Phil Samuel

Phil Samuel

Senior Director AI + Continuous Improvement Microsoft
Phil Samuel

Business transformation leader driving profit and revenue growth through innovation, strategy, and operational excellence. Expert in Front-End Innovation, Design for Excellence, Predictive Analytics, and Agile Strategic Planning. Proven success across functions using design thinking, machine learning, and enterprise process improvement. Passionate about empowering teams through a leader-leader model.

Day One

9:30 AM DISCUSSION PANEL: The Yin and Yang of Continuous Improvement and AI

According to PEX Network annual report, 47 % of respondents said operational excellence and business transformation strategies are mission-critical in helping to drive growth, manage turnaround and deliver strategic objectives within organizations.

Industries are undergoing a seismic transformation, fueled by the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI). While many organizations have made significant investments in AI, few are realizing the full potential of their efforts. According to Gartner, “Over 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled by the end of 2027 due to escalating costs, unclear business value, or inadequate risk controls.”

Continuous Improvement (CI) has long been a proven framework for driving operational excellence. Traditionally focused on incremental gains in cost, quality, and delivery, CI initiatives often lose momentum over time due to challenges such as limited leadership engagement, initiative fatigue, and high implementation costs.

A growing number of forward-thinking organizations are bridging this gap by integrating CI and AI in a complementary, “yin and yang” approach. CI provides the structure to identify high-value opportunities and eliminate inefficiencies, while AI delivers the scale and speed to achieve breakthrough results.

Join us as industry leaders explore:

  • How CI and AI are evolving as distinct yet complementary strategies for performance improvement, including practical insights on re-thinking CI frameworks to both support and benefit from AI implementation
  • Real-world examples where AI has accelerated CI outcomes—and where CI has enabled successful AI adoption and highlighting practical steps for integrating AI and CI into a unified improvement approach
  • Change management and workforce alignment, ensuring that AI-enabled CI initiatives are adopted effectively and deliver sustainable, organization-wide value
  • What this emerging synergy reveals about the next S-curve of improvement in a technology-enabled business landscape