Data Radicals

• The Rise of AI: Voices from the Frontlines

  In this special compilation episode, we're bringing together the most insightful conversations from our latest season exploring the rise of AI. You'll hear from thought leaders like Fortune's AI editor Jeremy Kahn on rebuilding the middle class, marketing executive Michael Olaye on creative acceleration, and Tom Davenport on what real AI transformation looks like. Plus insights from numerous other AI experts including CDOs, academics, and tech entrepreneurs who are shaping our AI future today.We'll explore practical AI use cases, examine how data leaders can leverage these technologies, and discuss how the CDO role is evolving in response to AI's momentum.Listen to this episode to learn:How AI copilots are fundamentally changing the way we work and uplifting workers across industries.Why it's important to have data leaders who can translate between technical possibilities and business realities.How solid data infrastructure, clear business objectives, and thoughtful human oversight leads to successful AI transformation. Whether you're a data professional, business leader, or simply curious about AI's impact, this episode offers perspectives from those on the frontlines of the AI revolution.--------“I think this is gonna be a tremendously transformative technology, and I think there's some really big positive effects, particularly I think we are gonna see a huge uplift in labor productivity, and I don't think we're gonna see sort of mass joblessness from this technology. I think actually this is a technology that could enable people to sort of be lifted back up into the middle class.” – Jeremy Kahn“You can do stuff that would take weeks before in days. You can collaborate with people who have no technical knowledge on technical things. We have tools now that you can code by like verbally speaking natural language. We have tools that you can do design without having any design skills. So, I think it's opened up a whole new site for agencies, consultancies, companies, but it's also opened a whole new site for a new like economy of like content creators. When you build anything with AI, having a human in that loop where we are today, having humans in that loop, checking that also, it's good.” – Michael Olaye“It's not rocket science. It's having senior people who are interested in analytical, decision making, hiring people who can do the work. The day-to-day work of analytics, both the data management and the data analysis. And ultimately having some sort of unique data that is proprietary to you, that will really differentiate you. Because ultimately data is a fuel of analytics and AI. And if you don't have something distinctive, you're gonna have the same models that everybody else has.” – Tom Davenport--------Timestamps*(01:18): AI as copilot*(04:30): AI: It’s still early days*(06:13): AI Use Cases*(11:26): How data leaders can leverage AI*(14:07): Data leadership and systems thinking*(18:17): The future (and limits) of the CDO*(29:15): Predictions*(35:16): Career advice--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/* David’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidwchao/ 

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• Delegate to Innovate: How Letting Go Makes You a Better Leader with Todd James, Founder & CEO of Aurora Insights

  What does it take to turn AI hype into operational value at enterprise scale?In this episode of Data Radicals, host Satyen Sangani sits down with Todd James, former Chief Data and Technology Officer at 84.51° and Kroger executive, to unpack the realities of leading AI transformation inside one of America’s largest grocery retailers.Drawing on a career that spans the Coast Guard, consulting, and Fortune 100 leadership, Todd shares how scaling AI isn’t just about building advanced algorithms—it’s about solving real problems, embedding with the business, and building reusable infrastructure that lasts.“If the people at the consumption end of your sciences aren’t bought in, they don’t get implemented.”Listen to this episode to learn:How effective leaders “delegate to innovate” and create space for team growth How AI reduced Kroger’s pick-order travel time by 10% and truck route distance by 8.6% Why the CDO role is likely transitional—and what’s next for data leadership What it takes to embed data science into the operational core of a business This conversation is a must-listen for anyone building AI programs, leading data teams, or navigating digital transformation.Listen now: https://www.alation.com/podcast/episodes/delegate-innovate-todd-james*Satyen’s narration was created using AI--------“ I think we should go into every project, every initiative, saying, ‘I own an outcome around bringing people along and convincing them.’ If you're doing that right, you're probably spending more than half of the project or half the initiative on managing those organizational dynamics. Working with people and how they think and how they feel to be able to drive them to an outcome to listen. I think that's more than half the work that needs to happen in the space. We talk about data and analytics and how hard the math is and how cool the outcomes are, but this is transformation. This is about people.” – Todd James--------Time Stamps*(01:46): Todd’s career journey: From the Coast Guard to Fidelity*(10:03): Great leaders delegate: Advice for aspiring executives*(12:53): AI retail use cases: Quicker routes and personalization at scale*(26:12): Reapplying data-science processes across distinct problems*(40:21): Is the CDO role transitional?*(48:27): Satyen’s takeaways--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/--------LinksConnect with Todd on LinkedInLearn more about Aurora Insights

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• Data Products for Dummies with Sanjeev Mohan, Principal at SanjMo

  What if the future of data management isn’t just about governance—but about growth, speed, and strategic advantage? From reshaping data operations to unlocking new levels of productivity, data products and AI agents are redefining what’s possible in the world of data.In this episode of Data Radicals, Satyen Sangani sits down with Sanjeev Mohan, Principal at SanjMo, to discuss the definition, impact, and lifecycle of data products. They also examine how AI agents are revolutionizing job functions and industries, and practical applications for harnessing this technology’s full potential.Listen to this episode to learn:What data products are and their importance in delivering measurable value, building trust, and improving user experience.The challenges in adopting data products, including the need for a cultural shift within organizations and the potential resistance to change.How generative AI and autonomous agents can revolutionize data management, business processes, and job functions.Discover how forward-thinking data leaders are using these tools not just to manage data—but to build trust, accelerate outcomes, and drive measurable business value.*Satyen’s narration was created using AI--------“ The systems that are running really well, in a lot of organizations, why would they rip out and then go down the path of data products? Because, the problem with data products is it's also a cultural issue. It's a mindshift and you have to think from a completely different long-term point of view. We are so used to – in IT – somebody gives me a problem, I'm like, ‘Yes, I got it. I'll solve it for you.’ Then you move on to the next problem. With data products, it's a mindset shift.” – Sanjeev Mohan--------Time Stamps*(02:28): What is a data product?*(12:30): Why data products demand a mindset shift in IT*(27:19): What is an AI agent?*(36:39): How will data management evolve with the advent of AI?*(47:56): Satyen’s takeaways--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/--------LinksConnect with Sanjeev on LinkedInLearn more about SanjMoDownload Sanjeev’s book Data Products for DummiesSubscribe to Sanjeev’s podcast It Depends

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  49:04
• GTM is a Data Management Problem — How AI (& Better Data) Can Fix It with Copy.ai’s CEO, Paul Yacoubian

  Generative AI is reshaping the way go-to-market teams create content, optimize workflows, and drive velocity — but only when it’s powered by the right context and data.In this episode of Data Radicals, Alation CMO David Chao sits down with Paul Yacoubian, CEO and co-founder of Copy.ai, to explore how large language models (LLMs) are transforming content creation and sales execution at scale. Paul shares lessons from building Copy.ai since 2020 and how his team is helping over 15 million users streamline operations through AI-powered automation.You’ll learn why content without context falls flat, how siloed systems slow down GTM execution, and why AI isn’t replacing roles — it’s augmenting them to unlock new levels of efficiency and insight. Listen to this episode to learn:How LLMs enable end-to-end automation by taking in data, executing workflows, and generating outputs — without manual bottlenecks.Why unifying siloed systems is critical to improving GTM velocity, content relevancy, and business decision-making.How AI is transforming — not replacing — roles like SDRs and marketers, and what that means for the future of sales teams.What CEOs and business leaders must do to operationalize AI successfully: from standardizing best practices to enabling faster, data-driven decisions.If you're navigating the challenges of scaling AI in your GTM org — from data sprawl to inefficient workflows — this episode offers practical strategies, fresh perspectives, and a blueprint for AI-powered transformation.--------“ The most important problem to solve is how close can you get to customers? How close can you get everyone at the company close to the market and close to customers in every interaction? That's never been possible before. Content is one way that we take action. The other way we take action is how do we deliver the content?  If we know who we are trying to reach out to now, we can predict and understand what content is going to be hyper-relevant to that person. Once you have that production process for content, now you can go create the content and distribute it right through your SDR, right to that account.” – Paul Yacoubian--------Time Stamps*(02:18): Why high-quality content needs context*(09:11): Best practices for leveraging LLM tools*(11:42): The path to insight: from data silos to shared context – and better content*(31:00): Which roles will be replaced or augmented by AI?*(38:29): How should CEOs approach AI?*(45:45): David’s takeaways--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* David’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidwchao/--------LinksConnect with Paul on LinkedInLearn more about Copy.ai

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  47:03
• From Back Office to Boardroom: The CDO's AI Opportunity with Ryan den Rooijen & Wade Munsie

  As technology rapidly evolves and businesses focus on getting real results, data jobs are shifting. Many data tasks now fall under the CIO or CTO, data leaders are moving into roles that affect bigger business plans, and more companies are using self-service data tools or seeking a path to AI—making CDO-led teams less necessary. How can data leaders adapt?In this episode of Data Radicals, Satyen Sangani talks with Ryan den Rooijen, Writer and Consultant at Qstar.ai, and Wade Munsie, Interim Director of Data & AI at Heathrow. With years of experience in data leadership, Ryan and Wade explore how the CDO role is changing, the challenges in data and AI, and why the job isn’t always what people expect.Listen to this episode to learn:The future of data leadership, including how AI is changing the way we use data and why it's important to stay flexible and focused on real business results.Why data leaders need to go beyond their usual tasks and help improve the whole business.How AI and smart computer systems are shaping data management and what these new technologies could mean for the future of the industry.From capitalizing on generative AI to redefining the CDO role, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge for anyone looking to understand the real-world challenges and opportunities in the data landscape. Tune in to hear practical advice and visionary thoughts from top data leaders.*Satyen’s narration was created using AI--------“ For many of these organizations, there really is an onus on people like ourselves to prove ourselves in the organization. I think the biggest data culture challenge is really how do we make ourselves relevant to the day-to-day of the employee? How do we make sure that if somebody is on an oil rig or in a store or in a call center or on a trading floor or in a lab, they are going to do something different because of us? Because if they're not doing something different because of us, then honestly, we don't deserve to be here.” – Ryan den Rooijen“ Traditionally, CDOs were in place to wrangle and collate the data and curate the data to a point that it was perfect. That was the ideal for a long time. I think that's probably an impossible task these days with all the different types of unstructured data around there. But also, is it needed? If we keep pushing for that nth degree, you are never going to achieve it. If you keep pushing for that from a quality point of view and a curation point of view, you forget about why you were there in the first place, which is value. If you don't get to that value point quick enough, it's very hard to explain why you were owed that budget in the first place, where all that cost went.” – Wade Munsie--------Time Stamps*(02:23): Why is the chief data officer in trouble?*(12:00): The CDO as a transformational role*(23:52): Redefining data culture as value-driven*(32:50): Data leaders as systems thinkers*(45:09): How will AI impact data teams?*(55:48): Satyen’s Takeaways--------SponsorThis podcast is presented by Alation.Learn more:* Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.alation.com/podcast/* Alation’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alation/* Satyen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssangani/--------LinksConnect with Ryan on LinkedInConnect with Wade on LinkedInRead Ryan and Wade’s MIT Sloan article The Chief Data Officer Role: What’s NextRead Ryan and Wade’s series Chief Data Officers Are In Trouble

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