How Denver is Leapfrogging the Private Sector in AI Innovation | Box AI-First Podcast EP 22

How Denver is Leapfrogging the Private Sector in AI Innovation | Box AI-First Podcast EP 22

Can the public sector actually innovate faster than private enterprises? In this episode of the AI First Podcast, we sit down with Suma Nallapati, Chief AI and Information Officer for the City and County of Denver, to discuss how Denver is using customer obsession and cutting-edge AI to transform resident services. Suma shares how Denver is leveraging "Sunny"—a secure, encapsulated GPT-powered assistant integrated with Salesforce and MuleSoft—to handle 311 resident inquiries 24/7 in 72 different languages. Discover how they slashed transaction costs from $4.75 with human agents down to just $35 cents per transaction, and how they are streamlining complex licensing and permitting workflows using guided AI processes. We also dive deep into the critical pillars of Denver's AI strategy: delivering real value, driving responsible culture and AI literacy, and designing seamless resident experiences. Learn how Denver established a robust Information Governance Committee, created innovative vendor risk assessments, and why Suma advises other CIOs to "stop doing AI for the sake of AI." Whether you are a public sector leader, a commercial enterprise CIO, or an AI enthusiast, this conversation offers a practical, fearless, and ethical blueprint for driving real-world AI adoption.

How ANL turned its research library into an AI powerhouse | Box AI-First Podcast EP 21

What happens when one of America's most cutting-edge research labs puts AI to work protecting the very discoveries it's designed to accelerate? In this episode of the AI First Podcast, Jon Herstein [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonherstein/], Chief Customer Officer at Box [http://www.box.com/], sits down with Jesse Henning [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessehenning/], Library and Information Manager at Argonne National Laboratory [https://www.anl.gov/], one of the U.S. Department of Energy's premier research institutions. Jesse digs into how Argonne is using AI to accelerate scientific discovery, from streamlining document review and publication workflows to helping researchers surface insights across thousands of technical reports. Learn how they're balancing the immense potential of AI with rigorous governance, protecting sensitive research from being scooped, and navigating national security and export control requirements. Jesse also discusses the evolving role of research librarians as AI stewards, the importance of keeping humans in the loop, and how a deeply ingrained safety culture at Argonne is shaping responsible AI adoption across the lab. Key moments: (00:00) Introduction  (01:30) The real tension between accelerating discovery with AI and controlling what's exposed  (02:57) What Argonne National Laboratory actually does  (04:15) How Argonne makes research publicly available through the DOE  (05:05) The role of a research library in a national lab  (05:12) Using Box Hub RAG to analyze 300 technical reports instantly  (06:35) Handling hallucinations and why "right enough" isn't good enough in science  (07:51) How AI is freeing librarians to focus on harder, unsearchable questions  (10:51) The travel policy chatbot: a real-world, non-hype AI win  (14:46) AI-assisted document review for national security and export control  (16:47) Amplifying signal-to-noise so expert reviewers focus on actual risk  (17:31) How Argonne uses AI for content governance without losing human context  (20:53) What separates AI experiments from true production deployments  (23:14) Top-down vs. bottom-up AI experimentation and why both are happening  (26:04) The "key turning in the lock" moment that makes AI believers out of skeptics  (26:46) Which AI pilots deserve to survive and why curation is the deciding factor  (29:46) Why librarians were always the original AI stewards

How WongDoody keeps humans in the lead with AI | Box AI-First Podcast EP 20

How do you balance the endless potential of AI with the need for strict control? In this episode of the AI First Podcast, Jon Herstein [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonherstein/], Chief Customer Officer at Box [http://www.box.com/], sits down with Jeff Chambers [http://linkedin.com/in/jeffchambers3], VP of IT Technology at WongDoody [http://www.wongdoody.com] an Infosys Company, a global creative technology company. Jeff digs into how WongDoody is using AI to drive innovation, from automating workflows to enhancing digital marketing strategies for global brands. Learn how they’re balancing the power of AI with strong governance, ensuring security and privacy while embracing new technology. Jeff also discusses the challenges of scaling AI responsibly, the importance of a human-in-the-lead approach, and the impact of AI on their internal culture and processes.  Key moments: (00:00) Introduction (01:04) Jeff Chambers introduces himself and WongDoody (01:15) What breaks first when scaling AI across an organization? (01:36) Security and privacy as the primary failure points in enterprise AI adoption (02:25) The tension between enabling AI experimentation and enforcing governance (02:47) How WongDoody follows Infosys's ISO 42001 framework to vet AI models (03:50) Zero trust as the foundation for AI governance and scaling (04:20) What's allowed, what's restricted, and how it's enforced across geographies (04:31) Using Box Enterprise Advanced to deploy AI on data in a deliberate, controlled way (05:49) Managing AI credits, usage tracking, and preventing uncontrolled spend (05:57) Treating AI credits as an R&D expense and benchmarking models against each other (08:07) What most organizations are underestimating about AI right now (08:12) The missing strategy: experimentation lifecycle, change management, and sustained iteration (09:07) The challenge of model deprecation and the need to continuously maintain AI solutions (09:35) Why WongDoody recommends against prematurely customizing or fine-tuning models (10:27) The first controls CIOs need before moving AI from experimentation to production (10:49) Strategy, change champions, zero trust environments, and defining KPIs (12:03) Protecting sensitive content in an AI-powered enterprise environment (12:11) Restructuring user permissions and content access as the foundation for safe AI deployment (13:13) How AI agents inherit user permissions — and why that creates risk (14:14) Securing API gateways and monitoring all access points in AI-connected systems (14:29) Is the concept of zero trust evolving in the age of AI agents? (14:34) The gap between current AI governance tools and what's actually needed (15:33) The case for AI agents having built-in guardrails, like employee security training (15:53) Treating AI agents like new staff — they need training, oversight, and boundaries (16:26) Defining responsible AI at WongDoody (16:29) Vetting LLMs for privacy, security, regulatory compliance, and data residency (17:57) Has AI delivered tangible business value beyond experimentation? (18:11) Real outcomes: RFP processing, text-to-image generation, and design iteration (19:53) Unpacking the "human in the lead" concept vs. human in the loop (20:30) Why continuous human oversight — not just final approval — is essential with AI tools (21:26) Jeff's most controversial take: the ethical and environmental cost of AI (21:37) Data centers, energy consumption, and the responsibility of governments and companies (22:14) Are solutions coming for AI's environmental impact? (22:53) Closing thoughts and takeaways

How NOVO Construction put AI to work and built a smarter content foundation | Box AI-First Podcast EP 19

Ready to see how AI is revolutionizing the construction industry? In this episode of the AI First Podcast, Jon Herstein [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonherstein/], Chief Customer Officer at Box [http://www.box.com/], speaks with Colin Stoner [https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-stoner/], Chief Innovation and Information Officer at NOVO Construction [https://www.novoconstruction.com/], about the cutting-edge ways AI is reshaping operations on the job site and in the office. From automating tedious tasks like processing certificates of insurance to improving coordination across multiple teams and projects, Colin explains how technology is driving efficiency and reducing manual workloads. Learn about NOVO Construction's innovative approach to digital transformation, how they're using AI to streamline construction workflows, and the importance of balancing human expertise with AI capabilities. Colin also shares his insights on overcoming skepticism, embracing change, and building a culture that thrives on new technology. Key moments: (00:00) Introduction (00:58) Colin’s early thoughts on AI and its potential in business settings (03:01) Administrative pain points and using AI to process certificates of insurance (04:17) Searchability, system of record, and tying COIs back to projects (06:04) Check processing, lien releases, and Box Sign automation (07:45) Job security fears and how AI frees people for higher-value work (09:09) Knowledge sharing between sites, partners, and the office (09:28) Moving project content to the cloud and improving governance (09:54) Building a knowledge graph to connect project records and Box files (11:14) AI-powered search, answers, and source-based retrieval across project docs (11:58) Security, permissions, and project-level access control (13:14) Change management and adapting to AI with patience (16:06) Why teams should keep experimenting as AI improves (17:06) Colin’s thoughts on how AI could shape construction in the next 3–5 years (18:54) Advice for peers: lay the right foundation (20:56) Security, integration, and using AI carefully (21:40) Rapid-fire: AI value, culture, and enterprise readiness

Why AI Adoption Is Like Jazz — BTS on What Makes Pilots Stick | Box AI-First Podcast EP 18

Many are confusing AI adoption with AI access. In this episode of the AI First Podcast, Jon Herstein [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonherstein/], Chief Customer Officer at Box [http://www.box.com/], speaks with Peter Mulford [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-mulford-8793875/], EVP and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at BTS, and Ranjit Pookkottil [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ranjit-pookkottil-2b7ba25/], Global Head of Global IT and Compliance at BTS about the real journey of AI adoption in enterprise environments. Peter and Ranjeet share their firsthand experience navigating the complexities of integrating AI, overcoming resistance, and driving meaningful change within organizations. They discuss how AI can alter workflows, from boosting operational efficiency to redefining business outcomes, while emphasizing the importance of trust, governance, and clear communication to make AI a sustainable part of the business transformation process. Key moments: (00:00) Introduction (01:21) Discussing AI adoption versus access with Ranjeet and Peter. (04:01) AI’s impact on professional identity and team behavior. (05:34) AI's operational impact in sales, especially CRM and workflow improvements. (07:59) Key ingredients for scaling AI: clarity, humility, and rapid learning loops. (10:24) The importance of clarity in problem definition and measurable goals. (13:06) Embedding AI into workflows for tangible, measurable change. (15:02) Balancing AI governance with innovation speed. (18:41) The risks of late governance and the need for early intervention. (21:27) Data sensitivity and managing cross-client contamination risks. (23:03) How top-down leadership can stifle innovation in AI adoption (jazz analogy). (26:42) Deciding whether to scale, pivot, or kill an AI initiative. (28:54) Closing thoughts