The CAIO Connect Podcast (Chief AI Officer Connect Podcast)

Recorded live at the AI for Good Summit in Geneva, Sanjay Puri speaks with Enrica Porcari, CERN's first Chief Information Officer, about leading AI and digital transformation at one of the world's most innovative scientific organizations. Discover practical lessons on AI leadership, cybersecurity, open science, data governance, and how enterprise leaders can balance innovation with trust in the age of artificial intelligence.

As AI agents become more autonomous, who is legally responsible when they make the wrong decision? Recorded live at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Sanjay Puri speaks with Cloudflare Chief Legal Officer Alissa Starzak about AI liability, regulation, copyright, cybersecurity, sovereign AI, and how governments and enterprises can prepare for the next era of artificial intelligence.

In this episode of the Chief AI Officer Podcast, Sanjay Puri speaks with Dr. Raj Suri, Global Head of Enterprise AI at HP, about why trust—not intelligence—is the defining challenge for AI agents. They explore AI governance, enterprise risk, ROI, Shadow AI, workforce transformation, and why organizations must redesign business processes instead of simply adding AI. A must-listen for Chief AI Officers, CIOs, and enterprise leaders building the next generation of AI-powered organizations.

Enterprise AI isn't failing because of the technology—it's failing because of governance.In this episode, Sanjay Puri speaks with Srikanth Akkiraju, Chief Transformation Officer at ServiceNow and former Global CIO at Philips, about AI sprawl, governing AI agents at scale, avoiding vendor lock-in, redesigning business processes, and building enterprise AI strategies that are secure, responsible, and built to last. A must-listen for Chief AI Officers, CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, and enterprise leaders navigating AI transformation.

Doug Moody, Corporate Outreach Officer for the City of San José, joins Sanjay Puri to explore why Silicon Valley remains the world's leading innovation hub. They discuss AI's impact on entrepreneurship, the future of work, government adoption, and what it takes to build the next generation of AI-driven innovation.

Zscaler Founder and CEO Jay Chaudhry joins Sanjay Puri to discuss how AI is reshaping cybersecurity. From Project Mythos and Zero Trust to AI agents, governance, and the future of enterprise security, this conversation explores the strategies leaders need to stay ahead of AI-powered threats.

In this episode, Sanjay Puri speaks with Katya Andresen, Executive Vice President and Chief Data, Digital and AI Officer at The Cigna Group., about building enterprise AI at scale in one of the world's most complex and highly regulated industries. Katya shares how Cigna is leveraging AI across healthcare, why governance is the foundation of successful AI adoption, and what leaders can learn from her unconventional journey from journalist to AI executive. A compelling conversation on AI strategy, healthcare innovation, change management, and the future of responsible AI.

Recorded live at Zenith Live 2026 in Las Vegas, Sanjay Puri speaks with Sam Curry, Global VP & CISO at Zscaler, about the evolving relationship between AI leadership and cybersecurity. From Agentic AI and AI governance to cyber risk, AI ROI, workforce transformation, and the future of software development, Sam shares practical insights on how Chief AI Officers, CISOs, and business leaders can prepare for the next wave of AI-driven change.

Recorded live at Zenith Live in Las Vegas, Sanjay Puri speaks with Swami Kocherlakota, EVP of Agentic AI Engineering at Zscaler, about the rapidly evolving intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and enterprise transformation. Swami shares insights on agentic AI, AI governance, shadow AI, Zero Trust security, AI accountability, and the critical role leaders must play in securing autonomous systems at scale. A must-listen for Chief AI Officers, CIOs, CISOs, and technology executives navigating the future of AI.

Recorded live at Zenith Live in Las Vegas, Sanjay Puri speaks with Dhaval Sharma, Executive Vice President of Product Strategy at Zscaler, about AI agents, Zero Trust security, Shadow AI, enterprise governance, and the future of cybersecurity. Dhaval shares practical insights on securing autonomous AI systems and what technology leaders must do to prepare for the next wave of AI-driven transformation.

In this episode of the Chief AI Officer Connect Podcast, recorded live at Zenith Live 2026 in Las Vegas, Sanjay Puri speaks with Nathan Howe, Global Vice President of Innovation at Zscaler, about AI agents, Zero Trust security, machine-speed cyberattacks, AI governance, and the future of enterprise cybersecurity in an increasingly autonomous world.

What does it take to build AI accountability at the highest levels of government?In this episode of CAIO Connect, Sanjay Puri sits down with Taka Ariga, former Chief AI Officer, Chief Data Officer, and Responsible AI Official at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and creator of the GAO AI Accountability Framework. They discuss AI governance, agentic AI, data readiness, innovation inside government, and why most organizations are still struggling to create meaningful AI impact.This version is optimized for Spotify: concise, searchable, and focused on the strongest themes of the conversation.

Recorded LIVE at TechX San Jose, Will Hankla, Vice President of Transformation at The Hershey Company, joins the Chief AI Officer Podcast to discuss AI, digital transformation, and driving innovation at enterprise scale. From operational excellence and scalable digital strategies to AI adoption and business modernization, this conversation explores how global organizations can build future-ready businesses in an era of rapid technological change.

Recorded LIVE at TechX San Jose, Michael Calderin, Chief Information Security Officer at Barnes Aerospace, joins Chief AI Officer Connect to explore AI, cybersecurity, enterprise security strategy, and responsible innovation. From managing cyber risk and resilience to AI governance, manufacturing transformation, and the future of security leadership, this conversation examines how organizations can navigate the opportunities and challenges of AI in an increasingly connected world.

Recorded LIVE at TechX San Jose, Robbie Beyer, Director – Data Science & AI at RSM US LLP, joins us to discuss what it really takes to deploy AI successfully at scale. From AI adoption challenges and ROI to governance, consulting transformation, agentic AI, and building enterprise AI strategies that work, this episode explores the practical realities of leading AI transformation in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.

Recorded LIVE at TechX Miami, GS Jha, Global CIO, CISO & Chief AI Officer at QuantumScape, joins the Chief AI Officer Podcast to discuss AI leadership, cybersecurity, enterprise transformation, governance, and innovation. From securing AI systems to building scalable AI strategies, this conversation explores how leaders can drive responsible AI adoption while balancing security, innovation, and business outcomes.

Recorded LIVE at TechX, Anjali Arora Mehra, Director, AI Strategy & Transformation at eBay, joins us for a conversation on Democratic AI Governance, responsible AI, enterprise AI strategy, trust, regulation, and building AI systems that remain transparent, accountable, and aligned with human values. We explore AI ROI, agentic AI, scaling enterprise adoption, and what it takes to build AI responsibly in a rapidly changing world.

What does AI at real clinical scale actually look like — and what risks are hiding in plain sight?In this episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast, Sanjay Puri speaks with Dr. Nina Kottler, Chief Medical AI Officer at Mosaic Clinical Technologies, the AI arm of Radiology Partners.From infrastructure bottlenecks and agentic AI to automation bias, legal accountability, and the future of radiology, Nina breaks down what it actually takes to deploy AI across 53 million+ radiology exams a year — and why the real challenge is no longer the models themselves.A deep dive into the future of healthcare AI, clinical governance, and human-machine collaboration.

Sanjay Puri speaks with Anton Bonifacio — the Philippines’ first Chief AI Officer and leader of AI, cybersecurity, and data at Globe Telecom. The conversation explores Globe’s 90% AI adoption journey, the importance of cybersecurity before AI transformation, agentic AI governance, and what it takes to scale AI across a 57-million-customer enterprise.

Sanjay Puri speaks with Sam Fankuchen, CEO of Golden — powering 50,000+ organizations across 100+ countries. From AI Coach Goldie to global recognition by the Gates Foundation and Fast Company, this episode explores building AI that scales real-world impact.

From shaping post-9/11 homeland security policy to leading cybersecurity strategy at Mastercard, Kiersten Todt has been at the center of how nations and companies defend themselves.In this episode, she unpacks how Mastercard uses AI to assess transaction risk in milliseconds, why identity-based fraud is now the biggest threat, and how the role of the CISO is evolving. A sharp look at cybersecurity in a world of AI, geopolitics, and constant risk.

Recorded live at eMerge Americas, this episode of CAIO Connect brings together two leading voices shaping the future of AI, cybersecurity, and quantum risk: Steve Suarez and Rebecca Kramer.From the urgent need for CAIO–CISO alignment to the hidden risks of agentic AI, they unpack what organizations must do now to stay secure in a world where technology is outpacing policy. The conversation dives into shadow AI, human-in-the-loop systems, sovereign AI strategies, and the looming reality of Q Day — where a single quantum breach could trigger trillions in cascading losses.This isn’t theoretical. It’s a practical blueprint for leaders navigating AI at scale.

Recorded live at eMerge Americas, this episode of CAIO Connect features Taylor Stockton on the frontlines of AI, policy, and workforce transformation.From making AI literacy accessible to millions — even via simple text messages — to building real-time visibility into how jobs and skills are shifting, Taylor breaks down how the U.S. Department of Labor is preparing the workforce for an AI-driven economy.This conversation cuts through the noise: the real challenge isn’t job loss — it’s the speed of change.

In this episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast, host Sanjay Puri speaks with Vijay Vijayasankar, Global Agentic AI Officer at Genpact, about what it takes to deploy agentic AI that delivers real, outcome-based results.Drawing on 25 years of experience across SAP, MongoDB, and IBM Consulting, Vijay breaks down the shift from experimentation to production — from process intelligence and zero-trust systems to the risks of agent sprawl.If you want to understand where enterprise AI is actually headed — beyond the buzzwords — this conversation is a must-listen.

What if the most innovative AI work isn’t happening in Silicon Valley—but at City Hall?In this episode, Sanjay Puri speaks with Denver’s Chief AI and Information Officer, Suma Nallapati, on building real-world AI—from a 72-language resident assistant to responsible procurement with bias checks built in.A sharp look at ROI, governance, and why great AI doesn’t wait for perfect data.

In this episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast, host Sanjay Puri speaks with David B. Cross, CISO at Atlassian, about what it truly means to build and govern AI-native enterprises.A US Navy veteran, cryptography patent holder, and investor in cutting-edge AI security startups, David brings a rare perspective from the frontlines of AI innovation and cybersecurity. From Atlassian’s Rovo platform auto-remediating AI-generated code to rethinking AI agents as governed identities, this conversation explores the real shift from experimentation to transformation.Tune in for insights on AI governance, security as a service function, and what separates companies that are truly mastering AI from those just getting started.

In this episode of CAIO Connect, Sanjay Puri speaks with Richard Wiedenbeck, Chief AI Officer at Avatar Solutions and CIO Hall of Fame inductee.From leading global enterprises to becoming one of the first CAIOs in corporate America, Richard shares a contrarian take: AI leadership isn’t about technology — it’s about driving real business value.They explore agentic transformation, AI ROI, data myths, and why most organizations are still not ready for what’s coming.

What separates companies experimenting with AI from those truly transforming with it? 🎙️ In this episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast, Bret Greenstein joins Sanjay Puri to unpack the real playbook for enterprise AI. Drawing on leadership roles at IBM, Cognizant, PwC, and now West Monroe, Bret explains why AI success is less about technology and more about re-engineering how businesses work. From agentic AI and governance to measuring outcomes that actually matter, this conversation cuts through the hype to reveal what it really takes to build an AI-driven organization. 🚀🤖

At the India AI Impact Summit, *Alexi Thomas, Partner at EY*, joins us to discuss how enterprises can move beyond AI experimentation to real business impact.From leadership and governance to scaling responsible AI, the conversation explores why many AI initiatives stall — and what it takes for organizations to turn AI into meaningful transformation.

In this special International Women’s Day episode of *CAIO Connect, Sanjay Puri speaks with **Jena Zangs, Chief Data & AI Officer at the University of St. Thomas*, the first person to hold this role in Minnesota higher education. Jena shares her unconventional journey from planning alumni events to leading university-wide AI strategy, and discusses how universities are building practical AI systems—from in-house chatbots to agentic AI—while navigating governance, vendor ecosystems, and the future of work in higher education.

In this special International Women’s Day episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast, Sanjay Puri speaks with Dr. Sarah Bird, Chief Product Officer of Responsible AI at Microsoft. From designing processor chips for Xbox at 19 to leading the safety systems behind Microsoft’s AI products, Dr. Bird shares insights on responsible AI, evaluation as the next critical software discipline, agentic AI risks, and why addressing present AI harms matters as much as future ones. A powerful conversation on leadership, ethics, and the future of trustworthy AI.

In this episode, we’re joined by Abhinav Johri, Partner & Principal at Ernst & Young (EY), to unpack what real digital transformation looks like inside today’s enterprises.From industry cloud to AI-led reinvention, Abhinav shares how leaders can move beyond tech hype and build scalable, value-driven transformation strategies that actually impact the bottom line.Practical. Strategic. No buzzwords.

On this episode of CAIO Connect, Sanjay Puri sits down with Joshua Fecteau, Chief Data & AI Officer at Teradata, to unpack what it really takes to lead AI at enterprise scale.From boardroom ROI pressure and agentic AI governance to Teradata’s bold “Customer Zero” strategy, Joshua shares hard-earned lessons on architecture as competitive moat, workforce transformation, and why “You + AI” is the new advantage.If you’re building, buying, or betting on enterprise AI — this one’s essential.

Recorded live at the India AI Summit, this episode of CAIO Connect features Ambika Rajgopalan, Chief AI & Data Officer at Michelin.In this candid conversation, Ambika breaks down what it truly takes to scale AI inside a global enterprise — from data foundations and governance to culture, ROI, and execution discipline. She shares insights on embedding AI into business strategy, navigating transformation at scale, and leading responsibly in an era of accelerated innovation. This is a masterclass in enterprise AI leadership — grounded, practical, and future-focused.

Live from the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Amanda Brock, CEO of OpenUK, joins Chief AI Officer Connect to explore open source, digital sovereignty, and the governance of AI as critical infrastructure.As AI reshapes economies, is openness the real strategic advantage?Tune in.

Live from the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Hari Balaji, Partner – Technology Consulting at EY, joins Chief AI Officer Connect to discuss scaling AI beyond pilots and into real enterprise impact. In the era of Agentic AI, what separates experimentation from execution?Tune in.

Live from the Indian AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Prith Banerjee, SVP of Innovation, Synopsys joins Chief AI Officer Connect to unpack what real AI leadership demands today.From scaling innovation inside large enterprises to redefining the mandate of the Chief AI Officer, this conversation explores how AI moves from ambition to measurable impact.Less hype. More execution.

Live from the Indian AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Chief AI Officer Connect welcomes Owen Larter, Head of Frontier AI Policy & Public Affairs at Google DeepMind.In this conversation, we dig into how we govern intelligence at the edge — from building global AI policy frameworks to aligning innovation with safety, trust and real-world responsibility.What does it take to shape the rules of AI’s future while the future is being built?Tune in.

What does it really take to make a 54,000-student university AI-ready?In this episode of CAIO Connect, Sanjay Puri speaks with Bharat Prabhakaran, VP & CDO at the University of Cincinnati, about turning AI strategy into real-world impact. From launching Bearcat GPT to governing AI at scale, this is a behind-the-scenes look at how a leading R1 institution is building secure, enterprise AI for students and faculty.This isn’t hype. It’s AI in action.

In this episode of CAIO Connect, we speak with Artur Turemka, Chief Global Growth Officer at Autopay, recorded live in Davos. We explore how AI is transforming payments, enabling the “zero-delay economy,” and what it takes to scale FinTech innovation across highly regulated global markets.

In this episode of CAIO Connect, host Sanjay Puri speaks with Robert Opp, Chief Digital Officer at the UNDP, about building AI systems that truly serve people. From leading digital transformation across 170 countries to championing responsible AI in the Global South, Robert shares why inclusion, equity, and human rights must be at the center of every AI strategy—and why the real question isn’t what AI can do, but who it leaves behind.

In this episode, Kellie Romack, Chief Digital Information Officer at ServiceNow, shares how she used AI to up-skill over 85% of her team—rethinking learning, leadership, and workforce transformation in the age of AI.

How are global leaders actually building, governing, and deploying AI at scale?In this special CAIO Connect compilation episode by Knowledge Networks, we bring together standout moments from conversations recorded live at the World AI Summit and other global forums. Featuring voices from enterprise, climate innovation, AI research, and infrastructure leadership, this episode explores what it truly takes to move from AI ambition to real-world impact.From Responsible AI frameworks and cross-functional governance to AI-driven climate solutions, interdisciplinary talent, and enterprise resilience, these conversations reveal how leaders are navigating trust, ethics, and execution in an AI-powered world.This episode is part of CAIO Connect’s mission to democratize AI leadership and talent globally — spotlighting the people shaping how AI is built, deployed, and governed.🎧 Listen in to understand:• How organizations operationalize Responsible AI• Why interdisciplinary teams are critical for AI success• How AI is accelerating climate and materials innovation• What recent tech disruptions reveal about resilience and trust🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with Chief AI Officers and global AI leaders.

On this episode, we talk about moving beyond AI hype to building real AI muscle — and how leaders turn AI strategy into measurable performance across teams, systems, and organizations.

Agentic AI is rapidly reshaping how organizations design, deploy, and govern intelligent systems—but what does it really mean from a leadership perspective?In this episode of the Chief AI Officer Podcast, we explore Agentic AI through the lens of a Chief AI Officer (CAIO). We break down how agentic systems differ from traditional AI, what they mean for enterprise strategy, risk, governance, and decision-making, and how AI leaders should think about autonomy, orchestration, and accountability in modern AI systems.Whether you’re a Chief AI Officer, CIO, CTO, data leader, or AI strategist, this conversation offers practical insights into:What Agentic AI really is (beyond the buzz)How AI agents impact enterprise architecture and workflowsGovernance, risk, and trust considerations for autonomous systemsThe evolving role of the Chief AI Officer in an agentic future🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on AI leadership, enterprise AI strategy, and responsible innovation.#AgenticAI #ChiefAIOfficer #AILeadership

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: The 80% Failure Reality – Marc reveals why 8 out of 10 GenAI experiments fail and the four critical factors that separate successful AI projects from failed ones: relevant use cases, defined KPIs, organizational resilience, and committed budgets. Start with Your Vendors First – Instead of building custom LLMs from scratch, leverage AI capabilities already embedded in your existing software partners (Salesforce, Microsoft, Oracle) to experiment and learn quickly. AI Agents in Your Org Chart – The future includes listing AI agents as actual team members with provisioned access and specific responsibilities, from personal assistants writing status reports to research agents helping new graduates onboard faster. Training is the Adoption Killer – The #1 reason Copilot adoption declines after 30 days isn't the technology—it's lack of proper training in prompt engineering and change management to shift daily work behaviors. Measure What Matters – At CNH Industrial, Marc saved 10,000 developer hours with GitHub Copilot by implementing simple, anecdotal tracking methods—proving ROI measurement doesn't need to create overhead that eliminates the savings. 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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kermisch/ 

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 demandsFeaturing voices from: Qualcomm • United Nations • Schneider Electric • Lexmark • TELUS • Palo Alto Networks • Zscaler • Synopsys • Grainger • and moreIf 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: How to turn AI policy into workflows teams actually use How to pick high-impact use cases that deliver real time savings What it takes to reskill a massive public workforce for GenAI A simple framework for when AI can run—and when humans need to stay in the loop How to build effective AI teams and operational playbooks 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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viraltripathi/