Catriona Wallace

AI, Digital Transformation and the Future of Work

Categories: AI, Big Data, Business, Digital, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Future of Work, Futurist, Strategy, Technology, Trends

Dr Catriona Wallace is an entrepreneur in the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning fields. Catriona also has a global reputation as a leading practitioner, speaker and media commentator on Responsible Technology, AI Ethics and the Future of Work. Dr Wallace is the CEO of Ethical AI Advisory, the Chair of Venture Capital fund Boab AI and she was the Founder of Flamingo AI, a Machine-Learning company with headquarters in New York and Sydney.

With a passion for encouraging women to pursue careers in STEM and leadership, Dr Wallace has deep insight and experience in the fields of gender equality, diversity and inclusion. She is an Adjunct Professor with a PhD in Organizational Behaviour and brings a strong evidence-based approach to her work and speaking topics

Dr Wallace has a long list of accolades including being recognised by The Australian Financial Review as the most influential woman in business & entrepreneurship. Catriona was inducted into the Royal Institution of Australia, recognising her as one of Australia’s most pre-eminent scientists. Advance Australia recognised Catriona as the leading ex-pat working abroad in technology and innovation.

Not only an award-winning leader in technology, Dr Wallace has also achieved significant awards in innovation and financial services. In large part, this success comes as a result of her ability to analyse business strategy, data and to identify where technology can augment humans and automate processes.

As one of the world’s most-cited experts in Artificial Intelligence, Catriona has established herself as the innovative go-to expert for organizations undergoing digital transformation and optimizing operations with a focus on AI-driven customer and employee experience. As a result, she’s the most natural authority to consult with when looking at ways to introduce emerging technologies into business

By way of background, Catriona founded artificial intelligence FinTech company Flamingo AI providing Machine Learning based Subject Matter Experts for enterprises in the US and Australia. Flamingo AI was the second only female-led (CEO & Chair) business ever to list on the Australian Stock Exchange. Catriona then went on to establish one of the world’s first responsible technology consultancies, Ethical AI Advisory, purely focused on developing Ethical AI frameworks and capabilities for organisations concerned with the potential risks that AI may pose. Catriona also Chairs a VC fund that is dedicated to supporting young AI companies.

Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation

AI is the fastest-growing tech sector in the world, driving the digital transformation of both public and private sector organisations. Leaders are asking what is the best way to transform operations to leverage AI and other emerging technologies such as blockchain, IoT, cybersecurity, 5G, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality? And what role do humans play in a digitised business and economy? The need for this knowledge has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Dr Wallace presents the state of the market for AI and emerging technologies and shares how organisations should think about the Digital Transformation of their current operations and people.

Key takeaways

State of the emerging technology market
Briefing on the AI sector
Models for Digital Transformation
How to manage Humans, processes and ethics
Expected benefits and costs of technology-led transformation
Future-proofing

Responsible Technology & the AI Ethicist

As evidenced in the hit film, ‘The Social Dilemma’ big tech is controlling much of what we consume, read, like and do. But does the technology sector have our best interests at heart? Are the commercial drivers for technology not aligned to individual and society’s values? And who is regulating this largely uncontrolled sector and what can we do about it? In this presentation, Dr Wallace discusses the role of big tech, the good and the bad, and how models of Responsible Technology with Ethics and Human Rights at its core and the rise of the ‘Ethical Leader’ must be the way forward.

Key takeaways:

The role of Big Tech, AI and Algorithmic Decision Making
Regulation and control of AI and emerging tech
Models of Responsible Technology
Ethics & Human Rights technology Frameworks
The attributes of the Ethical Leader

The Future of Work

Human + Machine
The Dangers of Gender Bias
Educating for the Future

AI is now the fastest growing technology sector globally, expanding in investment 12-fold over the next 5 years. AI is expected to replace 1.8 million jobs and it will generate 2.3 million jobs in the next 12 months. But whose jobs are these? And how do organisations gear up for having digital employees as well as human employees? Dr Wallace presents a discussion on the Future of Work that is AI-driven where machines augment human workers and automate work functions. Is this all going to be good? What could go wrong? Dr Wallace presents the skills and capabilities that leaders and organisational designers, operations, HR professionals and Educators need to know about the coming of the human+machine era.

Key takeaways

State of the AI market
The changing nature of jobs: AI-augmented and automated work
Workplace risks through gender bias
Skills needed for managing the new era of human+machine
The attributes of an AI & digital savvy leader
Characteristics of an Ethical Technology Leader

Diversity & Inclusion

Women in Leadership
Gender Bias in Code
Women in STEM
The Heroine’s Journey
Learning Consent (teaching sexual consent and other consent models)

Dr Catriona Wallace shares her story of being a leader of an Artificial Intelligence company in the US and Australia, seeking investment and being one of the few women leading a Listed technology company. Catriona, using humour and real-life examples, will share her experiences and unconventional ways of navigating difficult environments in order to achieve her goals, including raising her five children along the way.

Dr Wallace draws on the broad field of Diversity and Inclusion to create bespoke presentations that will align with your brief, audience and organisation.

Key takeaways: