About Bjorn Austraat

Wouldn't it be great to have a "GPS system" to guide him on his enterprise AI journey? Bjorn Austraat offers a pragmatic approach to implementing AI, backed by 25 years of hands-on experience, delivering real-world results to millions of users. His work provides clear directions and peace of mind, spanning from AI strategy to effective execution and implementation. From implementing machine translation in the 1990s to large-scale voice automation in the early 2000s and leading IBM Watson from 2015 to 2019, Bjorn Austraat has demonstrated success across Silicon Valley startups and $95B global enterprises. Bjorn Austraat applies a continuous improvement mentality to set clear enterprise priorities, rapidly translating them into measurable outcomes. Most recently, Bjorn Austraat served as SVP and Head of AI Acceleration at Truist, leading the AI & Analytics Accelerator (A3) to fuel innovation and accelerate scalable solution deployment across the enterprise. His team provided thought, policy, and platform leadership, delivered end-to-end model development, and adopted Agile AI methodologies. They also pioneered Generative AI innovations, including Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), summarization, and code generation. His previous senior AI leadership roles include positions at Wells Fargo, IBM, and consulting engagements with top companies like Apple, AT&T, Microsoft, and Ford. From his beginnings as an interpreter and translator in Vienna to his extensive career spanning Silicon Valley startups and Fortune 50 companies, Bjorn Austraat has excelled at enabling effective communication to foster productive relationships across teams and organizations. As an applied AI expert and thought leader, Bjorn Austraat has delivered hundreds of executive and plenary presentations at major industry events. Bjorn Austraat holds an MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, an M.A. in Translation and Interpretation from the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and an M.A. in Conference Interpretation from the University of Vienna. His specialties include: • Applied Predictive & Generative AI • AI/ML Platform Strategy / Acceleration • AI Talent Sourcing & Retention • Data & Digital Strategy • Strategic Innovation and Change Management • Team Building & Mentoring • Policy Development / Modernization