AiThority Interview with Suzanne Livingston, Vice President, IBM Watsonx Orchestrate Agent Domains

Suzanne Livingston, Vice President, IBM Watsonx Orchestrate Agent Domains chats about the growing use of Agentic AI across different areas of business and how this is leading to rapid transformations in this AiThority interview:

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Hi Suzanne, tell us about yourself and your role at IBM?

At IBM, I lead a global product and engineering team that creates and scales AI agents for the enterprise. My team builds domain-specific agents — for HR, IT, and other workflows — that unleash major productivity gains for businesses.

Previously at IBM, I held diverse roles in product management, development, design, and research. But there’s always been a common thread: Building products that create new markets and value, and doing so with inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing teams. 

We’d love the top of mind highlights on IBM’s new AI hub

Watsonx AI Labs is the right initiative, in the right place, at the right time.

Some of the most exciting AI breakthroughs right now are happening in the enterprise. There are big, knotty problems to solve: complex processes that beg for automation, vast troves of unstructured data that remain untapped. And there are promising solutions: bespoke AI agents, small-yet-powerful foundation models, innovative tools for data scientists and ML engineers. Businesses are eager to bring these solutions to life.

Meanwhile, New York City is an AI talent capital, from plucky startups to seasoned researchers who have propelled the field forward. That’s why IBM has a century-long pedigree in New York, and why we’re doubling down on that relationship right now.

What does all this look like in action? In addition to housing some of IBM’s most talented AI builders, the lab features pitch and demo days, an AI boot camp, a speaker series, semester-long collaborations with local universities, challenges with prizes, and more. 

Also Read: In the Age of AI, Trust Is the Real Infrastructure

Your thoughts on agentic AI and how it’s impacting every area of business today?

AI agents won’t just accelerate enterprise productivity – they’ll transform it. They represent a step change in the technology: Now AI can not only talk to you, but also work for you.

Business leaders are beginning to realize this. According to a recent IBM survey, 61% of CEOs say competitive advantage depends on who has the most advanced generative AI, and 61% also confirm they are actively adopting and preparing to scale AI agents. 

In what ways will core business functions like marketing, sales, finance and others evolve as agentic AI becomes more mainstream across the tools that these teams use to drive processes and goals?

AI agents automate and accelerate repetitive tasks that consume employees’ valuable time. For example, HR professionals can use agents to track and approve vacation requests. Sales professionals can use agents to identify leads. And finance professionals can use agents to organize invoices. When these tasks become automated, professionals can focus on more impactful and strategic work. 

What should both sides of the coins, users and developers of AI keep in mind as AI permeates more parts of society, life, business and more?

Agents are a truly impressive technology. At the same time, they’re also software applications — and apps are only useful if they can interact with others. Developers and users need to invest in interoperability and orchestration, or else they’ll be left with a patchwork of agents that don’t communicate — literally.

For developers, this means building agents using open building blocks, from open-source technology to vendor-agnostic platforms. For users, this means investing in orchestration tools that make managing agents simple. 

Can you share a few thoughts on some of the top AI innovations from around the world that have piqued your interest and why?

The growing momentum around openness in AI is incredibly exciting. AI is a transformative technology, and an open approach means more people have access to its benefits. The rise of open-source foundation models, and increasing interoperability between different AI frameworks and tools, are both technically impressive and encouraging for society at large. 

What are some of the common myths and misconceptions around Artificial Intelligence that you’d like to bust in this Q&A?

Many people still believe you need a computer science degree, or other advanced credentials, to build and use AI. In reality, AI is becoming more and more accessible. Tools for building AI applications have no-code and low-code options, meaning just about anybody can customize AI applications for their business needs. AI agents are taking this one step further – they can act as intermediaries between users and other advanced software, democratizing access.

Another myth is that AI is simply another tool for the enterprise, like word processors or messaging apps. AI is a step change. Businesses who use AI tactically or ad hoc will fall behind; those who integrate it into their strategic operations and decision making will beat the competition. 

Five overarching thoughts on AI you’d leave us with before we wrap up?

I’ll leave you with five words, which also happen to be the five core principles IBM believes should infuse AI: Explainability, Fairness, Robustness, Transparency, and Privacy.

Also Read: AiThority Interview with Lokesh Jindal, Head of Products at Axtria