Tech & AI LIVE: Gen AI – Gen AI & Enterprise Cloud Panel

December 05, 2024

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Leading executives take part in a panel discussion at Tech & AI LIVE: Gen AI on exploring the transformative impact of AI in enterprise cloud solutions

Generative AI is revolutionising enterprise cloud operations, unlocking new efficiencies and opportunities across industries.

At Tech & AI LIVE: Gen AI, speakers included:

Kannan Ramachandran, Chief AI Officer and Chief Commercial Officer at aThingz
Paul Cardno, Global Digital Automation and Innovation Senior Manager at 3M
Carina Negreanu, VP of AI at Robin AI

Gen AI: A game-changer for enterprise operations

The panel begins by addressing how Gen AI is reshaping enterprise cloud environments. Kannan outlines the foundational changes, citing how AI-driven tools at aThingz streamline data analysis and reporting across vast datasets.

“Even though it is a game changer in many ways, we’re still in an early stage,” Kannan notes, emphasising the infancy of widespread AI adoption.

Carina shared Robin AI’s experiences in legal tech, detailing how Gen AI accelerates the review and negotiation of legal contracts.

“From a business perspective, the time savings are great,” she says, highlighting productivity gains while stressing the importance of intuitive tools that users can easily adopt.

Paul provides a customer-focused perspective, explaining how Gen AI in digital marketing has slashed content production timelines from weeks to days.

“It’s not fully a game-changer yet, but it unlocks one of the key challenges in marketing—generating relevant content efficiently,” Paul explains.

Kannan Ramachandran, Chief AI Officer and Chief Commercial Officer at aThingz

Addressing hurdles: Trust, cost, and compliance

The panel didn’t shy away from discussing the challenges enterprises face when deploying Gen AI. Trust emerged as a critical factor, especially in data-sensitive industries. Carina stresses the importance of building confidence in AI systems.

“You really need to be right, especially in fields like ours, where accuracy is paramount,” she says, reflecting on the shift from in-house tools to cloud-based systems.

The panellists also highlight the financial and operational implications of Gen AI implementation.

Kannan elaborates on how costs can quickly escalate, urging businesses to optimise resources and design solutions with scalability and efficiency in mind.

Paul underscores the compliance risks, particularly in intellectual property management, noting that employees need clear guidelines as Gen AI becomes embedded in workplace tools.

Education and ongoing communication are central to overcoming these challenges. Paul reveals 3M’s proactive training initiatives, comparing them to GDPR awareness campaigns.

“AI is a central topic in our quarterly communications, and we’ve built compliance courses with 100% completion across tens of thousands of employees,” he says.

Carina Negreanu, VP of AI at Robin AI

Striking the balance: Innovating with purpose

As organisations navigate the complexities of Gen AI, a recurring theme emerged: the importance of starting small and focusing on stable processes.

Kannan advocates for ‘quick wins’ to build confidence, while Paul stresses targeting stable, well-defined workflows to minimise variability and maximise impact.

Carina concludes by reflecting on productivity as a balance between innovation and cognitive load.

“There’s no point in using AI for tasks that are hard to verify,” she argues. Instead, businesses should prioritise applications where AI enhances efficiency without compromising reliability.

The panel agrees that Gen AI’s transformative potential hinges on careful implementation and strategic focus. From managing infrastructure demands to addressing ethical concerns, businesses must adopt Gen AI with a clear vision.

As Paul succinctly put it, “Do the boring stuff well, so the exciting stuff can deliver the value you need.”

Paul Cardno, Global Digital Automation and Innovation Senior Manager at 3M