XcelLabs

Builder of Navi | Real-Time Insight + Coaching System for Modern CPA Firms
 2024–Present | XcelLabs
I helped create Navi to solve the problem every CPA firm quietly knows:
 advisory is broken.
Navi turns transcripts, emails, and meeting notes into real-time coaching for your team. It listens to client conversations, flags missed opportunities, and helps advisors grow in the flow of work. Think of it as an intelligent mirror—surfacing pricing signals, emotional cues, and strategic gaps your team might miss.
Navi doesn’t replace your team. It makes them better.
 It’s the missing layer of firm intelligence that finally lets your leadership scale.

Co-Founder

Radical Pricing: How to Optimize Profits, Delight Customers, and Build a Top Value Firm (2024)

“In Radical Pricing, Jody Padar unveils the strategies that pave the way for a profound metamorphosis — from the antiquated “We sell time” ethos to the dynamic realm of a “We sell outcomes” business model. It will propel your firm into a paradigm where pricing is anchored in the value generated, liberating it from the shackles of archaic notions like the billable hour and the tyrannical timesheet. The proven strategies will confer remarkable experiences for both customers and team members alike while plunging another nail in the coffin of the profession’s outdated practices.

Ronald J. Baker, founder, VeraSage Institute

Author

Trullion

By using AI and automation, Trullion creates a single source of truth for financial leaders. As a member of the Trullion advisory board, I also serve as a truth ambassador for the company. 

For those looking for new levels of transparency to save time and augment how accountants can access vast amounts of data, I share how Trullion is revolutionizing the use of AI in accounting software. From automating ASC 842 to IFRS 16 or GASB 87, workflows generate 100% auditable journal entries and disclosures. Let us help you turn unstructured data like PDFs and contracts and translate them into real-time financial images. Digitizing manual process will help accounting firms drive additional profit!

Truth Advisor

From Success to Significance: The Radical CPA Guide

“Forget everything you have heard about the future of accounting and read this book. I wish I had this book three years ago instead of having to work all this out myself. Jody Padar is bold in telling us what needs to change, but she has done it, so we should listen. This is a must read, very seriously.”

– David Boyar, Chief Executive Officer, Sequel CFO

The Radical CPA: New Rules for the Future-Ready Firm

Oakton Community College

Love teaching Taxation and Quickbooks for Consultants

Adjunct Professor and advisor

april

Senior Tax Advisor

What’s April? It’s a new way to think about taxes in a human-centric way. Think customer first, tax technical jargon erased and an opportunity for everyday people to file their taxes simply. Check out www.getapril.com.

VP of Tax Strategy & Evangelism

Botkeeper

Advisor and Ambassador

Botkeeper automates bookkeeping and pre-accounting for CPA firms and helps them solve capacity problems, spend more time with clients, and better capitalize on the potential for advisory services. It's revolutionary and radical, which is why I continue to be a Botkeeper ambassador.

Vice President of Partner Development & Strategy

Taxjoy

Advisory Board Member

New Vision CPA Group

Chief Executive Officer

The Radical CPA

Most firms say they do advisory. But under the hood? It’s still too slow, too shallow, and too dependent on the partner.

That’s the problem Navi solves.

After 25+ years in accounting—from running my own firm to helping scale multiple tech startups—I’ve seen how hard it is to turn client conversations into real-time insight and strategic action.
Advisory often becomes a static report, a missed opportunity, or a bottleneck in someone’s inbox.

That’s why I’m leading the AI-X movement, and why I helped build Navi—an AI-powered advisory engine that gives firms live coaching, feedback, and insight based on how their team actually shows up.

It’s advisory as it should be: fast, scalable, and emotionally intelligent.
Before AI-X, I was known as the Radical CPA—a movement I sparked to pull the profession into the digital age.

I’m a feeling leader at heart—driven by passion, bold ideas, and a refusal to settle for outdated models.

I built and ran my own firm (New Vision CPA Group) for 14 years. I pioneered cloud accounting. I’ve written three books. And I’ve spent the last decade helping firms modernize their tech, pricing, and advisory work.

My goal? Help accountants go home on time, serve clients better, and fall in love with their work again.

Now, I’m at the intersection of AI and advisory—helping firms evolve from static check-ins to dynamic, data-driven client relationships. The next generation firm isn’t just a firm—it’s a tech company that happens to do accounting and tax.

Let’s build it.

Career Highlights
 ✔ Senior Tax Advisor, april (2024)
 ✔ Advisor, BlueJ (2024–present)
 ✔ Truth Advisor, Trullion (2021–present)
 ✔ VP of Tax Strategy & Evangelism, april (2022–2024)
 ✔ VP of Strategy, Botkeeper (2020–2021)
 ✔ CEO, New Vision CPA Group (2006–2020)
 ✔ Author of The Radical CPA (2015), From Success to Significance (2018), and Radical Pricing (2024)
 ✔ Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting (2011–present)

Jody Padar

Who are worse your children or your clients?! LOL


Let me know in the comments if you have received this exact same message? 

#happytaxseason
#accountingandaccountants
#radicalcpa

The Radical CPA, Advisory is broken. I’m fixing it—with Navi: real-time coaching, insight, and leadership flow for modern CPA firms.

graphical user interface, text, application, chat or text message

I’m married to a die-hard Bears fan.
Season tickets.
Autographed Dick Butkus over the fireplace.

Me?
I’m… adjacent. 😅

The Bears win last night was huge — but what surprised me most was how much more I enjoyed the game because of the analytics.

The announcers kept explaining why decisions were being made in real time.  
Go for it. Punt. Clock management.
It wasn’t just happening — it made sense.  
Since it was on Prime it was like an AWS commercial and they would say ANALYTICS. 

They said like 100 Times!!!!

My husband has analytics in his head. Years of watching football.
So when he’d say, “Statistically, they should go for it here,”
I’d smile and say:

“Analytics!”

And honestly? That made the game more fun for me.
I understood it better. I was more engaged. I could follow the logic, not just the emotion.

That’s what AI-X is about.

Not replacing experience — amplifying it.
Making insight visible, sharable, and useful in the moment.

Because when more people can see the field clearly,
the game gets better — whether it’s football or your firm. 🐻📊

#GoBears   and you all know I live 45mins from Greenbay! 

#aix
#analytics
#accountingandaccountants
#radicalcpa

No alternative text description for this image

Seven times the recipe.
I made these cookies this weekend.

Flour everywhere.
Counters full.
Trays stacked wherever they fit.

Halfway through, one leg on the pizzelle maker broke.

Not stopped working.
Broke.

So I held it.
Adjusted the angle.
Kept going.

Batch after batch after batch.

And that’s when it clicked.

👉 This is the messy middle.

Not the exciting start.
Not the pretty finish.

The part where:
   •   You’ve already scaled it
   •   Something breaks
   •   You’re too far in to quit
   •   And you just… figure it out

From the outside, people see the stack and think, “Nice result.”
They don’t see the hacks, the wobble, the frustration, the improvising.

Most things worth building look like this in the middle:
Unstable. Inefficient. Held together by sheer will.

If your work feels like that right now—
Good.

You’re not failing.
You’re in it.

Broken leg and all. 🍪🔥
#buildinpublic

New York drops an apple. 🍎
Sister Bay, Wisconsin drops a cherry. 🍒

We chose the cherry.

The kind of clarity that shapes how I’m building Navi and the AI-X movement—human first, always! 

Wishing you a thoughtful, steady, hopeful New Year. ✨
Happy New Year.

#AIX #Navi #HappyNewYear

One more day until the ADP Accountant Connect Summit!

January 14 | 12-4pm ET | 4 Free CPE Credits

Dan Hood, Kelly Phillips-Erb, Amy Miller and I will be covering the One Bill Beautiful Bill and the impact on this year’s tax season.

Meet us there!! Register: https://bit.ly/3KTipPG  

#CPE #Tax #TaxProfessionals #AccountingandAccountants
Sponsored

New Year's resolution: stop guessing what the One Big Beautiful Bill means for your clients.

I'm joining the ADP Accountant Connect Summit on January 14 alongside Kelly Phillips-Erb, Dan Hood and Amy Miller to break down what's actually changing for tax season. 

Plus, economist insights, AI strategy sessions and Shaq talking about thinking big. Free CPE. Virtual.

Register here ➡️ https://bit.ly/44vo0SJ  

#RadicalCPA #AccountingandAccountants #CPA #OBBB #Tax
Sponsored

NO Tax on Tips. Overtime. Advisory season is officially here.
 And yesterday, we SHOUTED it from the rooftops on stage.

Was very cool to share the stage yesterday with Kelly Phillips Erb and Amy Miller, CPA and Daniel Hood talking everything about Tax on Tips and Overtime as we get ready for the perfect Tax Advisory Season!  

Thank you ADP for an AMAZING online event!

Learn more about Tip Credit in a Box, in the comments below!

Here's my 2025 LinkedIn Rewind, by Coauthor.studio:

I launched a company. Filed a patent. Watched my son graduate. And somehow ended up on the same summit lineup as Shaq. 🏀

2025? It wasn't just a year. It was a complete rebuild.

June 6, I announced my role as Co-Founder at XcelLabs. https://lnkd.in/eGdeeafm

The next day? Duck U! landed at ENGAGE25. 50+ humans showed up to a pool cabana. Not for a pitch. For a moment that was weird, wild, and very real. https://lnkd.in/eszrjqm7

In March, I initiated the AI-X Movement — and ChatGPT named what it saw in me: "The Radical CPA Effect."

In December, Navi V1 went live. Real-time coaching for advisory calls. Emotionally intelligent AI. Patent-pending. Not perfect. Not polished. But ALIVE. https://lnkd.in/eTQXw_Sn

And Katie Tolin and I made Accounting Today's 2025 Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting — together. https://lnkd.in/e4DutWFC

The phrase that defined this year?

"Not just AI in accounting — but the human in AI."

Because here's what I know: AI isn't replacing us. It's asking us to be MORE human than ever before.

The personal moments mattered just as much.

My son graduated in May. My daughter marched at Pride. My 85-year-old dad discovered ChatGPT and now uses it for taxes AND cheesecake recipes. 😂

Leadership doesn't live in boardrooms. It lives in LIFE.

What I learned:
→ Trust is earned by presence, not effort.
→ Sometimes the most powerful move is NOT responding.
→ The future doesn't wait. Neither should you.

What's next? Navi is live. The AI-X Movement is just getting started. And I'm still building in public.

Want in? Take the XcelLabs AIQ Self-Assessment.

Gratitude first. 💜

To Katie Tolin, Jennifer Cryder, PICPA, and every odd duck who showed up this year — thank you.

2026? Even more radical.

#RadicalCPA #AIX #XcelLabs #buildinpublic #accountingandaccountants #LinkedInRewind #Coauthor #2025wrapped

--

The rule was N!  For the holiday grab bag.

I’m bringing GNOMES.

Why?
Because the G is silent—and Radical leadership is about intent over technicalities.

The goal wasn’t alphabet compliance.
It was fun, joy, and a little chaos.

Mission accomplished.

Silent G.
Loud impact.

Will see how many years this is talked about?

What’s your holiday (G)Nome?

 #RadicalCPA #BeTheGnome

For years I've said this profession is about relationships. But I couldn't measure empathy. Couldn't explain why some conversations landed and others didn't.

This year, leaning into AI revealed what I'd been missing — the invisible parts of leadership I'd been navigating on instinct alone.

And it made something undeniable: the standards are shifting.

Experience doesn't equal impact. Long conversations aren't always better ones. Soft skills aren't intangible...they're just untrained.

These aren't predictions. They're the new standards shaping advisory in 2026: 
https://bit.ly/44Wctw7  

#RadicalNewVision #AccountingandAccountants #CPA #Advisory #Navi #AIAccounting

I didn’t think adding color would hit me like this…

Who, me? Emotional MOTHERBEAR?!
But here we are. 🎨

Navi has colors now.
And real UX/UI.

And suddenly, he doesn’t look like an MVP anymore 
he looks like himself.

Navi started as an MVP because I needed proof that accountants deserve better tools.

Tools that don’t just track compliance
but help us understand how we show up, how we communicate, and how our presence lands in the room.

V1 feels different.

He’s not just scoring conversations.

He’s surfacing clarity, emotional tone, engagement, action, and impact —
the stuff we were never taught to measure but always felt mattered.

This evolution mirrors something bigger happening in the profession:

We’re not just technicians anymore.
We’re advisors. Leaders. Humans in high-stakes conversations.

Watching Navi evolve from MVP → V1 feels like watching the profession claim more of itself ...more color, more nuance, more humanity.

Honestly?
This is just the beginning of where his features and our expectations of what the AI in HUMAN are headed.

Proud. Energized.
 A little emotional.
Okay fine. A LOT emotional.

Can’t wait for what’s next. 🚀

#RadicalCPA #AccountingEvolution #FounderFeels #AdvisoryEra #BuildInPublic #AIX

If your team is still manually retyping K-1 data, that's your leadership opportunity right there. XcelLabs partnered with K1X, Inc. on a free course that shows you how to turn tax tech into your career accelerator.

You'll work hands-on with K1 Aggregator (firms using it eliminate 90%+ of manual entry), learn how to pilot new tools, communicate ROI in partner language and build the case for change.

One hour. Completely free. https://bit.ly/49u20uC  

#RadicalCPA #AccountingandAccountants #CPA #CPAFirm #XCelLabs

The FICA Tip Credit is entering a new era. Is your firm ready?

With H.R.1 and new IRS regulations redefining qualified tips and tipped occupations, tax professionals now have both a technical challenge and a major advisory opportunity.

The question is: Can you build clear, consistent, data-driven workflows that position your firm to guide clients, reduce risk and create recurring advisory revenue?

Join me & CPA Trendlines to get practical workflows and advisory insight you can implement immediately.

Friday, January 16 | 11 AM - 12 PM CST | IRS CE credit eligible | $49.50

Register 👉 https://bit.ly/4pnwrHh  

XcelLabs #AccountingandAccountants #CPA #CPAFirm #FICA #Advisory

How many hours did your team spend last tax season retyping K-1 data?

What could they have done with that time instead? Advisory work? Strategy? Actually talking to clients instead of chasing box 13?

Here's what most firms don't realize: time isn't just inefficient. It's gone. And you're about to spend it the same way this year unless someone does something different.

Firms using AI to automate K-1 processing are eliminating 90% of manual entry. Not streamlining it. Eliminating it. That's hours back. That's capacity you didn't have to hire for.

K1X, Inc.  and I built a course that shows you exactly how this works in practice. Real numbers. Real workflows. Real proof.

➡️ Turning Tax Tech into Leadership Opportunity

One hour. Free. For accountants done sacrificing growth for manual work.
👉 https://bit.ly/49u20uC  

#XcelLabs #AIFirst #DigitalChampion #TaxTech #K1X #AccountingLeadership

Most CAS firms think they're ready for AI and automation. But if you don't know who touched what in your client files or can't restore a backdated invoice that disappeared last Tuesday, you're not ready for anything.

Data governance isn't an IT checkbox anymore. It's the difference between confidently doubling your client load and quietly hemorrhaging trust.

Before you layer on AI tools or promise CFO-level advisory, ask yourself: Do you have full, restorable backups? Can you track every change? Would you get alerted if something critical shifted in a client's books?

If you can't answer yes to all of that, your foundation is cracked.

Why you can't scale broken books (and what to do about it): https://bit.ly/4pEtAuw  

SysCloud #RadicalNewVision #AccountingandAccountants #CAS #AIAccounting
Sponsored

How do you know if your advisory conversation actually moved the needle?

Most CPAs can't tell the difference between a productive session and an expensive chat that should've been an email.

Here's what I look for: Did the client actively participate instead of zoning out? Could they explain their situation back to me? Did we both leave with real action steps?

That third one is everything. Because advisory without action is just... talking.

Three signs your meeting worked (and why it matters): https://bit.ly/4aogiO1  

#RadicalNewVisions #AccountingandAccountants #CPA #CPAFirm #Advisory

AP/AR is the back-office work nobody wants to touch. Manual, tedious, margin-killing.

But you can't ignore it. Your clients need it handled, and if you're not doing it strategically, you're leaving money on the table.

What if instead of treating AP/AR like a chore, you packaged it as two distinct service models? Oversight Light for clients who want to press the button themselves with your guardrails. Full-Service for clients who want you handling everything end-to-end.

Both are revenue opportunities. And when you layer in credit card advisory, payment timing strategy, and cash flow coaching? You've turned operations into advisory.

How to stop losing money on AP/AR (and start making it): 

Melio #RadicalNewVision #AccountingandAccountants #CPA #CPAFirm

Sponsored

Your restaurant clients are sitting on thousands in unclaimed FICA Tip Credits. But most CPAs don't have the tools to confidently lead those conversations.

Tip Credit in a Box changes that. Quick calc to spot opportunities, AI coaching to practice your pitch, client templates, implementation roadmap — everything you need to launch advisory in this space.

Want to see how it works? DM me for a FREE demo.
Learn more at https://bit.ly/4p0h07C 
 
XcelLabs #AccountingandAccountants #TipCredit #FICA #Advisory

Your clients don't care about your tech stack.

They care that you caught the duplicate vendor payment before it cleared. That you spotted the revenue recognition issue in real-time. That when they ask, "what changed?" you have an actual answer.

That's not magic. That's having your data house in order.

Most CAS firms are drowning in tools but can't tell you who modified last month's close. You can't be a trusted advisor when you can't trust your own books.

The automation piece? That comes after you fix this: https://bit.ly/4pEtAuw 

SysCloud #RadicalNewVision #CAS #AccountingAdvisory #AccountingandAccountants

Sponsored

Helen Yu

CEO @Tigon Advisory Corp. | Host of CXO Spice | Board Director |Top 50 Women in Tech | AI, Cybersecurity, FinTech, Insurance, Industry40, Growth Acceleration

As the founder and CEO of Tigon Advisory, I help tech companies of all sizes multiply their growth opportunities by leveraging AI, cybersecurity, IoT, supply chain, and customer experience. With over a decade of technology industry experience, I offer CXO-as-a-service and guidance to organizations through digital transformation, strategic planning, enterprise risk management, go-to-market optimization, and influencer marketing.

I have worked with enterprise clients such as SAP, IBM, Salesforce and Microsoft, as well as B2B SaaS, Fintech, Insuretech, and Martech startups. I also serve as an independent board director and a venture capital advisor, where I bring a unique perspective on technology thought leadership, cybersecurity risk management, go-to-market strategy, and customer experience. I am a certified cybersecurity expert from MIT Sloan School of Management, an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago, and a respected industry thought leader, a Wall Street Journal best selling author, a keynote speaker, and a host of CXO Spice podcast. I am passionate about empowering and mentoring the next generation of technology leaders, especially women and minorities.

Director Board of Directors

CEC is a security service integrator with focus markets in manufacturing, healthcare, SLED and Corporate Campus.  Customers with complicated organizations and physical plants rely on CEC as extensions of their teams in making strategic investment and management decisions related to their technology and infrastructure. I serve as Culture and Compensation Committee Chair. 

What are the most talked about AI buzzwords in 2025?

Check out these AI buzzwords from Vibe Coding to Blackwell Chips:
✅ AI Slop – Low-effort AI content flooding your feeds.
✅ Vibe Coding – Let AI handle the boring code so you can innovate.
✅ Agentic AI – Models that act on their own. 
✅ Blackwell Chip & TPU – The silicon engines powering AI.
✅ Multimodal - An AI system capable of understanding and working across multiple types of data, such as text, images, audio, and video.
✅ Inference – The ability of an AI system to recognize patterns, interpret signals, and draw conclusions from data it has not explicitly seen before.
✅ Synthetic Data – Fake data that trains the next big model.
✅ Tokens: The basic units of data an AI model processes, where text is broken into small pieces (roughly four characters per token in OpenAI models) that together form words, sentences, and paragraphs.

Master these buzzwords and you’ll sound like an AI insider.
Stay tuned for the upcoming #CXOSpice on "Inside the Token Factory".

#AI #TechTrends #MachineLearning #2025Buzzwords

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter here https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg 
or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

What if the next leap in robotics isn’t AI but mechanics?

This video highlights how 3D gear design is reshaping robotic motion, thanks to the ingenuity of three Japanese engineers.

Progress doesn’t always mean adding complexity. Sometimes, it means redesigning what we thought was already solved.

#Robotics #Engineering #DesignThinking #Manufacturing #Innovation

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation,
Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter here https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg
or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

What if the technology we build every day could unlock potential for over a billion people?

That question came alive for me when I sat down with Jenny Lay-Flurrie, Microsoft's Chief Accessibility Officer, at Microsoft Chicago AI Tour.

Jenny's journey of living with hearing loss for over 40 years alongside her sister is a testament to how lived experience shapes technology that empowers people with disabilities worldwide.

What struck me most? Jenny's reminder that "when you know one person with a disability, you know ONE person." True accessibility requires constant listening and learning.

The exciting part: AI is transforming what's possible. From real-time meeting notes to enabling individuals with autism to work on assembly lines, technology is breaking down barriers that once seemed insurmountable.

My biggest takeaway? Start with just 20 minutes. Microsoft offers
free accessibility training that covers disability awareness, etiquette, and practical ways to build inclusively. Twenty minutes to gain perspective that could change how you approach technology and human connection.

Technology is about empowerment. And accessibility isn't a feature; it's a foundation.

If you're in the New York area, don't miss the chance to meet Jenny at the Microsoft AI Tour on January 21st. Her insights will challenge and inspire how you think about innovation. https://lnkd.in/gRUBMC-4

Thank you, Jenny Lay-Flurrie, for reminding us that innovation is most powerful when it's inclusive.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season filled with connection, warmth, and moments that matter. May the new year bring opportunities to learn, grow, and build a more inclusive world together.

#Accessibility #AI #InclusiveTechnology #MicrosoftAITour #Leadership #Innovation

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter here https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg or 👉 
#CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

How are leading enterprises turning AI and product lifecycle intelligence into real business impact?

That’s exactly what I explored at #CES during my visit to the PTC booth.

I took a few guided tours showcasing how PTC is enabling innovation across industries, including:
✅ How Lambergminne leverages PTC to drive smarter design and connected product lifecycle decisions
✅ Innovating Electronic & High Tech Development with IPL
✅ Innovating Next-Gen Mobility

Each experience highlighted how intelligent platforms are helping organizations move faster, design smarter, and scale innovation with confidence.

The visit wrapped up with a great introduction to Neil Barua, PTC’s CEO, reinforcing how strong technology vision and leadership go hand in hand.
✅ If you’re at CES, be sure to visit PTC, Booth 6027.

✅ And don’t miss what’s coming next on CXO Spice:
   Steve Dertien on “Intelligent Product Lifecycle”
   Jon Stevenson on “Smarter AI for Enterprises”
Two conversations focused on how AI and PLM are shaping the future of enterprise innovation.

#CES #PTCPartner #AI #ProductLifecycle #Electronics #HighTech #Mobility 

To stay current with the latest trends in  #Technology and #Innovation,
Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter here https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg
or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

Do you understand what AI, automation, and digital connectivity are doing to your competitive position, supply chains, and workforce right now?

The Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies released Digital Technology Risk Taxonomy, and here are the highlights from Cambridge Judge Business School:

✅ Labour markets transforming – AI isn’t just replacing low-skill jobs. It's automating middle and high-skill work, creating "job polarization" that could hollow out your talent pipeline.
✅ Supply chain chokepoints – The semiconductor shortage cost the auto industry $500B. Your critical inputs may be one geopolitical tension away from disruption.
✅ Cyber vulnerability at scale – As everything connects, your attack surface isn't growing linearly. It's exploding. One breach in your digital infrastructure could cascade across your entire operation.
✅ Industrial policy as competitive weapon – Governments are picking winners and losers through massive interventions. Are you positioned to benefit or be left behind?

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is here. And it's bringing 139 distinct risk types across 6 major categories that boards need to understand and govern.

What digital technology risks keep you up at night?

#BoardGovernance #DigitalRisk #AI #CyberSecurity #SupplyChain #RiskManagement

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation,
Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter here https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg
or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

Cambridge Taxonomy of Digital Technology Risk

What steps is your organization taking to align AI growth with energy sustainability?

By 2035, data centers could consume 1,200 TWh; nearly triple today's levels. AI's energy appetite is outpacing the grid.

But here's the flip side: AI deployed right can cut data center cooling by 40%, slash building energy use by 15-40%, and optimize everything from grids to logistics.

The World Economic Forum just dropped a blueprint to make this happen.

Three actions. Three enablers. One goal: Net-positive AI energy.
✅ Design for Efficiency – Build sustainability into models and infrastructure from day one
✅ Deploy for Impact – Drive measurable energy savings across operations
✅ Shape Demand Wisely – Incentivize smart, selective AI use

Backed by:
✅ Education and upskilling
✅ Cross-sector collaboration
✅ Transparent measurement

The proof is already here:
✅ Google: 33x reduction in energy per prompt
✅ Industrial parks: 100,000 MWh saved
✅ Smart grids: Losses cut, reliability up

Energy is now a bottleneck for AI growth. Without action, capacity concentrates in energy-rich regions. Digital divides widen. Infrastructure buckles.

Companies embedding efficiency into AI see gains in performance, resilience, and bottom line. Net-positive AI is competitive advantage.

AI will scale. The question is whether it scales responsibly.

Read the full WEF report below.

#AI #Sustainability #EnergyTransition #ResponsibleAI #NetZero #ClimateAction

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation,
Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter here https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg
or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

A Net-Positive AI Energy Framework Insight Report

The ChatGPT Moment for #Robotics Is Here.

Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA delivered one of the most significant keynotes at CES, and the message is clear: physical AI breakthroughs are unlocking entirely new applications.

Just as ChatGPT transformed how we interact with AI through language, we're now witnessing a parallel revolution in the physical world. 

Huang predicts this could become the largest technology industry the world has ever seen, driven by three key pillars: agentic AI, self-driving cars, and humanoid robots.

Here are Key Announcements:
✅ NVIDIA Cosmos - A world foundation model platform trained on 20 million hours of real-world robotics and driving videos, enabling developers to create realistic simulations for testing autonomous systems
✅ Drive AV Stack - Mercedez Benz CLA achieved the highest Euro NCAP safety score in 2025, with urban driving capabilities rolling out via OTA updates in just over a year
✅ Isaac Robotics Platform - Open frameworks including Groot 1.6 with Cosmos Reason integration, enabling generalist-specialist robots that combine broad knowledge with deep expertise
✅Jetson Thor T4-1000 - Delivering 1,200 teraflops of AI compute at just 40-70 watts, making advanced robotics accessible at scale

The shift is already happening. Hundreds of billions in VC funding and trillions in R&D budgets are transitioning from classical computing methods to AI. Companies from Boston Dynamics to LEM Surgical AG are building on this platform to transform everything from manufacturing to healthcare.

Stay tuned for my conversation wtih Spencer Huang to get the latest update on Cosmos and GR00T. 

We're moving from AI that perceives and generates to AI that perceives, reasons, plans, and acts in the physical world. The future isn't just thinking machines; it's machines that can navigate our reality safely and intelligently.

What applications of physical AI are you most excited about? 

#CES2025 #PhysicalAI #Robotics #AutonomousVehicles #AI #Innovation #NVIDIAPartner

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What better way to kick off the new year than “Everybody” at Sphere with robots? 🤖🎶

The Backstreet Boys’ performance at Sphere was a reminder that when music, immersive tech, and robotics collide, the future feels very present. High energy, iconic sound, and yes… robots stealing the show.

That momentum carries straight into #CES this week, where I’ll be diving deeper into what’s next through interviews on:
✅ Robotics (Cosmos and GR00T Year One)
✅ Smarter AI for Enterprises
✅ Intelligent Product Lifecycle

From the stage to the show floor, innovation is setting the rhythm for 2026.
Stay tuned as the future of AI, robotics, and intelligent systems takes center stage.

#CES2026 #Robotics #AI #Enterprises #Engineering #HNY

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What happens when Physical AI moves from demos to real-world deployment at scale, in motion, and in the operating room?

The NVIDIA Physical AI Showcase at CES had answers everywhere.
This short video captures some of the most memorable moments.

My favorite highlights:
✅ Miroki by Enchanted Tools
A familiar face from NVIDIA GTC last year - this social, general-purpose robot is designed to support patients through care, restorative, and cognitive assistance, making human-centered robotics tangible.
✅ Reachy Mini by Reachy.ai + NVIDIA DGX Spark
I got hands-on creating a stylized image with Reachy Mini, powered by NVIDIA DGX Spark. A fun, experimental process even though the result looked more like Shrek than me 😄.
✅ TRINITY – will.i.am’s one-seat EV concept
Focused on situational awareness, TRINITY lets drivers talk to AI about traffic and surroundings in real time, processing vision locally to understand the physical world beyond a map.
✅ LEM Surgical: From Innovation to Standard of Care
Already FDA 510(k) cleared and in routine clinical use, the Dynamis system shows how NVIDIA Physical AI is advancing robotic surgery toward greater autonomy and perception.
✅ AGIBOT at Scale
AGIBOT has shipped its 5,000th humanoid robot, now deployed across hospitality, manufacturing, logistics, security, and education; proof that humanoids are moving beyond prototypes.
✅ Reconnecting with Spencer Huang (NVIDIA Robotics)
A great conversation on what Physical AI enables next and how it’s moving from research to real-world impact. Stay tuned for the upcoming CXO Spice newsletter where I will be sharing more about our conversation.

Physical AI is no longer a glimpse of the future; it’s unfolding now across healthcare, mobility, and humanoid robotics.

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation,
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Is your data infrastructure ready for the robotics era?

At #CES, I reconnected with Spencer Huang, Product Lead for Robotics at NVIDIA to get an update on Cosmos and GR00T.

His statement resonated with me: the companies winning in robotics have stopped waiting for perfect models. They're capturing data NOW.

Three insights that changed how I think about this space:
✅ The data problem is here 2026 will see a massive influx of real-world robotic data. But Spencer warns: "It's very easy to generate lots of data that's not useful." Winners will build pipelines to curate and synthesize quality data.
✅ Hybrid tasks = biggest opportunity The sweet spot are tasks too complex for traditional robots but not complex enough to need general AI. This is where companies can deploy TODAY.
✅ Dual simulation unlocks scale Cosmos provides diversity through natural language. Omniverse delivers physical precision. Together, they solve what seemed impossible: infinite scenarios with accurate physics.

Spencer's key insight: "If you want to leverage the technologies coming out in a year or two, capturing that data today is extremely crucial."

The inflection point for Robotics is here. What's your move?
Full insights: https://lnkd.in/gUMawp8m

#Robotics #AI #PhysicalAI #Manufacturing #Innovation

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"It's completely infeasible in the robotics space to assume one company can solve this, because we have to represent the entire world. It's not just t

Open article: The Future of Physical AI: Key Insights from NVIDIA's Robotics Product Lead at CES by Helen Yu • 5 min read

The Future of Physical AI: Key Insights from NVIDIA's Robotics Product Lead at CES

Who are the voices moving the needle in 2026? 🎤

The Thinkers360 Annual Awards are back to find the world’s top experts and most innovative brands.

We are looking for: 
✅ Rising Stars – Emerging leaders making an early impact. 
✅ Authors & Podcasters – Creators of the year’s best insights. 
✅ Tech Innovators – Companies leading the charge in AI. 
✅ CEOs & Founders – Visionaries driving organizational growth.

As an Ambassador, I’ll be part of the final judging panel. I can’t wait to see the caliber of work submitted this year.

⏰ Early Bird pricing is live until January 15th. 🔗 Make your nomination today: https://lnkd.in/gsk8dhjX

Tag someone below who SHOULD be on this list! 👇

#Awards #B2B #InfluencerMarketing #PersonalBranding #Thinkers360Awards

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What defined AI in 2025—the capability or the choice?

The gap between proof-of-concept and production readiness became the defining challenge of the year.

In my year-end newsletter, I'm reflecting on:
✅ Why agentic AI finally crossed into production (and what made the difference)
✅ How responsible AI shifted from compliance checkbox to competitive moat
✅ The 3 hard-won lessons I'm taking into 2026
✅ How this community grew to 113K+ people navigating AI transformation together

My most important takeaway?
Automation isn't the enemy. Automation without strategy is.

The organizations winning in 2026 won't be the ones with the most AI; they'll be the ones with the clearest intention behind it.

What's one responsible automation decision your organization made this year or is wrestling with right now?

#AI #ResponsibleAI #Leadership #Innovation

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A Year-End Reflection on Responsible Innovation What if the real AI story of 2025 wasn't the technology but the hard choices around deploying it respo

Open article: The Hard Choices That Defined AI in 2025 by Helen Yu • 5 min read

🚴‍♂️ Ever had a flat tire during a bike ride and found yourself stuck fixing it?

I’ve been there. With this electric battery-powered pump, you can skip the hassle of CO2 cartridges. Just press, inflate, and you’re back on the road in 80 seconds. 

Check out this video from Interesting Engineering to see how it works.

#BikeTech #Sports #Innovation #Wellness

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter here https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

When a cyberattack hits, will your board lead or scramble?
✅ The average data breach now costs $4.88M globally and $9.3M in the U.S.
✅ 99% of ransomware attacks target backups, with recovery taking 24 days on average.
✅ 75% of security leaders say AI-powered attacks are already having a major impact.

This threat landscape is active and accelerating today.

AI and quantum computing are reshaping the threat landscape faster than most organizations can adapt. Building higher walls won’t save you when attackers scale faster, smarter, and cheaper.

Cybersecurity is no longer just a CISO issue; it’s a boardroom mandate.

Leading organizations are changing the playbook:
✅ From preventing everything → to managing acceptable risk
✅ From defense-first → to rapid response and recovery
✅ From cost center → to strategic business enabler

Read more from my blog: Is your board of directors truly leading on cyber readiness?
👉 https://lnkd.in/gMYj4TvD

Tune in Tuesday for the release of the 2026 Outlook for Identity Management Report to learn how boards and security leaders can stay ahead of the threat curve.

The convergence is underway and board preparedness will separate leaders from laggards.

#Cybersecurity #RiskManagement #BoardDirectors #CEOs 

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation,
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What if the real AI story of 2025 wasn't the technology-but the hard choices around deploying it responsibly?

That question followed me from NVIDIA GTC in March to Amazon Web Services (AWS) re:Invent in December. On conference stages, in CXO Spice interviews, and in boardrooms-the conversation kept shifting from "Can we build this?" to "Should we ship this?"

Three threads defined my 2025:

✅ Agentic AI went from concept to production. I explored AI factories and agentic workflows at #PegaWorld, #GTC, #Dreamforce, #IBMThink, #SAPSapphire, #AITour, #reInvent with leaders from Pegasystems, NVIDIA, Salesforce, IBM, VMware, VMware, Schneider Electric, SAP, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Enterprises are moving beyond experimentation. Architecture, governance, and data readiness now determine who scales and who stalls.

✅ Responsible AI became an operational imperative. I completed the EU AI Act short course and launched a Responsible AI Expert Series with AI & Partners. Trust, data sovereignty, and governance aren't compliance checkboxes-they're competitive differentiators.

✅ Cybersecurity met AI head-on. My keynote at CyberRisk Alliance Leadership Exchange in June reinforced what I'd been saying: new AI capabilities create new risk vectors. Cyber readiness can't be an afterthought.
This conviction deepened through collaborations with Commvault at Recovery Range, ManageEngine's 2026 Identity Management Outlook Report, and Ivanti's "Transforming Security with Exposure Management.

My most-engaged LinkedIn post this year captured something worth repeating:

✅"Automation isn't the enemy. Automation without strategy is."
That post on responsible automation sparked over 6,400 engagements and 713 comments:https://lnkd.in/gW78v8dH

Two other posts resonated deeply:
✅ Human+AI creativity amplified (5,000+ engagements): https://lnkd.in/gx-amWkp
✅ Simple innovations changing lives (2,100+ engagements): https://lnkd.in/gkqEEmEa

Beyond content, I expanded my board and advisory work - joining the Board of Advisors at Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University Chicago and being recognized by BoardProspects as one of 100 Exceptional Private Company Board Directors.

Three takeaways heading into 2026:
✅ Treat AI adoption as architecture + governance + people vs. just a product build.
✅ Plan automation with phased workforce transition and community impact in mind.
✅ Board oversight must now include AI risk alongside traditional governance.

What responsible automation step is your organization taking right now?

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter here https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

Deep appreciation for this incredible community. Happy Holidays to all!

#AI #AgenticAI #ResponsibleAI #Cybersecurity #DigitalTransformation #LinkedInRewind #Coauthor #2025wrapped

Get your 2025 LinkedIn Rewind! Go to rewind.coauthor.studio

What happens when AI learns to understand the physical world?

A year ago, NVIDIA launched Cosmos and Project GR00T—two ambitious platforms promising to revolutionize how robots learn, simulate, and operate in our world.

Cosmos gives AI “eyes” to understand physics, while GR00T teaches humanoid robots to move and think like us.

Since then, we’ve seen:

 ✅ Johnson & Johnson using Cosmos to train surgical robots with synthetic data.
 ✅ 23 open-source models topping AI leaderboards across robotics and physical AI.
 ✅ Humanoid robots learning complex tasks through simulation before touching the real world.

But here’s what I want to know: Beyond the demos and press releases, where are these platforms actually being deployed? Which industries are adopting fastest? What technical breakthroughs happened that NVIDIA hasn’t publicized yet?

I’ll be at #CES 2025 for NVIDIA Live with Jensen Huang on January 5. There’s something about getting a dose of his vision for innovation that’s always inspiring; he sees around corners in ways few others do. I will also be sitting down with a Spencer Huang, Product Line Manager of Robotics at NVIDIA to dive deep into Cosmos and GR00T’s real-world impact.

Stay tuned - I'll be sharing what I learn about where physical AI is heading.

#CES2025 #PhysicalAI #Robotics #NVIDIAPartner #AI

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What if robots could give nurses back their most valuable time?

At AWS re:Invent, I spoke with Adam Allevato, from Diligent Robotics about Moxie, a robot designed to help, not replace, healthcare workers.
“If we can handle the tasks that take up 14% of nurses’ time, they can focus on what really matters: patient care.”

Moxie in action:
✅ Delivers medications, lab samples, and supplies
✅ Supports seniors in living facilities with meals and personal items
✅ Navigates elevators and crowded corridors autonomously

Thanks to NVIDIA Inception, Moxie leverages Jetson AI hardware and expert mentorship to bring advanced AI to real-world environments reliably.

Startups: Accelerate your AI innovation. 
Join NVIDIA Inception: Https://nvda.ws/48xgtEh 
Watch our conversation: https://lnkd.in/gNs8sDqm

#AI #Robotics #Healthcare #EdgeAI #NVIDIAInception #Startups

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter here https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg 
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At AWS re:Invent, I had the opportunity to speak with Adam Allevato, Staff Robotics Engineer at Diligent Robotics, at the NVIDIA Inception booth, abou

Open article: Empowering Care with Robotics and Edge AI by Helen Yu • 2 min read

Empowering Care with Robotics and Edge AI

What are you building in 2025 that requires the courage to start without the full blueprint?

This year was a reminder that great transformations don't come from perfected roadmaps, but from courage, iteration, and persistence. Watching the journey of Dang Thi Mui, who ventured deep into the forest and built a bamboo house on her own, has been one of the most inspiring stories of 2025.

What struck me most wasn't the final shelter, but the process: gathering materials, handcrafting each piece of bamboo, embracing solitude, and finding joy in small but meaningful progress.

This is digital transformation:

Beyond the polished case studies and vendor promises lies the real work: the legacy systems that must be carefully dismantled and rebuilt, the cultural resistance that requires patient listening, the pilot projects that teach us more through failure than success, and the incremental wins that eventually become enterprise-wide capabilities.

This year I've learned:
✅ Transformation is built day by day, not in a single "go-live."
Just like building a house from bamboo, digital change requires countless small decisions (often invisible to leadership) that eventually become something resilient and valuable.
✅ Embrace the messiness of modernization.
There will be integration failures, adoption challenges, and days when the old way seems easier. Yet every obstacle is part of creating systems that serve your people and customers.
✅ Even solo builders need an ecosystem.
She built alone, yet relied on the forest's resources, the tools others created, and a community that would see her work. Digital transformation needs brave sponsors, cross-functional collaboration, executive air cover, and frontline champions. Real change comes from connected courage, not isolated heroes or vendor dependencies.
✅ Technology should move at the speed of organizational readiness.
Watching someone build with the rhythms of nature reminded me: the best digital strategies aren't the fastest. They're the ones that respect culture, build capability, and create sustainable change.

As we close 2025, I'm taking with me the quiet courage of someone who built a life from raw materials, not by waiting for the perfect platform, but by starting with what was available and improving relentlessly.

🌿💪 Here's to a 2026 of building, learning, and transforming with hands-on leadership, heart, and the humility to grow through the process.

#DigitalTransformation #Innovators 

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What's the cost of moving too slowly in Electronics & High Tech?

I explored this question with Steven Humphrey during my visit to PTC headquarters in Boston earlier this month and had a blast doing it. Between ping pong matches, the best lobster rolls, and a tour of their executive briefing center, we dug into how companies are leaving $269 billion on the table annually by not building the right organizational resilience.

The 20-second video I captured doesn't do the experience justice. 
And here's what stuck with me: in E&HT, product lifecycles are measured in months, not years. The companies winning today are those who've figured out how to protect their core while creating the future simultaneously.

Looking forward to reconnecting with the PTC team at #CES the week of January 5th. I'll be sitting down with Jon Stevenson, PTC's Chief Product Officer, and Steve Dertien, EVP of Customer & Technology Partnerships, to explore where AI is delivering real value in engineering and manufacturing beyond the hype and Intelligent Product Lifecycle.

More insights coming from CES. Stay tuned.

#CES2026 #ProductInnovation #AI #Manufacturing #Electronics #PLM

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What happens when modifying an AI model makes you its legal provider?

AI & Partners releases "Providers of General-Purpose AI Models: A Breakdown"—a practical guide to navigating one of the EU AI Act's most consequential provisions.

As the AI Act moves into enforcement, General-Purpose AI (GPAI) models sit at the center of Europe's new governance framework. This report clarifies who qualifies as a GPAI provider, when systemic risk is triggered, and what obligations follow—from foundation models to open-source releases and downstream fine-tuning.

What's Inside: 
✅ Clear definitions of GPAI models and provider status 
✅ Systemic risk thresholds and compute-based classification 
✅ Open-source exemptions and their limits — Practical guidance on documentation, incident reporting, and cybersecurity
✅ Enforcement mechanisms and transitional rules

Key Takeaways 
✅ GPAI obligations apply whether models are free, via API, or open weights  
✅ Compute thresholds are proxies, not safe harbors
✅ Capability matters — Downstream modification can shift legal responsibility to developers and deployers 
✅ Early governance is now strategic, not optional

This report equips developers, open-source communities, cloud providers, and policymakers to navigate compliance while strengthening innovation and market confidence.

How should GPAI providers be regulated? Leave a comment below.

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter here https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

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