Business Analytics Program Hosts Annual Insider Event

Weatherhead School of Management Business Analytics Insider Event

Business leaders from Accenture, Cleveland Clinic, KeyBank, Microsoft, and Park-Place Technologies discuss privacy and personalization in the age of artificial intelligence

How can organizations balance privacy concerns with personalization payoffs? What are the differing perspectives on handling customer data? What privacy practices should be adopted to build customer trust?

Students, staff, faculty, professionals and prospective students gathered to hear from five world-class leaders at the third annual Weatherhead School of Management Business Analytics Insider Event. The speakers discussed privacy and personalization implications of artificial intelligence and big data analytics from their perspectives as industry professionals and business leaders.

Chris Adams, President and CEO of Park Place Technologies, and MBA graduate of Weatherhead, started the series by providing every day examples of Facebook, Google, Alexa and even 23andMe to show how your privacy is dictated by the user agreement. He finished by challenging the audience, “Are we capable of understanding technology well enough to assess the risks?” Watch more.

Robert Easton, Chairman and Senior Managing Director of Accenture Australia and New Zealand, called data and analytics “both a goldmine and a minefield,” stating that trust is the currency of the digital economy, yet it is eroding. He discussed how companies are embracing responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) through leadership and tools. Watch more.

Kevin Mooney, Senior Director of Enterprise Data Governance at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, agreed that tech can be a double edged sword. He discussed creating a culture of data empathy and security with the patient at the center of that ecosystem, and described the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence in the healthcare industry. Watch more.

Sanjay Sidhwani, Executive Vice President and Head of Enterprise Business Analytics at KeyBank introduced the concept of customer expectations surrounding data. He suggested companies should consider value exchange and provide greater transparency on data collection, usage and sharing because the power of artificial intelligence comes with the responsibility of data stewardship. Watch more.

Wrapping up, Hayden Stafford, Vice President of Business Applications at Microsoft (and a Weatherhead MBA graduate) emphasized a mindset of data sovereignty by protecting data methodically, predictably and consistently. He provided specific examples of Microsoft’s approach that is centered on responsible and trusted AI. Yet, this approach goes beyond any single company. We all need to work together as an industry to ensure that AI is developed in a responsible manner so that people will trust it. Watch more.

Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and engage with the speakers throughout the session.  Following the presentations, attendees were able to meet and mingle with the speakers over lunch.

Learn more about Weatherhead’s Business Analytics program.