From Hype to Real World

GABA and Orange County AI host a panel cutting through AI hype with practical insight on adopting and scaling AI in high-stakes environments GABA and Orange County AI are delighted to invite you to an engaging panel discussion, bringing together three unique perspectives: academic innovation, manufacturing leadership, and enterprise strategy. Our experts will cut through the AI hype to offer practical, actionable insights on how to successfully adopt, deploy, and scale intelligent systems across high-stakes environments. While AI chatbots and text generators continue to dominate the headlines, the next massive frontier for artificial intelligence is transforming physical manufacturing and traditional enterprise operations. Turning the promise of AI into reality requires more than just smart technology, it demands rethinking how we work, managing new business risks, and bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and complex, real-world execution. Key Topics of Discussion Cutting Through the Hype: How to manage executive expectations, deliver tangible ROI, and handle the hidden timelines of getting your company's legacy systems and data ready for AI. From Digital to Physical: The unique challenges and massive operational rewards of using generative AI to rethink complex enterprise processes and manufacture custom physical products at scale. Managing Risk and "Graceful Failures": How to build resilient workflows that can absorb inevitable AI mistakes without halting operations, and how to teach AI systems to know their own limits. The Innovation Race: Who has the advantage in this new industrial era, agile startups building from scratch, or established enterprises armed with decades of historical data? Panelists Sergei Azernikov, PhD Senior Vice President of Software Development, Glidewell Laboratories A leader in applying AI directly to precision manufacturing. He spearheaded a massive digital transformation at Glidewell, leading a software organization that successfully automated 100% of the laboratory’s custom 3D crown designs, drastically reducing turnaround times from weeks to hours. Lukas N.P. Egger Vice President of Product Strategy & Innovation, SAP Signavio A global expert in AI-driven business transformation. He specializes in re-engineering large-scale enterprise workflows, helping organizations separate AI hype from practical value and establishing frameworks for safe, scalable technology adoption. Stephan Mandt, PhD Professor of Computer Science and Statistics, UC Irvine AI Startup Founder Director of the UCI Center for Machine Learning Also an expert advisor to a new AI-driven manufacturing startup, he specializes in making AI more reliable for high-stakes environments, focusing on how to transition cutting-edge academic research into practical, application-ready solutions. Session Chair Hans-Martin Will, PhD Chief AI Officer, LegalMation A technology executive and product leader specializing in the implementation of AI across complex business domains. With leadership experience at Amazon, Microsoft, and SAP, he excels at translating advanced technology into foundational business infrastructure and scalable enterprise applications. Program 6.00 PM Check-in & Reception 6.45 PM Welcome & Speaker Introductions 7.00 PM Panel Discussion 8.00 PM Q&A 8.15 PM Networking 9.00 PM End of Event Parking: Street parking in surrounding streets available and free of charge after 6.00pm. DISCLAIMER By taking part in this event, you grant the event organizers and partners full rights to use the images resulting from the photography/video filming, and any reproductions or adaptations of the images for fundraising, publicity, or other purposes to help achieve the association's aims. This might include (but is not limited to), the right to use them in their printed and online publicity, social media, press releases, and funding applications. You will also be added to the GABA SoCal mailing list to receive newsletters. Please contact us with any questions. CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS We accept refunds 30 days prior to the event. For questions please contact us at [email protected].