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How I Use Artificial Intelligence To Improve Life and Business
“It was important for me to understand what was good about artificial intelligence; [how] it could make life and business better.” – Maurizio Riva, Strategic Adviser on HPC, Cloud, and Cybersecurity; Professional Coach and Founder of Future Jobs
Registering for the Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy online short course from the MIT Sloan School of Management and the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) was Maurizio Riva’s latest move to stay at the forefront of tech disruption. With more than 20 years’ experience advising multinational organizations on matters relating to artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), the cloud, and cybersecurity, it’s no surprise that he considers himself an innovation and technology evangelist.
Placing people at the heart of AI innovation
Yet, his story is really about people rather than technology. And it started with his mother’s dream for him. “I come from a very small village of about 150 inhabitants, where I could have lived my entire life [doing] my first job and stayed in my comfort zone,” he says. “But, I didn’t. My mother was a visionary and desired a better future for me. She inspired me to get more. So, I embraced my drive to explore and learn and grow.”
Perhaps this is why Maurizio considers coaching people and creating happy workplaces his life’s purpose. Why he views technology and AI as tools to drive both success and happiness. “It’s very important for me to be a coach and use technology to advance business results, and create a great place to work.” For Maurizio, it always comes back to the human impact: “Making a better quality of life for people is my purpose.”
Disrupt before being disrupted: a winning strategy at any age
Maurizio’s first big decision was to move to the city to study computer engineering at the Polytechnic University of Milan. From there, he started working at a large multinational and progressed through the ranks until he was leading global divisions as part of the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) management team. Maurizio has been at the cutting edge of cloud technology, and building and hyperscaling internet infrastructure. Yet, he doesn’t see the impact of disruption in terms of its size. “I [have] learned that big never beats fast,” he says, “I could disrupt before being disrupted and this was a winning strategy, which is still valid today.”
The business of AI and digital transformation
More recently, Maurizio realized he wanted to develop his own business, which is why he signed up for the MIT Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy online short course. “It was the first time he’d invested in an online course, but felt it added to his existing AI experience. The course gave me a complete overview, from the history of AI to possible future developments. I now know how to consult with my customers and where to continue developing my knowledge.”
His new company, Future Jobs, helps people understand and benefit from the opportunities that AI and disruptive technologies create. As he explains it, “[my aim is to] help people through technology, to really learn and drive and create new, better business through digital transformation.”
“I like to create a great place to work by living a purpose-driven life. [My] value creation formula [entails] making a difference for me, for my team members, for my partners, and for the customer.”
Discover how AI could impact the way you live and work
