Top 50 AI Practitioners: An Update
Hi all, I thought it was time for an quick update on the Top 50 AI Practitioners work that Darren and I have been working on (see the announcement post here).
I think we'll be ready in a week or so, perhaps two weeks, to bring you the results.
As a reminder, we're aiming to bring you a qualified list of practitioners who specialise in driving Conversational AI installations for end customers. Job titles like 'Head of Conversational AI' or 'Conversational AI Specialist', that sort of thing.
I'd like to thank everyone who has submitted their ideas and suggestions, most notably the amazing Kane Simms over at VUX World who submitted a good dozen or so names himself.
I have to highlight that we've had a lot of vendor submissions and whilst that's fine, the original point was to highlight those who are doing the doing - the ones who are essentially 'customer responsible' for Conversational AI installations in companies across the UK. So don't worry when you don't see really, really good, talented people listed that work for Conversational AI vendors. Darren and I are trying to keep things focused.
I've heard a lot of positive feedback about 'why only the UK? Why restrict it?' and the answer is simple: We had to start somewhere.
Darren has done a lot of interviews with practitioners over the last few weeks to understand what they've been doing in the space to help guide our thinking on those to include. Thank you to everyone who's responded to his (usually LinkedIn) requests. Thank you again to Darren for his expert counsel.
Now then. Here's an interesting point for discussion. We haven't got 50.
I'm writing this because I'd like to give it one more push – one more attempt to try and get a brilliantly comprehensive list of Conversational AI practitioners in the UK.
This is something Darren and I have been debating a lot.
We are struggling to find the 50.
I picked 50 off the top of my head, assuming that there were at least 50 "heads of Conversational AI" (or similar/equivalent) in the UK.
Now that we've done a significant amount of research in the space, I think it's eminently clear that lots of people work, for example, in XXX Bank, doing Conversational AI. The challenge there has been identifying who the key practitioner(s) are, versus those who are in the team. We are likely to include a number of individuals from the same company as a result.
Surely there are more than 50 customer responsible 'heads of Conversational AI' in the UK?
Well, one of the other phenomenons we've been seeing is just how many individuals have got responsible for Conversational AI and something else. Or more likely, they're Head of Customer Services or similar and that includes Conversational AI or 'chatbots'. Again, a lot of effort (principally Darren's!) has gone into identifying those who are actively pursuing Conversational AI activities versus those running a (shitty) chatbot on the side.
(There are, dear reader, no end to crappy closed-garden chatbots. They shouldn't even be called chatbots, they should be called click-response engines. You can see a fine, shockingly frustrating example of this at www.very.co.uk for example.)
Now then: We have had a lot of messages. We think we've replied to every single one but I've got a nagging feeling I might have missed a few LinkedIn messages over the period.
So, as a reminder, here's what we're looking for:
To qualify, the individual should:
- have strategic and/or operational responsibility for a meaningful Conversational AI implementation in the UK
- be the clear team leader/manager/executive in charge of Conversational AI activities for their organisation
- have held the position for at least a year - be able to demonstrate or evidence the impact Conversational AI is having within their organisation
- have Conversational AI in the job title or clearly part of their remit
If you'd like to nominate a colleague or yourself for the list, there absolutely still time. Please email me at [email protected], mention the Conversational AI UK Top 50 and include your LinkedIn Profile and I'll reply as soon as I can.
Note: Just to repeat - it's fine to nominate yourself. About 20% of our list so far are self-nominated.