KMWorld Conference Wrap-Up and Look Ahead
This year's KMWorld conference posed an interesting question in its theme — when thinking about knowledge management and enterprise intelligence, which is more important, human or artificial? It sounds a bit like asking which came first, the chicken or the egg. But the implications are more profound, as AI, in all its new-found glory, dominates KM conversations.
All the keynotes from the conference’s Diamond sponsors had either AI or GenAI in their talk titles. Whether it was Dave Clarke from Squirro talking about knowledge graphs, Ashu Roy from eGain describing trusted knowledge for customer service, or Sid Probstein from SWIRL sharing lessons learned from search, all three featured GenAI implications. While not specifically GenAI, Verint’s John Chmaj weighed in about using AI-powered technology for consistency across CX channels, M-Files customer Devan Dewey explained how NEPC LLC is leveraging AI for productivity, and Sinequa’s Jeff Evernham focused on how AI changes KM. His talk included an AI-generated song celebrating KMWorld.
At Coveo, said Juanita Olguin, the emphasis is on clean data and using GenAI for determining the ROI of KM. Sean Coleman, Upland Software, suggested ways to cut through the AI hype to obtain real results from AI implementations. Sugarwork’s Vanessa Liu and Judith Williams teamed up with Atrion Corp.’s David Battat to spotlight how expert knowledge capture is made more robust by using GenAI. In his closing keynote, Tim Hill from NICE considered content readiness for AI in KM.
People Power
Although it was hard to miss the topic of AI at the KMWorld conference, it was not the only focus area. In his opening keynote, Louis Rosenberg, Unanimous AI, presented the notion of artificial superintelligence (ASI), which he defines as “AI systems that can outperform the smartest humans across a vast range of cognitive tasks, from analysis and problem solving to planning, reasoning, and creativity.” Will it really solve all of our organizational problems? Rosenberg thinks not, because ASI lacks knowledge and understanding of individual organizations. It’s the human element that’ s important. However, if you consider collective superintelligence, aided by AI and modeled on swarms that occur in nature, you can harness and amplify the intelligence of large groups of people so they make better decisions.
he keynote speaker on KMWorld’s second day, Dan Pontefract, Pontefract Group, emphasized people over technology. To lead teams that thrive, you should value every voice. Today’s workers are stressed, burned out, and unhappy. He suggests bloom, collaborate, and care as antidotes. Work–life balance is important. Without it, employees cannot bloom.
Collaboration relies on sharing information to make sure everyone is heading in the same direction. Caring, as a leader, involves sensing how people view the world, feeling the pain and joy of other people, and sympathizing with them. Many of Pontefract’ s comments aligned with the previous day’s Enterprise Search & Discovery conference presentation by Agnes Molnar, Search Explained, about leading successful search teams.
The final day’s opening keynote was a conversation between Kim Glover of TechnipFMC and Cindy Hubert of APQC. They agreed that the top five expected benefits of AI deployment are reducing redundant and siloed work, streamlining/simplifying processes, making better decisions, improving taxonomies and content management, and improving information management quality. They see the top priorities for KM as identifying, mapping, or prioritizing critical knowledge; incorporating AI/ GenAI and “smart” technology; transferring expert knowledge; boosting KM participation or engagement; and increasing the maturity of the KM program effort. AI comes into the picture to support knowledge transfer, find experts, and summarize expertise. It’s important to home in on critical knowledge through communities and by putting knowledge where people are.Today’s fast pace of change can be intimidating,but the pair advised not to let technology scare you and to lean into disruption.
Companies and Suppliers Mentioned