Episode Overview

In this episode, Maribel Lopez sits down with David Singer, Global Vice President and Go-To-Market Strategy at Verint, to explore the rapid evolution from generative AI to agentic AI and how organizations can successfully implement AI solutions that deliver real business outcomes.

Key Topics Discussed

The Evolution from Generative to Agentic AI

• Generative AI: Excellent at answering questions and synthesizing information from knowledge sources
• Agentic AI: Takes the next step by actually executing actions autonomously, not just providing recommendations
• The critical difference: autonomous decision-making versus rules-based automation

Building Trust in Autonomous AI Systems

• Start with human-in-the-loop monitoring for training and validation
• Gradually reduce oversight from constant monitoring to spot checks
• Apply quality monitoring practices to AI agents similar to human agents
• Consider AI agents as "silicon-based employees" requiring training, access controls, and performance management

Successful AI Implementation Strategies

Start with Clear Outcomes: Define specific business goals before selecting technology

• Focus on solutions that deliver outcomes, not just impressive technology
• Begin with well-understood processes that can be enhanced rather than completely reimagined

Three Proven Starting Points:

1. Call Wrap-up Automation: AI-powered summarization reduces agent workload
2. IVR Modernization: Convert top call flows to agentic conversational AI
3. Quality Management: Scale from monitoring 1-3% of calls to near 100% coverage

Vendor Selection Criteria

• Proven outcomes at scale: Look for vendors with demonstrated success stories and customer references
• Technology adaptability: Choose providers who can evolve with the rapidly changing AI landscape
• Production readiness: "POCs are easy, production is hard" - prioritize vendors with production deployment experience

Change Management for AI Adoption 

• Deploy solutions that genuinely help employees first
• Build internal champions through positive early experiences
• Scale gradually to maintain trust and adoption

Key Insights

• Employee Experience Drives Customer Experience: AI solutions that improve employee satisfaction often lead to better customer outcomes
• Observability is Critical: Comprehensive monitoring and quality management become essential as AI systems gain autonomy
• Outcomes Over Technology: Success comes from focusing on business results rather than being enamored with the latest AI capabilities

About the Guest

David Singer is the Global Vice President and Go-To-Market Strategy at Verint, where he focuses on delivering AI-powered outcomes for customer experience automation. Verint has been incorporating AI into their platform for over a decade, evolving from call recording and workforce management to comprehensive CX automation solutions. 

You can follow David here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwsinger/

You can follow Maribel here: 

Closing Thoughts

Singer emphasizes two crucial points for organizations embarking on AI initiatives:

1. Avoid spending significant resources on new technology only to use it exactly as you did before
2. Always start with outcomes first - let business goals drive vendor selection, implementation strategy, and change management approaches