"The Hidden Complexity of AI Systems: What CTOs Are Dealing With"
"The Hidden Complexity of AI Systems: What CTOs Are Dealing With"
Tue May 12 - 2:40 PM EDT/New York (See in local time)
Add to Calendar
05/12/2026 2:40 PM
05/12/2026 03:20 PM
America/New_York
#WTGC2026
"The Hidden Complexity of AI Systems: What CTOs Are Dealing With"
#WTGC2026
"The Hidden Complexity of AI Systems: What CTOs Are Dealing With"
https://www.womentech.net/ringcentral
https://www.womentech.net/ringcentral
"The Hidden Complexity of AI Systems: What CTOs Are Dealing With"
"The Hidden Complexity of AI Systems: What CTOs Are Dealing With"
Don’t miss out and join visionaries, innovators, and thought leaders from all over the world at the Women in Tech Global Conference.
Vote by Sharing
Unite 100 000 Women in Tech to Drive Change with Purpose and Impact.
Do you want to see this session? Help increase the sharing count and the session visibility. Sessions with +10 votes will be available to career ticket holders.
Please note that it might take some time until your share & vote is reflected.
Session: The Hidden Complexity of AI Systems: What CTOs Are Dealing With
In 2026, CTOs are dealing with the reality that moving AI into production introduces a new class of engineering challenges. Systems behave unpredictably, data pipelines break under pressure, infrastructure costs escalate, and architectures not designed for AI struggle to keep up.As organizations move AI into production, CTOs are encountering a new class of engineering challenges. Systems behave unpredictably, data pipelines break under pressure, infrastructure costs escalate, and architectures not designed for AI struggle to keep up.
At the same time, AI agents are already embedded in workflows making decisions, triggering actions, and interacting across systems. Software is no longer just executed; it acts, often in ways that are difficult to trace, test, or control.
The challenge is no longer just building AI it’s operating it reliably in real-world conditions.
This panel brings together leading CTOs to explore where AI systems fail, how leading teams are addressing these challenges, and what architectural, operational, and organizational shifts are required to build systems that are resilient, observable, and trustworthy.
From platform engineering and data foundations to new approaches in testing, monitoring, and system design, this conversation focuses on what is actually working and what still isn’t.
Key Takeaways
- Understand why AI systems behave differently from traditional software in production
- Learn common failure points in production AI systems and how to mitigate them
- Discover architectural patterns for building resilient AI platforms
Bio
Panelist:Bhawna Singh is a distinguished technology leader, with 25+ years of experience successfully building and leading talented teams of engineers to transform and scale technology for a global user base. As CTO at Okta, Bhawna leads the tech strategy and vision for its Customer Identity products. In her career as an executive leader, board member, and investor, Bhawna has worked across multiple high-growth and Fortune 500 companies to grow & scale platforms from 0 to 100+ million monthly users, led global product expansion, and steered multiple acquisitions. Bhawna's visionary leadership and commitment to innovation have consistently fueled user growth and engagement, resulting in substantial multi-million-dollar revenue growth.
Bhawna’s deep expertise in high-growth, enterprise SaaS, AI & cybersecurity is frequently published in the press and on podcasts.
Kelly Buchanan is the Divisional Chief Technology, Data, and Operations Officer for Wholesale Banking at Truist, responsible for aligning technology, data, and operations to drive digital transformation, operational excellence, and scalable growth. Since joining Truist in 2022, she has led the development of secure, high‑performance payment platforms serving sophisticated commercial and institutional clients. Prior to Truist, Kelly spent two decades at Mastercard, where she led global payments innovation, major platform modernizations, and large‑scale M&A integrations across Europe, Asia‑Pacific, and the United States. She is a passionate advocate for talent development and diversity, serving as Executive Sponsor for Truist’s Women in Technology and as Executive Vice Chair of Girls on the Run Greater Charlotte.
Carolyn Duby, Field CTO at Cloudera, is a cybersecurity, data, and AI expert with 30+ years of experience. A co-founder of Pathfinder Solutions and former Secureworks architect, she champions secure-by-design principles, open-source cyber platforms, and inclusive high-performance teams, empowering enterprises to harness data and AI for strategic success.
Moderator:
Elaine Zhou is an accomplished Chief Technology Officer (CTO) known for her expertise in translating visionary business goals into technological realities. In her role as CTO, she collaborates closely with founders, CEOs, and Division Presidents to shape their business visions through the strategic application of technology. Elaine specializes in crafting AI strategies and meticulously planning engineering roadmaps. She excels in dynamic environments characterized by volatility and complexity, where her skill in making crucial decisions with limited information shines. Elaine has honed a streamlined development process to facilitate agile product launches and swift course corrections, all while maintaining a focus on technology decisions and product-market fit. Her innovative "Moneyball" recruiting framework has enabled the rapid acquisition of top-tier, diverse talent and remarkable retention rates, further solidifying her reputation for assembling high-performing engineering teams. Currently serving as the CTO at Change.org, Elaine leads a global engineering team, driving the organization towards the forefront of Responsible AI and expanding its community impact.
