Andrew Psaltis

Andrew Psaltis

Andrew Psaltis is a global technology executive, acclaimed speaker, and industry thought leader specializing in unlocking the transformative power of AI and data analytics for businesses. As the founder of Dragonfly Rising, he partners with organizations to design and implement cutting-edge AI strategies, fostering innovation and driving measurable growth. His hands-on leadership, coupled with an ability to bridge the gap between executive vision and technical execution, has earned him the trust of C-level executives across industries and regions.

Andrew's career includes remarkable achievements at organizations like Google Cloud, Cloudera, and Hortonworks. At Google Cloud, Andrew held several roles. He was the Asia head of AI and Data Analytics, leading a team of 85+ specialists. He was instrumental in launching the Accenture-Google Cloud Data & AI (AGDA) initiative and partnered with many Fortune 500 enterprises to help them understand and utilize data and AI. Andrew subsequently was part of the Data Analytics Outbound Product Management team. As APAC Regional CTO for Cloudera and Hortonworks, Andrew played a pivotal role in scaling revenue from $1 million to $100 million, providing strategic guidance to global leaders on transformative AI and data strategies. His expertise is further evidenced by his authorship of the book "Streaming Data," solidifying his position as a thought leader in the field.

In addition to his executive leadership roles, Andrew hosts "AI Demystified for Executives," a podcast dedicated to making AI accessible and actionable for business leaders. Andrew empowers executives to confidently embrace AI through engaging discussions, transforming complex concepts into clear, actionable insights. This initiative reflects his dedication to AI literacy and his passion for empowering organizations to thrive in the digital age.

Andrew's unique ability to connect technical innovation with strategic business goals makes him a sought-after speaker for audiences ranging from boardrooms to global conferences. Whether discussing the future of AI or sharing actionable insights, he delivers a captivating message that inspires and equips organizations to excel in the AI-driven economy.

Most Requested Programs

Navigating the AI Revolution: Maximizing ROI
This talk will provide your audience with actionable insights to overcome AI adoption challenges and unlock their AI investments' full potential. This presentation is built upon the presenter's expertise in AI and draws on real-world examples and case studies to illustrate key concepts.

Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of:

  • The AI Investment Dilemma: The presentation addresses the challenge of demonstrating tangible results and overcoming barriers to AI adoption.
  • Developing Impactful Use Cases: The talk then dives into the critical steps in crafting impactful AI use cases. This involves aligning AI projects with strategic goals and using a balanced scorecard approach to prioritize the correct problems to solve.
  • Aligning AI with Business Value: The presentation emphasizes the importance of aligning AI strategy with organizational strategy to maximize impact. It provides a framework for establishing a unified approach that connects AI initiatives with business objectives, resource allocation, and budget planning.
  • Achieving AI Accountability: The talk concludes by introducing a comprehensive AI accountability solution, covering enterprise AI maturity, alignment of strategic objectives, and complete accountability throughout the AI lifecycle.

The presentation will be engaging and interactive, encouraging audience participation and questions. This talk goes beyond theory, equipping your audience with practical strategies and tools they can implement immediately to optimize their AI initiatives and drive business success.

AI Demystified
This talk, "AI Demystified," empowers business executives to make informed decisions about AI adoption and implementation. Drawing on years of expertise and real-world case studies, the presentation guides attendees through a step-by-step journey, from understanding the fundamentals of AI to building a strategic roadmap for AI-powered transformation.

Key takeaways include:

  • Understanding the AI Landscape: The talk begins by providing a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning, addressing common misconceptions, and clarifying key definitions.
  • Identifying Business Opportunities: Attendees will learn to identify high-impact use cases for AI within their specific industries. This includes leveraging industry capability maps to pinpoint areas where AI can drive the most value. The talk will showcase practical examples of how AI transforms healthcare, utilities, education, insurance, and more industries.
  • Building a Strategic AI Roadmap: The presentation outlines a structured approach to developing an effective AI strategy, starting with establishing responsible AI guiding principles. This includes:
    • Aligning AI initiatives with overarching business objectives.
    • Assess current AI maturity levels and identify gaps to address.
    • Prioritizing candidate AI opportunities based on business value and project complexity.
    • Developing clear policies for AI usage that address ethical considerations, data privacy, and security.

The presentation concludes by highlighting tools and frameworks, such as Dragonfly Rising's Outcome-Driven Innovation Flywheel and the AI Maturity Assessment & Roadmap Tool, that can help organizations accelerate their AI journey and achieve sustainable business outcomes.

Attendees will leave this talk equipped with the knowledge, strategies, and resources they need to confidently navigate the world of AI and harness its power to drive business growth and innovation.

Developing an AI Strategy
Provides a comprehensive framework for creating and implementing a successful AI strategy tailored to your organization's needs and goals.

Drawing on insights from the "School of Data," an impactful program designed to accelerate enterprise value with AI, this presentation guides attendees through a proven process for navigating the complex landscape of AI adoption and maximizing return on investment.

Key topics covered include:

  • The Business Imperative for AI:
    • The talk will begin by highlighting why businesses need a robust AI strategy in today's data-driven world. The sources emphasize that AI and data strategies are often disconnected from core business objectives, resulting in only 10% of organizations realizing significant financial benefits from AI. This disconnect underscores the need for a strategic approach to AI adoption.
  • Bridging the Gap Between Strategy and Execution:
    • The presentation's core focus is bridging the gap between AI aspirations and tangible business outcomes. It outlines a four-phase process for establishing responsible AI guiding principles, assessing current AI maturity, prioritizing opportunities, and building a comprehensive roadmap.
  • Aligning AI with Business Value:
    • The talk emphasizes the importance of aligning AI initiatives with overarching business objectives to ensure they drive measurable value.
    • It provides a framework for creating a unified strategy that connects organizational goals with specific AI initiatives, resource allocation, and budget planning.
    • This alignment is crucial for securing buy-in from stakeholders and ensuring that AI investments deliver a tangible return.
  • Assessing and Addressing AI Maturity:
    • The presentation guides attendees through assessing their organization's current level of AI maturity across five key dimensions: vision and strategy, AI operating model, AI engineering and operations, data and technology, and talent and skills.
    • This assessment helps pinpoint areas for improvement and provides insights into the organization's readiness to adopt and scale AI solutions.
  • Prioritizing Opportunities and Developing Policies:
    • The talk outlines a systematic approach for prioritizing candidate AI opportunities based on business value, project complexity, and alignment with responsible AI principles.
    • This prioritization framework ensures that organizations focus on high-impact initiatives that align with strategic goals and ethical considerations. The presentation also emphasizes the importance of developing explicit policies for AI usage to mitigate risks and ensure responsible implementation.

This presentation provides a clear and actionable framework for developing an AI strategy that will empower your organization to harness the power of AI, drive innovation, and achieve sustainable business success.
Attendees will leave this talk equipped with the following:

  • A deep understanding of the key components of a successful AI strategy.
  • Practical tools and frameworks for assessing AI maturity and prioritizing opportunities.
  • Insights into aligning AI initiatives with business objectives and maximizing ROI.
  • A roadmap for building a data-driven culture that embraces responsible AI principles.

Accelerating Enterprise Value with AI
This talk offers a practical roadmap for organizations seeking to harness the transformative power of AI and drive significant business growth. Drawing on industry best practices, real-world case studies, and a proven framework called the "Outcome-Driven Innovation Flywheel," this talk will equip you with the knowledge and tools to unlock the full potential of AI and accelerate your journey to data-driven success.
This talk addresses a crucial challenge many organizations face: the disconnect between AI and Data strategies and the core business, resulting in limited financial benefits from AI investments.

Key areas covered include:

  • Understanding the Current State: The presentation begins by examining the current state of AI adoption, highlighting the common pain points experienced by enterprises. This includes:
    • Disconnected data initiatives lead to confusion and inefficient resource allocation.
    • Reactive decision-making hinders growth and innovation.
    • Sporadic innovation fails to drive consistent progress and competitive advantage.
  • Key Impact Areas: The talk will explore the specific areas where this framework can drive significant improvements. These include:
    • Accelerated Cloud Maturity: Through data-powered strategies, organizations can significantly reduce the time to achieve cloud maturity, enabling faster innovation cycles and business value realization.
    • Enhanced AI/ML Adoption and Cost Savings: By fostering a data-driven culture and providing the necessary skills and frameworks, organizations can achieve significantly higher AI/ML adoption rates and realize substantial cost savings.
    • Transformative Business Outcomes: The presentation will showcase the tangible business outcomes achieved through the "School of Data" framework. This includes:
      • Accelerated, sustainable revenue growth.
      • Right-sized, optimized cloud spend.
      • Measurable returns on cloud investment.
    • Building an AI Roadmap: Attendees will learn how to develop a customized AI roadmap that aligns with their business objectives and guides their AI journey. Key steps include:
      • Establishing responsible AI guiding principles.
      • Assessing current AI maturity levels.
      • Prioritizing candidate opportunities.
      • Developing policies for AI usage.

This talk offers a unique blend of strategic insights and practical guidance, providing attendees with:

  • A clear understanding of the challenges and opportunities in accelerating enterprise value with AI.
  • A proven framework for developing and implementing a successful AI strategy.
  • Practical tools and techniques for driving AI maturity and maximizing ROI.
  • Real-world examples of how organizations have successfully leveraged AI to transform their businesses.

Attendees will leave this talk inspired, informed, and empowered to lead their organizations on a transformative AI journey, unlocking new efficiency, innovation, and business value.

Testimonials

I've had the pleasure of collaborating with Andrew, both as a client for a speaking session, and as a co-presenter on stage. Andrew has an engaging presentation style that ensures even the most complex topics are broken down for the audience into clear, accessible concepts. His deep understanding of the data space is coupled with a pragmatic approach to presenting compelling solutions to the audience, which leaves you feeling inspired and motivated to tackle new challenges. Highly recommended! - Ravi Hulasi, Head of Strategic Solutions at Tamr

Andrew Psaltis, Founder of Dragonfly Rising and Google Alum gave a keynote entitled "Navigating the AI Revolution: Maximizing ROI Through Strategic Control and Accountability" at our global Artificial Intelligence Innovation Summit with an audience of over 40,000 people. Andrew was a dynamic storyteller who knew how to communicate and innovate. Thousands of people have downloaded Andrew's presentation and word is spreading about his empowering presentations! I highly recommend Andrew for your next speaking opportunity! - Gerald "Solutionman" Haman, Founder The SolutionPeople Network