Axios Event: Companies share common AI goals even as launch strategies differ

NEW YORK – Levels of AI adoption vary across companies, but enthusiasm for the technology is widespread, experts agreed at a roundtable discussion event at Axios' annual AI+ Summit.

• Axios' Meg Morrone and Ina Fried moderated the June 4 discussion, sponsored by BCG.

What they're saying: "One of the things we are definitely seeing is people can generically understand what AI can be used for, but when you ask them what's a specific-use case that you can use in your day-to-day work, very few can name more than two," said Rebecca Hinds, head of Asana's Work Innovation Lab.

The big picture: Companies that are effectively scaling AI across their organization aren't relying on top-down mandates that tend to alienate lower-level employees, Hinds said.

• Instead, she said, employees are more likely to adopt AI when their peers do as well.

Case in point: "Every company is very different. … [W]hat we understand is this is a human behavior problem, and we have to understand [some companies] are using it all the time and have adopted it really quickly, and some companies from the top down, they've been resistant," said Sloan Gaon, Updata operating partner.

The bottom line: The review process is crucial to ensuring AI is rolled out correctly, attendees agreed.

• "We use machine learning that is always reviewed by a human and we use basically deterministic modeling," said Elina Onitskansky, Ilant Health founder and CEO.
• "We don't use gen AI … so nothing that ever touches our members, basically, uses gen AI."