Perth’s Resources Technology Showcase 2019: IBM’s AI and data guru Jay Bellissimo to share his vision for the future

One of the world’s foremost leaders in the field of artificial intelligence has praised WA’s resources industry for taking an early risk on data analytics, saying it meant the companies were now uniquely placed to re-shape their operations through different business cycles.

Jay Bellissimo, global general manager of IBM Services’ Cognitive Process Transformation business, urged the State’s mining and energy giants to maintain their appetite for technological innovation.

“Where I think there’ll be tremendous impact will be around the intelligent workflow because that’s going to give companies the opportunity to truly imagine the way work gets done today and tomorrow,” he said.

“But that’s not for the faint of heart. As much as we talk about the technology, I’m less worried about the technology, I’m more concerned about an organisation’s appetite to drive this change because it’s a very different world — the past five years being involved in hundreds of implementations of this, it comes back to change management.

“And to make these changes you really have to look at skills, which in the past has been overlooked.”

Mr Bellissimo spoke to The West Australian after IBM became the latest industry leader to sign on as a partner for the Resources Technology Showcase 2019 event, which is being held in Perth on November 27 and 28.

SEE THE FULL PROGRAM: Keynote speakers and panellist now released

The two-day conference and exhibition at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre will give delegates an insight into the technological future of mining, oil and gas.

Keynote speakers include high-ranking executives from BHP, Shell, Rio Tinto, Chevron, Caterpillar, Fortescue Metals Group and INPEX.

IBM managing director Australia New Zealand Katrina Troughton and Claudine Simson, director of IBM Research Oil and Gas, will sit on panel sessions covering the future of robotics and trends in AI.

Mr Bellissimo, global general manager of IBM Services’ Cognitive Process Transformation business, is keynote speaker at the Resources Technology Showcase 2019 Conference Dinner on November 26.

He will use his address to outline a future of ‘man and machine’ not “man or machine’.

“It’s this new partnership where you can enhance, accelerate and skill human expertise,” he said. “Yes, there will be much more automation, a lot more functions and menial tasks will be done by machines, but that’s no different to any other industrial revolution.

“But it’s how do we go faster, and automation is a big part. But there’s also a misnomer with automation — if you have bad process and you automate bad process, you’re still going to have bad process.

“The key is going to be intelligent automation because when you’re leveraging AI and all these technologies with automation you get a very powerful tool.

“The key is going to be to shift and retool those skills

Mr Bellissimo has had many leading roles in IBM’s core cognitive and cloud-based technologies businesses. He was also the first GM of the IBM Watson business unit, established to bring to market IBM’s AI solutions.

RTS2019

Dozens of resources leaders will convene in Perth for a world-first conference and exhibition which will reveal the technological future of their companies. The full program of keynote speakers and panel sessions and guests has now been released.

Secure your delegate pass now to be part of RTS2019. Here’s what you get ...

Conference: Exclusive access to world-first keynotes and expansive panel sessions

Network: Delegate functions and unrivalled access to industry leaders and regulators

Exposure: Hosted by Seven West Media, one of Australia’s biggest diversified media companies