Building the foundation for scalable AI
Organizations continue to invest in AI, yet many struggle to move beyond experimentation to measurable business outcomes. The challenge is rarely the model. It's the data foundation that enables AI to understand context, make informed decisions, and operate at scale.
The organizations realizing value from AI are investing in more than data platforms. They're establishing the governance, metadata, ontology, and business context required to transform disconnected data into a trusted asset for AI-powered decision-making.
Join Slalom for a focused discussion on how leading organizations are building AI-ready data foundations to accelerate adoption, reduce risk, and maximize the return on AI investments.
What You'll Learn
- What AI-ready data means and why context, metadata, and governance are critical to AI success
- How to modernize data platforms to support generative AI, analytics, and intelligent applications
- Leading practices for governance, security, trust, and responsible AI
- Strategies for improving data accessibility and eliminating silos
- How business, technology, and data teams can align to accelerate AI outcomes
- Real-world examples of AI-enabled, ontology-driven workflows
- Practical next steps, including readiness assessments, workshops, and pilot opportunities
Who Should Attend
This event is designed for the full spectrum of people shaping AI outcomes in your organization, including:
- Chief Data Officers (CDOs)
- Chief Information Officers (CIOs)
- Chief Technology Officers (CTOs)
- Chief AI Officers (CAIOs) & AI/Innovation Leaders
- Data & Analytics Leaders
- Enterprise & Solution Architects
- Data Engineers and Technical Practitioners
- Digital Transformation Executives
- Business and Technology Decision Makers sponsoring AI initiatives
Event Details
- Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
- Time: 8:30 AM-11:00 AM
- Location: Slalom Houston Office | 825 Town & Country Ln #1300, Houston, TX 77024
Registration is closed. Please contact Travis Brown at travis.brown@slalom.com for any questions.
Agenda at a glance.
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| Arrival | Networking & registration |
| Welcome | Framing the AI-ready data challenge |
| Panel Discussion / Fireside Chat | What does AI-ready data actually mean, and where are organizations getting stuck? |
| Breakout Sessions | Applying the framework to your own environment |
| Closing | Key takeaways, priorities, and next steps |
Meet your facilitators.
Travis Brown is a Director, specializing in Data and Analytics at Slalom. Travis has spent 25+ years helping organizations unlock business value through Data, Governance, Analytics, and AI. He partners with clients to transform data into strategic assets, enabling smarter decisions, innovation, and measurable outcomes. Travis is passionate about turning complex challenges into practical solutions that drive growth, operational excellence, and lasting customer value.
Raju Balan is a Senior Director in Data & AI at Slalom, based in Dallas, Texas. With over 15 years of experience, Raju has been pivotal in driving transformation at Fortune 500 companies by deploying innovative data science and AI solutions and helping shape their data and AI strategies. His deep involvement extends beyond mere application; he critically analyzes both the technical and societal ramifications of AI, driving not only business innovations but also contributing to the broader dialogue, as we will experience today, surrounding AI’s future role in society, and has authored several articles on the topic and spoken at numerous events.