As journalists, of course, many of our conversations are on the record because our goal is to share insights and news with readers like you. But I’ve increasingly come to appreciate the value of off-the-record gatherings, where we bring leaders together to connect around shared interests and talk frankly about what’s really going on. Those events are crucial in building trust, helping us understand the stories we may be missing and creating a village green for leaders to connect with us and with each other.
It was a diverse group of leaders from around the country. While the conversation itself was off the record, I asked Serafin to share some takeaways from the evening. Here are some highlights he shared with me:
The optimism around AI was contagious, and it’s not just hype. It’s about taking a pragmatic approach to solving real problems, one at a time. While many investments aren’t yet yielding results, in the places where AI is working, it’s helping organizations better connect with people. That’s an incredible opportunity.
Trust is the new currency of innovation, especially with AI. Its adoption will only succeed if it deepens trust with both customers and employees. This means using data responsibly and building deeper connections—something that’s more important than ever as consumers deal with higher prices and a new economic reality. This is also where AI’s greatest potential lies: By automating predictable/rudimentary tasks, we can unleash human creativity to focus on building more human-centered experiences. As a side note, this is at the heart of what Qualtrics is doing by helping organizations deeply understand and improve the human experiences of their customers and employees.
Even amid global shifts like tariffs and changing trade dynamics, there’s a powerful optimism. Leaders at the table saw a new era of globalization where countries are collaborating on innovation and new investment opportunities are emerging.
