The Intelligent Leader

Welcome to The Intelligent Leader!

Welcome to “The Intelligent Leader,” a podcast that equips modern business leaders with the insights needed to navigate the ever-changing world of data & analytics to drive their organizations forward.   In each episode, we'll explore the strategies top companies use to tackle their key challenges, from AI trends to big data. Our guests include a diverse lineup of industry experts, tech innovators and business leaders who share their experiences in leveraging data to drive growth. Whether you're a data pro or just starting out, “The Intelligent Leader” delivers actionable insights to lead your organization confidently into the data-driven future. Brought to you by Infocepts, improving business results through more effective use of data, AI & user-friendly analytics. Hosted By: Shashank Garg, Founder & CEO – Infocepts Visit Infocepts [http://infocepts.ai/]

What Retail and Media Leaders Can Learn from Instacart’s AI Playbook

In this episode of The Intelligent Leader, host Shashank Garg sits down with Ali Miller, VP of Ads Product at Instacart, to explore the rapidly transforming world of retail media. With a background at Google and YouTube, Ali brings a unique lens to how technology, data, and commerce intersect in building an impactful advertising ecosystem. Ali shares how Instacart is expanding its retail media platform across thousands of partners, leveraging AI and ML to drive real-time personalization while maintaining consumer trust and data privacy. She discusses key strategic bets, such as their CTV campaigns with NBC and their use of clean rooms to preserve user privacy. The conversation offers deep insights into incrementality measurement, full-funnel ad strategies, and where generative AI fits in the future of retail. This episode is a must-listen for leaders in e-commerce, advertising, media, and data science looking to understand the full scope of what's next in digital commerce. Key Quotes:  "Creating these shoppable moments where you can inspire someone while they're watching the Paris Olympics, for example, which was when virtual concessions really came to life and helping to kind of, you know, just enrich that experience by making it not just a typical ad experience, but hey, like get your snacks to watch with the incredible game that you're about to see on your tv. You know, it's easy to fall in love with technical solutions. It's easy to get excited about, oh, this capability that we have that we didn't have before, but. Only once it's really connected to something of value, that's where we're starting to see it come to life more." -Ali Miller   :Using generative AI to create much more metadata, much more context and supplement, you know, your products and transactions with additional metadata that is gonna further make your AI better. The future of personalization is less about more data and much more about smarter joints. And who you join with, how you align your purpose, and how you will continuously learn from these signals to make it better next time." -Shashank Garg Time Stamps: * (02:28) Ali Miller's Role at Instacart * (06:23) Challenges and Innovations in Retail Media * (15:00) Privacy and Personalization in Advertising * (20:30) Generative AI and Future Trends * (36:16) Looking Ahead: Trends and Advice Links: Connect with Ali Miller [https://www.linkedin.com/in/about-ali-miller/] Learn more about Instacart [https://www.instacart.com/] Connect with Shashank Garg [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shashankgarg/] Learn More About Infocepts [https://www.infocepts.ai/]

Assistive vs Agentic AI in Life Sciences: Use Cases & Learnings

In this episode of The Intelligent Leader Podcast, host Shashank Garg sits down with Kabir Patel, Global Head of IT at AstraZeneca, to explore the rapidly evolving world of agentic AI. Kabir unpacks what truly sets agentic AI apart from traditional automation, RPA, and generative models—highlighting its ability to reason, act, and learn autonomously. Drawing on years of experience in pharma tech and digital operations, he shares a clear framework for building these systems, from memory and context to reasoning engines and tool integration. With real-world use cases like self-healing supply chains and autonomous service management, Kabir paints a compelling picture of how agentic AI can reshape industries by embedding intelligence directly into workflows. The conversation also addresses the practical challenges of scaling AI across the enterprise. Shashank and Kabir discuss how organizations should start with assistive AI in low-risk domains like IT and HR before evolving toward more complex, autonomous systems. They explore the growing ecosystem of agentic AI platforms, the strategic decisions enterprises face in choosing between building, buying, or integrating, and the importance of reimagining business processes—not just layering AI on top. Whether you're a tech leader, AI strategist, or simply curious about the future of intelligent systems, this episode offers both a roadmap and a reality check for what's coming next. Time Stamps: [00:22] Kabir's Background and Role at AstraZeneca [02:07] Understanding Agent AI [06:19] Building Blocks of Agent AI [08:06] Use Cases in Pharma and Beyond [15:32] Scaling AI in Enterprises [24:00] What is the Future of Agentic AI and Beyond? Links: Connect with Kabir [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kabirpatel/?originalSubdomain=uk] Lean More about AstraZeneca [https://www.astrazeneca.com/] Connect with Shashank Garg [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shashankgarg/] Learn More About Infocepts [https://www.infocepts.ai/]

From Data to Decisions: The Evolving Role of Data Science & AI in Supply Chain

In this episode of The Intelligent Leader Podcast, host Shashank Garg sits down with Prateek Shrivastava, Advanced Analytics Manager at Cummins and a seasoned data scientist passionate about solving complex supply chain challenges. Prateek shares how his early fascination with math and computers evolved into a career that has taken him from business intelligence to pioneering data-driven solutions at companies like 84.51° and now Cummins. From forecasting surging grocery pickup orders during COVID-19 to predicting truck failures before they happen, he breaks down the real-world impact of AI in ways that go beyond buzzwords. With a mix of technical depth and business pragmatism, Prateek explains why data scientists today must shift from building models in silos to embedding AI into business workflows—where the real magic happens. The conversation also dives into the latest trends shaping the future of AI and supply chain management. Shashank and Prateek explore how automation, predictive analytics, and even generative AI are transforming operations, making supply chains more resilient in the face of disruptions like tariffs and compliance regulations. They discuss the importance of explainable AI, the rapid evolution of platforms like Databricks, and how companies can scale AI successfully without losing business buy-in. Whether you're a data science leader, a supply chain professional, or just someone curious about the intersection of AI and business, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss. Key Quote:  “With AutoML, what has happened is you don't have to migrate or move your data from one system to another system. You can just put your data all together in one place, and try out all the models that are already there, it will do a lot of feature engineering for you as well. The data science role has gone from is building models to actually knowing what data is. So if there are any external parameters that you think that will help the system and that has increased a lot of productivity,” * Prateek Shrivastava Time Stamps: * (01:03) Prateek's Journey into Data Science * (03:29) Supply Chain Challenges and Solutions * (11:26) Technological Advancements in Data Science * (27:43) Future Trends in Data Science and Supply Chain Links: Connect with Prateek [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pshrivastava1989/] Learn More About Cummins [https://www.cummins.com/] Connect with Shashank Garg [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shashankgarg/] Learn More About Infocepts [https://www.infocepts.ai/]

Is BI Dead? Will Generative AI Make Traditional Reporting Obsolete?

What happens when the groundbreaking potential of AI collides with the steadfast utility of business intelligence (BI)? That’s the spark ignited in this episode of The Intelligent Leader with host Shashank Garg and guest Suvajit Basu.Suvajit, Entrepreneur, CIO, and IT leader at top CPG firms demystifies the interplay between these technologies, showing how AI’s predictive and generative capabilities are poised not to replace but enhance traditional BI—breathing life into static dashboards and transforming eye-candy visuals into actionable insights. The two also delve into real-world applications with vivid examples, from revolutionizing Monday morning executive summaries to reshaping retail strategies with contextualized planograms. Suvajit and Shashank explore cutting-edge advancements in data platforms, predictive analytics, and the crucial role of human-AI collaboration. Whether you’re an AI skeptic or an enthusiast, Suvajit’s insights reveal the vast opportunities lying in the sweet spot where AI, BI, and human expertise intersect. This episode is a treasure trove for leaders navigating the shifting sands of enterprise data strategies. From practical advice—like building cross-functional teams and ensuring robust data governance—to thought-provoking predictions about AI’s future role in decision-making, the discussion is as engaging as it is enlightening. Tune in to discover how intelligent leaders can embrace AI and BI as complementary forces driving the next wave of innovation. Key Quote:  “The next-gen stuff which we have been using are all based on AI models and that's basically predicting here is a lateral movement or here is a bad actor or here is a breach, right?  The best tools are the ones who are using AI technology at its core to understand that a breach potentially, can happen or has happened and then giving you an alert, an intelligent alert, right? And that is huge. Imagine the value of that. That's almost, limitless value.” * Suvajit Basu Key Moments * (01:34) Suvajit’s Professional Journey [https://www.infocepts.ai/podcast/episode-4-is-bi-dead-will-generative-ai-make-traditional-reporting-obsolete/] * (04:47) The Evolution of BI and AI [https://www.infocepts.ai/podcast/episode-4-is-bi-dead-will-generative-ai-make-traditional-reporting-obsolete/] * (08:25) AI and BI: Complementary Technologies [https://www.infocepts.ai/podcast/episode-4-is-bi-dead-will-generative-ai-make-traditional-reporting-obsolete/] * (17:46) The Power of AI Synergy in Personalization [https://www.infocepts.ai/podcast/episode-4-is-bi-dead-will-generative-ai-make-traditional-reporting-obsolete/] * (22:59) Technological Shifts and Innovations [https://www.infocepts.ai/podcast/episode-4-is-bi-dead-will-generative-ai-make-traditional-reporting-obsolete/] * (29:58) Advice for AI Adoption [https://www.infocepts.ai/podcast/episode-4-is-bi-dead-will-generative-ai-make-traditional-reporting-obsolete/] Links: Connect with Suvajit Basu [https://www.linkedin.com/in/suvajitbasunyc/] Connect with Shashank Garg [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shashankgarg/] Learn More About Infocepts [https://www.infocepts.ai/]