Bridging the Gap Between Research and Leadership Welcome to the Making AI Possible Podcast—your monthly deep dive into the latest breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and how they’re shaping the world around us. Produced at Caltech in Pasadena, California, this series features in-depth conversations with the people driving AI innovation forward. This podcast series features the latest AI advancements with some of the brightest minds in the field, such as groundbreaking research from AI industry leaders, labs here on campus, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which Caltech manages for NASA. In our October 7 session of Making AI Possible, Director of AI Programs, Nicholas Beaudoin, sits down with Dr. Crystal Dilworth, Caltech PhD, global science communicator, and host of the 100+ year Watson Lecture series, about the evolving intersection of science communication and artificial intelligence. They discuss what AI can and cannot solve in bridging the gap between research and leadership, share stories of AI as both a personal collaborator and a team thought partner, and explore how AI systems carry cultural assumptions into the workplace and beyond. From training scientists to lead in entrepreneurial spaces, to weighing whether enterprise AI choices reflect or reshape organizational values, this conversation challenges us to consider how the tools we deploy shape the future we want to build. Dr. Crystal Dilworth, AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador for STEM, is an international voice for science, strategic communicator, and non-profit board member. She received her PhD from the Caltech division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in 2014 and for the last decade has worked as a science communicator, television correspondent, and start-up advisor. She is host of the historic Watson Lectures series at Caltech, and can also be found on networks including Voice of America, Al Jazeera, and CBS. Off-screen, Dr. Dilworth works closely with academic groups and early stage start-ups, training faculty and founders in public speaking, leadership communication, and storytelling. She is an advisor for the AI working group of the Future Talent Council, helping build best practices for AI integration into higher ed and executive leadership environments, and the start-up software company Instill.ai, building the world's first AI powered "culture operating system". ♦ As Caltech CTME's Affiliate Director of AI Programs, Nicholas Beaudoin intersects strategic program development with hands-on curriculum design, positioning AI/ML education programs at the forefront of technological transformation. Leading the AI programs at Caltech's Center for Technology & Management Education, Nicholas' focus is on delivering impactful learning experiences tailored to a diverse clientele, including private and public sectors, as well as government and non-profit organizations

Curious & Cuirky, crafted by Caltech, is an engaging monthly Zoom series bringing curious thought leaders from Caltech Executive Education together to share fresh insights on the hottest and most innovative news in the business world. In these fascinating round-table webinars, our education experts present emerging ideas on compelling business topics in lightning talks of 5-10 minutes each. Then in an open discussion, they expand on their topics, inviting questions from attendees. Always interesting, always "cuirky" and curious. You'll walk away with a unique perspective on how to manage business challenges and stimulate your creativity. You won't want to miss it! Here's what we'll be talking about... Relax and unwind Relaaaax! August 15th is National Relaxation Day. In Bryan Mattimore’s new book, Genius at Your Side, Solving Everyday Problems with Help from History’s Greats, our great coach, Walt Whitman, gives us advice on how to stop rushing through life: "loafe at ease, observing a spear of summer grass." Harley Davidson motorcycle Born to Be Wild From Tattoos to Turnaround: Harley-Davidson was once the ultimate symbol of brand devotion—customers even tattooed their logo on their bodies! But the brand has drifted from its core identity, illustrating the cost of losing strategic focus and customer alignment. Supply Chain Management Getting it Right McMurdo Station is America’s Antarctic research station located on the southern tip of Ross Island. Its remote location and harsh climate demand exceptional supply chain management. Global supply chains that cannot fail may learn valuable lessons from this science outpost.

Curious & Cuirky Here's what we'll be talking about... Open Sesame The Gate Was There for a Reason We delve into lessons in career growth, discipline, and dad wisdom—honoring the long path and those who taught us to walk it. AI Technology Fog In today’s AI gold rush, it’s easy to lose sight of strategy in the stampede for tools. We'll explore how history’s tech missteps offer the clarity we need to navigate in today’s AI-driven fog. Tariff Lessons Perhaps historical tariff lessons can clarify some of the predicted consequences and eventual outcomes of today's tariff climate. Are you ready to sleep more soundly?

In this 45-minute session, our education experts present emerging ideas on compelling business topics in lightning talks of 5-10 minutes each. One Product, Many Jobs. Learning from Misfits. Whatcha Gonna Ask?

The Power to Predict: How AI is Changing B2B Sales and Customer Strategy What if you could anticipate customer needs, predict deal success, prepare for future trends, and stop churn before it happens? AI-powered predictive analytics is transforming B2B sales, turning guesswork into precision decision-making—and giving companies a powerful edge.

In this 45-minute session, our education experts present emerging ideas on compelling business topics in lightning talks of 5-10 minutes each. Then in an open discussion, they expand on their topics, inviting questions from attendees. Always interesting, always "cuirky" and curious. You'll walk away with a unique perspective on how to manage business challenges and stimulate your creativity. You won't want to miss it! Here's What We'll Be Talking About Seeing into the future Seeing the Future The Power to Predict: How AI is Changing B2B Sales and Customer Strategy What if you could anticipate customer needs, predict deal success, prepare for future trends, and stop churn before it happens? AI-powered predictive analytics is transforming B2B sales, turning guesswork into precision decision-making—and giving companies a powerful edge. Listen up Lending Your Ear Introducing a new book from Bryan Mattimore: "The Surprising Benefits of Saying Less and Achieving More." Chapters include: Silence as a Leadership Skill, Conflict Resolution, Negotiation and the Art of the Strategic Pause, and Parenting with Silence! Curious? Let's find out what "silence strategies" you might adopt for greater success in your work and personal life! Unbreakable Leadership Mental Resilience The Art of Unbreakable Leadership. People regularly deal with critical decisions, debilitating setbacks, and high pressure environments. What separates someone who thrives in the face of adversity from those who crumble? It's mental resilience—the ability to train yourself to be brutally honest with yourself, to strengthen your mind and push yourself beyond your limits.

Episode Summary In this episode we discuss: • An Innovative Way to Retain Top Talent How can organizations bring a future-focused, innovative mindset to their recruiting and retention efforts? One answer may be using a new ideation technique created to invent "jobs that don't yet exist." • Election Campaigns & B2B Marketers What can B2B marketers learn from election campaigns? By examining both successes and failures in political marketing, we'll uncover actionable insights that can transform how companies engage with their markets. • "Winning Isn’t for Everyone…" Does Nike’s ad for the Olympics, "Winning Isn’t For Everyone… Am I a Bad Person?" foster an internal culture where winning is defined as “lack of compassion, respect, empathy and an obsession with power”?

In this episode we discuss: *Why (and how) is gamification being increasingly used in B2B marketing and sales? *Innovating the Olympics! There are 390 medal events at the Paris Olympics. Could we make it an even 400 at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028? And if so, what are some criteria we might consider for creating – and including – a future event? Curious? Let’s imagine together what might be to come! *Managing Remote Workers - Are Productivity Tracking Tools the Answer? *The world’s biggest 2-week sporting event is ready to kick-off on July 26 – the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. More than 10,500 elite athletes from around the globe will compete for the gold at 17 competition sites. You think this is an easy program to organize? Think again. From construction to logistics, sponsoring an Olympics is the LARGEST logistics challenge known to man. Listen to the complexities and magnitude of logistics requirements here. Moderator: Tom Spitale Producer: Tracylynne Williams

In this episode we discuss: *What’s Love Got To Do With It? How Microsoft is using the principles of B2B storytelling to connect emotionally with business buyers of their Artificial Intelligence offerings - and how you can take a page out of their book. *Raising AI to the Third Power: AI & AI (Acquisition Integration) & AI (Acquisition Innovation) . In the news: Conoco Phillips announced it’s acquiring Marathon Oil for $22.5 billion. Becton Dickinson is acquiring Edwards Critical Care Product group for $4.2 billion. WM (Waste Management) is acquiring Stericycle (medical waste services) for $7.2 billion. And Uber Eats is acquiring Foodpanda for $950 million. Yes, lots going on these days in M & A. *Now the hard work begins for these companies to successfully integrate – and realize the potential synergies – of their new acquisitions. What are some best practices in acquisition integration? And can AI help the acquirer be more creative in identifying and exploiting unforeseen innovation opportunities in its newly-acquired company? Let’s find out! *New AI technology aimed at improving job hiring hasn’t worked … What needs to change? *When Protecting Manufacturing, IP Becomes a Sovereign Strategy… Taiwan produces around 90% of the world's most advanced chips. Netherlands-based ASML Holding NV and Taiwan-based TSMC have created remote means to disable critical equipment needed to manufacture semiconductors. ASML makes Extreme Ultraviolet machines and is the ONLY manufacturer in the world, selling at >$200 million each. Netherlands law prohibits ASML from selling these machines to Chinese companies. It is Europe’s most valued tech stock with a valuation double that of Intel… about $370 billion. But China, working with Huawei, has cobbled together proxy machines that can perform, albeit inefficiently, the same processes. TSMC Chairman Mark Liu hinted in a September interview with CNN that any invader of Taiwan would find his company’s chip making machines out of order. “Nobody can control TSMC by force,” Liu said. “If there is a military invasion, we will render TSMC’s factory non-operable.” If this happens, expect MASSIVE shortages of semiconductors. Smart customers will dramatically increase their safety stocks and order at least a year’s supply of devices NOW. Moderator: Tom Spitale Producer: Tracylynne Williams

In this episode we discuss: *Do you own a pair of ON running shoes, even if you’re not a runner? If you are launching a new product - what can ON teach us about disrupting a market using the Magnetic Effect of Focus? *“Intelligent failing” is a critical success factor in any successful innovation initiative. But what about “unintelligent failing”… as we’ve seen recently at Boeing? Let’s take a deeper look at these different kinds of “failure,” and see how “question-storming” at Boeing could have helped prevent their recent quality-control disasters! *The WNBA, the fans, and a sports bar…lessons in business transformation. *The acceleration of international tariffs applied to goods and services across the globe and by nearly all major trading countries has elevated competition to the sovereign level. This requires companies to focus heavily on: -Exploring new markets, investing in local production, and enhancing supply chain visibility. -Developing mitigation strategies, including the use of technology and collaboration tools with trade partners and people involved in the global supply chain. -Prioritizing adaptability and resilience to prepare for ongoing changes and effects in the global trade landscape. *Leadership secrets from chasing the Aurora Borealis (aka Northern Lights) Moderator: Tim Boyd Producer: Tracylynne Williams

*Baseball is Back! Everyone’s talking about the Dodgers $1.21 billion spend on players in the offseason: But A “Little Team That Could” is out-strategizing the competition and B2B strategic marketers can learn a lot from them. *The Post-Covid Workplace Revisited - Where are we now? What does this mean for future skills in the workplace? *March Madness Fever! Everyone is talking about Caitlin Clark and how she has changed women’s basketball and unlocked a new fanbase. What drives the fanbase to align with teams, players and how can we leverage this in our organizations to drive more engaged and passionate cultures. Moderator: Tim Boyd Producer: Tracylynne Williams

In this episode, we discuss the following: *Ozempic & other weight loss drugs are having such a significant impact that company heads are calling Novo’s CEO for advice on what to expect for their industry. How might this trend impact your business? *What can we learn about building more productive – and innovative – teams from Google’s Project Aristotle research study? And how might AI be used to add an important “plus element” to the Aristotle research findings to help these high-performing teams be even more creative? Curious? Let’s find out! *Current research suggests that networking works well for men, but not as well for women. Let’s explore this and discover ways for women to better leverage business relationships. *Any catastrophic event in Taiwan, whether caused by human or environmental factors, would have a rapid and financially damaging impact on global supply chains that could significantly outstrip that experienced during Russia’s war on Ukraine. In a blockade scenario, the most significant disruption to global economic activity would come from a halt to Taiwan’s trade with the world, particularly in semiconductors. Associated disruptions to global supply chains—especially in major chip-consuming sectors such as electronics, automotive, and computing—would have grave repercussions for the world economy. Global trade with China would also decline due to a contraction in global trade financing, shocking the global economy and potentially triggering debt crises among China’s more fragile trade partners. How should companies prepare for this possibility? *Leading with empathy through turbulent times - Lessons learned from the recent aerospace downsizing that have rocked the industry. Moderator: Tim Boyd Producer: Tracylynne Wiliams

In this episode, we discuss: *Looking backward to innovate forward? Highlights from Time Magazine’s list of the 200 Best Inventions of 2023 tell us that taking inspiration from the past can be an effective creative strategy for inventing the future. Curious? Let’s find out! *There is an enormous shortage of supply chain professionals able to tackle known supply chain issues. This supply chain talent gap has created what Deloitte refers to as the “supply chain paradox.” This paradox exists because companies continue to prioritize investments in their “digital supply chains” while failing to view supply chains as a driver of innovation. As Deloitte put it in a recent Forbes article, “It seems likely that companies aren’t taking full advantage of their digital investments because they don’t have the talent to do so.” This consultant thinks participating supply chain companies are going to have to develop their talent or collaborate on the development of supply chain apprenticeship programs. *The “cookie-less” future: What does Google’s decision to eliminate cookies - a tool used to track user’s past searches and website visits - mean for B2B marketers? Three imperatives for B2Bs who want to personalize user experiences. Moderator: Tom Spitale Producer: Tracylynne Williams

In this episode we continue with our AI theme and discuss the following: *What type of impact is AI already having on Strategic Marketing? How are different industries utilizing AI to develop and deploy their strategies? What ideas can you apply to your business immediately? *What were some of the highlights from Time Magazine’s list of the 200 Best Inventions of 2023? (Part 1). Could the creative use of generative AI programs have helped anticipate some of these extraordinary, even life-changing new inventions? And now, in 2024, can AI help improve them? Let’s find out! *Benefits of AI in Change Management - how AI can contribute to improved decision-making in Change Management: Part 2 *There is no element in supply chains where AI will result in labor reductions as it will in warehousing. Warehousing practices of receipt, inspection, putaway (storage), retrieval, preparing for distribution, and shipping will see nearly total automation in the next 10+ years. One researcher expects warehouse direct AND indirect labor to see more than a 50% reduction in required human work by 2030, likely going to >80% by 2035. What are the AI-based technologies that will drive this? Is this a good thing? What are the benefits? Where will the displaced workers go? *How is AI changing leadership decisions and the art of team building? Moderator: Tim Boyd Producer: Tracylynne Williams

*How AI Can Help B2B Marketers Differentiate Their Products - when it comes to AI for B2B marketers, most of the conversation is about content creation and customer service applications. However, the biggest impact for strategic marketers could come from using AI for creating needs-based, customer-centric offers and value propositions that are truly unique in the marketplace. *How AI Can Help Create Extraordinary Innovation Centers (Part 1): Moonshot Factory. Research Lab. Skunk Works. Center for the Future. Think Tank. Corporate Innovation Centers have many names… but whatever you call them, they all now have the opportunity to make increasingly important contributions to the productivity, profitability, and growth of their parent organization by leveraging recent advances in generative AI. With the publication this week of Bryan Mattimore’s new book, Islands of Invention, How to Create Extraordinary Innovation Centers, we’ll explore how AI can become a critical “partnering tool” in helping these unique institutions make even more valuable contributions to the success of their organization…now and in the future! *Benefits of AI in Change Management - how AI can contribute to improved decision-making in Change Management *Generative AI models offer substantial benefits in factory equipment predictive maintenance. Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) or Variational Autoencoders (VAEs), can be used to augment limited datasets by creating “synthetic” samples that follow the same underlying patterns as the original data. This is particularly valuable in applications where obtaining large datasets can be challenging. For predictive maintenance, synthetic sensor data can be generated to simulate various equipment conditions and failure scenarios, enabling rigorous testing of algorithms and models. Also, Gen AI models can prove beneficial in addressing imbalanced data issues, especially when rare failures or anomalies are present. By synthesizing instances of such scenarios, generative AI mitigates bias in predictive models and enhances their overall performance. *AI Powered Mentoring Tools How can the use of AI tools aid us in the development and execution of mentoring programs and what are the current limitations? Can we receive more value from using these tools or is it just different?

In this episode, we discuss: *There’s a lot B2Bs can learn from Taylor Swift about strategies for intellectual property (IP) and business relationships. *Want to be more productive, complete tasks quicker, and produce significantly higher quality work? A new, joint Harvard Business School and Boston Consulting Group study of 758 BCG consultants has found that with the help of AI programs, you can. Let’s dig deeper into the findings – and ramifications – of the 54-page HBS/BCG study: the questions it raises, and the new organizational approaches, processes, and programs it might imply for all employees in every department and every level. *Ten years ago Twinkies disappeared. Now the Twinkie is worth billions. This question is: What does this teach us about Change Management? *Traditional AI (the “analysis super app”) can provide numerous benefits in supply chain management. Supply chain organizations are beginning to experience benefits from Generative AI (the creative super app). These benefits are mostly achieved when tangible intrinsic and extrinsic data are tested against near-limitless scenarios that require the addition of disparate information to determine outcome probabilities and risks. With generative AI, supply chain professionals can look at dynamic consequence streams through layers of supply chain providers and determine real delivery expectations, component/ingredient price movements, and probable points of supply chain disruptions… and provide creative solutions that address the probabilities. *Realizing the Value of High Impact Mentoring Moderator: Tim Boyd Producer: Tracylynne Williams

In this episode, we discuss: *Storytelling is one of the hottest topics in business over the last couple of years. Strategic Marketers are embracing the topic as a way to differentiate their brands, gain the attention of buyers, and convince investors and managers to fund their plans. Find out why storytelling works and how to do it for both external and internal audiences. *Seasonal Innovation! Welcome Fall with the 20th anniversary of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte, and over 2.9 billion online views of “pumpkin spice.” It begs the question: Should you be innovating seasonal new product innovations… all year round? Let’s look at some of the challenges – and opportunities – of creating seasonal new product offerings. *The two most obvious benefits of robots are (1) labor cost savings, and (2) precision exceeding that of a human. According to IBM, there are additional benefits that may be even more important. In this C&C presentation, I will discuss these additional benefits and share what IBM logistics specialists believe to be the REAL path to automation in warehousing. *Peloton and Lululemon – together they are stronger! Without this partnership, it was unclear how Peloton was going to grow. This is also a great example of Competition & a Creative Strategy that even B2B companies can learn from. Moderator: Mary Abbazia Producer: Tracylynne Williams

In this episode, we discuss: *DeBeers, who has been the market leader for decades - may no longer be the price leader as they try to respond to new market trends and technology (lab-grown diamonds). What can you learn about your market leadership & pricing power? *We know that “X” marks the spot, but should it also be a “trade-in” (and “trade-off”) for the well-established Twitter brand/trademark? And.. will the trademark attorneys at Microsoft and IBM have something to say about this? Let’s find out what’s in a name (and a letter!) *Hi Barbie!… Will the CEO’s IP Push Help Drive Mattel’s Transformation from a toy manufacturing company to an IP-driven, high-performing toy company? Moderator: Mary Abbazia Producer: Tracylynne Williams

In this episode, we discuss the following: *Barbenheimer – a great demonstration of Co-opetition & Segmentation. It provides several best practices for B2B companies to consider in their industry. *Back-to-school…of the future! How might AI affect teaching and learning, both positively and negatively? Let’s find out! *How do you move thousands of musical and sound instruments, a stage the size of a football field, and enough special effects devices to 37 venues for 74 3-hour shows without a hiccup? Meet the logistics team supporting Taylor Swift’s Eras tour… masters of “failure is not an option” logistics management. *The Hollywood strikes: What are the issues and how are they more relevant than you might think? Hosted by Tim Boyd Produced by Tracylynne Williams

In this episode, we discuss: *What can B2B strategists learn from the PGA/LIV Professional Golf Merger? *How important is failure to successful innovation programs? *The return to office wars - are they over? *Urban apartments *The Amazon Go Experience: Sacrificing your data for convenience Hosted by Tim Boyd Produced by Tracylynne Williams