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In the afternoon at the 2025 TECHLeadership Conference, keynote speaker Valerie Bergman urged attendees to keep up with one of the fastest-moving changes in technology today, artificial intelligence (AI). As an AI and data specialist at Microsoft, she shared an inside look at how artificial intelligence is evolving and how businesses can use it to stay ahead.
Valerie began by explaining how tools like GPT first developed just a few years ago. The large language model (LLM) is designed to give more complex answers than a simple Google search. Now, LLMs can analyze information, help with tedious tasks, and revolutionize your organization with some practice.
Understanding how AI learns
While large language models are the most popular form of AI, Valerie explained how not all AI models are created equal. Some AI models are used to analyze data from across the entire internet on any given subject while others are only trained on one organization’s operations.
Valerie said small language models are trained to be specific and can provide precise answers. Larger businesses have been using this technology to find old data quickly or answer employee questions to learn about their organization efficiently.
Adopting AI agents
Valerie also recommended organizations adopt a better system of organizing information, allowing small language models to gather data from every department. This improved access can make AI more effective for employees to use in training or save time finding a file from years ago.
By gathering data properly, businesses can create AI agents designed to perform one task exceptionally well. Some transcribe audio while others scan through large sets of files. Many support a single function that would otherwise take employees hours. Choosing the right agent, she said, often requires experimenting and learning what works best for each situation.
Learning alongside the technology
Valerie described how her own work at Microsoft has shifted as AI becomes more integrated across industries. By shifting her work to involve AI more often, she could slowly teach clients how to best utilize the models.
For organizations unsure where to begin, Valerie offered a starting point like her own: begin with an easily accessible tool like Copilot, carve out time for learning how AI works in the workday, and slowly explore more advanced platforms such as AI Foundry or Azure ML Studio.
Staying curious in a changing landscape
Valerie closed with a challenge to the audience to explore what they find interesting instead of forcing ideas. By testing them, teams can determine how valuable an AI model can be while also learning. Curiosity is at the heart of staying up to date with technology and will help organizations prepare for what comes next.
Get access to Valerie Bergman’s full speech and presentation from the 2025 TECHLeadership Conference here.