AI at Scale

Rick Blair: AI & Accessibility: Removing Barriers

“Accessibility starts with awareness. When we design with accessibility in mind, everyone benefits.” 
In this special episode of the AI at Scale Podcast, released on Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2026, Rick Blair, Senior Principal, Digital Accessibility Program Manager at Schneider Electric, shares a perspective on AI accessibility everyone should hear. Based on his personal and professional experience, he explains how AI is already changing daily life for people with disabilities. Tools such as image recognition and content generation are enabling independence, improving productivity, and opening new opportunities. 
In this episode, you’ll hear about: 
✔ how AI supports accessibility in real-life scenarios and helps create more inclusive digital experiences 
✔ what barriers still exist in digital environments 
✔ why awareness and inclusive design matter at every stage For C-level executives, it is a clear call to act , and unlock the full value of AI for people, performance, and growth.
 

Ghaia Belaakaria: Downsizing AI: small models with big impact

In this episode of AI at Scale podcast, I sit down with Ghaia Belaakaria, Senior Data Scientist, Embedded AI at Schneider Electric, to explore a powerful shift in how enterprises think about artificial intelligence. This conversation focuses on embedded and edge AI, where intelligence runs directly on devices, close to the physical world. 
What you will learn:
Why smaller AI models are critical for scalability, robustness, and sustainability 
How embedded and edge AI improve safety, reliability, and efficiency in real‑world systems 
Examples of where edge AI is already creating value across segments 
The trade‑offs leaders must understand when downsizing AI models without losing performance 
Which future applications—tinyML, robotics, physical AI— will have the biggest impact 
It is a great episode to rethink AI beyond the cloud and discover a pragmatic perspective on when less can truly be more. 

Irina Zubova & Sam Youssif: When AI Meets Customer Support

“How much value is hidden in your customer support data?” 
In this episode of AI at Scale podcast, we bring together two senior leaders: Irina Zubova, Vice President Customer Support & AI Operations at Schneider Electric, and Sam Youssif, Vice President Customer Support at Schneider Electric. Together, they take listeners behind the scenes of one of the world’s largest customer support operations, handling over four million interactions annually. Moreover, they explain how AI is fundamentally changing the role of support.
What will you learn: 
How AI is reshaping customer support into a strategic growth engine, 
Why the future of support is a symbiosis between AI co‑pilots and human expertise, 
How millions of customer interactions can be transformed into actionable insights for the entire enterprise, 
Where AI delivers the most value across the end‑to‑end customer support journey, 
How to scale AI globally while balancing rapid experimentation, governance, and operational excellence. 
 

Marek Kowalkiewicz: The economy of algorithms

Are algorithms quietly redistributing economic power—faster than most leaders are prepared for? 
In this episode of the AI at Scale podcast, we dive into the Economy of Algorithms with Marek Kowalkiewicz—Professor of the Digital Economy, globally recognized AI thought leader, and author of the book by the same name. 
Drawing on academic research, Silicon Valley experience, and global leadership roles across Asia, Europe, and Australia, Marek explains why artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool for efficiency—but an active economic agent that creates value, makes decisions, and reshapes markets at scale. 
This episode is essential listening for executives who sense that the rules of the game are changing—and want to understand who will win, who will lose, and why. 
  
In this episode, you’ll learn: 
Why AI should be treated as an economic agent, not just a technology—and what that changes for leadership, governance, and accountability 
Where AI truly creates value today, and why separating signal from noise has become a strategic challenge 
Why ROI from AI is so hard to measure, even as AI output becomes cheaper, faster, and more abundant 
What’s becoming commoditized—and what’s becoming more expensive, from content creation to accuracy, trust, and decision quality 
How algorithm‑optimized thinking can quietly distort strategy, erode judgment, and reduce real business value 
Why your next competitor may not be a company, but a swarm of small players—or AI agents—coordinating at scale 
This is a must‑listen conversation for everyone navigating an economy increasingly shaped by algorithms. 

Clayton Mohamed: How to build the best workplace for AI and digital?

What does it take to build a workplace where AI and digital talent not only join—but stay, grow, and thrive? 
In this episode of the AI at Scale Podcast, we sit down with Clayton Mohamed, VP HR at Schneider Digital, who has spent the last six years shaping the company’s digital talent strategy and building the operating model behind Schneider Electric’s global AI Hub. With more than 18 years at Schneider, Clayton has witnessed every phase of digital transformation—from early experimentation to today’s enterprisescale AI adoption. 
Why this episode matters 
The rise of AI has created a massive shift in workforce expectations. Digital talent today wants: ✅ real growth paths, not just peoplemanager roles ✅ space for experimentation, research, and technical depth ✅ a culture that treats AI as an enabler—not a threat ✅ transparency around skills, levels, and opportunities ✅ a company that invests in continuous learning 
Clayton explains how Schneider Electric is responding—through programs designed specifically for digital mastery, career clarity, and longterm retention. 
If you're an HR leader, digital leader, or anyone building an AI-capable organization, this episode is a masterclass. 

Tamilla Triantoro: Work rewired: human + AI

What if the real competitive edge in 2026 isn’t AI itself, but how your organization learns to work with it?  
In this episode of AI at Scale podcast Tamilla Triantoro, Associate Professor of Business Analytics and Information Systems at Quinnipiac University, and Co-author of Converging Minds, is setting the stage for a profound rethink of how leaders design work in a “human + AI” era. As AI shifts from a simple chatbot to an agent capable of acting across systems, Tamilla challenges executives to confront the practical questions:  
How to divide tasks between human and AI, assuring trust, transparency and necessary transfer of knowledge? 
What happens when AI in unhelpful and what risks it can carry for employees and organizations? How to set boundaries in creative and strategic tasks for AI agents?  Furthermore, Tamilla unpacks why the future belongs to leaders who see beyond automation and understand behavioral, cultural, and structural aspects of work required to make human–AI collaboration truly thrive.  What you will learn from this conversation: 
 
the 4 real modes of human–AI collaboration — and how to use them, 
why trust is the crucial ingredient in AI adoption, 
how AI reshapes behavior at work, 
the key AI trends leaders overlook, from trust to agentic workflows. 
 
Tune in to discover a clear, research backed view of how AI is transforming work today and get ready for the future. 

Mike Labhart: On the shopfloor of AI-driven factories

Can AI really spot risks faster than any sensor? How far are we from the autonomous supply chain?  In this episode of the AI at Scale podcast, Mike Labhart, North America Global Supply Chain Director for Smart Operations & Data Analytics of Schneider Electric, walks us through the most valuable AI use cases in manufacturing and what’s next in smart factories. 
What you will learn from this conversation :  - how AI detects safety risks earlier than traditional sensors, from smoke to missing Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), 
- how deep‑learning and image recognition improves quality and helps to identify ergonomics risks across dozens of sites, 
- how machine learning prevents costly downtime thanks to predictive maintenance, 
- why clean, consistent data naming is key to scaling AI across factories,  
- what agentic AI means for the future of manufacturing, 
- why autonomous supply chains are within reach now. 
 
Get a unique chance to hear directly from a seasoned smart factory leader on what it means to build AI that powers the next generation of factories.
 

Katya Lainé: A day in the life of an AI company founder

What does it take to lead an AI company? In this episode of AI at Scale, we sit down with Katya Lainé — CoFounder & CEO of TALKR.ai, President of the AI Commission at Numeum, CoFounder and VicePresident of Le Voice Lab, and CoFounder of OpenLLM France — to get a unique glimpse into the daily life of an AI company founder.
 For any leader navigating business strategy and AI implementation, this conversation offers rare clarity on what truly drives AI success inside enterprises: being prepared to change processes and ways of working. 
What will the future demand from those at the forefront? 
Learn from this conversation. 
What you will learn:
How AI companies can innovate when data, tools, and ecosystems are limited 
How leaders balance product, ethics, and execution in customer‑facing AI 
What an AI founder’s day really looks like behind the scenes 
How voice‑AI transforms customer journeys and internal processes 
What skills and mindsets future AI leaders must build now 

Siddhi Pal: Planning for AI and green skills shortage

"We often discuss the green transition and digital transformation in isolation, without systematically mapping where these skill sets actually overlap, or more importantly, where they don't." says Siddhi Pal, Senior Policy Researcher at Interface. In this episode of the AI at Scale podcast Siddhi explains why the combination of AI and green skills — named “twin transition skills” — is emerging as one of the most valuable capabilities in today’s economy. 
In this episode, you’ll learn: 
why defining and measuring green skills is critical for future workforce planning, 
which green skills are common among AI professionals, and which are still rare, 
how companies can balance internal reskilling with strategic external hires, 
what actions can help close the gender gap and expand talent pools. 
If you’re planning for growth in an era of climate action and AI acceleration, this episode delivers insights you can act on today. 

Kim Custeau: AI that understands industry: connecting systems, data and people

“AI will always keep the human at the center, it’s a guidance tool, not a replacement,” says Kim Custeau, Executive Vice President at AVEVA. What does that mean for the future of industrial operations? In this episode of AI at Scale, Kim shares how AI is moving beyond hype to become a practical enabler of efficiency, resilience, and sustainability.
In this episode, you’ll learn: 
Why AI adoption should begin with clear use cases. 
How embedded AI assistants democratize access to trusted data and preserve critical knowledge for new employees. 
How AI-driven automation of complex tasks boosts efficiency while keeping humans in control. 
Practical steps leaders can take today to prepare their teams for dynamic, personalized AI-driven operations.