Success of Any AI Capability Is in Being Used Sustainably by the Business — The Boeing Company Chief Enterprise AI and Data Officer

(US & Canada) Abhi Seth, Chief Enterprise AI and Data Officer and VP at The Boeing Company, speaks with Sue Pittacora, VP, Strategy, Wavicle Data Solutions, in a video interview about how Boeing approaches data governance and its role in the AI strategy, highly impactful generative AI (GenAI) innovations, and building an AI ready culture within an organization.

Speaking about the organizational approach to data governance, Seth highlights that data governance is essential to the overarching AI strategy, as robust and trusted data is a prerequisite for any progress. He notes that beyond advancing AI, governance supports risk management and compliance by setting guidelines on data visibility and usage, particularly vital in the defense sector where data is often restricted to U.S. personnel. This requires careful data labeling, access control, and understanding of user roles.

To maximize data value, Seth says that the organization is building unified data storage systems, like lake houses for functions such as quality and supply chain. The approach involves identifying key master data assets, defining these assets, maintaining data quality, and assigning stewards for oversight, enhancing traceability and quality across data governance efforts.

When asked about AI innovations that will have the most impact on industries in the coming years, Seth mentions the following:

1. The evolution of AI techniques is outpacing the progress of data maturity among individuals and organizations. The landscape has rapidly shifted from discussions around big data to machine learning, followed by deep learning, and now GenAI has taken center stage. This shift is occurring at a rapid pace, with organizations actively advancing their GenAI initiatives.

   What sets leaders apart in this field is their ability to effectively implement and harness AI technologies. The key to creating a competitive edge lies in the strategic adoption and application of AI capabilities tailored to unique industry needs, providing a sustainable advantage. The true value is unlocked through how these advanced AI techniques are applied to specific sectors or contexts. Organizations that focus on value- or outcome-driven analytics, strategically prioritize their most critical challenges, and solve these with AI will position themselves to gain a lasting competitive advantage and lead the industry.

2. Over the past year, Boeing has been highly engaged in exploring GenAI, uncovering numerous intriguing applications from a technological standpoint. By late 2023, Boeing became an early adopter in deploying a GenAI platform company-wide, reaching more than 170,000 employees. The platform was developed and launched across the organization, accompanied by the establishment of a Generative AI Academy aimed at enhancing workforce skills. Currently, 22,000 employees are actively utilizing the platform. Notably, the platform has served as a space where users can test and expand the potential of GenAI to address their unique challenges, all without the need for coding.

Seth mentions his excitement around how domain experts can now integrate their knowledge with GenAI to train models and test their capabilities. He points out that GenAI’s search and retrieval abilities are especially valuable for industries with deep historical knowledge. Drawing from his experience at longstanding industrial companies like Boeing, Seth notes that a significant challenge is making decades of accumulated knowledge accessible, particularly for new employees. This domain expertise often remains compartmentalized, limiting easy access. GenAI now offers a solution by digesting this extensive knowledge and presenting it in an easily accessible way, empowering employees to retrieve valuable information effortlessly.

Further, Seth reflects on past work in knowledge management and curation, where technical libraries were maintained. He believes use cases like digitizing these resources and making them available through simple on-screen prompts could revolutionize information access. Additionally, he discusses GenAI's potential in uses like automating proposal writing. By training AI to replicate a company’s specific style, GenAI can become an effective assistant, enhancing productivity and overcoming challenges like writer’s block. The tool can draw on decades of company knowledge to support more thorough and robust writing processes.

Sharing his thoughts on organizational AI culture, Seth emphasizes that building an AI-ready culture at Boeing hinges on nurturing a robust community and continuously upskilling talent. The focus is on fostering digital literacy and equipping the workforce with expertise through initiatives like the Generative AI Academy and Cloud Academy, which train employees in emerging cloud technologies, alongside traditional AI and machine learning programs. This talent development strategy aims to empower the technical workforce to expand their AI and ML capabilities and explore new possibilities.

Boeing also emphasizes a shift in its approach to innovation timelines, moving from year-long cycles to a 12-week sprint model. This accelerated pace enables teams to identify problems, develop solutions, and observe outcomes within a short period, enhancing the speed of their innovation cycle. Early involvement of end-users, rapid deployment, and value realization create a feedback loop that sustains momentum and encourages further development. The sense of achievement when employees see their work integrated into production also fuels ongoing enthusiasm.

The ultimate measure of success, according to Seth, is embedding AI solutions into business processes in a way that ensures trust and consistent use by the broader business community. Achieving sustainable value through practical application and integration into daily operations is essential for long-term impact.

CDO Magazine appreciates Abhi Seth for sharing his insights with our global community.