Reflections 2024: Acceleration by AI?

Did you feel like 2024 was a fast-moving vehicle you were trying to board? I certainly did. Before diving into new year resolutions, I took a moment to reflect on the experiences that enriched my journey.

GenAI and Its Aftermath (You felt it too?)

2024 began with a buzz around GenAI (as expected). Connecting with friends and colleagues impacted by restructuring plans following the "Aftermath of GenAI," I saw companies stepping back to rethink their investments after 2023's whirlwind dating with ChatGPT, Gemini, and Llama hypes. Despite broader agendas they had, the focus on recalibrating company vision to these AI technologies took center stage.

Amid the countless webinars, reports, and predictions on AI—ranging from "Trends You Need to Know", or “Guide to AI” to Big Four surveys and Gartner insights—I immersed myself in learning. You’d think 20 sessions in January alone would have quenched my thirst for knowledge, but I couldn’t stop. I was determined not to be the person hanging off the metaphorical bus!

Conferences and Insights

Last year, I attended five conferences and presented at two: INFORMS Business Analytics Conference and Women in Analytics DS Connect. A common theme emerged: companies were cautiously embracing GenAI for productivity enhancement, with:

• Limited and controlled implementations to mitigate risk of potential “Hallucinations”.

• Government collaborations on AI for intelligence synthesis.

• Smaller LLMs addressing the "hallucination" issues of 2023.

• A focus on governance, benchmarking, and risk mitigation, rethinking roles of humans and AI.

These themes inspired me to delve deeper into AI governance and innovation.

Professional Growth Through Collaboration

The rapid evolution of AI inspired me to create a workshop for senior executives, helping them navigate the challenges of AI initiatives. Offered through the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, it was enriched by the insights of my collaborators, Dr. Beverly Wright and Dr. Colin Coleman.

Through presentations for groups like #Equifax Women’s Network, #TAG, and #DAMA, I sought to demystify AI and advocate for a mindset shift toward responsible adoption. My work as a fractional consultant reinforced the need for awareness and guided integration to ensure meaningful change. Building awareness and confidence around the AI impacted changes is worth reiterating to balance our strategic visions with practical tactics.

Embracing Writing and Storytelling

One personal achievement was overcoming my fear of writing. Thanks to encouragement from my network I shared posts and articles on #INFORMS Analytics Magazine (David Hunt) and #WomeninIdentity (Sarah Walton). My ChatGPT agent, "Yoda," also played a pivotal role—our interactions taught me as much as I taught Yoda!

Building Connections and Contributing to the Community

2024 was also about giving back and forging new partnerships. Highlights included:

• Mentoring young professionals and guiding winners of the #MasterModeler competition (Davis Direct Foundation), TAG Analytics for Good projects (Autism Connects)

• Supporting nonprofit initiatives like a sustainability platform developed with Georgia Tech students. (Eric Murdock, LBC)

• Coauthoring a blog series on "Customer Success," which sharpened my ability to present actionable insights. (Kathleen Rouse, Beverly Wright, Urusula Llabre, and Lorena Decker)

• Engaging on an EDMC – Data ROI SIG group created a new nexus of perspectives around data. In an evolving world focused synonymous relationship between data and AI our joint experiences on the whitepaper “A practical Guide to Realizing Value: Data Assets and Data as an Asset”. (Morgan Templar, Neal Linson, Shree Mukhopadhyaya, and Doug Laney)

Closing Thoughts

The year ended with valuable lessons in adaptability, perseverance, and innovation. My exploration of GenAI’s role in our lives—both personal and professional—proved that even with limited resources, you can create rewarding outcomes. Challenges may arise, but they’re opportunities to innovate and grow.

A slide from my presentation shows that Yoda has interacted with me in so many ways that made 2024

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