At the AI Advisory Group, we're on a mission to redefine the interface between cutting-edge AI and the human spirit of enterprise.
That's the future we're passionate about creating.
More importantly, we use AI to give you time back to focus on what matters most. Automate the mundane to spend time on the meaningful. That's how we operate.
With us, AI adoption becomes even more than a strategic move -- it becomes a journey of discovery for your entire organization fueled by passion and backed by data.
Our Story
AI Advisory Group began with a vision: to blend the transformative power of AI with a deep understanding of human behavior.
Our founder, Matt Fornito, spent two decades in AI with the past 10 years consulting for Fortune 500 companies. He noticed a frustrating concept - despite advances in AI technology and software, companies were still failing too often on their AI initiatives. This meant AI was not a data or technology issue....it was something more.
The AI Advisory Group was created based on the belief that data and AI should support ALL organizational functions. And to do that, meant there has to be a leadership driven culture of open communication and innovative mindsets.
AI is meant to support business problems - not operate in a silo.
Moreover, AI should be used to automate the boring and repetitive work. In doing so, it allows people to collaborate, strategize, and plan more effectively which leads to a rapidly accelerated revenue growth across the organization.
Our story is a testament to the belief that technology, when aligned with human values and aspirations, can produce extraordinary outcomes.
We live and breathe AI and have it embedded across all functions of our organization. It's not lip service. Through internal automation workflows and AI we spend more time with customers creating value.
We can do the same for you.
We are your dedicated Executive AI Advisors
for accelerating innovation, productivity, and growth.
Battle-scarred. Seasoned Warriors.
This isn't your run-of-the-mill team.
Over 100 Years Experience.
Former Fortune 100 and 500 Executives.
Responsible for over 100 Billion in AI budgets.
Imagine tomorrow having your own world-class AI executive team by your side. Our advisory team is comprised exclusively of former AI, Data, and Product Leaders.
We empower your AI growth through our proprietary 4-Phase Enterprise AI Accelerator Framework and support your success as Fractional and Advisory Chief Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence Officers.
Matt Fornito
Matt Fornito is founder and CAIO at the AI Advisory Group. Formerly a CDO, Head of AI, and Data Scientist, Matt has spent two decades as a catalyst for transformative change, combining his fervor for the confluence of psychology, technology, and AI to empower and educate. At the heart of his work is a relentless drive to unlock the AI potential within organizations and individuals alike.
As a consultant for over a decade, he not only built two firms’ AI practices from scratch – one winning NVIDIA’s Partner of the Year Award (and acted as NVIDIA Partner Chair), he has served some of the leading Fortune 500 companies helping them accelerate their AI journey through strategic roadmaps leading to tangible, business outcomes. He has been entrusted with billions in spend and produced $100s of million in revenue.
Three decades on stage with the past decade as a keynote speaker, Matt combines theory, practicality, and storytelling to engage tens of thousands of people and inspire about the future potential of AI. His evangelism and thought leadership have been seen at CIO/CDO Roundtables, Evanta events, various podcasts, and news outlets including CIO and CDO Magazine.
Matt Fornito
Matt Fornito
Matt Fornito is founder and CAIO at the AI Advisory Group. Formerly a CDO, Head of AI, and Data Scientist, Matt has spent two decades as a catalyst for transformative change, combining his fervor for the confluence of psychology, technology, and AI to empower and educate. At the heart of his work is a relentless drive to unlock the AI potential within organizations and individuals alike.
As a consultant for over a decade, he not only built two firms’ AI practices from scratch – one winning NVIDIA’s Partner of the Year Award (and acted as NVIDIA Partner Chair), he has served some of the leading Fortune 500 companies helping them accelerate their AI journey through strategic roadmaps leading to tangible, business outcomes. He has been entrusted with billions in spend and produced $100s of million in revenue.
Three decades on stage with the past decade as a keynote speaker, Matt combines theory, practicality, and storytelling to engage tens of thousands of people and inspire about the future potential of AI. His evangelism and thought leadership have been seen at CIO/CDO Roundtables, Evanta events, various podcasts, and news outlets including CIO and CDO Magazine.
Matt Fornito
Wendy Zhang
Wendy is a distinguished Advisory CDO/CDAO, renowned for spearheading transformative data and analytics strategies across the finance, healthcare, commercial, and biotech sectors.
With a track record spanning over 15 years, she excels in facilitating enterprise-level transformations, leveraging deep regulatory insights to drive growth and innovation in both regulated and commercial markets. Her strategic partnerships with industry giants such as the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Wells Fargo, and CSL Behring highlight her exceptional ability to deliver impactful outcomes by adeptly navigating complex compliance landscapes.
Possessing a solid academic foundation with a Bachelor's in Economics, and dual Master's degrees in Accounting and Business Analytics, Wendy's strategic acumen and analytical prowess have established her as a thought leader in the field. Her success in leveraging analytics to enhance regulatory compliance and operational efficiency has set organizations on a path of enduring strategic success.
Trusted by C-suite executives and valued for her visionary approach, Wendy's leadership not only fosters organizational resilience but also ensures scalable success through the alignment of business objectives with robust technical solutions, positioning her as an invaluable asset to any forward-thinking organization.
Wendy Zhang
Wendy Zhang
Wendy is a distinguished Advisory CDO/CDAO, renowned for spearheading transformative data and analytics strategies across the finance, healthcare, commercial, and biotech sectors.
With a track record spanning over 15 years, she excels in facilitating enterprise-level transformations, leveraging deep regulatory insights to drive growth and innovation in both regulated and commercial markets. Her strategic partnerships with industry giants such as the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Wells Fargo, and CSL Behring highlight her exceptional ability to deliver impactful outcomes by adeptly navigating complex compliance landscapes.
Possessing a solid academic foundation with a Bachelor's in Economics, and dual Master's degrees in Accounting and Business Analytics, Wendy's strategic acumen and analytical prowess have established her as a thought leader in the field. Her success in leveraging analytics to enhance regulatory compliance and operational efficiency has set organizations on a path of enduring strategic success.
Trusted by C-suite executives and valued for her visionary approach, Wendy's leadership not only fosters organizational resilience but also ensures scalable success through the alignment of business objectives with robust technical solutions, positioning her as an invaluable asset to any forward-thinking organization.
Wendy Zhang
Sham Kashikar
Sham is a senior leader and experienced Chief Data and Analytics Officer with two decades of steering data and AI strategy at tech powerhouses like Meta/Facebook, Intel, Cisco as well as small and medium sized organization like VMWare, McAfee, Amplitude and DataStax.
Sham has successfully led initiatives integrating AI and data to drive strategic growth customer experience and democratize data by leveraging technologies and building data communities.
Sham is recognized for his adeptness in fostering data-driven cultures and adeptly managing the complexities of data governance, all while championing the ethical use of AI. His inclusive approach to leadership and commitment to nurturing talent have beeninstrumental in building high-performance teams. As a speaker and governing member in the AI and data community, Sham remains at the forefront of industry innovation, sharing valuable insights and trends.
Sham Kashikar
Sham Kashikar
Sham is a senior leader and experienced Chief Data and Analytics Officer with two decades of steering data and AI strategy at tech powerhouses like Meta/Facebook, Intel, Cisco as well as small and medium sized organization like VMWare, McAfee, Amplitude and DataStax.
Sham has successfully led initiatives integrating AI and data to drive strategic growth customer experience and democratize data by leveraging technologies and building data communities.
Sham is recognized for his adeptness in fostering data-driven cultures and adeptly managing the complexities of data governance, all while championing the ethical use of AI. His inclusive approach to leadership and commitment to nurturing talent have been instrumental in building high-performance teams. As a speaker and governing member in the AI and data community, Sham remains at the forefront of industry innovation, sharing valuable insights and trends.
Sham Kashikar
Jordan Plawner
Jordan Plawner is an AI Product Management Executive known for his expertise in crafting visionary strategies, recruiting and cultivating top-tier entrepreneurial AI teams, orchestrating intricate roadmaps and crafting dynamic go-to-market plans.
During his tenure as Intel’s Global Executive Director of AI Product Management and Strategy, Jordan led the business and engineering team in close collaboration with leading cloud, OEM and software IT providers to conceptualize and launch six generations of full stack AI products and build a $3 billion annual business. This includes complex multi-party partnerships such as the VMware - Intel Private AI launch. His role extended beyond product development, as he actively engaged with clients to provide foundational AI education, identify pertinent use cases, and meticulously.assess AI workload and infrastructure requirements, resulting in accelerated time-to-solution.
With a master's degree in international business and technology management and three decades of experience as an IT product management executive and AI evangelist, Jordan is widely acknowledged as an authority in aligning new technologies and market demands with organizational and cultural transformations.
Jordan is prominently known for his role as an AI Evangelist, adept at translating complex technological concepts into easily understandable narratives. His thought leadership has garnered significant attention, including notable features in media outlets such as CNN and Time Magazine.
As a leading AI Product Executive and visionary leader, Jordan is equipped to serve as Chief Product Officer or Product Advisor, leveraging a people-first approach and the ‘start with WHY’ framework to build cohesive teams and foster long-term alignment towards organizational goals.
Jordan Plawner
Jordan Plawner
Jordan Plawner is an AI Product Management Executive known for his expertise in crafting visionary strategies, recruiting and cultivating top-tier entrepreneurial AI teams, orchestrating intricate roadmaps and crafting dynamic go-to-market plans.
During his tenure as Intel’s Global Executive Director of AI Product Management and Strategy, Jordan led the business and engineering team in close collaboration with leading cloud, OEM and software IT providers to conceptualize and launch six generations of full stack AI products and build a $3 billion annual business. This includes complex multi-party partnerships such as the VMware - Intel Private AI launch. His role extended beyond product development, as he actively engaged with clients to provide foundational AI education, identify pertinent use cases, and meticulously.assess AI workload and infrastructure requirements, resulting in accelerated time-to-solution.
With a master's degree in international business and technology management and three decades of experience as an IT product management executive and AI evangelist, Jordan is widely acknowledged as an authority in aligning new technologies and market demands with organizational and cultural transformations.
Jordan is prominently known for his role as an AI Evangelist, adept at translating complex technological concepts into easily understandable narratives. His thought leadership has garnered significant attention, including notable features in media outlets such as CNN and Time Magazine.
As a leading AI Product Executive and visionary leader, Jordan is equipped to serve as Chief Product Officer or Product Advisor, leveraging a people-first approach and the ‘start with WHY’ framework to build cohesive teams and foster long-term alignment towards organizational goals.
Jordan Plawner
Gary Cao
Gary Cao is an Advisory CDAO specializing in designing and implementing of data and analytics (AI) strategies, with a focus on identifying use cases to deliver specific ROI within a timeframe.
Gary has been a serial founder of internal data and analytics startups at 8 companies across industries in the past 26 years, including Cardinal Health, Chase, Equifax, Anthem, US Venture, and Akron Children’s Hospital. He has closely collaborated with business unit executives to deliver 4-8 times of return on investment from key project portfolios.
With Master of Science in Engineering from University of Pennsylvania, MBA from Tulane University, MA Economics from University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and BA Economics from Peking University, Gary is widely regarded as a leading expert by C-suite leaders and his peer CDAOs.
His articles have been featured in CDO Magazine and India Analytics Magazine; he has been a frequent expert speaker and panelist at International Institute of Analytics (IIA) and multiple podcasts.
As a leading practitioner-expert on analytics transformation, Gary can help any CEO, board member, CFO, COO, and CIO with questions on how to initiate or scale up analytics and AI capabilities, with his systemic approach focused on value delivery timeline.
Gary Cao
Gary Cao
Gary Cao is an Advisory CDAO specializing in designing and implementing of data and analytics (AI) strategies, with a focus on identifying use cases to deliver specific ROI within a timeframe.
Gary has been a serial founder of internal data and analytics startups at 8 companies across industries in the past 26 years, including Cardinal Health, Chase, Equifax, Anthem, US Venture, and Akron Children’s Hospital. He has closely collaborated with business unit executives to deliver 4-8 times of return on investment from key project portfolios.
With Master of Science in Engineering from University of Pennsylvania, MBA from Tulane University, MA Economics from University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and BA Economics from Peking University, Gary is widely regarded as a leading expert by C-suite leaders and his peer CDAOs.
His articles have been featured in CDO Magazine and India Analytics Magazine; he has been a frequent expert speaker and panelist at International Institute of Analytics (IIA) and multiple podcasts.
As a leading practitioner-expert on analytics transformation, Gary can help any CEO, board member, CFO, COO, and CIO with questions on how to initiate or scale up analytics and AI capabilities, with his systemic approach focused on value delivery timeline.
Gary Cao
Lashaw Salta
Lashaw is a skilled technologist with experience across the full lifecycle of software implementation, he can guide businesses in adopting the right tools and processes to modernize operations and foster data-driven decision making.
Over his 8+ year career, he has worked with financial services organizations like American Trust, Megastar Financial, Freddie Mac, and Morgan Stanley in roles spanning software engineering, business intelligence, and business analysis. With a Bachelor's degree in Business Management from Goucher College.
He has a proven ability leading teams to develop software solutions, integrate systems during M&A activities, automate processes, and deliver data-driven insights to leadership.
He has a passion for leveraging technology to solve business challenges and optimize organizational performance.
Lashaw Salta
Lashaw Salta
Lashaw is a skilled technologist with experience across the full lifecycle of software implementation, he can guide businesses in adopting the right tools and processes to modernize operations and foster data-driven decision making.
Over his 8+ year career, he has worked with financial services organizations like American Trust, Megastar Financial, Freddie Mac, and Morgan Stanley in roles spanning software engineering, business intelligence, and business analysis. With a Bachelor's degree in Business Management from Goucher College.
He has a proven ability leading teams to develop software solutions, integrate systems during M&A activities, automate processes, and deliver data-driven insights to leadership.
He has a passion for leveraging technology to solve business challenges and optimize organizational performance.
Lashaw Salta
Raj Madan
With 22 years of experience in the industry, Raj Madan is a leading expert in Data and AI. He began his
career in commerce, managing data and analytics for @L’Oréal before later moving into the
pharmaceutical industry to make a meaningful impact.
Raj wealth of experience looks like the following:
- Beginning his pharmaceutical career at @Novartis as Head of Digital Solutions
- Moving to @GSK to adopt the role of Global VP of Digital, Data, Analytics, and
Innovation for Consumer Healthcare Technology
- At present, he is the SVP and Chief Digital and Information Technology Officer @ Arcutis
Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQT)
Raj’s expertise extends beyond data. He also possesses a deep understanding of organizational
culture, recognizing that a company’s success hinges on the structure and effectiveness of its
teams. His unique approach to breaking down complex issues into manageable components has
yielded impressive results.
Raj Madan
Raj Madan
With 22 years of experience in the industry, Raj Madan is a leading expert in Data and AI. He began his
career in commerce, managing data and analytics for @L’Oréal before later moving into the
pharmaceutical industry to make a meaningful impact.
Raj wealth of experience looks like the following:
- Beginning his pharmaceutical career at @Novartis as Head of Digital Solutions
- Moving to @GSK to adopt the role of Global VP of Digital, Data, Analytics, and
Innovation for Consumer Healthcare Technology
- At present, he is the SVP and Chief Digital and Information Technology Officer @ Arcutis
Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQT)
Raj’s expertise extends beyond data. He also possesses a deep understanding of organizational
culture, recognizing that a company’s success hinges on the structure and effectiveness of its
teams. His unique approach to breaking down complex issues into manageable components has
yielded impressive results.
Gary Cao
Our Values
Innovation
Our heartbeat, our ethos.
Innovation is the fuel that powers our journey forward. We're relentless in our pursuit of the next breakthrough, constantly challenging the status quo. By fostering a culture of creativity and experimentation, we empower your organization to lead the charge in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Insights
Knowledge is our compass.
Armed with deep insights gleaned from data, AI, technology, research, and decades of experience, we guide your organization through the complexities of today's business environment. Our strategies are informed, our decisions are intelligent, and our paths are clear, ensuring you navigate with confidence towards your objectives.
Integrity
In the ever-evolving AI landscape, our unwavering integrity is what sets us apart.
We pledge transparency, ethics, and principled decision-making at every turn. Our approach ensures that our partnerships are built on trust, with strategies that not only meet your goals but also adhere to the highest ethical standards. Integrity is our promise, making us your trusted advisors in the AI journey.
Inspiration
At our core, we believe in the power of motivation and the transformative impact of AI.
We're committed to igniting a sense of purpose and excitement, fostering a culture where innovation thrives.
Improvement
Continuous, relentless, unwavering.
We're committed to the ethos of kaizen, the philosophy of continuous improvement. In our partnership, we'll constantly seek ways to enhance efficiency, elevate performance, and exceed expectations, ensuring that your organization is always on an upward trajectory.
A History of Success
What People Say About Us
