August was an exceptionally productive month, filled with numerous professional events focused on Data, AI, and Automation. I had the opportunity to attend several industry-leading conferences, each offering valuable insights and networking opportunities with experts in these rapidly evolving fields.
The month began with SAP Now, where I gained insights from industry leaders such as Telstra, Zespri, Cox Automotive, and BHP. Particularly noteworthy were Richard Taylor’s presentation on “Building a Future-ready Culture” and Dr Stephen King’s session on AI’s role in enhancing productivity in Australia. Observing how these organisations leverage AI and advanced technologies to drive transformation was enlightening.
The Rimini Street Smart Sydney event was particularly impressive, distinguished by its meticulous organisation and premium venue. Andrew Manners, GM for Rimini Street ANZ, hosted the event, while Seth A. Ravin, Co-Founder and CEO, shared crucial insights on harnessing AI to accelerate growth. A key takeaway was the revelation that 36% of organisations have incurred financial losses due to biased AI models. Seth’s recommendation to form multidisciplinary teams to mitigate this risk was especially relevant.
At NO Code Day by Creatio, I was impressed by the platform’s ability to empower non-technical users in building custom applications. The AI Copilot feature was particularly innovative, streamlining the app-building process by automatically generating modules and functionality. This advancement allows for a greater focus on business requirements rather than technical implementation.
The Databricks World Tour Sydney featured high-calibre presentations from industry leaders such as David Meyer and Adam Beavis. They effectively demonstrated how Databricks is establishing new benchmarks in data intelligence, showcasing cutting-edge solutions like Data Warehousing and Unity Catalog.
The month concluded with the Workato Automate Sydney 2024 conference, an inspiring gathering of automation professionals at the W Hotel. The event provided valuable AI-driven insights and best practices, offering innovative strategies to propel organisations forward through automation and integration.
Engaging with professionals across various industries in these events has given me more profound insights into the future direction of AI, automation, and data. It has also uncovered new possibilities for partnerships and collaborations, which I look forward to exploring as we continue to witness these technologies’ remarkable growth and impact.