In this episode of Humans in the Loop, Rik Chomko, CEO and founder of InRule, delves into the complexities of decision-making in the fast-paced realm of technology and AI. The discussion focuses on the essential strategies of orchestrating, acting on, and governing AI and rule-based decisions, emphasizing the balance between declarative and non-declarative reasoning within AI frameworks.
During the interview, Chomko highlights the challenges businesses face when they dive into decision-making without a comprehensive overview, particularly in contexts such as loan underwriting.
Furthermore, the discussion covers:

• Understanding the overarching objectives to avoid getting lost in the details
• The need for businesses to step back and consider their goals
• Migration from legacy systems to modern technology
• The need for a strategic approach rather than just lifting and shifting to new platforms
• Alignment between broader business processes and the company's workflow and decision-making capabilities
• Is Rik a tea or coffee drinker when he has to make tough decisions?

Overall, Chomko's insights provide a roadmap for businesses to navigate the complex landscape of AI and decision-making, focusing on integrating solid rule-based systems and adaptable AI to ensure robust, efficient, and effective operational processes.
Join us for a thought-provoking conversation where Rik shares his insights and extensive experience.

We're launching into 2024 with the wisdom of  Jim Wilt, who brings to light the ghostly world of legacy systems that haunt our industry. With his rich history as a chief architect and CTO, Jim regales us with tales from the front lines, ranging from his bewildering Burroughs (now Unisys) legacy code encounters to how generative AI might be the herald of a new era for these ancient digital beasts.

As we peel away the mystery of outdated systems, we delve into the gritty realities faced by the developers who wrestle with them daily. Jim and I dissect the value of raw insights from forums against the more polished Net Promoter Scores, and how these candid feedback loops can reshape the future of our technological infrastructure. We confront the lurking shadows of security vulnerabilities and examine the delicate dance between financial prudence and the urgent need for innovation, all through a lens that insists on transparency for the sake of our shareholders' peace of mind.

Wrapping up this deep dive, Jim shares a visionary perspective on the importance of recognizing and empowering the unsung heroes of our tech world—those who proactively prevent system fires rather than just dousing the flames. We navigate through the tumultuous seas of retail, where sleek customer interfaces belie the legacy chaos churning beneath, and champion a strategy of incremental improvement that could save us from the siren call of wholesale system overhauls. Listen in for a compelling conversation that might just transform how you view the past, present, and future of your company's technological foundations.

What if you could unlock the secrets of enterprise architecture and its pivotal role in digital transformation? That's exactly what we're exploring today with our esteemed guest, Christer Berglund. As an experienced enterprise architect, Christer unravels the intricacy of his role, focusing particularly on the importance of maintaining a holistic company view and understanding the ripple effects of changes. We start off with a fun warm-up quiz that provides a sneak peek into Christer's digital preferences, setting the stage for an intriguing discussion on technology's influence across various industries. And for those intrigued by Christers insights, we delve into his enlightening article, "Demystifying the Enterprise Architect." 

We boldly venture into the world of emerging technologies - think machine learning, AI decisioning, and advanced analytics - and their seismic impact on present-day businesses. Amidst the challenges of modernizing legacy systems, we underscore the value of a digital native mindset in creating new business models. Christer shares firsthand how enterprise architecture can foster both synergy and scalability within organizations. We also examine the role of data sharing and decision automation in amplifying operational efficiency, with a special spotlight on the insurance industry. Join us for this comprehensive journey into the intersection of technology and business in the digital age.

This is an edited short version from the interview with Göran Lindsjö. The full episode is called "The global AI race: A Comprehensive analysis with Göran Lindsjö".

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What if we told you that the world of Artificial Intelligence is experiencing a race that Europe isn't even participating in? Our expert guest this week is here to explain why, comparing the AI landscapes of North America, Asia, and Europe and revealing why the former two are leading the pack. 

This intriguing discussion is not just about the factors contributing to Europe's lag in AI advancements, such as the lack of private investors and an overly cautious regulatory environment, but also about the ramifications of winning or losing this race. We're talking about market shares, competitiveness, and national security, and our guest perfectly highlights these matters. So, join us, as we explore the global AI race and its far-reaching implications with our knowledgeable guest. Get ready to expand your understanding of AI and its global impact.

This is an edited short piece from the interview with Göran Lindsjö. The full episode is called "The global AI race: A Comprehensive analysis with Göran Lindsjö". 

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Are you ready to redefine the boundaries of your understanding of AI leadership? Let's unravel the intricacies of AI knowledge, its application in diagnostics, optimization, and predictions, and how its use affects us as individuals, organizations, and in the political sphere. Our guest expert eloquently expresses concerns about the challenges our democratic systems face in keeping pace with the breathtaking speed of AI evolution. We explore whether this rapid pace of change generates fear, particularly the apprehension of job replacement.

We engage in a thoughtful conversation about transitioning from automation to AI and how AI seems to be creating more jobs than it replaces. One striking idea we explore is that while AI won't replace humans, a human using AI will undoubtedly replace a human not using it. We also discuss the essential role of lifelong learning and adaptability in staying relevant in this dynamic AI-dominated landscape. Don't miss this insightful exploration of how AI is shaping our world and how to stay ahead in this ever-evolving field.

Göran Lindsjö, a celebrated AI expert with an extraordinary career, commands the spotlight in our latest podcast episode. He guides us on a captivating expedition into the world of artificial intelligence, its intersection with humans, and the intriguing roles we could play alongside machines come 2030. From his early beginnings at a small Swedish startup to becoming an advisor to international companies and public organizations, Göran presents a unique perspective on the extensive reach of AI.

The conversation progresses into the heart of AI development, particularly shedding light on the hurdles the public sector faces, especially in Sweden. Amid the global AI race between North America and Asia, Göran probes how the European Union's regulations and the integrity of its people could be the game-changer. Exploring why Europe seems to trail behind other regions, he puts forth an intriguing proposition of the imminent convergence of the regions' paths in AI development.

As we delve deeper, Göran underlines the sweeping potential impact of AI across diverse industries and regions. He highlights how generative AI could revolutionize professional efficiency and time management. The conversation underscores the importance of creating an AI ecosystem for effective deployment across multiple departments. Lastly, we navigate the pressing topic of AI ethics and potential misuse by authoritarian regimes and criminals, underscoring the importance of regulation. Join us to soak in Göran advice to business leaders on AI adoption and to hear about his dream podcast guests!

This is a slice from the interview with Tobias Sjölin, CTO at Boozt. The full episode is called "Exploring Build or Buy: Insights from e-commerce giant Boozt CTO Tobias Sjölin" 

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We illustrate how commonly used tools like Excel are often misused as quick fixes for tasks that can be efficiently automated - an enlightening revelation for most!

Indeed, Excel isn't the enemy here. As we discuss in the episode, it's the symptom of a much broader issue: the reliance on temporary solutions instead of using automation to permanently eliminate repetitive tasks. We also introduce the concept of 'democratic data', a system where all data is accessible through BI tools for everyone in a team. It's a goldmine of insights for those looking to harness the potential of automation and identify its application within their organization. 

This is a slice from the interview with Tobias Sjölin, CTO at Boozt. The full episode is called "Exploring Build or Buy: Insights from e-commerce giant Boozt CTO Tobias Sjölin" 

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What happens when key players in a tech company leave and the accumulated knowledge leaves with them? We take you through a roller-coaster journey of how Boozt tackles this complex issue. 

Tobias Sjölin, CTO at Boozt share how their unique work culture and practices, such as 'FIKA talks' and platform conferences, encourages knowledge sharing and keeps everyone in the team adept. We also introduce you to our strategy of moving teams around internally to foster cross-functional learning and a flexible work culture. Hear how they created 'tiger teams' that quickly adapts to new projects and challenges, and how this experiment turned out to be a huge success. 

So, brace yourself for this exciting journey into the world of knowledge management in tech companies and discover the strategies that have worked for Boozt.

This is a slice from the interview with Tobias Sjölin, CTO at Boozt. The full episode is called "Exploring Build or Buy: Insights from e-commerce giant Boozt CTO Tobias Sjölin" 

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What if the key to the perfect ERP system was to build it from scratch? This daring notion is brought to life in this discussion, where we are joined by a guest who, along with their team, undertook the Herculean task of constructing their entire ERP system. 

Boozts odyssey started in 2011 when, dissatisfied with the available products, they built their webshop and content management system. This self-made journey continued as they later developed their warehouse management system all by themselves.

Tobiast boldly shares their journey of developing the ERP system, an endeavor that demanded two years of perseverance, patience, and vision from the team. Despite the obstacles and challenges, they stood their ground, believing in the potential of their product. 

Big caution, however, is that this path may not be suitable for every company as it requires the right people with the right skills. 

A phenomenal guest, Tobias Sjölin, the CTO of Boozt Fulfillment and Logistics, is joining us to kick off a new season. Tobias invites us into his universe and unravels the intriguing concept of 'build or buy’ in multiple contexts. He isn't just talking about houses and pizzas; he dives deep into the intricate systems within the exciting world of e-commerce fulfillment and logistics.

We got a firsthand account of the thrilling experience of Tobias and his dedicated team. The conversation was a journey through custom systems, off-the-shelf solutions, and the resilience it takes when your pioneering ideas are met with skepticism. We also uncovered the fascinating world of automation, where Tobias shared his unique insights about digitalizing operations, optimizing processes, and delegating qualified tasks to free up team members.

But it's not all tech talk. Tobias emphasized the human element in all this, discussing the impact of automation on work satisfaction and the importance of creating a working culture that encourages employees to ask for help when needed. We also explored the value of innovation and team collaboration, the significance of customer feedback, and how past mistakes can serve as valuable learning opportunities. 

This episode is filled with tech insights, management philosophies, and personal anecdotes that you won't want to miss.

With the rise of AI technologies - so does the ethical concerns of using it safe and without causing any harm. What do we want to know about implementing ethical AI powered automation software?

In this episode, we brought in Danny Shayman as an expert, to answer 10 questions asked by our followers regarding ethical AI powered automation. 

Below are the questions answered by Danny: 

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using machine learning predictions in business operations, and what are the potential consequences of doing so?

2. How can humans be kept involved in AI algorithms through process automation?

3. What is the importance of explainability in ensuring an ethical and low-risk approach to deploying automated decisions and processes?

4. How can process automation, decision-making, and machine learning be used together to optimize operations and deliver personalized customer experiences?

5. What are the potential ethical concerns with implementing AI-powered automation in the insurance and financial services industries?

6. How can businesses ensure that AI-powered automation is transparent and explainable to customers?

7. What steps can be taken to minimize the risk of bias in AI algorithms used for automation in the insurance and financial services industries?

8. How can AI-powered automation be used to improve customer experiences without sacrificing privacy or security?

9. What are the best practices for implementing AI-powered automation in the insurance and financial services industries, and how can businesses ensure they are following these practices?

10. What role do regulations play in ensuring ethical and responsible use of AI-powered automation in the insurance and financial services industries?

Enjoy this episode! 

Why do automation projects fail? 

Automation is a vital part of modernizing our industries and driving progress. But despite its many benefits, automation projects often fail. Somewhere between 30-50% of automation projects fail, according to a recent Ernst & Young report.

Automation projects can be expensive, complex, and time-consuming. And their failure can have a significant impact on businesses, both large and small. 

So what are the reasons behind these failures, and how can we prevent them?

In this episode, we will be diving deep into the challenges faced by automation projects and exploring some of the most common reasons why they fail. We will also be discussing practical steps that businesses can take to ensure the success of their automation projects.

Whether you're a business analyst, an IT professional, an enterprise architect, or just someone interested in the world of automation, this is the episode for you!

The guest on this episode is Chris Berg, Director of Product Growth at Inrule, that brings some clarity to the answer. More importantly - how to make your automation projects more successful.

Chris will take you through "Good Beginnings" - a guiding framework for making automation projects successful and a good reason why InRule customers have had such a high success rate on "go-lives".

On top of this, Chris shares his best advice on what to think of ahead of your next automation project.

Although it has not been around long, ChatGPT does not need an introduction. But beyond the hype, there are both challenges and limitations that do not get the attention they should. 

Therefore, we invited Danny Shayman, Machine Learning Product Manager at InRule to get expert insights on this "new" phenomenon.

Or, is it really that new? 

And to put it straight: What is it and what is it trying to solve? 

Tune in and hear Danny Shayman out. 

While there might be hard to find any excitement in an upcoming recession, we found Jakob Lavröd, a credit risk specialist from Entercard. Jakob is one of the few excited persons, and the reason for that is his passion for the IFRS 9 framework.  How good will companies be able to manage and predict future losses? How much can we trust machines to do the work? 

Tune in to learn more about IFRS 9, where it came from, and the purpose of the framework. And also how the framework lets companies be more "creative" when predicting expected credit losses. 

As "generals always fight the previous war," there is a particularly challenging time if financial institutes and companies turn to historical data to understand better how inflation affects. Is the data reliable, or has it been to much water under the bridge? 

Exciting news about the future of the podcast! Automatiseringspodden is changing its name to Humans in the loop, and with it, there are a few changes. Listen to this short episode and learn more about WHY we’re changing the name and WHAT it will include.Thank you so much for listening!

I det 16:e avsnittet av Automatiseringspodden så intervjuas Andre Viebke, Head of IT Automation på Södra. 

Södra ägs av 52 000 enskilda skogsägare som har minst två saker gemensamt: de äger skog i Götaland och tror på att samverkan lönar sig. I övrigt präglas medlemskåren av mångfald i bakgrunder, yrken och mål för sina skogsgårdar. 

Tillsammans äger Södras medlemmar drygt hälften av all privatägd skog i södra Sverige och deras skogsgårdar utgör nästan en fjärdedel av Götalands yta.

Andrés uppdrag då?  Att göra livet lite enklare och se till att sina anställda får lägga så mycket tid som möjligt på det de brinner för. 

På tal om att brinna, för det gör André för automatisering. Lyssna till en sannerligen inspirerande berättelse och nutidsanalys från en verkligt begåvad person - André Viebke. 

End-to-end automation is a hot topic in the automation space at the moment. What is it? well, you might get a different answer depending on who you ask. I asked Theresa Benson, one of the most knowledgeable people in the area. 

Theresa is a transformation growth strategist and former director of product marketing at InRule Technology, which acquired Barium in 2021. 

In this episode, she walks through where the combination of automated decisions, digital process automation, and machine learning with areas where organizations need to improve. (Spoiler alert: There is a great rain analogy worth waiting for) . 

Den digitala transformationen inom supply chain har gett digitaliserings- och automatiseringsinitiativ ett sällan skådat fokus. Redan idag kan levereras varor med drönare och samma dag som beställning sker. 

Men all den här utvecklingen baseras på en och samma grundförutsättning: Fysiska transporter. 

Vad händer när själv förflyttningen av varor digitaliseras? Den frågeställningen forskar RISE Research Institute of Sweden på i allmänhet och Markus Eriksson i synnerhet. 

Markus Eriksson är forskare på RISE, Sveriges forskningsinstitut som med internationell samverkan med företag, akademi och offentlig sektor bidrar vi till ett konkurrenskraftigt näringsliv och ett hållbart samhälle. RISE är ett oberoende, statligt forskningsinstitut. 

I det här avsnittet får du följa med på en resa fram till 2050 och vilka transformativa steg som sannolikt kommer inträffa på vägen. Vad händer när behovet av tillverkning offshore, transporter och distributionslager försvinner?  

This is the first episode in English where we interview Anders Jensen - one of the biggest YouTubers within process automation.

Anders has over 3 million views on his channel, with +22 000 subscribers who follow his tutorials and walkthroughs on automation software, mainly within RPA (Robotic Process Automation).

With a background as a professional poker player, we are curious about the similarities or the connection between the two. Are there any? Or is it tied to the fact that Anders resigned from his previous employer to become a professional Youtuber and content creator? 

In this episode, you will learn more about Anders, the content he produces, the company he's running.

If you have even had a thought on RPA, this would be the go-to-guy and go-to-episode to learn more.

Follow and connect with Anders on social media. Links below

🎥 https://youtube.com/c/andersjensenorg
🤝 https://www.linkedin.com/company/andersjensenorg
🐦 https://twitter.com/andersjensenorg

ICA-gruppen består av bank, fastigheter, dagligvaruhandel och apotek hjärtat. Som Chief Automation Lead servar Simon Harmark och hans team samtliga delar av verksamheten med automatisering och en enklare vardag.. 

I det här avsnittet delar Simon med sig av sina erfarenheter, vilket är en hel del inom ICA koncernen, för hur de lyckats skala sina automatiseringsinitiativ. Han delar med sig av vilka förutsättningar som krävs, vilka kompetenser han omringar sig med, hans och företagets syn på värdet av automatisering. 

End-to-end och Proof of Concepts är två områden där Simon Harmark och ICA-gruppen utmärker sig, eller i vart fall tänker annorlunda. 

Vi får också en insyn i vilka tekniker de använder sig av och hur deras "lösningar" tas emot ute i verksamheten. 

I det här avsnittet möter vi Sofie Gellin, Head of Automation på Telenor. Med en bakgrund inom juridik, marknad och försäljning så kanske Sofie är en udda fågel på pappret. Eller är det kanske en fördel att komma från ett kommersiellt tänk när verksamheten ska effektiviseras. 

Sofie tar med er på Telenors resa för hur automatiseringen som började som en gräsrotsrörelse numera är ett av tre strategiska initiativ för Telenor - globalt. 

Att skala automatisering är en av de vanligaste och största utmaningarna idag. Sofie ger sina tips och erfarenheter från hur de lyckats. Hur bygger man ett starkt team? Vilka är utmaningarna som du kommer stöta på? 

Sen såklart: Tekniker. Inget avsnitt utan tekniker. 

Premiär för säsong två och först ut är ingen mindre än Svante Lindgren, tidigare Supply Chain Manager på ett av Sveriges mest kända varumärken (och varuhus) - Åhlens.

Svante ger en inblick i handelns omställning till att möta digitala kundbehov. Kanalerna blir fler och kundupplevelsen sömlös. Hur påverkas supply chain? Vilket roll får automatiseringen?

I avsnitt 9 gästas automatiseringspodden av Sofie Höijer, för att resonera kring ett relativt vanligt vägval inom automatisering. Nämligen att inte göra det alls. 

Att stå kvar där man står, vilka fördelar och nackdelar har det i en värld som bekant blir att mer snabbrörlig? Vilka blir konsekvenserna? 

Till vår hjälp tar vi dels egen erfarenhet, men även genom att resonera kring relevanta rapporter på ämnet och ämnets orsaker. 

Under dessa 40 minuter hinner vi prata både om övertron på de stora leverantörerna till de ännu större systemen. Att det i vart fall finns någon slags strutsmentalitet från ledarhåll.  Samtidigt visar rapporter att 4/5 automatiseringsprojekt når sina mål. Är det så enkelt så att man har blivit avskräckt? 

Tack för att du lyssnar

I det åttonde avsnittet gästas vi av Jonathan Larsson som närmast arbetat som Global Supply chain Manager på Björn Borg. 

Hur påverkas Supply Chain inom en verksamhet som både tillverkar och säljer (manufacturing retail hybrids) sina produkter i en värld som just nu genomgår sin största omställning? 

Vi har sett robotar i laglokalerna, men är det manuella arbetet borta? Jonathan ger sin prognos för vägen mot moderna control towers. Det och MYCKET mer i avsnitt 8. 

I det sjunde avsnittet av automatiseringspodden gästas vi av Per Wising, Head of Product Marketing på Barium. 

Vi går på ett sätt i mål vad gäller tekniker, genom att avhandla DPA eller Digital Process Automation. Vad är det och vad möjliggör det ur ett automatiseringsperspektiv? 

DPA-plattformar tjänar många syften, men ett av dem är att det är skapat för att kombineras med andra tekniker så som RPA och AI. Här tar vi hjälp från Per som förklarar hur det hänger ihop och varför dessa kombinationer kallas för Hyper automation. Vad innebär det? 

Och på tal om hyperautomation - är det så att de stora affärssystemsleverantörerna försöker köpa tillbaka sin eftermarknad? 

Tack för att du lyssnar