Throughout the middle east, efforts are underway to build smart cities from the ground up.
But to create a modern, intelligently-designed city, you first need to lay a solid foundation.
And the strongest foundation you can build a smart city upon is data.
In today’s episode, we speak with Kaveh Vessali, Digital, Data & AI Leader, PwC Middle East, about the intersection between data and public policy and the many exciting insights he’s gained from his role delivering smart cities and data transformation projects within the public sector in the middle east. 
Join us as we discuss:
The important role data plays in shaping public policy 
What goes into designing a smart city
The change management skills vital for successful digital transformation 
Data ethics and the importance of transparency  



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#79 Delivering Smarter Cities & Better Public Policy w/ Data

Welcome to DataFramed, a weekly podcast exploring how artificial intelligence and data are changing the world around us. On this show, we invite data & AI leaders at the forefront of the data revolution to share their insights and experiences into how they lead the charge in this era of AI. Whether you're a beginner looking to gain insights into a career in data & AI, a practitioner needing to stay up-to-date on the latest tools and trends, or a leader looking to transform how your organization uses data & AI, there's something here for everyone.

Join co-hosts Adel Nehme and Richie Cotton as they delve into the stories and ideas that are shaping the future of data. Subscribe to the show and tune in to the latest episode on the feed below.

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Databases are ubiquitous, and you don’t need to be a data practitioner to know that all data everywhere is stored in a database—or is it? While the majority of data around the world lives in a database, the data that helps  run the heart of our operating systems—the core functions of our computers— is not stored in the same place as everywhere else. This is due to database storage sitting ‘above’ the operating system, requiring the OS to run before the databases can be used. But what if the OS was built ‘on top’ of a database? What difference could this fundamental change make to how we use computers? Mike Stonebraker is a distinguished computer scientist known for his foundational work in database systems, he is also currently CTO & Co-Founder At DBOS. His extensive career includes significant contributions through academic prototypes and commercial startups, leading to the creation of several pivotal relational database companies such as Ingres Corporation, Illustra, Paradigm4, StreamBase Systems, Tamr, Vertica, and VoltDB. Stonebraker's role as chief technical officer at Informix and his influential research earned him the prestigious 2014 Turing Award. Stonebraker's professional journey spans two major phases: initially at the University of California, Berkeley, focusing on relational database management systems like Ingres and Postgres, and later, from 2001 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he pioneered advanced data management techniques including C-Store, H-Store, SciDB, and DBOS. He remains a professor emeritus at UC Berkeley and continues to influence as an adjunct professor at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Stonebraker is also recognized for his editorial work on the book "Readings in Database Systems." In the episode, Richie and Mike explore the the success of PostgreSQL, the evolution of SQL databases, the shift towards cloud computing and what that means in practice when migrating to the cloud, the impact of disaggregated storage, software and serverless trends, the role of databases in facilitating new data and AI trends, DBOS and it’s advantages for security, and much more.  Links Mentioned in the Show:DBOSPaper: What Goes Around Comes Around[Course] Understanding Cloud ComputingRelated Episode: Scaling Enterprise Analytics with Libby Duane Adams, Chief Advocacy Officer and Co-Founder of AlteryxRewatch sessions from RADAR: The Analytics Edition
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#201 The Database is the Operating System with Mike Stonebraker, CTO & Co-Founder At DBOS

Over the past 199 episodes of DataFramed, we’ve heard from people at the forefront of data and AI, and over the past year we’ve constantly looked ahead to the future AI might bring. But all of the technologies and ways of working we’ve witnessed have been built on foundations that were laid decades ago. For our 200th episode, we’re bringing you a special guest and taking a walk down memory lane—to the creation and development of one of the most popular programming languages in the world. Don Chamberlin is renowned as the co-inventor of SQL (Structured Query Language), the predominant database language globally, which he developed with Raymond Boyce in the mid-1970s. Chamberlin's professional career began at IBM Research in Yorktown Heights, New York, following a summer internship there during his academic years. His work on IBM's System R project led to the first SQL implementation and significantly advanced IBM’s relational database technology. His contributions were recognized when he was made an IBM Fellow in 2003 and later a Fellow of the Computer History Museum in 2009 for his pioneering work on SQL and database architectures. Chamberlin also contributed to the development of XQuery, an XML query language, as part of the W3C, which became a W3C Recommendation in January 2007. Additionally, he holds fellowships with ACM and IEEE and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. In the episode, Richie and Don explore his early career at IBM and the development of his interest in databases alongside Ray Boyce, the database task group (DBTG), the transition to relational databases and the early development of SQL, the commercialization and adoption of SQL, how it became standardized, how it evolved and spread via open source, the future of SQL through NoSQL and SQL++ and much more.  Links Mentioned in the Show:The first-ever journal paper on SQL. SEQUEL: A Structured English Query LanguageDon’s Book: SQL++ for SQL Users: A TutorialSystem R: Relational approach to database managementSQL CoursesSQL Articles, Tutorials and Code-AlongsRelated Episode: Scaling Enterprise Analytics with Libby Duane Adams, Chief Advocacy Officer and Co-Founder of AlteryxRewatch sessions from RADAR: The Analytics Edition
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#200 50 Years of SQL with Don Chamberlin, Computer Scientist and Co-Inventor of SQL

Last year saw the proliferation of countless AI tools and initiatives, many companies looked to find ways where AI could be leveraged to reduce operational costs and pressure wherever possible. 2023 was a year of experimentation for anyone trying to harness AI, but we can’t walk forever. To keep up with the rapidly changing landscape in business, last year’s experiments with AI need to find their feet and allow us to run. But how do we know which initiatives are worth fully investing in? Will your company culture impede the change management that is necessary to fully adopt AI? Sanjay Srivastava is the Chief Digital Strategist at Genpact. He works exclusively with Genpact’s senior client executives and ecosystem technology leaders to mobilize digital transformation at the intersection of cutting-edge technology, data strategy, operating models, and process design. In his previous role as Chief Digital Officer at Genpact, Sanjay built out the company’s offerings in artificial intelligence, data and analytics, automation, and digital technology services. He leads Genpact’s artificial-intelligence-enabled platform that delivers industry-leading governance, integration, and orchestration capabilities across digital transformations. Before joining Genpact, Sanjay was a Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur and built four high-tech startups, each of which was successfully acquired by Akamai, BMC, FIS, and Genpact, respectively. Sanjay also held operating leadership roles at Hewlett Packard, Akamai, and SunGard (now FIS), where he oversaw product management, global sales, engineering, and services businesses. In the episode, Sanjay and Richie cover the shift from experimentation to production seen in the AI space over the past 12 months, the importance of corporate culture in the adoption of AI in a business environment, how AI automation is revolutionizing business processes at GENPACT, how change management contributes to how we leverage AI tools at work, adapting skill development pathways to make the most out of AI, how AI implementation changes depending on the size of your organization, future opportunities for AI to change industries and much more.  Links Mentioned in the Show:Genpact[Course] Implementing AI Solutions in BusinessArticle: AI adoption accelerates as enterprise PoCs show productivity gainsRelated Episode: How Generative AI is Changing Business and Society with Bernard Marr, AI Advisor, Best-Selling Author, and FuturistRewatch sessions from RADAR: The Analytics Edition
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#199 Creating an AI-First Culture with Sanjay Srivastava, Chief Digital Strategist at Genpact

There aren’t many retail giants like Walmart. In fact, there are none. The multinational generates 650bn in revenue, (including 50bn in eCommerce)—the highest revenue of any retailer globally. With over 10,000 stores worldwide and a constantly evolving product line, Walmart’s data & AI function has a lot to contend with when it comes to customer experience, demand forecasting, supply chain optimization and where to use AI effectively. So how do they do it? What can we learn from one of the most successful and well-known organizations on the planet? Swati Kirti is a Senior Director of Data Science, leading the AI/ML charter for Walmart Global Tech’s international business in Canada, Mexico, Central America, Chile, China, and South Africa. She is responsible for building AI/ML models and products to enable automation and data-driven decisions, powering superior customer experience and realizing value for omnichannel international businesses across e-commerce, stores, supply chain, and merchandising. In the episode, Swati and Richie explore the role of data and AI at Walmart, how the data and AI teams operate under Swati’s supervision, how Walmart improves customer experience through the use of data, supply chain optimization, demand forecasting, retail-specific data challenges, scaling AI solutions, innovation in retail through AI and much more.  Links Mentioned in the Show:Article - Walmart’s Generative AI search puts more time back in customers' handsWalmart Global Tech[Course] Implementing AI Solutions in BusinessRelated Episode: How Generative AI is Changing Business and Society with Bernard Marr, AI Advisor, Best-Selling Author, and FuturistRewatch sessions from RADAR: The Analytics Edition
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#198 How Walmart Leverages Data & AI with Swati Kirti, Sr Director of Data Science at Walmart

Generative AI has had a wide range of uses, but some of its strongest use cases are in coding and programming. One of the companies that has been leading the way in AI-assisted programming has been GitHub with GitHub CoPilot. Many software engineering teams now have tools like CoPilot embedded into their workflows, but what does this mean for the future of programming? Kyle Daigle is the COO of GitHub, leading the strategic initiatives, operations, and innovation of the world's largest platform for software development and collaboration. With over 10 years of experience at GitHub, Kyle has a deep understanding of the needs and challenges of developers and the ecosystem they work in. In the episode, Adel and Kyle explore Kyle’s journey into development and AI, how he became the COO at GitHub, GitHub’s approach to AI, the impact of CoPilot on software development, how AI tools are adopted by software developers, the future of programming and AI’s role within it, the risks and challenges associated with the adoption of AI coding tools, the broader implications tools like CoPilot might have and much more.  Links Mentioned in the Show:GitHub CoPilotKyle on GitHub[Code Along] Pair Programming with GitHub Copilot[Course] GitHub ConceptsRelated Episode: What to Expect from AI in 2024 with Craig S. Smith, Host of the Eye on A.I PodcastRewatch sessions from RADAR: The Analytics Edition
New to DataCamp?Learn on the go using the DataCamp mobile appEmpower your business with world-class data and AI skills with DataCamp for business


#79 Delivering Smarter Cities & Better Public Policy w/ Data

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