The CAIO Connect Podcast (Chief AI Officer Connect Podcast)

In this CAIO Connect Podcast, Vinay Singh, the Chief AI Officer and Chief Financial Officer at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), shares insights on how AI transforms government operations. From tackling homelessness to advancing innovation responsibly, Vinay shares his inspiring journey, HUD's mission-driven use of AI, and valuable lessons for aspiring AI leaders. Whether y...

AI is revolutionizing industries, and Michelin is no exception. On this episode of the CAIO podcast, I sit down with Ambica Rajagopal , Group Chief Data and AI Officer at Michelin , to explore how the company leverages AI to enhance mobility, sustainability, and innovation—all while maintaining a people-first approach. Key Takeaways: (03:40) Michelin's commitment to balancing people, profit and pl...

I’m joined by Arthur Hu , SVP, Global CIO and SSG Chief Delivery and Technology Officer at Lenovo . Arthur offers fascinating insights into how Lenovo uses AI to shape its products, services and internal operations. From implementing a hybrid AI approach to redefining personal computing with AI twins, Arthur discusses the company’s innovative strategies and its commitment to ethical AI practices....

AI is transforming industries, but how to ensure it's done responsibly? In this episode, I’m joined by Geoffrey Schaefer , Head of Responsible AI and Chief AI Ethics Advisor at Booz Allen Hamilton . He also serves on the board of trustees at The Washington Center and has a diverse background spanning counterintelligence, finance and tech. Geoffrey shares insights on AI ethics, governance and safet...

In this episode, I welcome Saima Shafiq , Senior Vice President and Head of Applied AI Transformation at PNC Bank . Saima discusses her journey in AI and how PNC leverages AI to drive success by aligning initiatives with strategic objectives and fostering a collaborative environment. She explains tangible returns on investment in customer experience, operational efficiencies, fraud detection, and...

In this exciting episode, we dive into the transformative potential of AI in carbon capture and materials design. Learn about the journey of CuspAI, a pioneering startup in this space, and how AI is driving innovation for a more sustainable future. Our guest, Max Welling, CAIO & Co-founder at CuspAI and Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Amsterdam, shares his experience in appl...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Robert Engels , VP, CTO for AI and Head of Global AI Lab at Capgemini . Dr. Engels discusses his career journey, insights into AI strategy and the critical role of collaboration in scaling innovative AI solutions. Key Takeaways: (01:28) Dr. Engels’ early involvement in AI, even before the internet. (08:26) Capgemini stays ahead by collaborating with academia. (10...

In this episode, Hardi Gokani , Director of Product Management - AI and ML at Grainger , joins me to discuss the company's focus on innovation to enhance operations and customer service. She shares her journey into AI, highlighting the complex challenges of building an AI ecosystem.  Hardi explores AI-powered innovations like Search by Image and 3D product recognition. She emphasizes the impo...

In this episode, I sit down with Nandan Thor , Head of AI at Palo Alto Networks . We discuss his role in driving AI innovation for cybersecurity, focusing on daily responsibilities like stakeholder meetings, staying up-to-date with AI trends and team mentoring.  Nandan highlights the significance of ethical AI development and the need for responsible practices. We dive into AI's business impa...

In this episode, Beth Linker , Senior Director of Product Management at Synopsys Software Integrity Group. joins me to discuss their journey in the fields of technology and AI. Beth talks about the role of mentorship and the challenges and opportunities of building an AI ecosystem. Beth describes the incorporation of AI in Synopsys’ Software Integrity Group, emphasizing the importance of data scie...

On this episode, I'm joined by Jim Jacob , Executive Director of Digitalization, Advanced Analytics and Artificial Intelligence at Cummins Inc. Jim shares insights into how Cummins, a global leader in power solutions, leverages AI and digitalization to drive operational efficiency and innovation. He discusses the importance of building internal capabilities for AI solutions, the role of data secur...

In this episode, I'm joined by Alexandre Guilbault , Director of AI / Head of Artificial Intelligence at TELUS , to explore the innovative ways AI is being leveraged to drive business outcomes. Alexandre shares his insights on building effective AI teams, embracing a fail-fast culture and democratizing AI technology for non-technical users. Key Takeaways:  (01:49) Alexandre’s journey from an RF...

In this episode of the CAIO podcast, I’m joined by Preetha Sekharan , VP of Digital Incubator and Applied AI and Transformation of Unum . Preetha shares her journey and insights in steering AI initiatives within the organization. She discusses the challenges of implementing AI in a regulated industry and the importance of picking the right use cases and gaining buy-in from senior leaders. Preetha...

In this episode, I’m joined by Nikhil Deshpande , Chief Digital and AI Officer at the Georgia Technology Authority . He shares his journey to becoming a CAIO and discusses the challenges and opportunities in the role, highlighting the need for inspiration, talent attraction, collaboration and communication.  Nikhil discusses ethics, responsible AI use and workforce upskilling. He also address...

In this episode, I’m joined by Barak Turovsky , VP of AI at Cisco and former Director of Head of Product at Google for Google Languages AI. Barak shares his journey and insights into artificial intelligence, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs and aligning AI with business units. He discusses prioritizing use cases and the challenges of deploying AI at scale, introducing a f...

Dr. Nenad Mijatovic , Data Science and AI Director of Alstom , joins me on this episode. We discuss the role of AI in the transportation industry and the challenges and opportunities of implementing AI in a multinational organization. Key tasks in deploying AI at scale include coordinating subsystem development, aligning with business needs, and fostering collaboration and innovation.  Key Ta...

Navigating the world of AI in financial services requires not only technical expertise but also strategic vision. On this episode of CAIO, I’m joined by John Chan , Director of Technology for AI and Machine Learning at Raymond James , who shares insights on the transformative power of AI. Key Takeaways: (00:32) Overview of Raymond James and John Chan's role. (05:00) Initiating AI strategies and se...

On this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Ravi Pendse , Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at the University of Michigan . With a wealth of experience from leadership roles at institutions like Brown University and Wichita State University, Dr. Pendse shares his journey, insights and the transformative potential of AI. Key Takeaways: (02:52) How the impact of GenAI com...

In this episode of the CAIO podcast, Host Sanjay Puri interviews Dr. Vinesh Sukumar, Head of AI/ML Product Management at Qualcomm. He delves into his engineering and AI journey, emphasizing Qualcomm's AI innovations across industries. He highlights fostering innovation and experimentation, seeking team members with these qualities, and Qualcomm's commitment to education for an AI-driven future. He...

In this episode of the CAIO podcast, Host Sanjay Puri interviews Sreedhar Sistu, the Vice President of AI Offers for Schneider Electric. Sreedhar discusses the role of AI in energy management and industrial automation, as well as the challenges and opportunities in implementing AI initiatives. Sreedhar emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, execution focus, and having a well-defined pro...