Mark Kirstein 
A recurring challenge I hear about in my discussions with AI professionals is a lapse in data governance. As companies evaluate and deploy AI-enabled applications, they too often overlook the basics of data governance. Simply put, data governance is the foundation for responsible and ethical AI development and implementation. Last week, I came across another … Read more
This is my adaptation of Bill Gates’ quote to the World Economic Forum from well over 20 years ago. Originally, the concept called “Amara’s Law,” was coined by Stanford computer scientist Roy Amara. Today’s AI hype cycle points to massive job displacement and even potential societal collapse as imminent. My day-to-day is immersed in AI discussions … Read more
The broad-based IT failure prompted me to consider if broad adoption of AI will make systems more or less vulnerable. This is particularly important when it comes to infrastructure, such as global airlines being grounded. My first pass answer….. it depends. It strikes me that what makes these software flaws or vulnerabilities particularly dangerous is … Read more
I was on a conference call discussion yesterday with a lobbyist from one of the big hyperscaler tech companies. He advocated strongly against pre-mature regulation of AI. No surprise there, but he did make some really solid points. Primarily he was positioning that state-level AI laws should be narrow or non-existent, and whatever AI regulation … Read more
“Today’s AI is worst AI you’ll ever see”. In the next 3-5 years, AI will become exponentially more powerful, making the development and integration of AI applications and models far easier, thanks in part to AI-enabled programming. To prepare for this future, businesses must adopt strategies that ensure the availability of historical and temporal data. … Read more
Many companies thrive on innovation. Many, perhaps even most, are decidedly methodical and old-school. Of course, the definition of old-school is constantly changing, which itself will increase in pace with AI. What struck me just now is how rapid innovation is A REQUIRMENT in the age of AI. The AI tools and capabilities that are … Read more
Language is hard. Particularly if you have a foreign speaker. Among the challenges, so many exceptions to the rules. However, a few languages are more consistent. Programming language, for example. That’s why LLMs are so darn good. Another comparatively consistent language: Law. The impact of LLMs on the legal profession is a hot source of … Read more
I’ve been inspired by a post from Walter Haydock to share my “learning by doing” journey. I usually do my things in the background, but here goes. I’ll keep it brief. I’ve always been a hands-on learner. I was promoted relatively early in my career to leadership positions, ultimately becoming CEO of a small ($10M) … Read more
Starting a new consultancy I have lots of conversations. Conversations range from peers in AI, privacy and security, to platform providers (GRC and AI development), to businesses of all sizes and industries. Among the things I’ve learned so far: 🔳Enterprises Care about Risk and Governance Many are still in the early stages of AI deployment. … Read more
Today’s most significant AI regulations are via GDPR and the EU AI Act. Many businesses prefer to optimize innovation via limited regulation. However, the regulations exist whether we like them or not. Ignoring regulation is a risk in itself, but beyond that, these risks are real. Any company that values it’s reputation and customer trust is well … Read more
Why is Apple nearly alone among big tech in actively branding “Trust” and “Privacy”?In part, it’s because they make their money on hardware. Remember this phrase? 🔳 “If it’s free, you’re the product.” Facebook, Google, OpenAI, and countless others…. their very business model is based on exploiting your privacy for profit. But there are obviously hundreds … Read more
It’s hard to argue against protecting children, even for politicians and lobbyists. Recent and planned legislation targeted at protecting children online is proliferating. Be ready for more. Here’s the latest from New York. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/08/new-york-social-media-privacy-children The FTC is on the prowl for new/revised child protections as well.
Here’s our 3 tier perspective on new AI adoption for businesses. 1) Productivity AI- This is enabling your employees to optimize their day-to-day work. It’s about responsible deployment and management of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, as well as the enormous array of job/task-specific AI tools emerging. The AI is general, as opposed to … Read more
As a management consultant spanning multiple areas, including AI, sales, cyber, privacy), I come across both big and small questions. My client, a large enterprise, originated from my sales training background. They are thinking about AI, but the company is not ready for significant AI adoption (data quality, maturity, etc). In the meantime, like most companies, his employees … Read more
As an AI Risk and Governance management consultant, I’m often met with confusion: “What the heck is AI risk?” Most AI industry participants are focused on the innovation side. Don’t forget about AI risk management. While there are new and novel risks in AI development, most companies should start with the basics. 1) Deploy an employee Acceptable … Read more
Empowering employees with AI productivity tools is a low-hanging fruit for businesses venturing into AI adoption. Let’s face it, most employees are likely already experimenting with ChatGPT or similar applications. (A friendly reminder to add an AI Acceptable Use Policy to your employee handbook.) In this realm, Microsoft CoPilot often emerges as a contender, promising … Read more