In this episode of the Chief AI Officer Podcast, we sit down with Stuart Feld, Senior Vice President at Raymond James, to unpack how artificial intelligence is reshaping the financial services industry—from strategy and governance to risk management and real-world implementation.
Stuart brings a deeply pragmatic perspective on what it takes to deploy AI responsibly inside a large financial institution. We discuss how leadership teams can move beyond AI hype, balance innovation with compliance, and embed AI into decision-making without compromising trust, security, or regulatory standards.
Key topics covered in this episode:
This conversation is essential listening for C-suite leaders, CIOs, CAIOs, risk officers, and anyone navigating AI adoption in highly regulated industries.
🎙️ About the Guest:
Stuart Feld is Senior Vice President at Raymond James, with extensive experience in technology leadership, risk management, and enterprise transformation within financial services.
🔔 Subscribe to the Chief AI Officer Podcast for in-depth conversations with global leaders shaping the future of AI, governance, and enterprise innovation.
#caioconnectpodcast #stuartfeld #raymondjames
Welcome to the CAIO Connect Podcast – where we uncover the real stories behind enterprise AI transformation. In this episode, host Sanjay sits down with Marc Kermisch, Chief Technology and AI Officer at Protolabs, one of the world's leading digital manufacturing companies. Marc brings a refreshingly honest perspective on AI transformation, openly discussing that 8 out of 10 GenAI experiments fail while sharing practical frameworks for the 2 that succeed. From his English major background at the University of Wisconsin to leading AI initiatives across CNH Industrial, OptumRx, and now Protolabs, Marc proves you don't need a computer science degree to reach the pinnacle of technology leadership.
5 Key Takeaways:
Ready to transform your AI strategy? Hit like, drop a comment with your biggest AI challenge, and subscribe to the CAIO Connect Podcast for more unfiltered conversations with leaders building AI at scale.
Resources Mentioned:
This special compilation episode of Chief AI Officer Connect brings together the most powerful, thought-provoking, and game-changing insights from our leading guests so far. From enterprise AI transformation to model governance, from regulation to responsible deployment, these highlights capture the essential ideas shaping the future of AI.
Artificial Intelligence is no longer a future concept — it’s a boardroom priority.
In this exclusive CAIO Connect compilation episode, Sanjay Puri sits down with the senior leaders responsible for transforming AI from strategy into business impact across highly complex global organizations.
Hear actionable lessons from Chief AI Officers, global technology executives, and innovation leaders on:
✔ Why AI fails — and how to execute faster
✔ How to scale AI with real business value
✔ Data responsibility, diversity & organizational readiness
✔ Moving from experimentation to measurable outcomes
✔ The shift from chatbots to AI agents and secure deployment
✔ What the next era of AI leadership demands
Featuring voices from: Qualcomm • United Nations • Schneider Electric • Lexmark • TELUS • Palo Alto Networks • Zscaler • Synopsys • Grainger • and more
If you’re leading AI transformation — or preparing to — this is essential listening.
In this episode of CAIO Connect, we sit down with Shreya Amin, New York State’s first Chief AI Officer, to talk about what it really takes to bring AI into government at scale. From turning policy into real products to modernizing legacy systems, upskilling tens of thousands of employees, and designing practical AI governance, Shreya pulls back the curtain on the work happening behind the scenes.
What you’ll learn:
If this episode sparks new ideas around AI leadership, drop a comment, hit like, and subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of AI.
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aminshreyaa/ https://www.minsphere.com/
In this episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast, host Sanjay Puri sits down with Viral Tripathi, Chief Information Officer at C1, a global technology solutions provider serving over half of the Fortune 500.
With three decades of global experience across the U.S., Europe, and India, Viral shares his unfiltered take on the evolving role of the CIO, the rise of the Chief AI Officer, and what it truly takes to lead enterprise-wide AI transformation.
From failing fast to redefining ROI, this conversation dives into how leaders can turn AI initiatives into measurable business outcomes — not just buzzwords.
💡 5 Key Takeaways:
🔹 AI is Everyone’s Job: It’s a business transformation — not just a tech initiative.
🔹 Start with Outcomes: Tie AI to tangible value, not hype.
🔹 Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Build small experiments, iterate, and move with speed.
🔹 Governance & Ethics Matter: Cross-functional collaboration is key as agentic AI systems rise.
🔹 The Future is Tech-Native Leadership: Tomorrow’s CEOs will blend business acumen with AI fluency.
🎧 Tune in to explore how AI leaders are shaping the future of enterprise transformation.
Resources Mentioned:
In this episode of CAIO Connect, host Sanjay Puri speaks with Dr. Amarda Shehu, the inaugural Vice President and Chief AI Officer at George Mason University. Dr. Shehu’s story is one of resilience, intellect, and vision — from studying geometry by candlelight in Albania to leading one of America’s most comprehensive university-wide AI transformation strategies. She discusses the democratization of knowledge, AI literacy, and why "Humanity First" should be the guiding principle for AI leadership.
5 Key Takeaways
🔹 AI for All: How George Mason University is redefining AI education through accessible, non-technical courses that empower students from all disciplines.
🔹 Democratizing Knowledge: Why access and inclusivity in AI learning matter more than ever.
🔹 The Role of a Chief AI Officer: How academic institutions are shaping the blueprint for AI leadership across sectors.
🔹 Critical Thinking in the Age of AI: Why educators must design thoughtful integration of AI to enhance, not replace, human reasoning.
🔹 Building “Patriot AI”: How a secure, university-wide AI platform fosters safe experimentation and literacy among students, staff, and faculty.
If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more insights from leaders redefining the role of AI in enterprise, government, and education.
🎧 Stay curious. Stay human.
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amarda-shehu-167a569/
In this episode of CAIO Connect, host Sanjay Puri sits down with Tom Andriola, former Vice Chancellor and Chief Digital Officer at UC Irvine and now at Dynatrace, to explore how universities and enterprises can scale AI responsibly. Tom—who led UC Irvine’s pioneering ZotGPT initiative—shares how he built one of the first university AI platforms in the U.S., branded business transformation, and prepared students for careers in the Age of AI. From agentic AI to the evolving role of the Chief AI Officer, this is a must-listen masterclass for leaders driving enterprise AI strategy.
5 Key Takeaways:
· Branding Transformation: Why business transformation initiatives should be branded like products to drive engagement and adoption.
· AI as a Coworker: How to build accountability and governance models for “silicon-based workers.”
· ROI & Outcomes: How to measure AI success through organizational outcomes—not just technical metrics.
· Edge, Leverage, and Trust: A framework for balancing central innovation with decentralized experimentation.
· The CAIO Mindset: Why Chief AI Officers must be bridge builders, translators, and transformation leaders—not just technologists.
If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to like, comment, share, and subscribe to CAIO Connect for more insights from the world’s leading AI and digital transformation pioneers.
Resources Mentioned:
In this episode of CAIO Connect, host Sanjay Puri sits down with Abhishek Mittal, EVP and Chief Product & AI Officer at AML RightSource, for a deep and engaging conversation on how AI is transforming the fight against financial crime.
From building AI systems that thrive on imperfect data to pioneering “digital FTEs,” Abhishek shares a pragmatic view of what it takes to make AI work in the real world — where innovation, governance, and human expertise come together to drive meaningful, enterprise-scale change.
💡 5 Key Takeaways:
🔹 AI with Imperfect Data: Why waiting for “perfect data” is a trap — and how to iterate your way to AI success.
🔹 Synthetic Data Evolution: How synthetic data is training smarter models and preparing them for unseen scenarios.
🔹 Financial Crime as a Global Issue: If financial crime were a country, it’d have the world’s 7th largest GDP — and AI could be its toughest opponent.
🔹 Digital FTEs & Agentic AI: How AI agents and human experts are working side by side to redefine efficiency and decision-making.
🔹 Innovation at Scale: Abhishek’s 5-step framework for turning bold ideas into commercial AI success.
If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more insights from global AI leaders shaping the future of enterprise transformation.
Resources Mentioned:
In this episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast, host Sanjay Puri sits down with Madalina Tanasie, CTO of Collibra, to discuss the evolving role of data governance in the age of enterprise AI. From aligning C-level strategy to measuring ROI, exploring internal vs. external AI use cases, and diving deep into the rise of agentic AI, Madalina shares her unique perspective on building trustworthy and scalable AI solutions.
5 Key Takeaways
If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to like, comment, share, and subscribe to the CAIO Connect Podcast for more insights from AI leaders shaping the future.
Resources Mentioned:
In this episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast, host Sanjay Puri sits down with Steve Wilson, Chief AI & Product Officer at Exabeam — a tech leader whose career spans from helping shape Java in its early days to driving AI-powered innovation in cybersecurity today.
Steve shares his incredible journey at the intersection of AI, security, and leadership, and breaks down what it really takes to build secure, responsible, and ROI-driven AI systems in the enterprise.
💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:
1️⃣ Why most AI projects fail — and how to avoid the “AI theatre trap.”
2️⃣ How to balance horizontal AI use cases (for everyone) vs vertical AI applications (for real business impact).
3️⃣ The right way to govern AI — shifting from “human-in-the-loop” to “human-on-the-loop.”
4️⃣ Why AI agents should be managed like junior engineers (and even treated as potential insider threats!).
5️⃣ The future of enterprise AI — from replacing old interfaces to integrating deeply with tools like Salesforce, SharePoint, and beyond.
If you’re an AI leader, C-suite executive, or tech innovator looking to make AI work safely and strategically inside your organization, this episode is a must-watch.
👇 Don’t forget to like, comment, share, and subscribe to the CAIO Connect Podcast for more conversations with the visionaries shaping the future of AI.
#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AIPodcast
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilsonsd/
On this episode of the CIO Podcast, Sanjay Puri interviews Dr. Girish Nadkarni, Chief AI Officer at Mount Sinai Health System, to explore the blueprint for enterprise AI in healthcare.
Highlights include:
🎯 A must-watch for AI leaders, healthcare executives, and enterprise innovators.
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/girish-nadkarni-653b0564
Join host Sanjay Puri in this groundbreaking episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast as he sits down with Ajay Gupta, Chief Digital Transformation Officer for the State of California. Discover how one visionary leader is revolutionizing government services for 40 million Californians through cutting-edge AI implementation.
Key Highlights:
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gajay
⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 Podcast Highlights & Introduction
5:00 Ajay's transition from the private sector to government
11:33 Ajay's "aha moment" with GenAI and his balanced approach
15:36 The California Mobile Driver's License (mDL) Program
21:41 Stress testing AI models for a diverse population
25:42 Using AI for specialized license plate approvals
33:41 Identifying the right AI use cases in government
36:11 Measuring success and ROI of AI initiatives
40:25 Defining and implementing agentic AI
46:23 The role of agentic AI in government services
50:13 Implementing guardrails and governance for AI
55:01 Evaluating new AI models and benchmarks
57:09 Attracting and retaining AI talent in the public sector
1:03:02 The key to California's innovation and what sets it apart
1:06:39 Lightning Round of Questions
1:08:30 Conclusion and farewell
In this episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast, host Sanjay Puri sits down with Dr. Bijoy Sagar, Chief Information & Digital Transformation Officer at Bayer, to explore how one of the world’s most iconic life sciences companies is reimagining itself with AI.
What you’ll learn:
👉 Watch now to hear how Bayer is driving “Health for All, Hunger for None” with AI-first strategies.
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bijoysagar/
⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 Podcast Highlights & Introduction
1:36 Why pharma and agriculture are ideal for AI
4:34 Bijoy’s "aha moment" with Gen AI
6:49 AI as a driver of decision velocity
10:03 Convincing the board and the bottom-up approach to Gen AI adoption
13:20 Differentiating between Gen AI and agentic AI use cases
17:43 The role of AI agents in life sciences and the concept of "transition points"
21:45 Defining AI agents: autonomous decisions and outcome-driven goals
26:13 Model selection and the importance of compute and token optimization
28:57 Rethinking the intranet as a living AI interface
33:56 Balancing AI innovation with regulatory compliance
37:16 Protecting data and the ethical use of black-box models
40:17 The future of synthetic data, digital twins, and a hybrid approach
47:50 The role of TPU accelerated compute in scientific innovation
50:25 The war for AI talent and attracting mission-driven employees
53:46 The importance of diversity in AI development and addressing the digital divide
59:18 AI's role in sustainability and food security
1:01:55 The importance of C-suite and board support for AI transformation
1:04:18 Lightning Round of Questions
1:06:09 Key advice for peers: be prepared to be wrong
1:07:16 Conclusion and farewell
In this episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast, host Sanjay Puri sits down with Dr. Debarag Banerjee, Chief AI & Data Officer at L&T Finance, to explore how AI is reshaping financial services. With a Stanford PhD, 15 patents, and leadership roles at Flipkart, Jio, Agoda, and Intel, Dr. Banerjee shares practical frameworks on building enterprise-scale AI.
Highlights from this episode:
👉 Subscribe to CAIO Connect for more conversations with global Chief AI Officers.
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/debarag/
⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 Podcast Highlights & Introduction
02:23 - 02:40 - I've been in the AI from way before it was cool.
04:23.301 - 04:44 - the world's first generative AI-based fashion designs. This was way before GIGPD.
09:12 - 10:41 - A hands-on boot camp for the C-suite and board.
13:56 - 14:13 - The concept of "Return on Data Investment" (RODI).
58:53 - 59:13 - a big part of what we call software engineering was actually a profession that we made a mistake creating.
1:01:03 - 1:01:04 - Preference for "cautious" agents.
1:01:36 - 1:01:38 - Gen.AI in production in "months, ideally weeks."
In this episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast hosted by Sanjay Puri, we sit down with Vishal Gupta, Lexmark’s Global CTO, CIO, and SVP of Connected Technology — to discuss how he’s scaling AI-led transformation at a global level.
In this episode:
💡 A must-watch for any technology or business leader thinking long-term about AI.
📺 Watch now and subscribe for more insights from top CAIOs and CIOs.
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishal-gupta-046149/
⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 Podcast Highlights & Introduction
3:19 Vishal’s journey from engineering to C-suite and the importance of solving the right problems
5:58 The CIO/CTO role: a shift from a push to a pull model for AI
8:10 The democratization of AI and the unprecedented interest in the technology
9:48 The hype cycle: AI as both an opportunity and a distraction
11:31 The critical role of change management and prioritizing use cases
14:23 How to prioritize use cases with a steering team
18:16 An overview of Lexmark's business and its technology roots
19:10 Real-world AI use cases at Lexmark (extending product life, automated proposals, customer support)
24:12 ROI of AI and building trust with business leaders
25:04 The secret sauce: developing talent internally to get buy-in and drive results
31:15 The war for AI talent and the importance of enabling existing employees 34:31 The Technology Rotation Program (TRP) for college hires
37:22 The changing role of the CIO and the inevitability of change
39:07 Driving productivity gains across the enterprise
41:35 Defining and implementing agentic AI
45:59 The security of AI: trust but verify
55:33 The importance of an AI ethics board and responsible AI development
58:48 Lightning Round of questions
59:53 Final thoughts and farewell
What happens when agents start shaping organizations instead of just executing tasks?
Frank Schmid explores:
🔍 Watch now to dive deep into the future of enterprise workflows and the promise—and peril—of AI agents.
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.genre.com/us/knowledge/contributors/frank-schmid?page=1&facet=all
⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 Podcast Highlights
1:06 Frank's career journey and an overview of General Reinsurance
3:46 The experience of incorporating AI into a legacy company
4:42 The role of AI as a transformative general-purpose technology
7:09 Overcoming skepticism and fostering AI adoption
14:03 The three levels of GenAI adoption: task, workflow, and organizational redesign
17:04 The shift from application-centric to data-centric thinking
20:39 The strategy for using proprietary and hyperscaler models
24:01 Competing for AI talent
28:39 Increasing AI literacy among underwriters and actuaries
30:26 The J-curve effect and measuring productivity gains
34:03 Defining and approaching AI agents
41:19 The role of AI in cybersecurity and the new threat of AI agents
46:33 Lightning Round of Questions
48:03 Final thoughts and farewell
Explore how TD SYNNEX CIO Kristie Grinnell is revolutionizing enterprise AI through her vision of an “agentic AI factory” and “bot factory.” Learn how she’s scaling innovation securely while enabling a hybrid workforce.
In this episode:
🎧 Watch now to understand the real architecture behind enterprise AI success.
Resources Mentioned:
Welcome to another episode of CAIO Connect! In this powerful conversation, Sanjay Puri is joined by Peter Zornio, CTO of Emerson, to explore how AI is transforming industrial automation at a foundational level. Peter reflects on his 40-year career and shares the evolution from traditional process control to generative AI.
🔍 Key Insights:
👀 Watch this episode to understand how deep domain knowledge and AI strategy intersect in the industrial sector.
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/emerson
https://www.facebook.com/EmersonCorporate/
Peter Zornio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterzornio/
In this groundbreaking episode of the CAIO Podcast, host Sanjay Puri sits down with Claudionor Coelho Jr., Chief AI Officer at Zscaler, to explore the revolutionary future of enterprise AI. With three decades of experience spanning formal methods, machine learning, and enterprise AI, Claudionor shares his unique perspective on why the future of AI will be agentic, neuro-symbolic, and secure.
Key Topics Covered:
About the Guest: Claudionor Coelho Jr. is the Chief AI Officer at Zscaler, one of the world's leading cybersecurity firms. He holds a PhD from Stanford University and has held leadership positions at Google, Palo Alto Networks, and Advantest. He serves on World Economic Forum working groups on AI and cybersecurity.
Resources Mentioned: