Axios Event: Company leaders anticipate innovative AI and tech combinations

LAS VEGAS – Combining AI with other technologies will lead to innovative uses in various industries, multiple company leaders said at a Jan. 7 Axios roundtable conversation.

Why it matters: These potential combinations hold exciting promise across a range of consumer devices, creative tools and autonomous systems, attendees said, but also pose challenges on matching human creativity.

Axios' Sam Sabin and Lucinda Shen moderated the roundtable discussion event, which was sponsored by Autodesk.

What they're saying: "What we're going to see that's super interesting that I see the leaders doing is [the] combining of tools and technologies," United Talent Agency chief technology officer Eric Iverson said.

• "The whole series of technologies working together, that's what is super interesting to me. Whether it's robotics plus AI, it's creative tools plus AI … that's what we're trying to figure out," he continued.

Qualcomm's goal is to bring AI into every device used today, said SVP and general manager of technology planning and edge solutions Durga Malladi.

• "We are way beyond chatbots. … We are talking about solving some hardcore fundamental problems that we have not solved in more than 100 years," Malladi said.

AI has been helpful in training algorithms used for autonomous boating and automatic docking, said Brandon Ferriman, senior director of autonomy and ADAS programs at Brunswick Corporation.

• "We've been spending our time training these algorithms … that's where AI has come in as a technical tool for us," Ferriman said.

Navigating the implications of new technology on content quality and creativity is a big challenge for industries like entertainment, animation and advertising, multiple participants said.

• "I think the reality is that a lot of these tools … they'll produce something – the question is around quality," said Tony Gemma, vice president and global head of Yahoo Creative.
• "I think for AI to realize its potential in creative quality, there's a human element that's hard to replace," Gemma continued.