From the dawn of humanity, decisions, both big and small, have shaped our trajectory. Decisions have built civilizations, forged alliances, and even charted the course of our very evolution. And now, as data & AI become more widespread, the potential upside for better decision making is massive. Yet, like any technology, the true value of data & AI is realized by how we wield it.  We're often drawn to the allure of the latest tools and techniques, but it's crucial to remember that these tools are only as effective as the decisions we make with them. ChatGPT is only as good as the prompt you decide to feed it and what you decide to do with the output. A dashboard is only as good as the decisions that it influences. Even a data science team is only as effective as the value they deliver to the organization.  So in this vast landscape of data and AI, how can we master the art of better decision making? How can we bridge data & AI with better decision intelligence? ​​Cassie Kozyrkov founded the field of Decision Intelligence at Google where, until recently, she served as Chief Decision Scientist, advising leadership on decision process, AI strategy, and building data-driven organizations. Upon leaving Google, Cassie started her own company of which she is the CEO, Data Scientific. In almost 10 years at the company, Cassie personally trained over 20,000 Googlers in data-driven decision-making and AI and has helped over 500 projects implement decision intelligence best practices. Cassie also previously served in Google's Office of the CTO as Chief Data Scientist, and the rest of her 20 years of experience was split between consulting, data science, lecturing, and academia.  Cassie is a top keynote speaker and a beloved personality in the data leadership community, followed by over half a million tech professionals. If you've ever went on a reading spree about AI, statistics, or decision-making, chances are you've encountered her writing, which has reached millions of readers.  In the episode Cassie and Richie explore misconceptions around data science, stereotypes associated with being a data scientist, what the reality of working in data science is, advice for those starting their career in data science, and the challenges of being a data ‘jack-of-all-trades’.  Cassie also shares what decision-science and decision intelligence are, what questions to ask future employers in any data science interview, the importance of collaboration between decision-makers and domain experts, the differences between data science models and their real-world implementations, the pros and cons of generative AI in data science, and much more.  Links mentioned in the Show: Data scientist: The sexiest job of the 22nd centuryThe Netflix PrizeAI Products: Kitchen AnalogyType one, Two & Three Errors in StatisticsCourse: Data-Driven Decision Making for BusinessRadar: Data & AI Literacy...

Some would say that, given the breadth and depth of data that is available to businesses these days, a surefire path to business value is to load up a department with smart data scientists, task them with developing a solid machine learning strategy, and then execute that strategy. The people who've said that might take issue with this episode. Cassie Kozyrkov joined the show to discuss decision-making: what it is, how we often frame decisions too narrowly, and the different roles data can play to support the process. And much, much more! For complete show notes, including links to items mentioned in this episode and a transcript of the show, visit the show page. 

We're baaaaaaack…! Shorter show name, a rebrand, some minor formatting and structural updates, but still "Moe Kiss with a couple of guys who listeners can't keep straight." On this episode, we talk for a little bit about what we've been doing while we were on hiatus and then dive into a topic that only Cassie Kozyrkov has dared to deeply explore before: the distinction between analysts, statisticians, data engineers, ML engineers...and data charlatans. Well, really just the first two. But, Cassie('s content) has made numerous appearances on the show, so it seemed like high time that we dug into some of her ideas. For complete show notes, including links to items mentioned in this episode and a transcript of the show, visit the show page.

Is your company ready for the next wave of analytics? Data analytics offer the opportunity to predict the future, use advanced technologies, and gain valuable insights about your business. But unless you're staying on top of the latest developments, your company is wasting that potential--and your competitors will be gaining speed while you fall behind. Strategic Analytics: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review will provide you with today's essential thinking about what data analytics are capable of, what critical talents your company needs to reap their benefits, and how to adopt analytics throughout your organization--before it's too late. Business is changing. Will you adapt or be left behind? Get up to speed and deepen your understanding of the topics that are shaping your company's future with the Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review series. Featuring HBR's smartest thinking on fast-moving issues--blockchain, cybersecurity, AI, and more--each book provides the foundational introduction and practical case studies your organization needs to compete today and collects the best research, interviews, and analysis to get it ready for tomorrow. You can't afford to ignore how these issues will transform the landscape of business and society. The Insights You Need series will help you grasp these critical ideas--and prepare you and your company for the future.