AI or Die

In Episode 27, the AI or Die crew is back.The team is joined by special guest Jenny Owens, Senior AI Program Administrator at Cleveland Clinic and Chair of the HIMSS Northern Ohio AI Center of Excellence Committee. Jenny brings a rare, inside look at how a major health system evaluates, validates, and governs AI — from the human realities of working with LLMs to running a full AI scribe evaluation that began with 126 vendors. Her perspective offers one of the most practical views of modern AI governance you’ll find.Show Notes0:00 – Welcome Back Rehgan returns from maternity leave; team catches up on Halloween abroad, newborn sleep, LA travel, and what changed (and didn’t) in AI during two months away.4:30 – Industry News – OpenAI’s IPO ambitions – NVIDIA & Palantir partnership momentum – California’s proposed ban on AI posing as licensed health pros – Ohio’s proposal to outlaw AI “marriages” – Public anxiety around therapy bots, critical thinking, and “AI psychosis” 13:20 – AI in Medicine Parenting + AI tools; physician reactions to AI-influenced patient questions; why clinicians (not laypeople) are best positioned to validate AI outputs.18:45 – Enterprise AI Shifts AI flattening org charts, reducing communication bottlenecks, driving efficiency trends (including Amazon layoffs), and reshaping cross-team workflows.22:30 – Guest Joins: Jenny Owens Jenny’s roles at Cleveland Clinic and HIMSS; host of the Health Data Ethics podcast.23:00 – Governance + Enablement Her dual remit across governance and AI literacy reduces friction and creates holistic oversight. She describes governance mindsets (“Sam the Eagle”: risk & rules) vs. innovation mindsets (“Doc Brown”: speed & experimentation) — and how her job is to align both.28:30 – Cleveland Clinic’s Governance Structure A multidisciplinary council including clinicians, cybersecurity, legal/compliance, data science, and bioethics. Reviews cover model performance, contextual risk, intended use, human interpretation, workflow impact, and ethics. Research AI is evaluated separately but reviewed early if headed toward clinical use.34:00 – Culture & Values Governance mirrors Cleveland Clinic’s culture of curiosity, teaching, and patient-first thinking. Teams zoom out to philosophical questions: What does accuracy mean for LLMs? What hallucination tolerance is acceptable? How should non-determinism be handled? Decisions stay contextual and case-specific.41:00 – Governance’s Core Challenge AI governance must evaluate both the model and the human using it. Few orgs have mature systems to monitor model performance alongside human actions. Governance is shifting from model-centric to workflow-centric.44:20 – “AI Candyland” Jenny’s vision: a guided, gamified pathway for employees exploring AI ideas — with defined starting points, bumpers, fast tracks, and off-ramps. Designed to empower clinicians while keeping systems safe.47:30 – The 126-Vendor AI Scribe Evaluation Cleveland Clinic began with 126 vendors, narrowed to 5, and ran a full evaluation planned for 6 months that ultimately took 12. Metrics included statistical performance, workflow fit, burnout impact, billing/coding reliability, draft quality, edit burden, and discrepancies between perceived vs. actual time saved. 54:00 – Why AI Projects Fail Common patterns: vague requirements, no baselines, poor change management, overhyped promises, lack of co-design, and leadership mandates without clarity.56:00 – Wrap-Up Connect with Jenny on LinkedIn and via the Health Data Ethics podcast. The team signs off before a short holiday break.

In this episode of AI or Die, hosts Nick Woo and Brendan Kelly dive into the busy fall conference season and the AI patterns they’re seeing across enterprises. What We CoverConference Insights – Highlights from recent events like Ohio VC Fest and what’s ahead at Data Connect.Enterprise AI Trends – Common challenges organizations face in improving the throughput of AI solutions and reinventing governance.Case Study Spotlight – A look at AI Meets Gene Therapy, a feature collaboration with Andelyn Biosciences, exploring how AI is shaping the future of healthcare.Community & Connections – Why the fall season is packed with opportunities to meet partners, customers, and innovators across the AI ecosystem.Why ListenIf you’re an AI leader, builder, or curious observer, this episode gives you a front-row seat to the conversations shaping enterprise adoption. Expect practical insights, emerging trends, and a touch of the personal that keeps the AI or Die community grounded and connected.

This week, our hosts welcome Ben Blanquera, VP of Technology and Sustainability at Rackspace Technology. Ben helps firms drive sustainable practices and accelerate their hybrid cloud and AI journey.During this episode, we dive into Ben’s expertise as he shares valuable insights around agentic AI within the enterprise. We discuss recent trends, common blockers, and how to successfully drive adoption. We also highlight the guardrails needed for autonomous agents in high-stake environments, and how enterprise leaders can start their AI agent journey. Ben Blanquera's LinkedinFAIR WebsiteAgentic AI Readiness DiagnosticHow 100 Enterprise CIOs Are Building and Buying Gen AI in 2025AlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI Instagram

On this episode, our hosts Nick Woo, Rehgan Bleile, and Brendan Kelly return for another audience Q&A episode, providing insight into the ethical implementation of AI systems within the enterprise.The team dives into how to responsibly enhance model performance and evaluate the ROI from generative AI. We also discuss and address questions around automation inside the enterprise. Additionally, we focus on recent AI developments and how these may shape current and future conversations between leaders and their teams.AlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI Instagram

On this episode, we welcome Scott Brown, an architect at Andelyn Biosciences. Scott has a focus on data flow enablement, operational excellence and innovation to serve analytics and AI.We discuss the critical importance of human-in-the-loop oversight, the evolving role of evaluation frameworks for AI outputs, and the broader shift toward hybrid AI systems that blend generative and traditional machine learning techniques. From building early, low-risk use cases to preparing for more advanced agentic AI applications, we highlight actionable strategies for responsibly scaling AI across industries.Scott BrownAlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI Instagram

On this episode, we welcome Nan Li, an experienced AI and machine learning leader at Nationwide. Nan shares her insights from years of enabling AI and machine learning adoption within large enterprises, with a focus on workforce readiness, human-AI interaction, and operating model design. We explore how enterprises are evolving to support AI adoption beyond technical teams, highlighting the shift from centralized innovation to more distributed, domain-embedded use. Additionally, we examine the emerging personas within an AI-enabled workforce—builders, users, and protectors—and the cultural and structural changes required to empower each group. From democratizing low-risk use cases to managing risk in high-impact workflows, we offer a practical look at how organizations can build an AI-ready workforce in a responsible, scalable way.Nan Li’s LinkedinAlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI Instagram

In this episode, we welcome Mike Alvarez, Chief Technology Officer at NeuZeit, a consulting firm specializing in value acceleration, particularly for AI initiatives. Mike shares insights on agentic architectures, their role in automating complex workflows, the evolving landscape of AI governance, and how businesses can balance innovation with structured AI adoption.We explore the challenges and opportunities in AI value acceleration, discussing how enterprises can move beyond experimentation to real, operationalized impact. We also examine key trends shaping AI in 2025, from advancements in AI-driven automation to the growing need for human-centered governance frameworks.Mike Alvarez LinkedinAlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI Instagram

This week, our hosts Nick Woo, Rehgan Bleile, and Brendan Kelly celebrate their 20th episode with a reflection on AI advancements in 2024 and predictions for 2025.In this episode, the team dives into the diverse maturity levels of enterprise AI adoption, from early experimentation to large-scale deployment, the role of executive buy-in, and collaboration between business and technical teams. They highlight the rise of AI agents, growing reliance on data quality, and the shift toward optimization and governance as enterprises consolidate tools and processes. Looking ahead, they predict faster deployment cycles, deeper integration of AI into workflows, and a focus on user-centered design.AlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI Instagram

On this episode, we welcome Bhavna Mehta, Assistant Vice President of Data and Analytics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Bhavna leads initiatives in data governance, AI governance, analytics, and business intelligence, leveraging her technical expertise and strategic insight to bridge the gap between innovation and practical implementation in healthcare.We explore the critical role of AI ethics and governance in healthcare, focusing on explainability, trustworthiness, and alignment with organizational values. Additionally, we discuss how fostering a culture of data-driven innovation empowers organizations to adopt AI responsibly and effectively. Finally, we examine the transformative potential of AI when strategically aligned with priorities like improving patient care, reducing clinician burnout, and accelerating research impact.Bhavna Mehta AlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI Instagram

This week, our hosts Nick Woo, Rehgan Bleile, and Brendan Kelly return for a special Q&A episode, addressing listener questions about AI adoption and governance in large enterprises. They explore how organizations balance AI innovation with practical implementation, focusing on integrating AI into existing systems while managing data privacy and security.The hosts dive into how enterprises can approach AI use case prioritization, weighing internal applications against more complex, customer-facing solutions. They also discuss the shift from building AI in-house to purchasing specialized solutions for greater efficiency. Additionally, they highlight the critical role of governance, including AI Centers of Excellence (COEs) and committees, in overseeing and guiding AI initiatives.AlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI Instagram

This week, our hosts Rehgan Bleile (Avon), Nick Woo, and Brendan Kelly discuss the latest in AI, including AI regulation, synthetic data, and risk management. We discuss the push for watermarking AI-generated content to increase transparency and the challenges of enforcing these regulations. We then cover the risks of using synthetic data repeatedly for training, which can lead to a decline in AI model accuracy and reliability over time.We also dive into how organizations are setting up AI Centers of Excellence (COEs) and councils to better manage AI initiatives and navigate the balance between innovation and risk. Additionally, we explore a shift from large, general-purpose models to smaller, specialized models that are better suited for specific tasks.AlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI Instagram

On this episode, we welcome Kathy Koontz, who currently serves as the Global Head HCLS Data & AI at AWS. Her career includes significant roles at Nationwide, Teradata, and Wells Fargo, where she has focused on embedding core data practices into organizational frameworks.During this episode, we dive into Kathy's expertise, gaining valuable insights for integrating core data fundamentals and practices. We explore how change management is essential for effectively deploying AI across organizations. Additionally, Kathy highlights the significance of understanding the content and quality of unstructured data, explaining that this knowledge is essential for accurately representing and achieving successful business outcomes.Kathy KoontzAlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI WaitlistAlignAI Instagram

This week, we are joined by Sharybeth Lopez Rojas, a User Experience (UX) designer with a unique background in visual design, graphics, and user interaction. Sharybeth is currently enhancing her portfolio by pursuing a master’s degree focused on design for AI.During this episode, we discuss practical examples of AI-driven design improvements and the future of AI in enhancing user interactions. We explore how AI can help professionals become more efficient by automating routine tasks, allowing them to focus on more complex and creative aspects of their work. Additionally, we emphasize the importance of proper design and user experience in deploying AI tools within large enterprises, considering the diverse skill levels and needs of users.Sharybeth LinkedInColorado BillAlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI WaitlistAlignAI Instagram

On this episode, we welcome Maria Villar, a seasoned expert with over 20 years of experience as a practitioner in data management and strategy. Maria has spent the last few years of her career working at SAP as the Head of Enterprise Data Strategy and Transformation. She is also a member of the Women Leaders in Data & AI (WLDA) network.During this episode, we dive into her expertise in business data leadership, gaining valuable insights into the key challenges encountered in designing and executing data strategies. We discuss the leaders who are spearheading these initiatives and examine the influence of AI on data strategy as a whole. Additionally, we explore how data security and AI strategies together affect data strategy.Maria's LinkedinMaria's YouTube MasterclassWLDA Ventures WebsiteAlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI WaitlistAlignAI Instagram

On this episode, we are joined by Alex Rogozhin, the Senior Director of Artificial Intelligence at Bread Financial. Alex has over twelve years of leadership experience in developing data science and machine learning solutions within the financial services sector. In his current role, Alex empowers high-performing teams to deliver AI/ML solutions that have a direct impact on the business performance.During this episode, we discuss recent data and AI trends, the impact of emerging technologies on AI teams, and AI solutions as products for businesses. We also dive into how teams should evaluate the success and impact of AI systems, in addition to, how data scientists can support end-users to drive adoption and usage of these solutions.Alex’s LinkedinBread FinancialWLDA Ventures WebsiteAlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI WaitlistAlignAI Instagram

This week we are joined by Nicolay Christopher Gerold. In this episode, Nicolay (Nico) brings a unique blend of expertise with his rich background in GenAI, NLP, and LLMs. Nico discusses a practical approach to the real-world applications and implications of generative AI technologies. During this episode, we dive into the multifaceted impacts of GenAI, discussing its role in data extraction, the challenges surrounding data governance and privacy, and the significance of synthetic data. Nico offers valuable insights on the future of AI user interfaces and the shift towards specialized AI models by making AI integrations more accessible and intuitive for users.Nicolay’s LinkedinAISBACH Data SolutionsAlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI WaitlistAlignAI Instagram

On this episode, our team welcomes guest Cal Al-Dhubaib, Founder of Pandata. The company specializes in AI solutions for high-risk sectors such as healthcare, financial services, and defense. This approach focuses on integrating trust into AI systems, while addressing the unique challenges and restrictions of these sensitive areas.During this episode, we explore the transition from experimental AI projects in 2023 to a more execution-focused approach in 2024, highlighting the shift from innovation to operational budgets. We also cover the complexities of AI in high-risk areas, how best practices for AI safety are being established, and the significant role of AI in influencing critical decision-making across various industries.Cal's LinkedinPandata WebsiteAlignAI LinkedinAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI WaitlistAlignAI Instagram

This week we are joined by Maya Mikhailov. Maya is the Co-Founder & CEO of SAVVI AI and on a mission to make all companies more competitive to leverage the power of AI and machine learning. The company has created a platform and tool to build, launch, and manage their own purposeful machine learning apps for practical everyday business decisions. The company does this in a responsible, transferable and auditable way that is crucial for enterprises who are leveraging machine learning and AI today.On this episode, we discuss recent data and AI trends, how AI is impacting small and large companies, the build vs. buy AI conversation, and how companies are prioritizing use cases for adopting AI to fulfill company objectives.Linkedin: Maya MikhailovSAVVI AILinkedin: AlignAIAlignAI WaitlistAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI Instagram

This week we are joined by Jason Montgomery. Jason is an entrepreneur with almost 30 years of combined experience in systems, software, and cybersecurity engineering in the Data and AI space. Over his career he has worked with Fortune 500s, startups, and government agencies (Department of Defense) to specialize on system hardening and application security. He has Co-Founded and served as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at two Ohio startups - making him an influential leader for product and enterprise security, cybersecurity, and generative AI.Currently, Jason is the Co-Founder and CTO of his second startup company: Mantium, which combines cybersecurity and AI into a platform that allows companies to communicate with generative AI models in a secure and responsible way through robust security controls and measures.On this episode, we discuss the Bipartisan Framework for the U.S. AI Act. We also talk about regulations, risk management, building vs. buying generative AI, permission access for models & systems, and secure approaches for leveraging generative AI.Linkedin: Jason MontgomeryMantium WebsiteMantium Security WhitepaperLinkedin: AlignAIAlignAI WaitlistAlignAI WebsiteAlignAI InstagramOWASP ChirpsGitHub RepoSuperDataScience Podcast Episode

Welcome back to episode 8. This week we are joined by Salema Rice. Salema is the CEO and Founder of CDO Today. Throughout the course of her career, she has established a decorative portfolio by being a builder, lawmaker, and a strategic driver within the Data and AI space. Salema has been an industry Chief Data Officer (CDO) for almost 20 years and has thrived within the industry for over 25 years.Now, with CDO Today, she finds herself in a Strategic Advisor role, as she works with hundreds of C-Level Executives by creating a "think tank" for CDOs by CDOs. It is a private community with executive mentorship, board advisory, and thought leadership. CDO Today allows Salema to be a voice for the industry, especially with the uptick of evolutionary technology being built and released within the world today.This episode we discuss the #1 topic that enterprises are leveraging for generative AI, how CDOs are thinking about AI strategy, guidelines and guardrails for Data Governance, and how critical data can solve organizational problems.Salema Rice Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrice/AlignAI Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alignaiAlignAI Website: https://www.getalignai.com/platform?utm_source=Social_Media&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=Social_Media_SeptAlignAI Waitlist: https://www.getalignai.com/waitlist?utm_source=Social_Media&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=Social_Media_SeptAlignAI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiordie_podcast/

This week Rehgan Avon, Nick Woo, and Brendan Kelly meet in-person to chat about recent news in the data and AI world, along with, several other key topics.We discuss how data has transformed into being a product, rather than a project. Not to mention, how the user experience (UX) can benefit from leveraging data in their flow of work. Many organizations and teams are wondering how to learn from and validate generative AI. We talk about how generative AI is a single component within the large realm of the data and AI ecosystem.We talk through practices for how to use Large Language Models (LLMs) by providing context within prompts to drive better results from the models.

This week we are joined by Michael Cavaretta of Ford Motors. Mike is currently an Analytics Executive in manufacturing at Ford Motors.We discuss scaling MLOps in an organization and delivering capabilities. Not to mention, incorporating models into a critical operation.Many organizations struggle to have business outcomes from implementing MLOps, we discuss how Mike is currently addressing that within his current organization.We teamed up with Ford Motors recently to write a playbook, check it out in our resources.

Welcome back to episode 5. This week we are joined by Carole Piovensan. Carole is Managing Partner at INQ Law, focusing her practice on privacy, cyber incident response, data governance, and artificial intelligence (AI) risk management. She regularly counsels clients on a wide range of matters related to privacy, cyber readiness and breach response, data governance, ethical AI, and responsible innovation. On this week's episode, we discuss what she’s hearing from clients around AI & law, use cases, points of concern, big opportunities long term, etc.Google showing you AI-generated ads. How are internet ads going to change with AI?AI Regulation discussion & how we predict it to unfoldGovernance leaders & how they are leveraging stewards. Bringing people and processes together.Fractional CDO/CAO/CTO - Caution against it or lean into it?We also chat:New York City cracking down on using AI to hire and recruit.Guidance and regulations for AIBridging regulation gaps internallyWhat constitutes good data quality?Country-wide regulations around research and development around models and AI

This week we are joined by Pete Gordon. Pete has worked with many companies to build NLP solutions. Pete believes that beautiful things happen when Statistics and Software come together on the Internet to bring Automated Inference (AI) and the ideal User Experience. This week we cover topics:Update from Nick at the conference he’s attending in Cincinnati, Ohio.Why are companies avoiding data governance right now?Why Cyber Security should care about AI.Paradigm shift and digital transformation with ChatGPT. How much impact will this have on workers (programmers, data scientists, and writers)The AI Revolution. How previous revolutions replaced or accelerated the past technologies we use today.How start-ups have embraced AI and why.Word embeddings with OpenAI

Welcome back to AI or Die, episode 3! In this episode, we cover:GDPR violation of ChatGPTWhy companies shouldn't wait to implement AIEmerging Tutorials for DocumentingIs MLOps mostly data engineering? (hot take)

Brendan’s Meditation RetreatNew ChatGPT featuresGenerative AI being adopted by companiesAI HallucinationsAre companies avoiding the L and T words?

Welcome to AI or Die's first episode! In this episode, we talk about Brendan's mullet, ChatGPT vs Bard, layoffs in tech, crazy job titles in Data, and much more.