Today’s guest is Francesco Tisiot, Field CTO at Aiven. Aiven provides fully managed, open-source data infrastructure on all major clouds. Their platform enables organizations to scale quickly, securely, and cost-effectively — freeing teams to focus on delivering AI applications and business outcomes. Francesco returns to the program to share a pragmatic perspective on AI adoption in highly regulated industries. He outlines how generative AI can eliminate repetitive tasks, accelerate decision-making, and improve employee engagement — without compromising trust or compliance. From co-pilot interfaces to human-in-the-loop models, Francesco emphasizes where AI can provide value while keeping clinicians and analysts at the center of critical decisions. The conversation also covers the pitfalls of scaling AI too quickly. Francesco breaks down the technical and economic challenges that arise when moving from small pilots to enterprise-wide deployment. He explains why foundational data architecture, clearly defined KPIs, and regulatory foresight are essential for sustainable adoption. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/ex2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj’s flagship’ AI in Business’ podcast! If you’ve enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!