#shifthappens Conference 2023: Recapping All the Action from Day 1

It was a fantastic opening day at #shifthappens Conference 2023, live from the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. We kicked off with a captivating keynote from AvePoint Co-Founder and CEO Tianyi Jiang (TJ), where he discussed how a robust data strategy is the key to unlocking the true potential of AI. TJ shared ways AvePoint is using AI to transform its internal processes, the industry-specific solutions we’re building to transform education through the MaivenPoint product line, and how organizations must leverage data to drive innovation and growth to capture the opportunity ahead.

According to TJ, in order to become AI fueled, the magic starts when data is transformed into value and drives profitability. He also announced the launch of AvePoint Opus, a brand-new AI-powered information lifecycle management solution that enables organizations to discover, classify, protect and manage their data accurately and at scale.

AvePoint Chief Product Officer John Peluso then shared our perspective on how the AvePoint Confidence Platform helps organizations drive an intelligent data strategy built on three key principles: powerful insights, impactful recommendations, and comprehensive automation. John then shared how this establishes the foundation to build interfaces and experiences that are informed by the rich data we manage.

He then gave sneak peeks into two AI-powered products in development:

• AvePoint Post Coach: We will release AI-powered functionality to enhance content and improve recommendations on when and where to communicate, looking across businesses’ digital workplace environment and data to identify patterns and personalize communication strategies tailored to specific preferences, behavior patterns, and content consumption habits of their peers. With insights from our predictive analytics, businesses can refine their communication strategies, save time, and resources, driving greater business value.
• AvePoint MyHub: The next generation of MyHub, powered by AI, will bring together necessary documents, meetings, people, and other information throughout your digital workplace environment into one place to enhance productivity, reduce context switching, and drive innovation and engagement. Our solution will analyze vast amounts of data – including email content, meeting notes, documents and other content and leveraging predictive algorithms to make intelligent recommendations. Additionally, we’ll help identify the right people to collaborate with based on past collaboration and communication patterns, reducing the time and effort required for scheduling and enhancing your collaboration capabilities.

Then, we moved from the technology aspect of digital workplace success to the human aspect with Jacob Morgan, best-selling author, trained futurist, and one of the world’s leading authorities on leadership, the future of work, and employee experience.

In his keynote on leading with vulnerability, Jacob explained why this is so critical to make an impact in the workplace, particularly as the digital workplace continues to evolve. Jacob talked through how the top global leaders have mastered a combination of competence and vulnerability, in what Jacob calls, “The Vulnerable Leader Equation,” and the ROI in leading in this fashion. Jacob stressed the importance of self-compassion, empathy, integrity, and authenticity. To learn more and to get a copy of his new book, Leading with Vulnerability, visit https://thefutureorganization.com/.

There were plenty of great sessions throughout the day in our industry voice, business value, and technical implementation tracks.

Some highlights included Christy Punch, Liberty Mutual Senior Manager and Product Owner of Engineering Experience, presenting how her team is elevating the digital workplace for engineers to accelerate value for the business. Christy spoke about the “engineering experience,” why it’s a vital part of the overall digital employee experience, and how her team focuses on delivering digital experiences where engineers can do their best work. Moving forward, her team is focused on streamlining their delivery pipeline to improve quality through modernization and getting away from legacy technologies.

Aon North America CIO Tanya Hannah offered guidance on the steps organizations must take to achieve digital workplace success. A digital first mindset requires a culture that is adaptable and can see beyond the obvious – but it’s easier said than done. Tanya offered tips and best practices on how to get the buy-in you need, foster the agility required, and to make the transition to a digital-first mindset in a scalable way.

Haniel Croitoru, Microsoft MVP & Enterprise Architect at Protiviti, and Alyssa Blackburn, Director of Information Strategy at AvePoint, together presented a two-part session on document generation processes. They covered AI rapidly changing the way we work, and the significant opportunity for its use in the information management space. They discussed measurable productivity, efficiency, and cost saving gains to be achieved by incorporating AI into your information management strategy.

The day concluded with a fascinating panel – AI in the Digital Workplace: Promises, Pitfalls & Public Policy Impact – moderated by David Pryor Jr., Chief Engagement Officer of Pryor Strategy Group, which explored how regulators may address concerns related to privacy, security, and transparency.

Here’s one quick takeaway from each of the panelists:

• Alexander Tuzhilin, Professor of Information Systems at NYU discussed Artificial General Intelligence, and which tasks are still best left to humans.
• Julia Glidden, Pivotl Chair, is seeing rapid interest in AI use in the public sector but stressed the importance of making sure there is a strong data strategy in place to ensure safe, secure usage of AI.
• Former Congressman Jerry McNerney discussed the massive potential of AI, and how the tech ecosystem will largely be shaped both by policymakers and their willingness to pass legislation.
• Gerry Petrella, General Manager of US Public Policy, Microsoft, gave examples on the power of joining organizations and advocacy groups, and writing to policymakers demonstrating the positives of AI.

See you back here tomorrow, where we’ll have more keynotes on unleashing the power of AI in the digital workplace, AI mythbusters, and more. For more information, visit our #shifthappens Conference website.