The list spotlights leaders from Fortune 500 companies and top AmLaw firms blazing a trail for AI adoption and advocacy

Relativity today announced its first annual list of AI Visionaries. From general counsel to data governance, privacy, compliance and diversity professionals, the list includes leaders who have taken seminal steps in advancing the use of AI particularly in business areas that have historically been slower to adopt new technologies.

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“I think what we are witnessing now will be seen as a turning point in history — the emergence of a dynamic group of AI Visionaries who are blazing a trail for AI adoption, particularly in functions where managing risk is a top priority and the approach to technology adoption has been more conservative,” said Mike Gamson, Chief Executive Officer at Relativity. “Today, we acknowledge these unsung heroes for their foresight and leadership in advancing the use of AI and propelling their organizations forward.”

Some of the honorees on the list include Ruby Zefo (Chief Privacy Officer at Uber), Peter Lefkowitz (Vice President and Chief Digital Risk Officer at Citrix), Dan Cooperman (Former General Counsel at Apple and Oracle), Heather Sussman (Head of the Cyber, Privacy & Data Innovation Group at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe), among many others.

“AI is probably the most efficient tool to help organizations turn massive amounts of ‘senseless data’ into more ‘senseful data,'” said 2022 AI Visionary honoree, Stefan John, Senior Vice President, BASF Corporation and General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of BASF North America. “And if it’s true that ‘senseful data’ is the new gold of the digital era, then the value of AI should not even be a question.”

Unstructured or semi-structured data is growing exponentially within enterprises, and a majority of data (80% to 90%, according to multiple analyst estimates) is unstructured. Relativity empowers its users to manage large volumes of complex unstructured data.

“Data fuels AI, and leading organizations already rely on Relativity as their preferred platform for unstructured data. When it comes to AI, Relativity is at the forefront of solving one of the world’s biggest challenges — making sense of unstructured data and managing risks associated with discovering sensitive and important information laying undetected,” said Gamson.

In May 2021, Relativity acquired Text IQ, a Top 100 AI company. Since then, the company is making significant investments in bringing the benefits of AI to its customers and accelerating the rate of AI adoption in the industries that it serves.

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As AI increasingly becomes a part of Relativity’s focus, the company is equally committed to setting a precedent for the ethical use of AI especially at a time when there is growing concern around issues such as coded bias. For instance, Relativity is working with Ballard Spahr on building an Unconscious Bias Detector, which utilizes AI to surface instances of biases related to ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc. in performance reviews.

“Left unchecked, AI applications can perpetuate biases at scale, and further entrench societal inequities and injustices. It’s important to me that our commitment to the fair and ethical use of AI isn’t just mere lip service and is instead rooted in taking proactive and meaningful steps,” said Gamson.

“The opportunity to leverage AI to bring unconscious bias to the surface can have a significant impact on creating a more equitable, fair performance review process,” said 2022 AI Visionary honoree, Virginia Essandoh, Chief Diversity Officer at Ballard Spahr. “Ballard Spahr knows that diversity doesn’t just happen, it’s the intentional outcome of commitment to equity and inclusion. I’m proud of the firm for exploring how AI can lead to proactive and purposeful action to uncover where hidden biases lie, and in turn ultimately fostering a better overall workplace.”

Essandoh will discuss her experience in using AI to detect biased performance reviews and foster a more meritocratic workplace in a fireside chat with Gamson during an AI Visionaries recognition dinner during Legalweek.

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