Bear Cognition's CEO Philip Erdoes, COO Mike Mullen, and Lead Data Scientist Rob Raheb recently attended the Leading with AI Conference hosted by the Harvard Digital Data Design (D^3) Institute. This event gathered top minds in AI and business to discuss the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the field of artificial intelligence. Here are some key highlights and takeaways we took from the conference:
Embrace Curiosity
One of the central themes of the conference was the importance of curiosity and experimentation with AI. Philip emphasized that businesses need to integrate AI into their operations proactively. He shared insights from various speakers, including how T-Mobile reduced customer service costs by 50% using well-trained bots.
Enhancing Productivity
Generative AI's potential in improving productivity, process optimization, and scalability was a significant discussion point.
The conference highlighted how AI leads to:
40% Higher Quality Work
26% Faster Completion Rates
12.5% Increased Workload Capacity
Overcoming Resistance to AI
Despite the clear benefits, organizational change and the perceived complexity of AI implementation are common barriers. Mike shared an insight from a session by Professor Ethan Mollick, who demonstrated building a company using AI in just 30 minutes – all live and on stage.
Practical Applications and Future Trends
Rob highlighted various practical applications of AI discussed during the conference. From automating customer service to using AI for market research, the potential uses of AI are vast and varied. One fascinating example was using large language models (LLMs) to simulate human survey responses, providing valuable insights for marketing strategies – similar to what Bear Cognition has done with our GrizzlyGPT custom LLM across client interfaces.
No More "No Joy" Work
One of the most compelling themes from the conference was how AI can help eliminate "No Joy" work—those tedious tasks that slow us down and diminish our enthusiasm. Philip highlighted that AI should handle repetitive, mundane tasks, allowing employees to focus on more meaningful and fulfilling aspects of their roles.
In Summary…
The Leading with AI Conference at Harvard's D^3 Institute was a significant event for Bear Cognition, offering us key insights on the productive use of AI. Philip Erdoes's recent appointment to the Industry Council positions the team at Bear Cognition to continue our influence and participation in shaping AI's future. This engagement will bring cutting-edge discussions to our teams and clients, ensuring we remain at the forefront of AI innovation. The conference has equipped us with valuable perspectives to enhance our AI integration and decision-making processes.