We're thrilled to announce our new podcast, Unbossed and Unplugged. Unbossed & Unplugged breaks down what’s next in a way that’s bold, unfiltered, and fun. Hosted by Yates Managing Director and Spark Executive Forum cofounder Michael Voellinger, we'll skip the polished PR lines and get straight to what actually matters—business and technology trends that will shake up your world. You can find the channel here (please subscribe!) and our first segment on third-party labor and managed services here .

Enterprises Aim to Move Beyond Pilots, Accelerate Consumption of AI in 2024—Everest Group, Yates Ltd. Despite the global economic turndown, enterprises widely adopted AI in 2023, with generative AI playing a substantial role, according to a survey of CIOs conducted by Everest Group and Yates Ltd. DALLAS, January 18, 2024 — If chief information officers (CIOs) have their way in 2024, expect to see more enterprises making adoption of generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) a strategic priority with an aim to move past small pilots to scaled implementations. This forecast summarizes the sentiments of more than 100 CIOs interviewed by Everest Group in collaboration with Yates Ltd. The survey also revealed that improving the velocity of existing operations is the primary motivation driving enterprise gen AI initiatives. Key Findings from the Survey: Sixty-one percent (61%) of global enterprises are actively exploring and piloting gen AI and 22% have already deployed gen AI for at least one or more processes. Another 15% plan to pilot gen AI soon. The three top objectives CIOs are trying to achieve through gen AI are: accelerating consumption of existing digital tools reducing the latency of knowledge sharing shortening the product development lifecycle. CIOs identifying their top three challenges to scaling gen AI initiatives most often named lack of clarity on success metrics (73%), budget/cost concerns (68%) and the fast-evolving technology landscape (64%). Additionally, 55% named data security and privacy concerns, while 41% cited talent shortage. See the full press release here . You can also access the full report here .

WPP to Deliver Keynote Address at the Spark Executive Forum AI Session STATELINE, NEVADA, USA, November 2, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Spark Executive Forum is pleased to announce that Yuri Aguiar, Chief Enterprise Data Officer at WPP, and Roy Armale, SVP of Product and Platform at WPP, will co-keynote the AI-focused session taking place November 8, 2023, in New York City. In their joint keynote, Armale will discuss how WPP is utilizing generative AI to spur innovation and create business value both internally and externally for clients. Aguiar will cover the elements of scale when working with enterprise data and the efforts to automate a complex environment of structured and unstructured data. "Generative AI has created a step change in the way large enterprises are thinking about what’s possible in terms of efficiency, growth, and competitive advantage, but it requires planning for an entirely new set of opportunities and challenges," said Charlotte Yates, Founder of the Spark Executive Forum and CEO of Yates Ltd. "Senior executives need a fresh approach to setting strategy and a risk framework that accelerates the evaluation of partners, investments, and use cases. WPP has been at the forefront of AI adoption, and we’re thrilled to have them join us to share their story and key learnings.” “Yuri and I are honored to speak at the Spark Executive Forum this year,” said Roy Armale, SVP of Product and Platform at WPP. “AI continues to be a driving force behind WPP’s technology strategy and transformation and is reshaping the landscape of the advertising industry at an unprecedented scale. We look forward to delving into this topic with business leaders at the Forum.” Yates Ltd, organizer and sole presenter of the Spark Executive Forum, is a leading consulting firm that helps clients create the strategy, roadmaps, funding, and execution plans to modernize their operations and achieve critical business goals. Spark provides senior leaders with a private, non-commercial venue for collaboration and idea exchange on relevant issues, opportunities, and trends impacting their business. Founded in 2018, Spark has become a premier event for C-level executives, attracting participation from some of the most influential and prominent leaders in business and technology. For Yates Ltd: Michael Voellinger Yates Ltd +1 201-888-1925

Ruminating on Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh's recent comments on AI.

Five Takeaways from the 2023 Spark Executive Forum

Spark 2023 Recap Part 1: The Generative Generation

Spark 2023 Recap Part 2: The Great Cloud Reckoning

Spark 2023 Recap Part 3: From Data to Outcomes

Spark 2023 Recap Part 4: Making Sustainability Scale