Alejandro Correa, AB InBev & Rappi | How to Actually Deploy AI: Strategy, Execution and Lessons from Rappi

The audio and video are in Spanish. These notes are a translation.

Alejandro Correa is a world-class expert in artificial intelligence. He stands out not only for his academic background, but also for having been Director of Artificial Intelligence at Rappi.

Today, Alejandro is Global Director of AI at AB InBev, the largest brewer in the world.

We talk about:

How artificial intelligence is used at a technology company like Rappi
How to design an AI strategy at your company
The biggest barriers that keep companies from adopting artificial intelligence in their processes and businesses

If you do not know where to start in order to use artificial intelligence at your company, because of the overwhelming number of AI tools on the market, this interview is for you.

Youtube Timestamps*

[1:19] - Intro and How Rappi Uses AI

How did Alejandro arrive at the fascinating world of startups, and in particular at artificial intelligence?
What lessons did he take from working at Rappi?
What did Alejandro learn about Communication in artificial intelligence and technology projects?
How would he describe the experience of a Rappi user without artificial intelligence?
How did they use AI at Rappi to automate and optimize processes such as capturing data, modeling, getting to the app, etc.?

[19:55] - How to Implement AI: Strategy

Knowing Alejandro’s experience at Rappi, the Government of Colombia, and a multinational like Ab Inbev, what are the most common and interesting discussions he is having about everything that is happening?
What advice does Alejandro give to company leaders who face this seismic shift that is AI, about the challenge of rethinking their businesses?
With all the new AI tools, how can a business leader avoid focusing on the tree and see the whole forest?
Is this technology more powerful for existing companies with large databases, or for startups that are starting from scratch?

[34:04] - How to Implement AI: Execution

Alejandro explained to us the cons of having a VP of Innovation, and what is the role of an Artificial Intelligence Manager?
What are those fundamental steps a company must take to start its data and artificial intelligence strategy?
Alejandro explained to us how to decentralize the data and artificial intelligence function in a company.
What other foundational mistakes (technological, cultural, process, and others) has he seen new companies make when they are born that later make it harder for them to implement artificial intelligence?
How does Alejandro think about the choice of large language model providers?

[56:27] Rapid-Fire Round

What has been the most influential book on his path through the world of startups?
What would he like to change about the world of startups in Latin America?