Mind Meets Machine: AI in Finance, Business, Privacy
Join us at the Penn Club on January 16, 2024, for an enlightening evening exploring the intersection of AI, business analytics, consumer data and privacy.
The event will commence with a 45-minute panel discussion from 6:30 pm to 7:15 pm, focusing on:
- AI-Driven Business Strategies: Delving into how AI is revolutionizing business operations and customer engagement.
- AI in Business Analytics: Examining the role of AI in shaping financial and consumer decision-making.
We are privileged to have esteemed experts Professor Ali Hirsa, Stavros Zervoudakis and Ash Kalb joining the panel, bringing diverse insights into these cutting-edge topics.
The discussion will be moderated by Amna Rana. The panel discussion will be followed by a networking session, providing a valuable opportunity for members of the Columbia and Penn Clubs, as well as other people from industry, to interact directly with our featured speakers.
About Professor Ali Hirsa:
Professor Ali Hirsa stands at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence, Business Analytics, and Finance. As a Professor and Director at Columbia University, he oversees the Columbia Center for AI in Business Analytics and Financial Technology, as well as the Financial Engineering Program. His roles extend to Chief Scientific Officer at ASK2.ai and Managing Partner at Sauma Capital, LLC.
Prof. Hirsa’s impressive career spans across renowned institutions like Caspian Capital Management, Morgan Stanley, Banc of America Securities, and Prudential Securities. A Fellow in the Mathematics of Finance Program at the Courant Institute of NYU, his academic contributions are as significant as his professional ones.
An accomplished author, Prof. Hirsa has enriched financial literature with his work on “Computational Methods in Finance” and serves as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Investment Strategies.
With a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Maryland at College Park, Prof. Hirsa is uniquely positioned to provide profound insights into AI’s transformative role in finance and business. This event promises to be a captivating experience, offering deep dives into AI’s current and future impact in these fields.
About Stavros Zervoudakis:
Stavros Zervoudakis stands at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence innovation as the Vice President of Artificial Intelligence at Mutual of America. With a remarkable journey spanning over two decades, Stavros has honed his expertise in data science, machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and cloud computing. His leadership is not just about steering the company’s AI strategy and vision but also about bringing groundbreaking AI solutions to life.
Stavros has been pivotal in driving significant business value and operational efficiency through AI. His proficiency in AI Strategy, Product development, Data Science pipelines, MLOps, AWS SageMaker, and Dataiku Data Science Studio underscores his deep technical knowledge. Notably, he spearheaded the development of the first two generative AI prototypes, focusing on risk-averse and realistic outputs. Under his guidance, dozens of AI projects were launched in three years, with over 50% going into production and an astounding estimated 50x ROI, as estimated by an independent firm.
Furthermore, his anti-money laundering models, at a prior employer, had been instrumental in saving approximately $200 million, showcasing his ability to blend his technology expertise with financial acumen.
Stavros’s passion for AI extends beyond corporate walls. As an adjunct professor at New York University, and a honorary appointee at the University of Exeter, he shares his wealth of knowledge, inspiring the next generation of AI professionals. Recently, he co-authored 7 peer-reviewed publications, spanning AI and non-AI topics.
Stavros believes in the continuous pursuit of learning, regularly engaging in courses and workshops on AI, machine learning, and cloud technologies. He has been a speaker at 3 Generative AI conferences in the previous 6 months, is an active member of the Generative AI Advisory Board spanning USA and Europe, and has provided advisory services on AI and Customer Experience to Fortune 500 companies and several startups.
About Ash Kalb:
Ash Kalb is the Co-Founder of Fulcra Dynamics and Katalys (formerly 1o). Before that he was the COO / GC of Sentieo. Ash also co-founded HUMAN, a leading cybersecurity company combatting automated online fraud, and previously co-founded several other innovative companies. He serves on a number of boards and advises a number of technology companies including Gemini, Unciphered, Stirlingshire, Filter Labs, Triangle Digital, NuOp and Flype.
Ash received his law degree from Columbia Law School and worked as a Corporate/M&A attorney at Skadden, Arps. His more recent experience has focused on working with technology, media and telecommunications companies in a number of roles, with responsibilities ranging from operations and product/business development to legal and regulatory matters. He studied history, government and economics at Cornell University.
About Amna Rana:
Amna Rana is the Head of Growth and Cybernetic Transformation at Fulcra Dynamics Corporation. Amna is based in NYC. With a robust background in engineering and sales, Amna brings a wealth of experience from companies like Thermo Fisher Scientific, Toast Inc., Cobalt Polymers and David Schnur Associates.
Amna holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from San Jose State University, graduating Cum Laude, and is proficient in English and French. Recognized for her strategic and innovative development skills, Amna is an influential leader in technological transformation.
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