BCW’s AI Alliance 360° Explores Emerging Technologies and AI Innovations

The Business Council of Westchester (BCW) continued its groundbreaking AI Alliance 360° series with the latest event, “Emerging Technologies and AI Innovations,” held on Wednesday morning at Manhattanville University.

The session featured expert insights into the transformative power of artificial intelligence, highlighting its impact on businesses, education, and economic development.

The event began with an engaging workshop led by Cori Moreno, an AI business strategist at Google. Moreno provided a dynamic demonstration of Google’s emerging suite of AI-powered tools, including Gemini, NotebookLM, and AIStudio, illustrating how these technologies drive growth, enhance productivity, and spark radical transformation.

“We believe that AI is more than a digital evolution. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime, generational shift in technology that will profoundly change the way we live,” said Moreno. “It’s on par with the invention of the printing press, electricity, and the automobile. If we’re going to be bold, as we intend to be, we need to be guided by very thoughtful principles.”

Following the workshop, BCW President and CEO Marsha Gordon led an insightful coffee chat featuring Fahman Rabbani, Director of IT & Data-Canada & Specialized Nutrition at Danone North America, and Ben Verschueren, Executive Director of Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology, and Innovation (NYSTAR). Their discussion covered a broad range of topics, from corporate AI integration to state-supported AI initiatives designed to foster economic growth and workforce development.

Rabbani detailed Danone’s partnership with Microsoft’s Copilot, an AI-powered tool enhancing productivity and creativity. He shared a compelling example of how AI streamlined communication with a supplier, reducing a complex 150-page document into a concise one-page summary.

“This led us to an A+ rating with the supplier—a rating we hadn’t received in the past,” said Rabbani, emphasizing AI’s potential to revolutionize efficiency.

Verschueren highlighted several of New York State’s AI initiatives, including the development of a major AI center in Buffalo, workforce training partnerships with community colleges, and entrepreneurship assistance centers offering AI workshops. He encouraged businesses to embrace AI while maintaining human oversight.

“Play with these tools and figure out what’s out there. Empower your employees to go and do it,” said Verschueren. “A key theme that has come through is that we’re still in a supervisory mode. AI will get you an incredible leap, but then you have to finish that last step.”

Manhattanville University’s Senior Communications Officer, Cara Cea, opened the event by discussing the institution’s AI-driven initiatives.

 “At Manhattanville, we are deeply committed to harnessing the potential of AI to enhance our operations and educational offerings to prepare students for a world that is going to be run by AI,” said Cea. “We have integrated a variety of generative AI tools, including chatbots, query-based research, and content development, to streamline our processes and improve efficiency.” Since launching AI Alliance 360° last year, BCW has continued to expand its programming to help members navigate and leverage the latest advancements in AI. With AI reshaping industries at an unprecedented pace, BCW remains committed to providing the