The AI in Business Podcast

Enterprise AI initiatives consistently break down in document-heavy environments, not because the underlying models are inadequate, but because fragmented data silos, page-break context loss, and uncoordinated extraction tools erode the semantic layer AI needs to reason accurately. In this episode, Sumedh Chaudhary, CTO US Industry Market at IBM, breaks down why a multi-agent architecture is the operational prerequisite for AI to function reliably in regulated, document-intensive workflows. The conversation covers how governance frameworks with measurable error-rate targets distinguish pilot success from production failure, and how enterprises can structure a phased AI approach that blends automation, fit-for-purpose models, and human oversight. ​ This episode is sponsored by Arango. In this episode, we cover how enterprises can build multi-agent AI architectures to handle document-heavy workflows — and the governance frameworks that determine whether those deployments scale. To go deeper on this topic and learn how to structure landing pages for higher conversion, and how to use self-qualification systems to prioritize high-intent leads, download our free PDF report, "B2B AI Lead Generation Guide," at emerj.com/aig1

Retailers managing pricing, marketing, and inventory through separate teams with separate data are losing margin not to market volatility, but to decisions that were never designed to work together. In this episode, Felix Hoffmann, CEO at 7Learnings, examines how predictive, unified commercial decision-making replaces reactive, rules-based approaches — and why most retailers underestimate how much revenue they leave on the table by optimizing each function in isolation. The conversation covers how AI-driven demand simulation enables coordinated pricing, marketing, and reordering decisions, and which commercial use cases enterprise leaders should prioritize first to prove ROI before scaling. This episode is sponsored by 7Learnings. If you offer AI products or services into the enterprise, you need to find enterprise leaders with relevance, and readiness. Emerj attracts VP+ enterprise audiences who are already convinced that they need to move beyond traditional IT. To learn the exact strategies we use to help leading AI brands and startups connect with their ideal enterprise AI buyers, visit: https://go.emerj.com/partner

Finance teams are being asked to influence outcomes in real time while operating on architectures built for delayed, aggregated, and heavily reconciled data. In this episode, Alex Curran, CEO at Aptitude Software, examines how finance functions can move toward real‑time, event‑level visibility and discusses this shift with host Dan Faggella. She highlights the practical changes required for CFOs — from capturing every financial event at the transaction level to enabling continuous reconciliation and full lineage — so finance can surface exceptions immediately and support decisions as they unfold. This episode is sponsored by Aptitude Software. Learn how financial institutions are digitizing paper-based records to unlock usable data for AI, and using alternative data like public web and social signals to enhance risk assessment. Download our free PDF report, "AI in Financial Services Executive Cheat Sheet" at emerj.com/fcs1

The rising use of general‑purpose models in regulated environments is creating a widening gap between what AI can generate and what fiduciary professionals can safely rely on. In this episode, Steve Hasker, CEO at Thomson Reuters, examines how AI must be trained, validated, and governed to deliver the level of accuracy required in legal, tax, and audit workflows in conversation with host Dan Faggella, Emerj CEO and Head of Research. The discussion highlights the operational demands of vertical AI, the role of expert‑trained agents, and why human oversight remains essential in high‑stakes professional work. Learn how financial institutions are digitizing paper-based records to unlock usable data for AI, and using alternative data like public web and social signals to enhance risk assessment, download our free PDF report, "AI in Financial Services Executive Cheat Sheet" at emerj.com/fcs1

Enterprise AI investments frequently succeed at the pilot stage and collapse at scale, not because the technology fails, but because the organizational conditions for adoption were never established. In this episode, Darko Todorovic, CTO at HTEC Group, examines why most AI ROI gaps originate in poor problem definition and inadequate change management, and outlines how senior leaders can build the baselines, KPIs, and organizational readiness needed to measure and sustain real returns. The conversation covers practical guidance on assessing technological and organizational maturity, avoiding POC-to-production pitfalls, and selecting the right AI tools for specific business contexts. This episode is sponsored by HTEC. In this episode we cover how enterprise leaders can measure and prove AI ROI after deployment. To go deeper on this topic and learn how to identify real AI trends by tracking where venture funding is flowing, and by listening to how leading CEOs describe risk and competitive strategy, download our free PDF report, "3 Ways to Discover AI Trends in Any Sector" at emerj.com/ait1

Enterprise AI agents fail consistently in production, not because of model limitations, but because they lack a live, temporally aware context layer grounded in the actual current state of the business. In this episode, Ravi Marwaha, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Technology Product Officer at Arango, explores how treating context as infrastructure—rather than a data pipeline problem—enables agents to reason accurately, explain their decisions, and deliver measurable outcomes across customer support, semiconductor engineering, and clinical trial site selection. The discussion covers five practical frameworks for CIOs and chief data officers on building real-time, explainable context layers on top of existing enterprise systems, without ripping and replacing current infrastructure. This episode is sponsored by Arango. To learn how to improve landing page conversion and use self-qualification systems to identify high-intent leads, download Emerj's free PDF report, "B2B AI Lead Generation Guide," at emerj.com/aig2

Regulatory volatility, scientific‑grade context requirements, and entrenched legacy processes are creating a level of operational complexity in pharma that makes even high‑value AI initiatives difficult to move from concept to production. In this episode, Art Shectman, CEO at Elephant Ventures, examines with host Marilie Fouché how leaders can cut through that complexity by isolating a single, clearly defined workflow slice and rebuilding it for near‑term, dependable deployment rather than long‑range architectural perfection. The discussion highlights how removing outdated process assumptions, selecting an atomic workflow with organizational alignment, and aiming for a contained operational win enable pharma teams to build momentum and scale AI responsibly in highly regulated environments. Learn how consultants are winning business with evidence-based AI ROI and building long-term capabilities instead of chasing short-term gains. Download our free PDF report, "3 Keys to Thriving in the Coming Era of Automation," at emerj.com/cok1

The skilled labor crisis in industrial equipment service is not a future problem; it is eroding operational performance now, as retiring engineers take decades of institutional knowledge with them and incoming technicians cannot fill the gap at speed. In this episode, Mike Hughes, Group Service Director at Peak International Group, outlines how service organizations can close the expertise gap through smarter knowledge capture, targeted AI deployment, and a frontline-first approach to modernization. The conversation covers remote diagnostics, first-time fix performance, the realities of working with imperfect data, and the two or three use cases leaders should prioritize before attempting a broader transformation. This episode is sponsored by Aquant. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at go.emerj.com/partner

The rapid shift from seat‑based licensing to hybrid and consumption‑based AI pricing has made technology spend significantly harder for enterprises to predict and control. In this episode, Adam Mansfield, Practice Leader at UpperEdge, examines how these new pricing models create financial exposure for buyers and why clear forecasting, transparency, and leverage are increasingly difficult to secure in negotiations with major vendors, in conversation with host Marilie Fouché. He highlights the practical steps leaders must take now — from auditing current usage and identifying under‑leveraged spend to engaging vendors early and using the broader. This episode is sponsored by UpperEdge. To go deeper into vendor negotiations and learn how to assess AI providers by leadership credibility and funding signals, download our free report, "5 Ways to Select the Right AI Vendor," at emerj.com/aiv3

Computer vision implementations in manufacturing never advance beyond the pilot phase — not because the technology fails, but because deployment is treated as a software problem rather than an operational one. In this episode, Jeff Witt, Digital Transformation Leader at a Fortune 500 global leader in building materials and fiberglass composites, examines the architectural, organizational, and change management decisions that determine whether a vision AI initiative reaches production and scales. The conversation covers how to build a reusable data architecture for vision data, why shifting ownership from IT to business units accelerates deployment, and what a platform mindset — versus a point solution approach — looks like in a multi-site manufacturing environment. This episode is sponsored by Roboflow. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at go.emerj.com/partner

The pressure on financial services AI leaders to show board-level results has intensified — yet the pace of vendor pitches, shifting tooling stacks, and stalled pilots has made action feel riskier than waiting. In this episode, Art Shectman, CEO and Founder at Elephant Ventures, breaks down why the instinct to evaluate everything before building anything is the primary obstacle to production, and what a realistic first step actually looks like inside a regulated enterprise. The conversation covers how to identify the right initial workflow, how to structure a time-boxed sprint toward a minimum viable production deployment, and how to present early AI wins to boards that have stopped trusting strategy decks. This episode is sponsored by Elephant Ventures. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at go.emerj.com/partner

Deepfake voice fraud is not bypassing enterprise security technology, it is beating the workflows agents rely on to make trust decisions in real time. In this episode, Jon-Rav Shende, Global CTO for Data and AI at Thales Group, outlines where enterprise voice channels are most exposed, why identity, urgency, and business action converging in a single call represents the highest risk point, and what a practical four-step response framework looks like for regulated organisations. The discussion covers how to map risky voice journeys, define escalation decision points, build the evidence chains auditors and cyber insurers will require, and deploy AI as a risk signal layer without automating high-risk actions beyond appropriate controls. ​ This episode is sponsored by Modulate. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at go.emerj.com/partner

Boards are pushing CIOs to commit to AI strategies built on contracts written for an entirely different era of enterprise software. In this episode, John Belden, Chief of Research and Strategy at UpperEdge, breaks down the six dimensions of uncertainty CIOs now face when weighing major AI and ERP commitments, and explains why the next five years are about flexibility, not productivity. The conversation covers the case for tighter SI accountability around adaptability, the practical role of contractually-protected optionality, and the difference between performance theater and the kind of continuous learning that keeps a transformation honest. This episode is sponsored by UpperEdge. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at go.emerj.com/partner