DAISC PK – Q&A SESSION WITH IBM AI STRATEGY LEADER & GEN AI DATA SCIENTIST OMAIR ARIF

The informative session focused squarely on how AI is applied at an enterprise scale, what it takes to become industry-ready, and how students can think more clearly about long-term career paths in AI. Rather than staying at a conceptual level, the discussion unpacked how large organizations actually work with AI day to day, from aligning technical teams with business goals to understanding where AI adds value and where it realistically falls short. The emphasis stayed practical, which made the conversation especially relevant for students preparing to move from academic settings into professional roles.

Around 25 AI students from various universities attended the session, bringing curiosity and thoughtful questions that made the discussion highly engaging. A significant portion of the conversation explored the skills required to succeed in industry. Technical ability mattered, of course, but the discussion repeatedly returned to fundamentals such as working with data, communicating insights, and understanding organizational context. Students were encouraged to see AI careers not as a straight line, but as a series of informed choices shaped by experience, mentorship, and continuous learning. Advice on career paths felt grounded in reality, acknowledging uncertainty while offering concrete ways to build credibility and impact early on.

For many attendees, the session helped connect ideas they had studied in class with how AI functions inside real organizations. As it offered clarity without oversimplifying, and guidance without pretending there is a single right path. Students left with a stronger sense of direction and a more realistic understanding of what it means to work with AI at scale.