Connect | New York // DCD>Debate: Will AI close the operations gap or slowly widen it?

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  • —
  • Management & Operations
  • Open Session

Speakers

John Lee

Executive Director, Wells Fargo

Marc Cram

Director of New Market Development, Legrand

Jeffrey Cheng

Jeffrey Cheng

Industry Operation AI Subject Matter Expert, Independent

Rishab Harikrishnan

Principal Hardware Manager, Oracle

Marc Bhuyan

Product Manager, Google

Sarah Zilonis

Senior Content Director, Yotta

Data centers are facing an acute shortage of talent in mission critical roles, just as AI reshapes how facilities need to be monitored, maintained and optimized. Some argue these technologies will help close the current skills gap while others believe the introduction of AI-aided operations will lead to greater hurdles in training, developing hands-on experience, and operational resilience. This debate explores whether AI will narrow the divide between human and machine capability, or make it harder to close.

In particular we address:

  • Has AI had any marked impact on the workforce yet?
  • Whether AI could shift - or shrink - traditional skills requirements
  • Could AI help close the gap for scarce expertise to drive operational resiliency?
  • How to manage the risk of overdependence of AI and automated systems
  • The need to drive AI-literacy in the workforce