Ashima Sharma

Ashima Sharma is an action focused leader with exceptional consultative and leadership skills. Ashima excels at driving change, developing teams, leading technical transformations, complex SaaS implementations, and achieving proven results. Ashima has worked in Senior Director / VP IT roles with multiple fortune 500 organizations. Her expertise is in the field of Application Development, Digital Transformation, Program Leadership, AI Strategy, Agile Development, Organizational Change Management and Business Analysis. After 20 years in corporate IT world, Ashima recently started her own consulting company called Ayuka Consulting (www.ayukaconsulting.com). Ashima’s passion is to help individuals understand and navigate change from technical transformations ensuring long term sustainability and adoption of technology. Embracing change enables organizations and individuals to thrive, fostering a cultural shift that drives organizational success. With Organizational Change Management best practices in mind, Ashima manages high complexity technical transformations, including Cloud Migrations, Modern Data Management, ERP implementation and product / application development with a human centered approach.

She is a Certified PMP, Agile Certified Professional (ACP), Prosci Certified Change Practitioner and Certified Scrum Master. Ashima has worked in Fintech, Banking and Healthcare industries, focusing on achieving operational efficiencies across IT and business. Ashima volunteers in the community for women and children’s causes. She serves on PMI Dayton Chapter Board as current President Elect, to give back to the profession. She is very passionate about bringing value to her fellow PMs and the community. Ashima is a mom of two, Ayush a Sophomore at University of Cincinnati, and Annie who is freshman in High School. She enjoys reading, cooking and traveling!​

Topic: Responsible AI for Project Managers: The Fine Balance Between Innovation and Governance

Abstract: The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers remarkable opportunities for innovation across sectors while presenting significant governance challenges. As project managers, it's crucial to balance innovation with responsible governance to ensure AI benefits projects and society as a whole. In this session, we will explore how project managers can balance innovation with governance, revamp cybersecurity policies, and update IT governance frameworks. This holistic approach aims to maximize AI benefits while mitigating risks, creating a safe and equitable technological landscape. Additionally, we will delve into case studies and real-life examples to illustrate practical applications and challenges faced by project managers in implementing responsible AI. AI can revolutionize industries—from enhancing diagnostic accuracy in healthcare to optimizing production lines in manufacturing. However, these advancements must be pursued ethically, transparently, and accountably. Responsible AI aims to create systems free from bias, protect user privacy, and establish clear accountability mechanisms. 

Learning Objectives: 

• Innovation and Ethical Governance:
  • Balancing AI innovation with ethical governance frameworks, crucial for project managers to ensure responsible project execution.
• Regulatory and Ethical Considerations:
  • Developing policies that encourage innovation while preventing misuse.
  • Integrating ethics into the AI development lifecycle, essential for project managers during planning and execution.
• Cybersecurity and IT Governance:
  • Implementing strong cybersecurity policies to protect AI systems within projects.
  • Updating IT governance frameworks to include AI-specific practices, ensuring comprehensive project oversight.
• How Project Manager is a crucial role for Responsible AI use:
  • Leveraging AI to enhance project management through predictive analytics, risk management, and resource allocation, driving successful project outcomes.
• Case Studies and Real-Life Examples:
  • Exploring practical applications and challenges of responsible AI through real-world case studies relevant to project managers.