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Robert J Abate, Founder and CDAO, Info Immersion LLC

Robert J Abate, Founder and CDAO, Info Immersion LLC

Describe your career to date

I have been extremely fortunate to have worked alongside and with some of the world’s leaders and industry thought-leaders in data management, analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. From this I learned a great deal about the pitfalls that the data industry faces and the disillusionment of enterprise-wide data literacy.

I have also seen great success stories in implementing machine learning, predictive and prescriptive analytics and generative AI (genAI) for specific use cases and learned the best practices or controls required to make success repeatable and the roadblocks to implementations.

I consider myself fortunate and blessed to have a network of peers, including being a board member in the International Society of Chief Data Officers and working alongside the global CDOIQ organization to assist other CDAO’s in achieving the elusive data-drive enterprise. By creating, collaborating and distributing best practices working amongst and with other industry thought leaders, I am constantly learning and growing.

What challenges do you see for data in the year ahead that will have an impact on you and on the industry as a whole? 

GenAI has made its mark on the industry and is being pushed into organizations in use cases it was not intended for. This will create a challenge in implementing projects without the best practices or change management controls required to implement tools successfully or with the oversight controls needed. There are several use cases for genAI and with controls (such as ethics) organizations can capitalize on this new technology.

How do you see data literacy developing across a) your network and b) the data industry generally?

Data literacy is challenged across both the public and private organizations as leaders develop better programs and tools to provide end users with an understanding of the wealth of information available to them. As CDO’s mature, further best practices documents will come out that will help organizations put in the tools and training required to turn more organizations into data driven leaders.

How do you see the industry preparing for AI adoption and change management?

AI adoption and change management at an all-time high, as visualized by the wealth of employment opportunities in the AI and change management space. One of the real challenges that has resulted from this in-organic hiring blitz is that there is no one method to implement generative AI and other new tools – and these require considerations like ethical boundaries and checks and balances that are being overlooked. With this type of rush, often disillusionment occurs, and programs are restarted over again with more control and the understanding of shortcomings that came from the previous failures.

Robert J Abate
has been included in:

100 Influencers 2023 (USA)
100 Influencers 2024 (USA)

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Robert J Abate, Founder and CDAO, Info Immersion LLC

Join our membership network of over 250 global senior data and AI leaders.

The trusted global collaboration and intelligence platform for data leaders.

Join our membership network of over 250
global senior data and AI leaders.