As artificial intelligence interweaves with various business sectors, leaders like Mo Cherif are at the helm of technological transformation, who is the VP of AI and Innovation at Sitecore. Mo Cherif is pioneering ways to integrate AI into marketing and customer experience frameworks.

This Q&A, part of our AI Innovators series, engages Cherif in extracting valuable insights on AI’s potential, ethical AI considerations, and future advancements. In each section, he shares his perspectives in his own words, revealing the intricacies of AI development and its implications.

Q&A with Mo Cherif

Personal Interests and Passions

Question: What do you like to do for fun?

Mo Cherif: In my spare time, I have a passion for researching generative AI, which might sound a bit cliché. I genuinely enjoy it as it feeds my curiosity and keeps me engaged with the latest advancements. Outside of AI, I also work on coding projects with my daughter. She’s seven years old, and we’ve created a book together with the help of AI. It’s rewarding to share my enthusiasm and knowledge with her, combining education with fun.

Beyond my professional interests, family time is incredibly important to me. I love spending quality time with them, and I also incorporate fitness into my routine by going to the gym. It’s a great way to maintain balance and recharge. My passion for AI also finds its way into my personal life, facilitating meaningful connections and promoting a lifelong learning mindset within our family.

Leveraging AI for Real-World Impact

Question: What excites you about generative AI?

Mo Cherif: Generative AI holds the potential to transform how we innovate, especially for marketers and those involved in customer experience. It feels like a silver bullet that simplifies the complexity of AI processes, such as model training, allowing innovations to come to market much faster. This is particularly exciting because it enables us to streamline existing workflows and explore new avenues previously thought impossible.

For me, the passion for generative AI was driven by the speed at which it allows us to innovate. It’s a capability that puts new tools in our hands, enabling creativity and efficiency in ways that redefine engagement and development within the field. This rapid pace of advancement excites me the most, as it continually opens new opportunities to leverage AI in meaningful ways.

“Generative AI is the silver bullet that empowers rapid innovation, transforming how we approach creativity and efficiency, and unlocking possibilities that were once beyond our reach.”

— Mo Cherif, VP of AI and Innovation @ Sitecore

Question: How do you implement AI at Sitecore?

Mo Cherif: I’ve been with Sitecore for about a year and a half now, focusing on innovating with AI in our product to help our customers, primarily marketers and technologists. Our brand assistant tool is a prime example, enabling brand managers to leverage AI to tap into their brand knowledge, ideate, and create effectively. This was developed in collaboration with Microsoft and Nestle and represents one of our earliest and most impactful AI features.

We aim to add value across the content experience lifecycle, using AI to enhance customer satisfaction and employee effectiveness. By listening to our customers and ensuring the implementation of AI meets real-world needs, we can drive innovation that aligns with our intentions and business objectives.

Question: What first sparked your interest in AI and technology?

Mo Cherif: What sparked my interest in generative AI is explicitly the speed at which we can innovate. This speed is what excites me; it represents a new capability that allows for advancements that were previously out of reach. The potential to innovate in ways we thought impossible previously captivates me, and it’s this aspect of AI that has always fascinated me.

My interest in AI has always been tied to its transformative potential in business contexts, especially in marketing and customer service. The ability to drive significant change quickly and effectively using technological advancement is incredibly appealing and has been a core part of my passion for the field.

Question: Can you discuss a notable AI project at Sitecore that has impacted customer satisfaction?

Mo Cherif: One of the significant projects we’ve worked on is our brand assistant tool. It’s designed to help brand managers access and utilize their brand knowledge more effectively, ideating and creating with the help of AI. This was one of our first features, developed in partnership with Microsoft and Nestly, and it’s been fascinating to see how our customers use it.

The tool has shown incredible capabilities, enhancing how brand managers and users engage with AI to produce meaningful results. Such advancements have not only increased customer satisfaction but also demonstrated how AI can be used to tap into brand knowledge effectively, changing the game for marketers.

Ethical AI: Deployment Considerations

Question: How does Sitecore ensure AI is used ethically?

Mo Cherif: Ethical AI is a critical consideration for us at Sitecore. We’ve implemented a comprehensive governance framework that includes stakeholders from legal, AI, R&D, and other departments to ensure we’re using AI ethically both internally and for our customers. We believe in transparency and accountability, so we’ve chosen to partner with Microsoft, utilizing Azure OpenAI for its strong commitment to ethical standards and avoiding copyright infringement.

This partnership and actual processes are crucial for maintaining ethical standards in our AI applications. We ensure that every AI application and use is scrutinized for compliance with legal and ethical considerations, reinforcing our customers’ trust in our solutions.

“Ethical AI is not just a responsibility but a commitment. We ensure every AI application is scrutinized for compliance with strict ethical standards.”

— Mo Cherif, VP of AI and Innovation @ Sitecore

Question: What is the future of AI and technological advancements, in your opinion?

Mo Cherif: I’m particularly excited about what we call agentic workflows. These are workflows where AI doesn’t just automate steps but intelligently plans and executes tasks. This shift moves us closer to AI systems that handle complex operations independently and adaptively. As AI technologies evolve, particularly in incorporating reasoning capabilities, as we’ve seen with models such as DeepSeek, they will play even more integral and sophisticated roles within organizations.

Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, I foresee significant advancements as AI becomes capable of handling massive, complex datasets and workflows across multiple technologies. Tools like GoSearch will undoubtedly play a critical role in synthesizing and managing information, redefining work environments, and maximizing efficiency and productivity.

“Agentic workflows will redefine the digital workplace, moving beyond automation to enable AI systems that intelligently plan and execute complex tasks quickly and effectively.”

— Mo Cherif, VP of AI and Innovation @ Sitecore

Advice for the Next Generation

Question: What advice would you give teenagers approaching (entering) the workforce?

Mo Cherif: If I were to advise teenagers entering the workforce, it would be to stay hungry. I’ve seen their hunger to learn as the key differentiator among successful individuals. This eagerness to learn is crucial because the world is changing faster than ever. Technologies, especially AI, are evolving rapidly; staying updated with these advancements is essential. Your ability to adapt and learn continually will be your greatest asset.

I am amazed when I look at my daughter and how quickly she absorbs new concepts. I think about how much faster things will move as she grows. I advise embracing this rapid change, being ready to pivot, and continuously seeking knowledge. This mindset will help you keep up and place you at the forefront of innovation in your chosen field.

WorkTech and Digital Workplace Solutions Impact

Question: What value do you see in WorkTech and Digital Workplace Solutions like GoSearch?”

Mo Cherif: I see immense value in WorkTech and digital workplace solutions, especially as AI tools become integral to our daily work environments. Just like how we’ve universally adopted office tools like Word or Zoom, AI-powered solutions will become second nature. Tools like GoSearch offer critical benefits because they provide a seamless way to access and synthesize information spread across different applications and systems. And now moving to Agentic workflows that can execute tasks on behalf of the user; this provides tremendous value to speeding up efficiency and productivity across the organization.

These technologies enhance efficiency by saving time, reducing frustration, and enabling employees to focus on more strategic tasks. Information is the lifeblood of any organization, so having an efficient way to access, retrieve, and utilize it is vital. As AI advances, tapping into the sum of all knowledge within an organization becomes essential, empowering teams to make informed decisions and drive innovation.

“The value of tools like GoSearch lies in their ability to seamlessly access and synthesize workplace information, vital for informed decision-making and strategic innovation.”

— Mo Cherif, VP of AI and Innovation @ Sitecore

Closing Thoughts

Mo Cherif’s insights provide a valuable perspective on AI’s evolving role in sectors such as marketing. His work at Sitecore exemplifies how AI can drive significant business transformation when implemented ethically and innovatively.

As tools like GoSearch continue to advance, they will enhance an organization’s ability to manage and synthesize information efficiently, heralding a new era of productivity fueled by AI. Cherif’s vision exemplifies AI’s transformative potential and its ever-growing impact on the future of work.

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