Category: Reading

Latest Read: The AI-Powered Workplace

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date December 20, 2023

The AI-Powered Workplace: How Artificial Intelligence, Data, and Messaging Platforms Are Defining the Future of Work by Ronald Ashri.

Ronald holds a PhD in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence / Agent-based systems) from The University of Southampton. Today Ronald is Chief Product and Technology Officer at OpenDialog AI. He previously was Co-Founder, CTO and CEO at GreenShoot Labs. Ronald specializes in AI systems design, knowledge management, agent-based systems, and conversational AI.

The AI-Powered Workplace is broken into three parts: Understanding AI, The applications of AI in the Workplace, and building Your AI-Powered Workplace. This book should certainly be a primer for those not familiar with AI.

Part 1 chapters 1-5 introduce AI concepts and explains for new users what AI is and how does it predict. Ronald is providing a solid outline regarding the early history of AI. I appreciate his reference to AI Winters by stating ‘AI goes into hiding’ which was fun to read. Readers will also appreciate how he compares the role of computing and technology in our lives as a pivot to the growing needs for AI services. At this point Ronald also begins diving into his area of expertise, AI agents. There are certainly deep insights regarding Agents within this opening part of his book.

Tags AI-Powered Workplace, Artificial Intelligence, Future of Work, Ronald Ashri

Artificial Intelligence Education Innovation Reading

Latest Read: Beyond Digital

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date December 17, 2023

Beyond Digital: How Great Leaders Transform Their Organizations and Shape the Future by Paul Leinwand and Mahadeva Matt Mani.

Paul is Global Managing Director with Strategy& and is a principal with PwC US. He is an adjunct professor of strategy at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and has served as an adviser to many nonprofit organizations. He holds a Masters in Management from Kellogg.

Mahadeva Matt Mani leads the PwC/Strategy& transformation platform. He is also a principal with PwC US. Matt holds a Masters in international public policy from Johns Hopkins University.

In Beyond Digital, Paul and Matt take readers on a deep dive across 12 organizations to learn how to succeed in navigating the challenges of digital transformation. And by digital, they address the following: the internet is 50 years old, IBM’s PC was introduced 40 years ago, Apple is 45 while even Google is 25. Getting ‘to’ digital is not enough anymore. especially in a post pandemic world. Paul and Matt are focusing on the new forms of digital competitive advantages. Your organization may feel like it is in the game, but perhaps you’re on the sideline. Some organizations may even be watching from the stands. they just do not realize how they missed their digital transformation.

Tags Artificial Intelligence, Beyond Digital, digital transformation, Matt Mani, Paul Leinwand

Artificial Intelligence Education Reading

Latest Read: The New Automation Mindset

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date December 16, 2023

The New Automation Mindset: The Leadership Blueprint for the Era of AI-For-All by Vijay Tella.

Vijay Tella is Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at Workato. He was the former Vice President, Mobile Video at Skype, and Chief Executive Officer at Qik. Vijay holds a MS in Computer Science from University of California, Los Angeles

The goal of this book is certainly to help organizational leaders understand automation as a blueprint for embracing AI. In fact, a great start to this book begins with the impression of AI and why 90% of AI deployments fail. This will obviously grab the attention of orgnaizational leaders.

Then Vijay addresses Toast. Yes, the credit card service deployed in restaurants, not the one you have with butter at breakfast. This is a service I have deployed and Vijay documents how different Toast is today for restaurants since the pandemic.

In fact, Toast was forced to pivot during the pandemic and as a result became a solid performer and model for other AI vendors to follow. In his outline “Many Restaurants Would Have Been Toast Without Toast” shows the insights recognized and implemented. Vijay returns to Toast’s pivot in the closing chapters.

Tags Artificial Intelligence, The New Automation Mindset, Vijay Tella

Artificial Intelligence Education Reading

Latest Read: HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Leading Digital Transformation

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date December 12, 2023

HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Leading Digital Transformation by Harvard Business Review published in January 2021.

This outlines a much needed read on the hot topic of digital transformation. The issue to certainly understand is how this differs from digital disruption. There are several articles that really stand out and make this a valuable read for all organizations regardless of their AI maturity level.

A key must read is Leandro DalleMule and Thomas H. Davenport’s “What’s Your Data Strategy?” This was a bestselling article from HBR. and their article is another can’t miss addressing data. Simply put, in order to remain competitive in a post pandemic world, organizations must manage the quantities of data very carefully.

Perhaps their suggestion of ShadowIT leaving flawed n and duplicate data within an organizations will hamper any true embrace of AI.

In addition they address how organizations must strive to develop a balanced strategy between offensive and defense data management. this is a really great read. Again, looking at a post pandemic world, regardless of marketplace, organizational data must be viewed as a key strategy as we embrace data lakes.

Tags Artificial Intelligence, digital transformation, Harvard Business Review, Innovation

Artificial Intelligence Education Reading

Latest Read: How to Stay Smart in a Smart World

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date December 9, 2023

How to Stay Smart in a Smart World: Why Human Intelligence Still Beats Algorithms by Gerd Gigerenzer.

Gerd holds a master of arts and a doctor of philosophy in psychology from the University of Munich. He received the postdoctoral degree of habilitation in 1982. Today Gerd is Director at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Director of the Harding Center for Risk Literacy in Berlin.

He is former Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago and a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Virginia. Gerd is a Fellow of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and the German Academy of Sciences.

So, Gerd is providing a very compelling case for humans to stay in charge of our current world of algorithms. He is addressing with deep insights the fallacy of current state AI. He does certainly acknowledge the impactful use of AI yet provides an honest view that markets are shaped by companies promising AI as the holy savior of their organization’s marketplace.

In fact, the first part of his book “The Human Affair with AI” really provides a wake up call to all the hype driven by those companies and markets who stand to gain the most.

Tags algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, Gerd Gigerenzer, How to Stay Smart in a Smart World, privacy