Kate Prouty, CIO of Akamai Technologies, highlights the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) amid an organizational shift towards centralized AI strategies. As employees increasingly seek AI skills, Prouty notes that the enthusiasm has become overwhelming, akin to a “tsunami.” Initially adopting a “thousand flowers bloom” approach, Akamai created a safe testing environment for AI applications, but Prouty now favors a more controlled rollout. Collaboration with vendors, such as Cisco and Google, is crucial to understanding AI capabilities and ensuring productivity gains. While successful pilot programs like Github Copilot demonstrate efficiency, challenges remain, including code errors and maturity concerns. Akamai explores in-house AI developments, like a chatbot for sales teams in partnership with Dataiku. Although cautious about the readiness of agentic AI, Prouty maintains an open-door policy for employee AI ideas, emphasizing secure implementation with cost controls. This strategic balance fosters innovation while managing risk.
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