In this episode of AI Today, host Kathleen Walch, Director, AI Engagement and Community at PMI, continues the AI in Healthcare mini-series, produced in partnership by PMI and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). Kathleen sits down with Dr. Lukasz Kowalcyzk, a practicing gastroenterologist and seasoned Healthtech advisor, to explore how AI can meaningfully support operational efficiency, clinical decision-making, and healthcare equity. 

Tune in to learn how AI is advancing healthcare through: 

• Automating surgical scheduling by embedding clinical intelligence into workflows, helping schedulers deliver safer and more consistent care instructions 
• Empowering under-resourced staff through AI-enabled decision support, boosting the performance of surgical schedulers without requiring high medical literacy 
• Navigating AI deployment challenges—from lack of data access to user adoption—and designing around real-world constraints in community and rural care settings 
• Building trust and clinical adoption by deeply understanding user workflows, embedding human-in-the-loop systems, and preserving physician autonomy in decision-making 
• Moving beyond pilot purgatory by prioritizing early wins, cross-functional buy-in, and practical tools designed for low-data-maturity environments 

Dr. Kowalcyzk also reflects on lessons learned from building and selling AI-enabled platforms, his experience in the Mayo Clinic AI Accelerator, and the importance of designing for both people and processes—not just technology. 

Whether you're a healthcare leader, project manager, or curious observer, this episode offers practical, hopeful, and forward-looking insights on building AI-enabled healthcare systems with empathy and vision. To learn more about on AI in healthcare, including access through HIMSS membership, please visit: https://bit.ly/3TSpHDZ 

In this episode of AI Today, host Kathleen Walch, Director, AI Engagement and Community, PMI, continues the AI in Healthcare mini-series, produced in partnership by PMI and Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). Today, Kathleen sits down with Dr. Reza Ryan Sadeghian, System Chief Medical Information Officer at University of Toledo Health. Dr. Sadeghian is also PMP-certified. Tune in to learn how AI is revolutionizing healthcare delivery through: 

• Combat physician burnout with 45+ specialty-specific GPT applications that reduce documentation time while improving clinical quality and consistency 
• Transform clinical workflows with patient-centered AI tools for pediatric care, infectious disease diagnosis, and medical education feedback 
• Implement robust AI governance through layered oversight, human-in-the-loop design, and continuous validation with bias testing 
• Build clinician trust by involving healthcare providers in shaping AI tools rather than imposing rigid pathways, respecting clinical judgment while augmenting decision-making 
• Embed AI as infrastructure rather than standalone tools, treating AI initiatives with the same governance rigor as clinical interventions 

Dr. Sadeghian also discusses the shift from digitization to digital transformation and how organizations can responsibly deploy AI while maintaining patient-centered care. 

Whether you're a healthcare leader, project manager, or curious observer, this episode offers practical, hopeful, and forward-looking insights on building AI-enabled healthcare systems with empathy and vision. To learn more about on AI in healthcare, including access through HIMSS membership, please visit: https://bit.ly/3TSpHDZ 

In this episode of AI Today, host Kathleen Walch, Director, AI Engagement and Community, PMI, kicks off the AI in Healthcare mini-series, produced in partnership by PMI and Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). This three-part series explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the healthcare ecosystem— from frontline care to back-office operations. Today, Kathleen sits down with Rob Havasy, Senior Director of Informatics Strategy at HIMSS. Tune in to learn how AI is being used across the healthcare sector to: 

• Alleviate workforce shortages through automation, ambient listening, and intelligent documentation tools 
• Accelerate data analysis and discovery, surfacing patterns and insights in the 95% of healthcare data that typically goes unused 
• Improve clinical decision-making with AI-powered tools for early detection (like sepsis) and retrospective analysis 
• Enhance administrative efficiency, freeing up valuable time for nurses and physicians through smart supply chain systems and workflow optimization 
• Support human-centered care by augmenting—not replacing—clinicians, and enabling empathetic, AI-enabled interactions 

Rob also discusses the regulatory challenges facing the industry, the importance of principled leadership, and how organizations can move from digitization to true digital reinvention. 

Whether you're a healthcare leader, project manager, or curious observer, this episode offers practical, hopeful, and forward-looking insights on building AI-enabled healthcare systems with empathy and vision. To learn more about on AI in healthcare, including access through HIMSS membership, please visit: https://bit.ly/3TSpHDZ 

In this episode of AI Today, hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer explore how artificial intelligence is being used by non-profits and mission-driven organizations to amplify their social impact. From improving fundraising to optimizing resource distribution, AI is proving to be a powerful force for good.

Discover how AI is helping organizations:

• Enhance donor engagement with personalized outreach and predictive giving models
• Streamline grant applications and identify ideal funding opportunities
• Improve campaign targeting and measure advocacy effectiveness in real time
• Match and manage volunteers based on skills, availability, and mission fit
• Break language barriers and improve accessibility with AI-driven translation and content tools
• Evaluate program effectiveness using data analytics and outcome tracking
• Detect financial anomalies and prevent fraud to maintain donor trust
• Forecast community needs—like food insecurity or homelessness—and optimize resource allocation

AI isn't just transforming business—it's empowering social good. This episode highlights how thoughtful AI use is helping organizations do more with less, and deliver real, measurable change.

In this episode of AI Today, hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer explore how artificial intelligence is powering the evolution of smart cities. From traffic lights to energy grids, AI is helping urban areas become more efficient, responsive, and sustainable.

Learn how AI is being used to:

• Manage smart buildings through automated lighting, heating, and cooling
• Optimize traffic flow with real-time data and AI-controlled signals
• Enhance public transit systems through demand-based scheduling and fleet management
• Support public safety and emergency response via AI-powered surveillance and threat detection
• Streamline waste collection using smart bins, route optimization, and predictive models
• Improve citizen engagement with chatbots, virtual assistants, and personalized city services
• Manage energy and water use through smart grids, leak detection, and demand forecasting
• Monitor environmental conditions such as air quality, noise pollution, and urban heat zones

Whether you live in a major metro area or manage city infrastructure, this episode highlights how AI is quietly transforming the way cities operate—making urban life smarter, safer, and more sustainable.

In this episode of AI Today, hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer explore how artificial intelligence is being applied to one of humanity’s greatest challenges: protecting the environment. From conservation and climate modeling to waste management and disaster response, AI is playing a growing role in sustainability efforts worldwide.

Tune in to learn how AI is being used to:

• Monitor wildlife populations, migration patterns, and poaching risks using sensors, drones, and satellite imagery
• Track deforestation, land use changes, and illegal activity in remote regions
• Predict and manage air and water quality, including pollution hotspots and supply risks
• Support climate change modeling and forecasting using historical and real-time data
• Optimize renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, and balance energy grids
• Assist in disaster response and recovery through damage assessment, route optimization, and coordination
• Improve recycling and waste sorting with AI-powered robotics and computer vision
• Reduce environmental risks by monitoring emissions, tailings dams, and compliance with ecological regulations

AI’s environmental impact isn’t just a challenge—it’s also an opportunity. This episode highlights how thoughtful AI applications can help drive a more sustainable and resilient planet.

In this episode of AI Today, hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer dig into the transformative role of artificial intelligence in the mining industry. From underground safety to surface-level sustainability, AI is helping modernize one of the world’s oldest and most essential sectors.

Learn how AI is being used to:

• Operate autonomous trucks, drills, and loaders in hazardous environments
• Monitor equipment health and perform predictive maintenance to reduce downtime
• Optimize resource extraction and mineral processing in real time
• Improve mine planning and resource estimation through advanced data analysis
• Enhance exploration efforts using geological data and machine learning
• Detect safety hazards such as gas leaks, rockfalls, and structural risks
• Reduce energy usage and environmental impact with AI-driven sustainability tools
• Monitor regulatory compliance and manage tailings dams to prevent disasters

While mining may be out of sight for most of us, AI is bringing new visibility, precision, and responsibility to the way we extract the world’s resources.

In this episode of AI Today, hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the world of art and design. From generative art and music to personalized experiences and collaborative creativity, AI is empowering both professional artists and everyday creators alike.

Tune in to learn how AI is being used to:

• Generate original visual art and music compositions using generative AI tools
• Accelerate design workflows through automation and intelligent suggestions
• Enable style transfer and remixing across artistic genres and media
• Enhance image, audio, and video editing with AI-driven efficiency
• Curate exhibitions, identify themes, and organize creative collections
• Personalize interactive art installations and user-specific experiences
• Support co-creation by acting as an intelligent creative partner

AI is no longer just a tool for technologists—it’s become a dynamic collaborator for the creative class, expanding what's possible in visual, auditory, and interactive media.

In this episode of AI Today, hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the field of architecture. From design and material selection to project management and sustainability, AI is enhancing how buildings are envisioned, planned, and delivered.

Listen in as they discuss how AI is being used to:

• Support generative design, helping architects explore innovative and efficient building concepts
• Automate drafting and detailed design tasks to increase speed and accuracy
• Optimize material selection based on cost, durability, aesthetics, and sustainability
• Improve structural analysis and safety by modeling complex environmental variables
• Assist in site planning with data-driven insights on zoning, topography, and climate
• Enhance cost estimation and budget forecasting using real-time and historical data
• Support project management with predictive scheduling, resource allocation, and delay prevention
• Improve energy efficiency and sustainability through simulation and smart design suggestions
• Enhance Building Information Modeling (BIM) with AI-driven clash detection and cost control

Whether you’re an architect, planner, project manager, or tech innovator, this episode showcases how AI is revolutionizing the design and execution of modern architecture.

In this episode of AI Today, hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer dive into the many ways artificial intelligence is reshaping the restaurant and food service industry. From back-of-house operations to customer-facing innovations, AI is transforming how food is prepared, delivered, and experienced.

Discover how AI is being used to:

• Automate food preparation with robotics for consistent quality and reduced labor costs
• Optimize restaurant menus based on sales data, customer feedback, and seasonal trends
• Enable predictive maintenance of kitchen equipment to avoid downtime and cut repair costs
• Improve food safety and quality control through real-time monitoring and alerts
• Forecast demand and manage inventory to reduce waste and prevent stockouts
• Streamline ordering and payment via AI-powered kiosks, mobile apps, and chatbots
• Personalize the dining experience through tailored recommendations and dynamic pricing
• Enhance customer service with conversational AI for reservations, inquiries, and orders
• Optimize food delivery routes for speed, efficiency, and lower fuel costs

Whether you're a food industry professional or a tech-savvy diner, this episode showcases how AI is improving efficiency, reducing costs, and elevating customer experiences across the food landscape.