New York CDOs Discuss Protecting Data Value in AI Era at CDO Magazine Dinner

Leading New York data, analytics and AI executives got together to exchange their insights and experience with "Unlocking and Protecting the Value of Data in the AI Era” at CDO Magazine's Executive Boardroom Dinner March 19. 

Discussing the topic was a panel of expert speakers:

• Andrew Reiskind, Mastercard Chief Data Officer

• Iwao Fusillo, PepsiCo Global Head of Data & Analytics – eCommerce

• Rob Aragao, OpenText Chief Security Strategist

The session was moderated by Marty Poniatowski, HP Enterprise Senior Director.

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Reiskind shares his perspective, saying: “GenAI is a transformative technology, and it comes with opportunities and risks. It is important companies take a measured approach with Gen AI and embrace a test-and-learn approach so that their people will learn how to use it while mitigating its potential biases and errors. When businesses are ready to commercialize products and services, we believe Responsible AI is the path forward.”

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Fusillo thanks CDO Magazine for “bringing such an incredible group of data and AI leaders together at a truly pivotal time in the digital and data transformation of our nation.” He mentions that he found it refreshing to hear panelist colleagues and dinner attendees focused on delivering AI for good and imparting the “human-kind” values on the thousands of data professionals that they collectively lead.

“I also enjoyed debating the merits of various AI regulatory frameworks,” Fusillo continues, “as well as discussing the U.S. Chamber’s AI Commission recommendations that I was privileged to be a part of formulating in my days at General Motors.”

“As Chief Data Officers, we remain excited about the incredible potential AI has for our companies, provided we adhere to our core principles including, ‘if we are unable to explain what we are doing to our grandparents, perhaps we should think twice before proceeding!’” Fusillo adds.

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JPMorgan Chase Managing Director and Head of Data and Analytics for JPMC Marketing Tiffany Perkins-Munn highlights the following takeaways from the panel discussion:

1. Executives are concerned about ensuring the privacy and security of data, especially with the rise in data breaches and regulations like GDPR. Inherent in this data privacy discussion is the relationship or the partnership between corporations and consumers and their data. The example that was given about Vizio tracking consumer usage and reselling it is an example of why consumers are wary.

2. Maintaining high quality and accurate data is crucial for effective analytics and AI applications. Executives focus on data governance and management to ensure data integrity. The panel touched on what comprises good data along with the legal and regulatory implications of inaccuracies.

3. Executives are grappling with ethical considerations and bias in AI algorithms, aiming to develop responsible and fair AI solutions. This is a burgeoning area, where decisions about how to execute are evolving, and that everyone is learning as they are doing, and should be cognizant of various biases that may exist in the development of AI applications.

4. A couple of areas that are important to business executives that we should cover in more detail are: 

   • There is a growing skills gap and demand for data scientists, analysts, and AI experts, leading executives to focus on recruiting and retaining top talent in these fields.

   • Executives are looking to derive tangible business value from data, analytics, and AI investments. Demonstrating ROI and driving strategic outcomes are key priorities.

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Sharing her experience at the event, Bank of NY Mellon Deputy Chief Data Officer Linda Powell says: “It was fascinating to hear so many cross-industry references and how we all have the same challenges. I loved hearing about the cross between what you should do and what you can do, and how if your mother or your grandmother can't understand it, you probably shouldn't do it.”

Moderator Poniatowski adds his views on the event saying, “A panel of true AI experts was assembled for the CDO dinner in NYC. The AI topics discussed were across the spectrum and the audience was fully engaged with the panel. The exchange of ideas started well before the panel was convened and the spirited conversation continued well after the dinner.”

Franklin Kessler, CDO Magazine SVP, Program Management, sums up the New York Executive Boardroom Dinner as “the epicenter of data leaders.” “The largest organizations were collaborating to learn from each other and to generate truth for their organizations in the way of enabling data across all their platforms and all their organizations,” he adds.

Executives attending the CDO Magazine New York Executive Boardroom Dinner included:

Anupam Bansal, JPMorgan Chase Executive Director; Anusha Dandapani, United Nations International Computing Centre Chief Data & AI Services Officer; Ash Dhupar, BAE Systems CDO; Cecilia Dones, former Moet & Hennessy Head, Data Sciences; Iwao Fusillo, PepsiCo Global Head of Data & Analytics - eCommerce; Alex Golbin, Hudson Bay Capital Management Managing Director, CDO; Kavita Gupta, American Express VP, Big Data Platform; Jessica Hogue, The Hearst Corporation CDO, Consumer Media; Deepak Jose, Mars Global Head, One Demand Data & Analytics Solutions; Sujatha Krishnan, LG Electronics Sr. Director, Head, Data Ops (Analytics, Insights & Data Science); JC Lionti, Mizuho Americas Managing Director, CDO; Charu Mehta, KeyBank Head, Data Product; Alaa Moussawi, New York City Council Chief Data Scientist; Tiffany Perkins-Munn, JPMorgan Chase Managing Director, Head, Marketing Data & Analytics; Linda Powell, Bank of NY Mellon Deputy CDO; Xuhui Quan,  McKesson SVP, Chief Data & Digital Officer; Andrew Reiskind, Mastercard CDO; Lia Rogers, London Stock Exchange Group Head, Customer Insight & Analytics; Purvi Shah, American Express VP, Product Development Enterprise Data Platforms; Jim Young, AIG Global CDO; Marty Poniatowski, HP Enterprises Sr. Director; Rob Aragao, OpenText Chief Security Strategist; Bob Gaines, Intel Sr. Accelerated Computing - AI / HPC Solutions Director; David Burgess, OpenText Sales Director; Debbie Burke, OpenText Sales Director; Vasil Hlinka, HP Enterprises Business Strategy & Transformation Manager; Franklin Kessler, CDO Magazine SVP, Program Management; Steve Bangsund, CDO Magazine Sr. Director, Programs; Camille Prado, CDO Magazine Global Editor.