AI: From Tool to Teammate
Palisades Institute Forum Presents: “AI: From Tool to Teammate!”
AI isn’t coming. It’s here. Many organizations find themselves overwhelmed by a constant stream of new tools without a clear plan for implementation.
In this session, we’ll cut through the hype and focus on what works, especially for small businesses and nonprofits: where AI can automate routine work, where it can amplify decision-making and marketing, and what changes when systems begin to act on your behalf.
Join us for a dynamic one-hour forum featuring a keynote from a national AI strategist, a live demonstration of agentic AI built right here at DUNY, and a moderated panel on what it means to lead in an AI-driven world. Our discussion will include:
- • AI as a growth engine for your organization
- • AI as an operational assistant and decision-maker
- • AI as a brand amplifier, and what thoughtful adoption looks like
- • The ethical questions every leader needs to be asking
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to move beyond basic tools, this forum offers a rare combination of strategic vision and live, real-world proof.
Alex will walk through how businesses evolve from basic automation to full AI integration — and what separates companies that experiment from the ones that truly transform.
▼ Full Bio
Alex Ruiz is a strategic leader and business builder who helps organizations move AI from a “trending topic” to a practical tool for growth. As the founder of ART X MACHINA, he works with both established companies and AI startups to turn new technologies into clear business strategies and everyday ways of working.
With over 20 years of experience in digital transformation, Alex has led multi-million-dollar portfolios for agencies and consultancies, overseeing strategic work for iconic brands such as Nestlé, American Express, and Anheuser-Busch InBev. He is known for his ability to simplify complex changes — whether helping a Fortune 500 company save $15 million through more efficient partnerships or building his own startup agency from the ground up and scaling it to $17 million in annual revenue.
Today, Alex focuses on “AI-readiness” — identifying where AI can solve problems, redesigning workflows to support human teams, and creating the playbooks needed to launch new products. He currently serves as a strategic advisor for AI platforms like MeetSynthia™, helping shape their product stories and launch plans.
A graduate of Cornell University, Alex served on the Cornell Dyson School Alumni Advisory Board and regularly returns to the classroom as a guest speaker to help students and business leaders navigate the future of work.
Tommaso will showcase his agentic AI-driven business platform, demonstrating what it looks like when AI becomes an operational teammate inside a real business.
A moderated conversation on where agentic AI is heading, what businesses should avoid, and how our values need to keep pace with the technology.
500 Western Hwy S, Orangeburg, NY 10962