Unlocking the Future of Innovation at the rvatech Data AI Summit
If you missed it, the rvatech Data + AI Summit was a compelling gathering of thought leaders, innovators, and experts, shedding light on the evolving landscape of AI, data, and their real-world applications. Attendees were treated to a diverse lineup of sessions, keynotes, and discussions focusing on how AI is transforming industries, exposing risks, and redefining innovation. Below, we’ve highlighted key takeaways from some of the sessions we found most impactful.
AI Security & Risk Management
Elena Bobkova
ICT Technical manager and ICT Lead auditor | Det Norske Veritas (DNV)
Elena Bobkova’s session broke down the complexities of AI risk management, offering actionable solutions through her 20+ years of auditing experience. Key insights included:
Top Takeaways:
- The Hidden Chains of AI Output: When processing large datasets, AI operates invisibly, making it difficult to identify decision-making pathways. Humans must review outputs to prevent over-reliance on regurgitated data.
- The Danger of Poisoned Data: Clean data doesn’t exist in absolute terms. Training AI models on poor-quality data leads to flawed results.
- Human Review Is Essential: Enhancing AI with experiential human insights ensures outputs remain creative, logical, and accurate.
- Global Governance Challenges: With fragmented regulations and enforcement, AI governance struggles remain. The introduction of global standards, such as ISO certifications and frameworks, is essential to manage risks effectively.
- Practical Risk Assessment: Risks can be broken down into three categories: people using AI, AI output risks, and major impact risks. Use a simple formula for evaluation—Impact x Likelihood = Risk Priority Number (RPM)—and revisit risk assessments annually for traceability.
💡Bonus Insight: Education on AI risks is vital for vulnerable populations at risk of misinformation and deepfakes. Bobkova emphasized early education, highlighting examples like Dutch classrooms teaching children to identify deepfakes.
Autonomous Innovation & AI-Driven Creativity
Tamarah Usher
Senior Director AI Innovation, Slalom
Tamarah Usher introduced Slalom Genesis, an innovation engine fusing AI with predictive analysis to develop forward-thinking strategies. She explained how AI is revolutionizing innovation with synthetic consumers and predictive tools.
Top Takeaways
- The Pace of Progress: By 2050 we’ll experience 100 years of progress at today’s pace every five years.
- Using Synthetic Customers for Research: AI-generated personas simulate consumer behavior with 85% accuracy, transforming product development and marketing strategies.
- Massive Impact on Industries With Lots of Domain
- DeepMind discovered thousands of new materials, completing centuries of R&D within a year.
- 800 years’ worth of material science progress was achieved in a year through AI platforms—paving the way for revolutionary breakthroughs in various industries.
- Hackathons and Democratized Innovation: Slalom’s AI-driven hackathons showcased how non-technical teams can achieve major breakthroughs using AI with low-code/no-code platforms.
- Build Quality With Nested AI: Combinations of AI tools and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) frameworks make it possible to multiple the efficacy of a single tool, providing greater returns for the business.
💡Bonus Insight: Usher emphasized curiosity as a critical skill for staying ahead in the rapidly changing AI landscape.
By 2050 we’ll experience 100 years of progress at today’s pace every five years.
Embedding AI into Your Organization’s Culture
Liz Baker
Founder, Nimbology
Liz Baker’s talk focused on the cultural transformation required for organizations to successfully adopt AI. Her presentation was both motivating and practical, offering strategies for embedding AI into the DNA of an organization. Shifting AI from a novelty to an essential part of business operations.
Top Takeaways
- Define Your Why: Establish a clear purpose for adopting AI. Begin with a catalyst that creates urgency, whether driven by competition or efficiency.
- Cultural Buy-In: AI adoption cannot be delegated—it starts with C-suite alignment and spreads through every level of the organization.
- Trust and Education: Fear and suspicion of AI hinder its integration. Normalizing AI tools through training helps employees see them as empowerment tools rather than replacements.
- Strategic Deployment: AI isn’t universal—apply it where it provides scalable and meaningful value. Ensure solutions are secure, rights-owned, and compatible with your systems.
- Shared Success Stories: Centralized AI platforms and workflows create cohesion across departments. Routinely celebrate and share wins to reinforce AI’s value.
💡Bonus Insight: Organizations that personalize AI tools for their team’s needs see 40-90% time savings with non-invasive AI solutions.
Closing Keynote
Jon Krohn
Chief Data Scientist, Nebula.io
Jon Krohn’s keynote highlighted the unprecedented opportunities in AI development, emphasizing that it’s never been easier to create impactful, automated systems. With advancements in machine learning, open-source tools, low-cost hardware, and supportive infrastructure, the barriers to entry for building AI-based products are lower than ever. He painted a hopeful vision of AI as a tool to enhance human potential, foster creativity, and solve global challenges, while also addressing the need to avoid dystopian pitfalls.
Top Takeaways
- Unprecedented Accessibility: Open-source software, low-code/no-code tools, and affordable hardware make AI development and application more accessible than ever.
- Supportive Ecosystem: Cloud infrastructure, faster networks, and a generally favorable regulatory environment are accelerating AI deployment.
- Strong Market Demand: There’s a growing appetite for AI-driven solutions across industries, creating opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Educational Resources Abound: Platforms like podcasts, Udemy, and O’Reilly offer abundant learning opportunities for aspiring AI developers.
- AI for Human Flourishing: AI systems can optimize for states of flow, peace, and creativity, enhancing human well-being and productivity.
💡Bonus Insight: AI has the potential to revolutionize global challenges, from extending lifespans and achieving sustainability to preserving cultural heritage and fostering community. By leveraging AI thoughtfully, we can create a future marked by abundance, exploration, and freedom.
Bringing It All Together
The rvatech Data + AI Summit highlighted one truth above all: AI is transforming every aspect of business at lightning speed. Whether it’s mitigating risks, driving innovation, or embedding AI into organizational culture, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Companies need to act boldly, but thoughtfully, to leverage the full potential of AI. As Tamarah Usher aptly put it:
“AI is about equalizing the playing field, empowering every individual to perform at their best.”
For those who couldn’t attend, we recommend reviewing resources like the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and NIST’s AI Risk Recommendations to stay updated on best practices.
We’re excited to see how our community of innovators uses these insights to drive meaningful change. If you’d like to talk about how AI is affecting your industry contact us!