The AI with Maribel Lopez (AI with ML)

Maribel Lopez

The AI with Maribel Lopez podcast interviews leading thinkers, experts and innovators on the latest trends in Artificial intelligence areas such as agentic AI, generative AI, AI security, AI ethics and governance. Maribel Lopez is a technology industry analyst, keynote speaker and founder of the Data For Betterment Foundation and Lopez Research. The podcast shares advice, strategies and techniques on how to use AI solutions such as conversational AI, computer vision and automation to make businesses more efficient. New episodes are released every week on Wednesdays. 

  1. 27 AGO

    Ford Pro's Kevin Dunbar Shares How AI Transforms Fleet Management

    Episode Summary Kevin Dunbar joins Maribel Lopez to discuss how AI is revolutionizing commercial fleet management through Ford Pro Intelligence. With nearly two decades of experience at companies like Cisco and Palo Alto Networks, Kevin shares insights on how Ford's commercial division is processing over a billion data points daily to help fleet operators optimize operations, reduce costs, and improve safety.AI with Maribel Lopez: Transforming Fleet Management with Kevin Dunbar Guest: Kevin Dunbar, General Manager of Ford Pro Intelligence Host: Maribel Lopez, Founder of the Data for Betterment Foundation and Lopez Research Key Topics Covered Ford Pro Intelligence Platform Commercial division serving business and government customersComprehensive ecosystem from vehicle upfitting to fleet managementData services, telematics software, and fleet controlsUpdated from last earnings to 757,000 and 24% yoy growth. (vs. 675,000+ subscribers with 20% growth rate.)Data at Scale Processing over 1 billion connected vehicle data points dailySensor data ranging from tire pressure and GPS to seatbelt activity and driver behaviorClean, structured data transformation into actionable insightsAI Applications in Action Digital vehicle walkarounds replacing 20-minute manual processesPredictive maintenance moving customers from reactive to proactive serviceE-switch assist tool using machine learning for electrification decisionsConnected uptime system achieving 98% vehicle availabilityTangible Business Impact 10% reduction in insurance costs through safer driving coaching20% improvement in driver safety metrics25% reduction in speeding incidents80% reduction in cost downtime10-20% total cost of ownership reduction Notable Quotes "We want to make sure that their Ford vehicle works as hard for their business digitally as it does mechanically." - Kevin Dunbar "It's not just about having data. It's about having clean, structured data." - Kevin Dunbar For more episodes of "AI with Maribel Lopez," visit Lopez Research and follow our latest insights on AI transformation across industries. About Ford  Pro and Ford Pro Intelligence Ford Pro is helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Ford Pro Intelligence is Ford’s comprehensive solution for fleet digitalization and operational efficiency, combining connected vehicle data, telematics tools, and smart management software under one platform Follow Kevin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-dunbar-78343558/ Follow Maribel at https://www.linkedin.com/in/maribellopez/ #FordProIntelligence #FordPro #FleetManagement #Fleets  #DataSecurity

    27 min

  2. 20 AGO

    Verint Executive Reveals: The 3 Best Starting Points for Enterprise Agentic AI Adoption

    Episode Overview In this episode, Maribel Lopez sits down with David Singer, Global Vice President and Go-To-Market Strategy at Verint, to explore the rapid evolution from generative AI to agentic AI and how organizations can successfully implement AI solutions that deliver real business outcomes. Key Topics Discussed The Evolution from Generative to Agentic AI Generative AI: Excellent at answering questions and synthesizing information from knowledge sourcesAgentic AI: Takes the next step by actually executing actions autonomously, not just providing recommendationsThe critical difference: autonomous decision-making versus rules-based automation Building Trust in Autonomous AI Systems Start with human-in-the-loop monitoring for training and validationGradually reduce oversight from constant monitoring to spot checksApply quality monitoring practices to AI agents similar to human agentsConsider AI agents as "silicon-based employees" requiring training, access controls, and performance management Successful AI Implementation Strategies Start with Clear Outcomes: Define specific business goals before selecting technology Focus on solutions that deliver outcomes, not just impressive technologyBegin with well-understood processes that can be enhanced rather than completely reimaginedThree Proven Starting Points: Call Wrap-up Automation: AI-powered summarization reduces agent workloadIVR Modernization: Convert top call flows to agentic conversational AIQuality Management: Scale from monitoring 1-3% of calls to near 100% coverage Vendor Selection Criteria Proven outcomes at scale: Look for vendors with demonstrated success stories and customer referencesTechnology adaptability: Choose providers who can evolve with the rapidly changing AI landscapeProduction readiness: "POCs are easy, production is hard" - prioritize vendors with production deployment experience Change Management for AI Adoption  Deploy solutions that genuinely help employees firstBuild internal champions through positive early experiencesScale gradually to maintain trust and adoption Key Insights Employee Experience Drives Customer Experience: AI solutions that improve employee satisfaction often lead to better customer outcomesObservability is Critical: Comprehensive monitoring and quality management become essential as AI systems gain autonomyOutcomes Over Technology: Success comes from focusing on business results rather than being enamored with the latest AI capabilities About the Guest David Singer is the Global Vice President and Go-To-Market Strategy at Verint, where he focuses on delivering AI-powered outcomes for customer experience automation. Verint has been incorporating AI into their platform for over a decade, evolving from call recording and workforce management to comprehensive CX automation solutions.  You can follow David here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwsinger/ You can follow Maribel here:  Closing Thoughts Singer emphasizes two crucial points for organizations embarking on AI initiatives: Avoid spending significant resources on new technology only to use it exactly as you did beforeAlways start with outcomes first - let business goals drive vendor selection, implementation strategy, and change management approaches

    33 min

  3. 11 AGO

    Cisco Live 2025: Jokel and Pandey on Enterprise AI Infrastructure and the Internet of Agents

    In this episode from Cisco Live, Maribel Lopez sits down with two Cisco executives, Vijoy Pandey, SVP of Outshift at Cisco and Nathan Jokel, SVP of Corporate Strategy and Alliances at Cisco, to discuss how AI is fundamentally changing enterprise infrastructure over the next year. The conversation explores the evolution from deterministic to probabilistic computing, the emergence of agentic workflows, and practical advice for business leaders navigating the AI transformation. Host: Maribel Lopez Guests: Vijoy Pandey, SVP of Outshift at CiscoNathan Jokel, SVP of Corporate Strategy and Alliances at CiscoRecorded at: Cisco Live Episode Overview In this episode from Cisco Live, Maribel Lopez sits down with two Cisco executives to discuss how AI is fundamentally changing enterprise infrastructure over the next year. The conversation explores the evolution from deterministic to probabilistic computing, the emergence of agentic workflows, and practical advice for business leaders navigating the AI transformation. Key Topics Discussed The Three Waves of AI Infrastructure Evolution Wave 1: AI training in public cloud (mostly behind us)Wave 2: AI inference moving to enterprise data centers for control, security, and economic reasonsWave 3: AI moving to the edge with physical and embodied AI requiring new infrastructure for robots and devicesFrom Deterministic to Probabilistic Computing Vijoy explains the fundamental shift happening in computing: Traditional computing: deterministic, machine-speed but limitedHuman intelligence: agentic but slowNew paradigm: AI agents with human-like behavior operating at machine speed and scaleThe Internet of Agents A collaboration platform where AI agents from different vendors can: Get discovered and authenticatedCompose workflows togetherExecute tasks collaborativelyBe evaluated for performanceReal-world example: Building a sales funnel portal using agentic interfaces from Salesforce, ServiceNow, Microsoft, and Cisco security - all working together without manual UI clicking. AI and Energy Challenges The Problem: By 2028, projected 63 gigawatt shortfall for new data center capacitySolutions:Invest in diverse energy sources (nuclear, renewables, battery storage)Build data centers near power sources (e.g., Cisco's Middle East partnerships)Develop more energy-efficient infrastructureFocus on smaller, specialized models instead of racing for maximum parametersCisco's Specialized AI Models Foundation SAC 8B: 8 billion parameter model specialized for security policyDeep Network Model: Expert model trained on network configurations Outshift: Cisco's Innovation Engine Cisco's internal incubator tackling problems adjacent to core business in: Space: Areas adjacent to networking, security, observability, collaborationTime/Risk: Higher-risk ventures that can't enter at Cisco scale initiallyCurrent Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs):Internet of AgentsQuantum Internet - building quantum networks for distributed quantum computing

    21 min

  4. 4 JUN

    AI in Retail: Best Buy's Journey from 93 Apps to One Solution

    Description: In this episode from Google Cloud Next 2025, we dive deep into Best Buy's AI transformation with Ashley Daniels, VP of Product Management. Discover how one of America's largest retailers approached AI implementation strategically, moving from 93 contact center applications to a unified solution. Ashley shares the real story behind Best Buy's AI journey - the quick wins, unexpected challenges, and why your foundation matters more than the technology itself. From gift finder tools to revolutionizing customer care, learn practical strategies for implementing AI that actually drives business outcomes. Key insights covered: Why treating AI as a "tool in the toolbox" leads to better resultsThe importance of starting with customer experience, not technologyHow to build strategic partnerships for AI implementationWhy domain expertise becomes more critical in an AI worldReal timeline: Getting AI summarization live in 6-8 weeksWhether you're in retail, customer service, or leading digital transformation initiatives, this conversation offers actionable insights for your AI strategy. Hosted by Maribel Lopez, founder and principal analyst at Lopez Research who interviewed Ashley Daniels, the VP of Product Management at Best Buy. You can follow Ashley here  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-daniels1219/ and Maribel here https://www.linkedin.com/in/maribellopez/

    14 min

  5. 30 MAY

    58. The AI Advantage With Liz Centoni: How Cisco is Making Customer Experience Hyper-Personal

    Guest Profile Liz Centoni brings over 25 years of experience at Cisco where she currently leads a team of 20,000+ people dedicated to helping customers maximize the value of their technology investments. She also serves on the boards of Mercedes-Benz and Workday. Episode Highlights Cisco's Unique Position in the AI Landscape Liz outlines Cisco's three-pillar approach to AI:Investment in back-end AI networks with hyperscalersEnterprise deployment of secure AI use casesMeeting increased capacity requirements for both private and public front-end cloud networksRecent partnership with NVIDIA to accelerate AI adoption and simplify building AI-ready data centers Transforming Customer Experience Vision for customer experience: personalized, proactive, and predictiveGoal: Make every customer "feel like they are our only customer"Leveraging data across tech stacks to break down silos and deliver proactive experiencesUsing AI to reduce cognitive load and workplace friction for employees AI Renewals Agent: A Case Study in Predictive AI Jointly developed with Mistral AI and announced in February 2025Consolidates data from 50+ signals and sources (both structured and unstructured)Provides real-time sentiment analysis by incorporating customer support dataExpected to reduce time spent on renewal proposals from 40% to less than 5% The Future of Agentic AI Moving from AI as a tool to AI as a teammateCurrent focus on assisting and augmenting tasks, not replacing rolesHuman oversight remains critical for complex customer networksEvolution from reactive to proactive customer care Impact on Jobs and Work Expectation that everyone needs baseline AI skillsHistorical pattern of rebalancing versus complete replacementFocus on using AI to eliminate busy work and reduce cognitive loadImportance of emotional intelligence and empathy in areas where AI still falls short Closing Thoughts Liz's definition of success: "Customers walk up and say, 'You really know me better than I know myself'... and they feel they can't live without three things: Cisco's security, Cisco's networking portfolio, and Cisco services."

    30 min

  6. 13 MAY

    Securing AI: Strategies for Success with Cisco's CPO Jeetu Patel

    Summary In this conversation, Maribel Lopez and Jeetu Patel discuss the transformative potential of AI in business, the challenges organizations face in adopting AI, and the importance of security in AI applications. They explore the need for visibility, validation, and guardrails in securing AI, the rise of specialized AI models, and the future of AI agents in automating workflows. Patel emphasizes Cisco's commitment to innovation and the urgency for companies to embrace AI to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving landscape. Takeaways AI is transforming business strategies across industries.CEOs are optimistic about AI but feel unprepared.Security practitioners face significant staffing shortages.AI can both complicate and simplify security challenges.Organizations must secure AI models and use AI for defense.Visibility, validation, and guardrails are essential for AI security.Specialized AI models can be more effective and cost-efficient.AI agents will enhance productivity and workflow automation.Cisco is innovating rapidly and operating like a startup.Companies must embrace AI to thrive in the future.Chapters 00:00 The Exciting Intersection of AI and Business 02:47 Challenges in AI Adoption and Security 06:34 Securing AI: Visibility, Validation, and Guardrails 12:47 The Rise of Specialized AI Models 18:00 The Future of AI Agents and Automation 25:31 Cisco's Transformation and Innovation 31:10 Embracing AI: A Call to Action Follow us at:  Jeetu Patel  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeetupatel/ Maribel Lopez https://www.linkedin.com/in/maribellopez/

    34 min

  7. 30 ABR

    From Concept to Value: The AI Journey With Tredence CEO Shub Bhowmick

    In this episode, Maribel speaks with  Shub Bhowmick, the CEO and Co-founder of Tredence on how its using AI internally and externally. Bhowmick also provides advice on what's important for enterprise buyers looking to leverage AI.  Takeaways The shift from proof of concept to proof of value is crucial for businesses.AI is enabling organizations to achieve more with fewer resources.Agentic solutions are becoming increasingly relevant in various industries.Internal innovations at Treatance are focused on developing interconnected AI agents.Organizations must prepare for a future where they need to do more with less.Crawl, walk, and run is a practical approach to AI implementation.Creating a robust monitoring and operations foundation is essential.Small language models can be more effective and cost-efficient than larger models.AI can significantly enhance productivity and creativity in the workplace.Health and personal well-being are important considerations in a fast-paced professional environment.Sound Bites "Proof of value is the new proof of concept.""AI is enabling you to do more with less.""Agents are like smart interns, very analytical.""The speed of AI is moving much faster.""AI can 10x your productivity.""Crawl, walk, and run with AI implementation.""Small language models are the new thing."Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Treatance and AI Trends 07:28 Emerging Use Cases in AI 11:46 Real-World Applications of AI in Business 18:33 Internal Innovations at Treatance 30:33 Advice for Organizations on AI Implementation

    35 min

  8. 24 ABR

    Transforming Networking with AI: Insights from Extreme Networks' Markus Nispel

    Summary In this conversation, Maribel Lopez speaks with Markus Nispel about the integration of AI in networking solutions, particularly at Extreme Networks. They discuss the evolution of AI capabilities, the importance of data governance, and the role of AI in enhancing operational efficiency and security. Markus emphasizes the need for trust in AI systems and the potential of agentic AI to transform networking operations. The discussion also touches on the challenges of skill development and the future of AI in the industry.  Extreme Networks, trusted by tens of thousands of customers globally, delivers AI-native cloud networking solutions that seamlessly connect people, applications, data, and devices. Info on Extreme Networks Platform One: https://www.extremenetworks.com/platform-one and an explainer video https://vimeo.com/1036922077/58472f1411?ts=0&share=copy.  Takeaways  AI has been integrated into networking solutions for measurable business value. Data quality is crucial for effective AI implementation. Generative AI can significantly reduce the time for knowledge acquisition. Agentic AI combines various capabilities for enhanced networking solutions. Trust and transparency are essential for AI adoption in enterprises. AI can optimize security policy configurations and reduce attack surfaces.The orchestration of agents is vital for achieving automation in networking.AI's role in skill development is critical for new employees.The future of AI in networking will involve more autonomous systems. Continuous feedback loops enhance trust in AI systems. Sound Bites "AI allows for a consistent support experience.""Data governance is critical for AI systems.""The orchestration of agents is key to automation.""Trust is essential for AI adoption in enterprises.""The future is dynamic with AI advancements." Chapters  00:00 Introduction to AI in Networking 03:40 Evolution of AI Integration in Networking Solutions 06:54 Understanding AI's Unique Positioning in Networking 10:18 AI's Role in Skill Development and Knowledge Acquisition 13:02 Defining Agentic AI and Its Current Capabilities 16:54 The Importance of Orchestration in AI Systems 19:45 Addressing Trust and Resistance in AI Adoption 23:19 Demonstrating ROI from AI Implementations 25:29 Future of AI: The Rise of Agentic Systems

    28 min
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The AI with Maribel Lopez podcast interviews leading thinkers, experts and innovators on the latest trends in Artificial intelligence areas such as agentic AI, generative AI, AI security, AI ethics and governance. Maribel Lopez is a technology industry analyst, keynote speaker and founder of the Data For Betterment Foundation and Lopez Research. The podcast shares advice, strategies and techniques on how to use AI solutions such as conversational AI, computer vision and automation to make businesses more efficient. New episodes are released every week on Wednesdays. 

Información

  • Creador
    Maribel Lopez
  • Años de actividad
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodios
    62
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The AI with Maribel Lopez (AI with ML)
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    The AI with Maribel Lopez (AI with ML)