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  • Enterprise AI Architecture and Moving Beyond the Token Tax with Pega CTO Don Schuerman

    Enterprise AI Architecture and Moving Beyond the Token Tax with Pega CTO Don Schuerman
    2026/07/15

    How do you move generative AI past simple chatbots and scale it into a core enterprise architecture?

    In this episode of FastForward, we sit down with Don Schuerman, the Chief Technology Officer at Pega, to unpack the reality of scaling enterprise AI. Don shares expert insights on how generative AI is completely rewriting the rules of enterprise software and what a true GenAI architecture looks like for modern organizations.

    Tune in to discover:


    • Beyond the Chatbot: Why true AI systems require moving past basic interfaces and rethinking your entire software stack.

    • Scaling AI in the Enterprise: The technical challenges, roadmaps, and structural changes CTOs must navigate to move from a pilot program to full production.

    • Intelligent Automation: How enterprise software is evolving to connect legacy tech with modern, intelligent systems.

    Whether you are a tech leader, developer, or enterprise manager, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for implementing AI architecture that delivers real business value.

    About the Guest:Don Schuerman is the CTO at Pega (Pegasystems), where he leads the technology strategy and evolution of Pega's enterprise software platform.

    FastForward on PPN: Enterprise AI Architecture and Moving Beyond the Token Tax

    Episode Summary

    While the industry is caught up in the hype of AI chatbots, enterprise tech leaders face a critical hurdle: how do you scale generative AI into complex, high-stakes workflows without breaking the bank?

    In this episode of FastForward, host Ron Miller sits down with Don Schuerman, the longtime CTO and Head of Marketing at Pegasystems (Pega). Don shares unique insights gained from his three-decade tenure at Pega, navigating through massive technological waves from mobile to predictive analytics, and now, large language models. The two dive deep into why slapping AI onto a broken business process won't fix it, how the role of the modern software engineer is fundamentally changing, and the mechanics behind Pega’s bold shift from unpredictable token pricing to an outcome-based, per-case pricing model.

    Key Takeaways & Discussion Highlights

    • The Longevity Advantage: Don discusses his rare 29-year journey at a single enterprise company, highlighting how experiencing multiple technology shifts has shaped his pragmatic worldview on the current AI wave.
    • Velocity vs. Value: Moving fast has become table stakes. The real differentiator for businesses in 2026 is using AI to achieve a better quality outcome, not just a faster one.
    • The "Pothole Patching" Trap: Slapping an AI agent or bot onto a broken business process is just temporary patching. True transformation requires using AI at the "design phase" to build completely redesigned, optimized workflows from the ground up.
    • Ditching the Token Tax: Don breaks down the reasoning behind Pega's move to outcome-based, per-case pricing. By focusing on measurable results (like a resolved insurance claim or a closed customer service case), enterprises can achieve cost predictability and stop watching a volatile token meter run indefinitely.
    • The Future of Human Capital: Why the best AI operators are those who have spent 10–15 years building deep foundational craft and judgment. AI is a tool to amplify human intent, but human judgment remains the ultimate safeguard.

    Connect with the Show

    • Subscribe to the FastForward Newsletter: Scan the QR code in the video outro or visit FastForward.blog to stay updated on enterprise technology trends.
    • Follow PPN (Playaz Productions Network): Find us on LinkedIn and YouTube @PPN.
    • Learn More About Pega: Visit Pega.com to explore Pega Infinity and use their token cost calculator.

    Note: FastForward will be taking a brief summer break for the month of July! We will return on Thursday, August 20th @ 2 PM ET with special guest Jeetu Patel, the President & CPO of Cisco.
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    31 分
  • "Tech is Shooting Itself in the Foot" — Aaron Levie on AI Rhetoric

    "Tech is Shooting Itself in the Foot" — Aaron Levie on AI Rhetoric
    2026/07/13
    Episode Summary: Sixteen years after pitching early cloud solutions to deeply skeptical enterprise IT buyers, Box CEO Aaron Levie is leading his organization through another massive transition: Artificial Intelligence. In this episode of FastForward on PPN, host Ron Miller sits down with Aaron to cut through the industry hype and discuss what it actually takes to scale AI across the enterprise.They explore why scaling AI across standard knowledge workflows requires organizational patience, how human-in-the-loop oversight shifts layers of abstraction rather than eliminating jobs, and why the AI transformation is fundamentally larger in scope than the digital or cloud revolutions that came before it. Aaron also addresses the polarizing industry rhetoric regarding white-collar labor displacement, shares why he is bullish on the rise of the "forward-deployed engineering" model, and opens up about what keeps him deeply passionate after more than two decades at the helm of Box.Episode Timestamps & Chapters[00:30] Introduction & The History of Box Ron and Aaron take a trip down memory lane to 2010, discussing the early days of pitching cloud storage when enterprise buyers were still religiously tied to on-premise architectures.[02:01] Early Days of Evangelizing the Cloud How sticking to a single cloud platform architecture paid off dividends when mobile arrived, how it enabled seamless SaaS integrations, and why it laid the groundwork for today's AI agents.[05:58] Scaling AI & The Reality of Business Adoption Why technology transitions inherently take time. Aaron discusses the dual reality of massive tech breakthroughs versus the slow, localized diffusion of AI within traditional corporate workflows.[10:13] Why Humans Will Always Be in the Loop A look at the iterative, multi-prompt realities of working with AI. Aaron explains why automating a workflow doesn't eliminate humans, but instead raises the bar for the final output.[12:30] AI's Impact on the Future of Jobs Countering the "doomer" mindset. Why the tech industry is shooting itself in the foot with negative rhetoric, and how AI tool capabilities will expand the demand for specialized talent in pharma, healthcare, and manufacturing.[17:39] The Rise of Forward-Deployed Engineering Ron and Aaron debate the emergence of specialized vendor deployment teams. Why complex enterprise systems and change management make professional consulting a bullish sign of maturity for the AI sector.[21:42] AI vs. Traditional Digital Transformation Why AI transformation is vastly larger than previous cloud or digital transformations because it impacts every single internal crevice and workflow, not just the customer experience.[23:21] Aaron Levie's Personal Drive after 21 Years How a lifelong obsession with technology keeps Aaron energized, and why the enterprise need for secure, unstructured data puts Box directly in the center of the AI revolution.Key Takeaways from the InterviewOn the Pace of Enterprise AI Adoption:"Even though it was obvious to us in 2006 and seven that [the cloud] had to be the architecture of the future... it still took 20 years for that to really roll out across every organization. So I think we're in for some amount of diffusion where it will take some time for AI to hit most organizations." — Aaron LevieOn the Doomer Mindset vs. Labor Demand:"If we end up scaring people about the power and the value of AI, absolutely people aren't going to go for it... What I tend to see is that the work just expands based on the kind of tool capabilities that we have... every pharma company on the planet would love to have access to amazing computer scientists that can go and automate drug discovery." — Aaron LevieLinks & Resources MentionedWatch the Full Video Stream: FastForward on PPN on YouTubeConnect with Guest: Aaron Levie on X/Twitter & Box Official WebsiteConnect with Host: Ron Miller on LinkedInSubscribe: Sign up for the official FastForward newsletter via the QR code on the video outro!FastForward on PPN is a proud presentation of the Playaz Productions Network. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!
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    26 分