Donald Polaski

Presentation: Demystifying LLMs: A Guide for Project Managers to Unlock the Potential of Large Language Models (LLMs)

Abstract: Large language models (LLMs) are at the peak of the hype curve but are they really all they’re cracked up to be? In this talk we will demystify LLM technology – helping project managers understand the history of LLMs, how they work, their strengths/limitations and how they are reshaping multiple industries. We will also explore the latest innovations in LLM technology, including ChatGPT plugins, Agent-based approaches for using LLMs, and how LLMs can be combined with other generative AI models (e.g., image generators) to handle highly complex tasks.

We will also provide practical tips for incorporating LLM technology for project management. Attendees will gain insights into how these models can optimize schedules, automate document analysis and summarization tasks, assist in generating project documentation and reporting, be used for brainstorming, and accelerate project team training and onboarding. We will provide specific instructions on how project managers can start exploring this technology using open source and commercial tools. We also review a case study describing how LLMs have been used successfully by project managers to date.

Finally, we provide an overview of the risks and ethical concerns associated with using LLM technology within projects and for project management. We cover topics including the on-going legal challenges facing LLM technology and data privacy issues – providing practical guidance that empowers project managers to make informed decisions about using LLM technology.

By the end of this talk, project managers will have a high-level understanding of how LLMs work, how they are applied, how they can be used to augment their existing suite of project management tools, and the risks associated with using them for in their projects and for streamlining project management tasks.

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Biography: Donald Polaski is a Director of AI and ML at Booz Allen Hamilton leading the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions. He has lead the development of enterprise cloud-based data science platforms and is currently driving the development of new AI-based analytic solutions across the Federal Government.

Donald holds Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Rochester in Physics and Mathematics and is a Certified NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute instructor. He has applied his Data Science and AI skills to a wide range of fields including space situational awareness, materials science, particle physics, and childhood cancer research.

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