Abstract: 

Acing the last Mile of AI

Despite the pace of advancement, organizations still struggle to achieve ROI with AI projects. With the explosion of generative AI applications, and mounting examples of model 'hallucination', it's never been more important to build confidence in AI-enabled decisions. This is particularly true in high-risk settings, where more robust and transparent models are needed. In most cases, it’s the last mile of deploying AI into workflows where projects fail.

In my talk, I will share lessons learned from real-world examples where we had to:

· Design secondary explainer models into workflows that empower decision-makers

· Deploy model monitoring systems to manage risk, bias, and drift

· Test the robustness of models, especially in applications that touch unstructured data

· Optimize for both model performance and the resulting human action and impact / ROI

Bio: 

Cal Al-Dhubaib is a data scientist, entrepreneur, and innovator in responsible artificial intelligence, specializing in high-risk sectors such as healthcare, energy, and defense. He is the founder and CEO of Pandata, a consulting company that helps organizations to design and develop AI-driven solutions for complex business challenges. Their clients include globally recognized organizations like the Cleveland Clinic, Progressive Insurance, University Hospitals, and Parker Hannifin.

Cal frequently speaks on topics including AI ethics, change management, data literacy, and the unique challenges of implementing AI solutions in high-risk industries. His insights have been featured in numerous publications such as Forbes, Ohiox, the Marketing AI Institute, Open Data Science, and AI Business News. Cal has also received recognition among Crain’s Cleveland Notable Immigrant Leaders, Notable Entrepreneurs, and most recently, Notable Technology Executives.