Details
Dr. Katia Walsh is one of the early Chief AI Officers, having been in that role at Vodafone Group in London and Levi Strauss & Co. in San Francisco several years before ChatGPT made AI a household name. In this session, Katia will share with you insights from her new book, “Winning with Generative AI: The 90 Day Blueprint for Success“, in partnership with Charlene Li, author of six New York Times best-selling books about tech in business.
Katia will provide a practical guide to implementing a Generative AI strategy in your organization, including:
- Why it matters
- How to get started
- What to focus on first, second, and third
- How to prioritize
- How to measure success
- Who to partner with, at what stage
… and other learnings from her 20+ year career helping businesses retain relevance and gain further differentiation through emerging tech, especially AI.
Speakers
Post-event summary
The webinar titled “Unlock Generative AI Success: Insights from the New 90-Day Blueprint,” hosted by EDM Council’s Women Data Professionals (WDP) Forum, focused on practical strategies for implementing generative AI in organizations, drawn from Dr. Walsh’s experience and her co-authored book. The conversation was led by experts in the industry:
- Dr. Katia Walsh, Chief Digital Officer, Executive Leadership Team, Harvard Business School
- Moderator: Peggy Tsai, Chief Data Officer, BigID
Dr. Walsh emphasized three main areas where generative AI can be effectively applied: enhancing customer experience, improving internal efficiencies, and transforming business models. She highlighted specific use cases from her tenure at Levi Strauss & Co., such as personalized e-commerce experiences and optimized inventory for different geographic regions, showcasing how these initiatives led to measurable business outcomes like increased revenue and consumer satisfaction.
A significant portion of the discussion revolved around the challenges of data management in AI applications. Dr. Walsh suggested that instead of waiting for perfect data, organizations should focus on actionable insights from available data to drive quick wins and demonstrate value. “Efficiency absolutely matters… And within that, there are very specific opportunities with automation, with optimization, and with transformation.” She stressed the importance of managing data intelligently, prioritizing elements that require stringent accuracy and governance.
The conversation also touched on the cultural aspects of integrating AI into business practices. Dr. Walsh pointed out that technology is often not the biggest hurdle; instead, the challenge lies in change management and cultural adaptation. She recommended starting with visible projects that deliver tangible value, communicating successes widely, and empowering employees with the necessary skills to leverage new technologies.