What does the future of responsible AI and quantum hold? Uli Homann, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, joins today to dive into some huge topics in the industry. With over 35 years at Microsoft, Uli shares invaluable insights into AI, big data, and the future of technology. Topics covered include Microsoft's AI strategy, the paradigm shift in AI, responsible AI, the potential of quantum computing, and the impact of AI on industry and society. Uli also emphasizes the importance of a responsible AI charter, organizational readiness, and the integration of AI into business processes to achieve tangible outcomes. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of AI's transformative power and practical advice on implementing AI effectively.

Takeaways:

• Define Your AI Charter: Before going "big" with AI, establish a clear public charter outlining what your company will and will not do with AI.
• Prioritize Business Needs Over Platform Building: Focus on building applications (apps) with AI that add immediate business value, rather than spending excessive time building an AI platform from scratch.
• Establish Independent Escalation Paths for AI Concerns: Create organizational structures that allow employees to raise concerns about uncomfortable AI use scenarios without fear of reprisal from their direct management.
• Address Data Readiness and Security: Prioritize getting your data in order, ensuring you have the right, sufficient, and accessible data, and implementing robust security models for AI capabilities.
• Understand When to Use AI vs. Traditional Code: Use AI for tasks where the outcome is unclear and requires reasoning or plan-building (e.g., trip planning, marketing plans), but stick to traditional code for fixed, deterministic, and repetitive processes.
• Anticipate the Rise of Physical AI and Humanoids in Manufacturing: Be aware of the increasing role of robotics and humanoids in factories, driven by AI, to address labor shortages and dangerous conditions.
• Shift Human Roles from Operator to Supervisor in Industrial Settings: As AI becomes the "operator" for tasks like configuring refineries, humans will transition to supervisory roles, focusing on security, safety, and optimization.

Quote of the Show:

• “ Without the people, AI won't be able to do anything for quite some time, if ever.” - Uli Homann

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulrichhomann/
• Website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/

Make sure to check out our Substack: https://theagenticinsider.substack.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Transistor: https://agenticinsider.show/
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2fCCuVl6tL5p2kEAwFCQNJ
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-agentic-insider/id1807346381
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9fe0482d-d798-4420-a93a-fc6653bce437
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-agentic-insider-6057241
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iridiusAI

“You need human-in-the-loop activities cause AI is still not that good yet.” Joining the podcast today is Doug Shannon, a two-time Top 25 thought leader and member of Forbes Technology Council to discuss the future he envisions with AI, emphasizing responsible data sharing and the educational approach in AI innovation. He explores the concepts of establishing AI centers of enablement, integrating diverse teams, and the importance of human oversight in AI-driven environments. Doug shares his insights into balancing automation with human oversight, the significance of transparency and clarity in deploying AI, and the critical role of ontology and taxonomy in understanding and leveraging data. The discussion also covers the Magi system, a framework Doug proposes for ensuring compliance and trust in AI systems, and the ethical considerations enterprises must address when integrating AI solutions. The episode culminates in rapid-fire questions about AI collaboration and Doug's vision for his legacy in intelligent automation.

Takeaways:

• Embrace Collaboration: Actively collaborate within your organization and with external partners to better understand and utilize AI. As AI technology evolves, collaborative efforts can accelerate learning and implementation.
• Foster a Culture of Knowledge Sharing: Encourage a culture where information and best practices are freely shared among team members. This can drive greater innovation and improvements in AI-related projects.
• Balance Human and AI Roles: Develop strategies to balance automation with human oversight, particularly in high-risk and highly regulated industries. Feeding AI with quality data and maintaining human context in the decision loop can ensure better outcomes.
• Focus on Ethical Considerations: Ensure AI deployments comply with regulatory standards and ethical guidelines. Intellectual property and data management are important areas to monitor closely for compliance and protection.
• Utilize AI Thought Leadership: Engage with thought leaders and industry experts to gain insights and stay updated with the latest trends and best practices in AI and automation.
• Plan for Autonomous Systems: Begin developing strategies for integrating multi-agent systems and autonomous enterprise models. Prioritize initiatives that create centers of enablement within the organization for greater effectiveness.

Quote of the Show:

• “The hope is that we learn and we dive in to use AI because if you don't use it, you don't really have a voice. And if you haven't used it, you don't really know what you're up against.” - Doug Shannon

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-shannon/
• Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/brewing-insights-7124563088439197696/
• Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLivd8WaRu-XnT0kiQTmTAXQ2e5gloVLvp&feature=shared

Make sure to check out our Substack: https://theagenticinsider.substack.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Transistor: https://agenticinsider.show/
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2fCCuVl6tL5p2kEAwFCQNJ
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-agentic-insider/id1807346381
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9fe0482d-d798-4420-a93a-fc6653bce437
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-agentic-insider-6057241
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iridiusAI