Episodes

  • Why Most AI Strategies Fail Before They Even Start ft. Zoher Karu

    Why Most AI Strategies Fail Before They Even Start ft. Zoher Karu
    Apr 16 2026
    AI is everywhere but many organizations are still getting it wrong. In this episode of Bringing Data and AI to Life, hosts Amy Horowitz and Nick Dobbins sit down with Zoher, a seasoned data and AI leader, to unpack why AI is the business accelerator today. From messy data foundations to misguided “AI-first” thinking, Zoher breaks down why companies rush into AI without clarity on the problem they’re solving, and how that leads to wasted effort and poor outcomes. He emphasises thinking backwards from the business problem, not forward from the technology.
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    25 mins
  • The AI Guide Everyone Needs in 2026 ft. Gaurav Pathak

    The AI Guide Everyone Needs in 2026 ft. Gaurav Pathak
    Apr 2 2026
    AI isn't just a technology trend. It's fundamentally reshaping how enterprises manage, govern and activate their data to power intelligent systems. In this episode of Bringing Data and AI to Life, host Amy Horowitz, GVP Solutions Sales and Business Development at Informatica sits down with Gaurav Pathak, VP of Product Management for AI and Metadata at Informatica, to explore how traditional data management is evolving, what's blocking AI adoption and how organizations can prepare for the agentic AI revolution reshaping business operations. Tune in for Gaurav’s playbook on making AI strategy a driver of success - not an obstacle - for your business.
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    24 mins
  • Why AI Has to be the Infrastructure, Not the Strategy ft. Elon Salfati

    Why AI Has to be the Infrastructure, Not the Strategy ft. Elon Salfati
    Mar 12 2026
    Gone are the days where organizations can think of AI as the strategy. At least, they should be. In this episode of Bringing Data and AI to Life, host Amy Horowitz, GVP Solutions Sales and Business Development at Informatica, welcomes Elon Salfati, Founder of the Salfati Group, to explore why you should treat AI as infrastructure rather than a standalone tool, how you can map workflows and pinpoint the right intervention points for AI augmentation and the key strategies to build organizational alignment across technology, people, and governance. Turns out - starting small with something like the right KPI alignment is the secret to transformation.
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    17 mins
  • Why “Wait-And-See” Can’t Be Your AI Strategy ft. Steve Brown

    Why “Wait-And-See” Can’t Be Your AI Strategy ft. Steve Brown
    Feb 26 2026
    Waiting to invest in AI could cost you everything, and yet, leaders are weary of taking the leap. In this episode of Bringing Data and AI to Life, host Amy Horowitz, GVP Solutions Sales and Business Development at Informatica, welcomes Steve Brown, AI futurist, innovation advisor and author of “The AI Ultimatum”, to explore why the "wait and see" approach to AI is no longer viable, how to avoid critical missteps in your AI transformation (starting with getting your data house in order) and the leadership behaviors that define success in the intelligence age. Tune in to see how AI can become the engine that drives your business, backed by real-world examples - from Starbucks to Fortune 500 companies.
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    18 mins
  • Why AI Excitement Is Outpacing Data Reality with Jim Kruger of Informatica

    Why AI Excitement Is Outpacing Data Reality with Jim Kruger of Informatica
    Feb 5 2026
    What if the rush to AI is actually costing you millions in failed implementations? In this episode of Bringing Data and AI to Life, host Amy Horowitz, GVP Solutions Sales and Business Development at Informatica, sits down with Jim Kruger, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Informatica, to explore why data quality and governance must come before AI ambitions. Drawing from his unique experience as a CMO with full pipeline accountability, Jim shares why the "trust paradox" is the biggest hurdle to AI success and how leaders can prepare for the next era of agentic business.
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    17 mins
  • What Leaders Are Getting Wrong About AI ROI and What Needs to Change ft. Kavita Ganesan

    What Leaders Are Getting Wrong About AI ROI and What Needs to Change ft. Kavita Ganesan
    Jan 22 2026
    If successful enterprise AI adoption is on your list for 2026, you’ve got to focus all your effort on strategy, not tools. In this episode of Bringing Data and AI To Life, host and GVP Solutions Sales and Business Development at Informatica, Amy Horowitz, welcomes Kavita Ganesan, Chief AI Strategist & Architect, Opinosis Analytics, for a browse through her playbook of getting AI right. Together, they unpack why strategy must come before tools, how to identify which AI projects will actually move the needle for your organization, and the critical steps leaders must take to govern innovation responsibly. AI’s all the rage, but it’s time to sit down and truly understand what it can and cannot do.
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    16 mins
  • How Companies Can Go from Zero to Scale Using AI for Marketing ft. Lillian Pierson

    How Companies Can Go from Zero to Scale Using AI for Marketing ft. Lillian Pierson
    Jan 8 2026
    The year may have changed from 2025 to 2026, but some fundamental truths about AI haven’t. In the latest episode of Bringing Data and AI To Life, host and GVP Solutions Sales and Business Development at Informatica, Amy Horowitz, kickstarts the year with Lillian Pierson, Fractional CMO & Growth Advisor, Data Mania LLC and a marketing AI educator, for a candid and eye-opening conversation on how companies can build AI-native growth systems that deliver measurable ROI, architect high-performing teams with fewer resources, while avoiding the pitfalls of "shiny object syndrome." These are the frameworks and real-world strategies that help early-stage startups and Fortune 100 companies alike harness AI for exponential growth. But most importantly, the strategies that keep humans in control of what matters most.
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    22 mins
  • Predictive AI, The Data Quality Crisis & The Octopus Model: How 2025 Redefined Data and AI

    Predictive AI, The Data Quality Crisis & The Octopus Model: How 2025 Redefined Data and AI
    Dec 23 2025
    As we draw the curtains on 2025, it’s time to celebrate and reflect on the tectonic shifts the data and AI landscape have brought our way. In this episode of Bringing Data and AI To Life, hosts Amy Horowitz and Nick Dobbins reflect on a remarkable year of conversations with industry leaders, unpacking breakthrough insights that separate organizations thriving with AI from those merely chasing the hype. Featuring memorable moments from guests including Alana Val-Hackett, Sean Farney, Joe Reis, Karen Pfeifer, Cara Dailey, Kevin Petrie and Eric Siegel, this episode captures the strategic themes reshaping how enterprises operationalize trusted data and responsible automation.
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    16 mins