
Wednesday, June 11
Best Practices for Using AI for Structured Data Extraction
Structured data extraction, or data tagging, is one of the easiest and impactful applications of modern AI. Before the wide availability of pre-trained AI models, the process of “understanding” unstructured data either required constructing complex heuristic logic or investing in a machine learning team who could train models in-house. Now, cheap and powerful tagging machines are an API call away, redefining what is possible for how we can understand our data. In this talk, I'll share how we’ve used AI at Yahoo News to improve our content understanding pipelines. Yahoo was a pioneer in...
The Impact of AI on Developer Productivity
Generative AI tools hold promise to increase human productivity. In the world of software development, GitHub Copilot was one of the first practical applications of the use of generative AI to support developer productivity. However, measuring software productivity is non-trivial. For example, developer productivity gains is more than just producing code faster. If these artifacts don’t meet quality standards or themselves bring cost efficiency challenges then there may not be much overall improvement. To truly understand the benefits and challenges of AI-powered copilots requires real-...
Moving from Reproducible Data Science to the World of LLM, GPT, RAG, and Hallucination
We are moving from the world of reproducible data science (machine learning, area under the curve, a/b testing, model selection, model testing, model fitting and model drift to find the best way to run a data science organization) to being faced with the "Easy Button." This "Easy Button" is often wrong, has poor data protocols, and tries to please; without factual basis. Join Bob to explore ways to make the world better in the bridge from science to the new world of utterances. This session will include examples and experiences from IBM Watson, AI at GE Healthcare, AI at Microsoft, and...
Operationalizing Disruptive Technologies: A Strategic Framework for Harnessing the Power of GenAI
The advent of disruptive technologies, particularly in artificial intelligence, has ushered in a new era of possibilities and challenges. This talk proposes a comprehensive framework for operationalizing disruptive technologies, specifically focusing on the transformative potential of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). As organizations grapple with integrating GenAI into their operations, there is a pressing need for a structured approach that addresses technical, ethical, and organizational considerations. Mary will delve into a strategic framework designed to guide businesses in...
Thursday, June 12
AI at Scale: Balancing innovation, governance, and risk in large organizations
As AI reshapes industries, large organizations must scale innovation while upholding governance, security, and ethical responsibility. Deploying AI at scale isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s a strategic balancing act between agility and compliance, risk and reward. Andreas Bohman, CIO at the University of Washington, will discuss strategies to drive AI-powered innovation without compromising regulatory obligations, operational effectiveness, or public trust. He will share governance strategies that enable innovation rather than restrict it. He’ll also talk about addressing critical...
The AI-Powered Leader: Creating Alignment and Redefining Leadership in an Autonomous Era
Traditional leadership has relied on intuition, manual processes, and fragmented feedback loops. But what if AI could fundamentally reshape how we lead—creating inherent alignment, removing hierarchical bottlenecks, and enabling decentralized decision-making? Imagine an autonomous AI companion that analyzes patterns, prioritizes coaching needs, and adapts in real time to foster self-organization, continuous learning, and leadership at every level. In this session, we’ll explore how AI-driven leadership models can replace rigid hierarchies with dynamic, data-informed decision-making,...
Mastering Quality Engineering in the Age of AI
PreviewAI is transforming the software quality engineering industry by automating routine tasks and enabling smarter testing approaches. Its integration into software development has profoundly reshaped the field of Quality Engineering (QE). This presentation explores the evolving role of QE in the AI era, addressing the challenges, opportunities, and strategies for achieving excellence in AI-driven environments. By examining the intersection of AI and QE, it provides valuable insights into best practices for maintaining high-quality software and equips QE professionals with the knowledge...
Brewing Better Technology: How Human Insights Enhance AI Capabilities
PreviewStriking the right balance between the efficiency of artificial intelligence (AI) and the nuanced insight of human interaction is crucial. The motivation behind integrating AI in development and testing is to enhance decision-making and productivity through automation. However, solely relying on AI can overlook critical elements that only human testers can provide, such as emotional intelligence and contextual understanding. To illustrate this dynamic, Emma Pyne will use the analogy of AI as coffee brewing machines and human testers as skilled baristas in Seattle's coffee shops. AI...
Amazing Ways Retailers Are Using Generative AI
Generative AI is transforming the retail industry by enabling innovative approaches to customer engagement, personalization, and operational efficiency. Retailers are leveraging AI-driven tools to create personalized shopping experiences, from generating tailored product recommendations to crafting dynamic marketing content. In e-commerce, generative AI enhances virtual try-ons and product design, allowing for more interactive and immersive customer journeys. Additionally, retailers use AI for predictive inventory management, automating supply chain decisions, and optimizing logistics....
Navigating Compliance with the EU AI Act: Strategies for Responsible AI Development and Governance
As AI systems continue to transform industries, the EU AI Act sets a pivotal regulatory framework to ensure responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence across Europe. This session will provide practical insights into navigating compliance with the EU AI Act, addressing key requirements for high-risk AI systems, transparency, accountability, and data governance. Joanna will explore how organizations can align their AI development processes with the Act's standards while maintaining innovation. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for integrating compliance into existing...
Reception and Summit Kickoff: As a Leader, What Is Keeping You Up at Night?
Kickoff the AI Leadership Summit with a reception and some networking.
Friday, June 13
Summit Welcome - Opening Remarks
After enjoying the Summit breakfast starting at 8:00 AM, join your moderator Jeff Payne as we kick off the AI Con USA AI Leadership Summit for 2025.
AI Leadership Unplugged: Balancing Innovation and Execution
Leadership in AI/ML is as much about managing complexity as it is about fostering innovation. AI leaders must navigate a landscape where data science, engineering, and operational disciplines intersect. They frequently have to bridge the gap between research and production, balancing innovation with scalability, and fostering team collaboration. AI product and platform development is non-trivial and typically requires building prototypes, adapting and evolving them for production, while maintaining agility in an ever-changing field. Join Tariq King as he shares lessons learned from leading...
Leadership Secrets from the Room
While everyone has their own approach to leadership, we all have our go-to tips and tricks that can help others lead teams, organizations, and ourselves. These may be techniques for motivating staff, growing team skills, managing senior executives, or finding the right people for your organization.
During this collaborative lean coffee session, Jeffery Payne will facilitate a discussion to elicit and discuss those leadership secrets used effectively by Summit participants. Using a lean coffee meeting format, participants will choose which aspects of leadership to discuss, vote on...
Think Tank Discussion Part I: Problem Definitions
Join with your peers in an engaging and highly interactive session to discuss the issues that affect you most. Using answers to the question “As a Leader, What is Keeping You Up at Night?” posed at Thursday’s evening reception, participants will form small groups to work on finding solutions to pressing leadership & management issues. Discussions will review identified issues, barriers to change, and focus on innovative strategies and practical next steps. At the end of the think tank, all feedback will be collected and posted online to encourage further collaboration.
Think Tank Discussion Part II: Leadership Solutions
Based upon the problem definitions developed during Part I of the Think Tank, small groups will brainstorm on how to best solve these challenges, leveraging the collective wisdom of peers and Summit speakers. Each group will designate a representative to present its results and practice delivery.
Think Tank Discussion Part III: Presentation of Results & Wrap Up
Small group representatives will each be given five minutes to present their leadership solutions. Summit participants will vote on which group produced the best solutions.