Enterprise Apps Unpacked27 Feb 2025

Blackline CIO on the Customer Zero approach to AI

It's been said that the main job of a chief information officer is "keeping the lights on" – making sure an organization's IT systems are up to date, reliable and running smoothly. But CIOs of software vendors sometimes play an additional role as early users of products under development. The approach is often called Customer Zero, "drinking your own champagne" or "eating your own dog food," and advocates say it can improve innovation and quality control in products and services and boost customer satisfaction.

In the podcast, Sumit Johar, CIO of Blackline, a Los Angeles-based maker of cloud-based accounting and finance software, shares his experiences with the Customer Zero method. He also discusses the role of machine learning and generative AI in Blackline's internal IT automation and digital transformation efforts, the insights that were gained and how they affect product development.

Johar was previously CIO of Automation Anywhere, a provider of AI-based robotic process automation, and mobile security vendor MobileIron, now part of Ivanti.

Other topics discussed in the podcast include:

the business processes where AI has the biggest impact
why AI poses a threat to compliance and security but also offers solutions
whether increased use of AI will cause significant job loss
how employees can prepare themselves to stay ahead of the AI curve

Host: David Essex, Industry Editor, Informa TechTarget

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