Andy Markus, Chief Data Officer – Senior Vice President Data and AI, AT&T

Describe your career to date

As Senior Vice President and Chief Data and AI Officer for AT&T, I lead the strategic vision for data platforms, automation, business intelligence, traditional and generative artificial intelligence (genAI) and data and AI governance across the firm empowering employees and delivering data and analytical driven executions that add value to the company and its customers.

I am an accomplished data and AI professional with over 30 years of experience in providing creative and privacy-compliant solutions to real-world issues. My expertise involves creating and cultivating large data ecosystems; driving value to the business through AI and ML execution; motivating and leading talented data and AI professionals; as well as consistently delivering strategic plans to accomplish key organizational goals.

My previous roles include time as Senior Vice President, Data and Consumer Analytics at WarnerMedia, where I delivered data and analytical solutions across legacy Turner, HBO, and Warner Bros. Prior to WarnerMedia, I was Vice President, Database Marketing Services at Time Inc and before that I was Assistant Vice President with Management Decision Systems, where I was involved in the creation of the financial industry’s first mass marketed credit bureau-based risk models.

I graduated from The University of Alabama with master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Statistics with a minor in Computer Science.

How are you developing the data literacy of your organization, including the skills of your data teams and of your business stakeholders?

I am developing the data literacy of the organization by evangelizing data and AI excellence. I am also evangelizing common and best in class standards through both senior and operational level leaders. Ensuring training and education around data literacy are a core part of the wider organizational annual goals.

I am delivering significant and meaningful value with data AI execution to show the art of the possible, as well as pushing for the democratization of data and AI functionality and access.

What role do you play in building and delivering conventional AI solutions, including machine learning models? Are you involved in your organization’s adoptions of generative AI?

The Chief Data Office at AT&T is leading the company in the strategy, adoption, architecture, and execution of both traditional and generative AI. We have created a platform for generative AI (genAI) called Ask AT&T and have rolled it out to 65,000 employees. The platform is also driving genAI use cases across field, care, finance, HR, supply chain, sales, software development lifecycle, and network via APIs.

How are you preparing your organization for AI adoption and change management?

Evangelizing AI success and potential to the C-Suite at AT&T has been instrumental in getting top-down adoption of AI strategy. I want to ensure each part of the business sees AI adoption as imperative for the success for the company to integrate data AI into the fabric of how AT&T runs its business.