Spacewalk 2025: The future of AI panel discussion | All Things Open Meetup

Join the All Things Open community for our annual Spacewalk meet-up and moderated panel discussion. Watch the full, edited panel discussion:    • The impact of artificial intelligence in 2...   The Impact of Artificial Intelligence in 2025: Opportunities and Strategies for Career and Business Success As we move into 2025, artificial intelligence is not just a disruptor but a core driver of business and professional transformation. This panel will explore AI's expanding impact on enterprises and individual careers, focusing on actionable opportunities and strategic positioning for success. How will AI redefine roles, industries, and competitive advantages? What skills and mindsets are essential for professionals and businesses this coming year? Where are the emerging opportunities for innovation and leadership in AI-powered industries? The panel brings together leading AI experts, innovators, and strategists to share insights, challenge assumptions, and provide forward-looking guidance to professionals and leaders preparing for an AI-driven future. Moderator Bio - Mark Hinkle Mark Hinkle is an AI consultant with over 30 years of experience in enterprise software, cloud computing, DevOps, and open source technology. Mark specializes in guiding business leaders through the adoption and optimization of artificial intelligence for productivity and growth. He combines deep technical expertise with a pragmatic approach to delivering AI-driven value to mid-level and C-suite executives. He runs the Artificial Intelligent Network of over 250,000 subscribers. Panelist #1: Franziska Hinkelmann - Senior Engineering Manager, Google Franziska Hinkelmann is a distinguished AI and machine learning engineer with a background in delivering cutting-edge solutions at scale. With expertise spanning advanced algorithms, applied AI, and systems optimization, Franziska’s work demonstrates how businesses can harness AI to solve complex challenges. Her contributions span technical leadership, innovation, and mentorship in AI strategy. Panelist #2 Bill Higgins - VP, IBM watsonx Platform Engineering and Open Innovation Bill Higgins is a technology leader and product innovator with extensive experience building AI-driven products. A strong advocate for practical AI adoption, Bill focuses on translating complex AI capabilities into real-world business applications. He is known for guiding teams to design and implement solutions that optimize workflows and enhance customer experiences. Panelist #3 Jon Reifschneider - Founding Director, Artificial Intelligence Master of Engineering program in Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering; Co-founder and CEO, Inquisite AI Jon Reifschneider is the Founding Director of the Artificial Intelligence Master of Engineering program in Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering where he teaches graduate level courses in Machine Learning and Large Language Models. He is also the Co-founder and CEO of Inquisite AI, the AI platform for science teams that accelerates their knowledge-intensive workflows. Prior to joining the Duke faculty, Jon spent 15 years building advanced analytics products in industry, most recently serving as Senior Vice President at the tech company DTN where he led the Weather Analytics division and developed predictive analytics systems in use by most major transportation, aviation and energy utility organizations across the US. Jon holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia, a Master of Engineering Management from Duke University, a M.S. in Analytics from Georgia Tech, and a Global MBA from EBS (Germany). Panelist #4 Sachin Solkhan - Vice President, Intelligent Search, Fidelity Investments Sachin Solkhan is an Executive Technology Leader focused on building & leading AI product engineering teams. He is passionate about Application of Artificial Intelligence technologies, Software Engineering and Agile practices. ### Save the date: All Things Open AI is happening March 17-18, 2025 -- Durham, NC | allthingsopen.ai/ All Things Open 2025 is happening October 12-14, 2025 -- Raleigh, NC | 2025.allthingsopen.org/ ### About We Love Open Source We Love Open Source is an open source community educational hub that includes blogs, interviews, presentations, podcasts, how-to's, and more, from the All Things Open community members: Start reading: allthingsopen.org/articles How to contribute: allthingsopen.org/welcome-to-we-love-open-source About All Things Open All Things Open is a universe of open source events and platforms designed to educate and connect technologists around the world. It includes the All Things Open conference, the largest open source / tech / web event on the U.S. East Coast, meetups in the Research Triangle Park (RTP) of NC, South Carolina, and New York City, and a YouTube channel with more than 1,000 free recordings. See everything we do at allthingsopen.org/.