From Lab to Market: 35 Years of Closing the AI Gap

For more than three decades, AI practitioners have faced the same fundamental challenge: bridging the gap between what works in the lab and what delivers reliable value in the real world. In this talk, the speaker draws on 35 years of experience spanning early neural network research, genomics AI startups, consulting, and enterprise transformation projects to explore why that gap persists and what organizations can do about it. The session introduces a practical framework for evaluating AI readiness across leadership, strategy, data infrastructure, platforms, and skills before launching major initiatives. It also examines the most common reasons AI projects fail, including poor problem selection, underestimated data challenges, lack of…