MIDAS Seminar Series Presents: Jen Stirrup – Founder and CEO, Data Relish

Abstract: If data is the new ‘oil’, then AI is regarded as the ‘new electricity’. Tech companies are encouraging all organizations to use AI, and want to democratize AI by making it accessible for every application, every business process and every employee. Is this approach feasible? Do we need to translate every business challenge into an AI solution, and if so, how do we do this? What does this mean for the IT Department of the future, and for business operations?

What are the challenges in AI adoption for businesses, and how can these challenges be overcome? How can we apply AI successfully to business environments? What does this mean for the industry, for people’s careers and their training opportunities? How does AI impact data considerations, in an era where ROI can refer to ‘Risk of Incarceration’ over data in addition to  such as privacy, security, ethics and choice?

In this seminar, we will examine business approaches to AI, and the gap between research ideas, and actual deployment to a business production environment. Jennifer Stirrup will investigate different challenges, approaches and considerations for the implementation of AI for business. The session will consider the concerns about the power and pervasiveness of such technologies, and whether AI accessibility is the same as AI democracy. We will also explore what AI democratization means for people, profit and planet.

Bio: Jen Stirrup is the Data Whisperer. Jen is a data strategist and technologist, with over twenty years’ experience in delivering Artificial Intelligence and Business Intelligence projects worldwide. Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP), a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) and Microsoft Regional Director.  Jen is the founder of Data Relish Ltd, a boutique Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Business Intelligence consultancy based in the UK. Jen holds expertise in a range of technologies, including Tableau, Power BI, R, database and Azure cloud technologies. Jen has written books on Machine Learning in the cloud as well as analytics and data visualization.  Jen is an advocate of diversity in technology, international public speaker and blogger, published author and keynote speaker. She is a noted influencer, identified as Top 17 Influencers in Big Data and Analytics and one of the 10 Female Influencers You Should Follow. She has been noted as one of the Top 20 women working wonders in AI, Machine Learning, Data Science and Big Data, and, rather humorously, Top ‘Badass’ Women working in Data.