Greg Coquillo

Product Leader @AWS | Startup Investor | 2X Linkedin Top Voice for AI, Data Science, Tech, and Innovation | Quantum Computing & Web 3.0 | I build software that scales AI/ML Network infrastructure

Product leader with a passion for solving business use cases such as Growth, Go-to-Market, and Price Optimization. I owned P&L for commodity-based products, and leveraged AI to increase the average customer contract values across business industries. As a Product Leader at Amazon, I own a roadmap that drives the adoption of AI products through the Media Automation charter, which supports Private Brands’ YOY growth. I work with Data Scientists, Software Engineers and Business Intelligence Engineers to leverage Machine Learning and Big Data Analytics to design predictive models that enhance business decision-making and performance to accelerate growth, reduce Time to Market of products, monitor cross-geo compliance and import requirements, and ensure customer safety.

I am always curious and eager to learn how new technology affects our daily lives, and I love to support communities on their quest to adopt Artificial Intelligence across industries. Feel free to contact me if you have Data Science projects that you’d like to be showcased on this platform for visibility.

🌐I am a Global Business Leader with 12 years of experience and skills including Product Management, P&L management, Global Networking, EBITDA Optimization, Pricing Management, Margin Management, Product Management, Program Management, Operations and Supply Chain Management, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Continuous Improvement.

🧘🏽‍♂️Soft Skills include: Communication, Collaboration, Lateral Thinking, Adaptability, Inspiration, Innovation, Empathy, Listening, Diplomacy, Organization, Responsibility, Leadership...

🎬🎥🎞 I really enjoy watching movies, and if I could redo it all over, I’d be a Sci-Fi script writer so I can be bounded by the limits of imagination.

(Opinions are my own)

Product Management, Media Automation

Owner of the AI vision and roadmap for Private Brand’s Compliance Division. Driving adoption of new technology, allowing my customers to scale their processes and increase productivity. Core responsibilities include:

-Building cross-functional teams consisting of Data Scientists, Software Engineers, Data Engineers, Product Managers and Program Managers, to plan and implement sophisticated AI projects
-Manage the New Initiative Intake Process
-Gather Business requirement artifacts
-Communicate roadmap definition and prioritization
-Coordinate User Acceptance Testing
-Manage Launch Announcements
-Prepare and communicate annual planning artifacts

AI Agent vs Agentic AI

Most people use the terms AI Agent and Agentic AI like they mean the same thing.

They don’t.

The difference isn’t just semantic.
It’s architectural.

Here’s how the tech stack evolves from AI Agent → Agentic AI 👇

1. Intelligence models
- AI Agent typically relies on a single LLM with prompt → response workflows.
- Agentic AI moves toward multi-model reasoning, planner–executor setups, and hybrid inference across systems.

2. Architecture & frameworks
- AI Agent often follows a single-agent, linear execution flow.
- Agentic AI introduces multi-agent systems, goal-driven workflows, and orchestration frameworks like LangGraph, CrewAI, or AutoGen.

3. Memory systems
- AI Agent works with session memory, short-term embeddings, and basic caches.
- Agentic AI adds long-term memory layers, episodic + semantic memory, knowledge graphs, and vector databases.

4. Tool usage & actions
- AI Agent uses predefined tools and function calling triggered by users.
- Agentic AI autonomously selects tools, plans multi-step executions, interacts with environments, and uses structured tool registries.

5. Knowledge & retrieval
- AI Agent typically uses basic RAG pipelines with static retrieval.
- Agentic AI evolves into adaptive RAG, context prioritization, hybrid search, and continuously updated knowledge graphs.

6. Orchestration & workflows
- AI Agent runs sequential flows and simple backend automation.
- Agentic AI uses orchestration engines, planning loops, event-driven workflows, and reflection cycles.

7. Decision making
- AI Agent is reactive and prompt-driven.
- Agentic AI is goal-oriented, with planning, self-evaluation, and iterative reasoning loops.

8. Deployment
- AI Agent is often deployed as chatbots, copilots, or API-based assistants.
- Agentic AI becomes autonomous platforms, digital workforce agents, and persistent execution systems.

9. Monitoring & observability
- Both need logs, monitoring, and error tracking but Agentic AI requires deeper analytics, response monitoring, and system-level feedback loops.

10. Learning & improvement
- AI Agent improves through prompt iteration and occasional fine-tuning.
- Agentic AI evolves through continuous feedback pipelines, performance adaptation, and evaluation frameworks.

AI Agent = intelligent responder.
Agentic AI = autonomous system with goals, memory, tools, and orchestration.

One answers questions.
The other executes objectives.

Are you building smarter responses or autonomous systems?

Anthropic made Learning AI easier.

They’ve released a complete set of FREE courses designed to help you understand Claude, AI agents, APIs, and the Model Context Protocol (MCP) - the foundation behind modern AI applications and agent systems.

This learning path covers everything from beginner concepts to advanced agent development workflows.

Here’s what you can learn:

• Claude 101 - Understand core features and everyday AI workflows
• Claude Code in Action - Use Claude to accelerate development tasks
• AI Fluency: Framework & Foundations - Learn how to work effectively with AI
• Building with the Claude API - Develop real AI-powered applications
• Introduction to Model Context Protocol (MCP) - Connect AI with tools and data
• MCP Advanced Topics - Deep dive into advanced implementations
• Claude with Amazon Bedrock - Deploy Claude in AWS environments
• Claude with Google Cloud Vertex AI - Production AI workflows on GCP
• Introduction to Agent Skills - Build reusable AI agent capabilities

These courses are especially useful if you want to learn:
AI Agents • MCP • LLM Applications • AI Automation • Developer Workflows

No fluff.
No paywall.
Just practical AI education directly from the company building Claude.

Get all the courses here:
https://lnkd.in/gAmrrsBK

If you’re serious about understanding how modern AI systems actually work, this is one of the best free starting points available right now.

Save this for later - you’ll want to come back to it.

Google just quietly released an AI tool for every layer of how humans create things.

Research. Design. Code. Video. Agents. Models.

All of it. At once.
Connected. Intentional. Ecosystem-scale. 

The tools nobody is talking about enough:

Jules - an asynchronous coding assistant that works across entire repositories, not just individual files. It understands the broader structure of a project and helps manage complex codebases.

Google A2A - a multi-agent communication protocol designed to let AI agents collaborate across different frameworks. This is infrastructure for the next generation of agent systems.

Stitch - converts prompts directly into complex UI layouts, turning ideas into interface designs within minutes. A major shift for how design workflows could work.

FileSearch API - a configurable RAG pipeline accessible through a single API call. What previously required weeks or months of engineering can now be integrated almost instantly.

Flow - a cinematic storytelling platform that lets creators generate scenes, narratives, and video content with AI-driven workflows.

Gemini 3 Pro - Google’s most advanced reasoning model so far, designed for deeper analysis, complex tasks, and next-generation AI systems.

This isn't a product launch.

It’s a full-stack AI ecosystem.

From foundational models → to research tools → to design → to development → to autonomous agents → to video creation.

Everything sits on top of the same AI foundation.

That means ideas can move from research → design → code → content faster than ever before.

The real strategy here isn’t individual tools.
It’s ownership of the entire creation pipeline.

And when one company controls every layer of that pipeline, the innovation speed compounds.

The AI race isn’t just about better models anymore.

It’s about who builds the ecosystem developers, creators, and companies build on.

People still use AI like a chatbot.
The real power starts when it becomes your execution layer.

Claude Code isn’t just another AI tool.
It acts like an operating system for building, testing, and shipping real work.

Instead of writing prompts and copying outputs, you can actually run workflows, analyze codebases, connect tools, and automate tasks from one place.

That’s the shift most teams haven’t fully understood yet.

Traditional AI tools help you think faster.
Claude Code helps you execute faster.

It moves through a structured loop:
analyze → plan → build → automate → scale.

You can connect repositories, files, databases, and internal tools.
Run commands.
Generate code.
Debug systems.
Automate repetitive work.
And build reusable skills that keep improving over time.

It also works across environments, which means you’re not jumping between ten different tools to get one workflow done.

The biggest difference?
It behaves less like a chatbot and more like a technical teammate that can actually take action.

When used properly, it becomes a working layer on top of your stack — not just a place to ask questions.

Most people experiment with AI.
Few build repeatable systems with it.

That’s where the real leverage is.

AI becomes valuable when it moves from answering questions to executing workflows.

Start treating it like an operating system for work, not just a prompt tool.

The agent gave a brilliant answer.
Then someone asked, “Where did that data come from?”
Silence. That’s when you realize intelligence needs infrastructure.

Agentic AI isn’t just reasoning.
It’s retrieval, validation, lineage, governance, and monitoring - all working quietly in the background.

Here’s what that foundation looks like:

- Data Ingestion
Pulls in structured and unstructured sources, standardizes formats, and attaches context before anything reaches an agent.

- ETL / ELT Pipelines
Transforms, validates, and loads data into usable systems so downstream workflows aren’t built on chaos.

- Data Versioning
Tracks changes, creates reproducible snapshots, and enables rollback when something breaks or drifts.

- Vector Pipelines
Chunks content, generates embeddings, and indexes it for semantic retrieval in RAG and agent workflows.

- Metadata Management
Registers datasets, records ownership, and enables search and observability across the ecosystem.

- Data Governance
Enforces policies, access controls, and compliance rules to prevent misuse and ensure accountability.

- Data Warehouse / Lakehouse
Stores refined datasets that power analytics, feature engineering, and intelligent querying.

- Streaming Data
Processes real-time events so agents can react, trigger actions, and operate dynamically.

- Data Lineage
Maps where data originated, how it transformed, and who depends on it.

- Data Quality & Reliability
Applies validation checks, detects anomalies, and keeps pipelines healthy under pressure.

At the center is the agent itself -
retrieving context, reasoning over data, planning actions, learning from feedback.

But without the layers beneath it,
even the smartest answer becomes a liability.

Intelligence is impressive.
Traceable, governed intelligence is enterprise-ready.

If someone asks where your agent’s answer came from, can you show them?

If you learned AI even three years ago, you’re already studying history.

The conversation has moved far beyond models and prompts. What we’re witnessing now isn’t just incremental improvement, it’s a fundamental shift in how intelligence is built, deployed, and experienced inside real systems.

AI didn’t suddenly appear with ChatGPT.
It evolved through decades of breakthroughs, each solving the limitations of the era before it - gradually transforming software from rule execution into adaptive intelligence.

Understanding that evolution is what reveals where AI is actually heading next.

From Rules → Learning
AI moved from hard-coded logic toward systems capable of learning patterns directly from data instead of predefined instructions.

From Learning → Representation
Deep learning and transformers introduced contextual understanding, enabling language comprehension, perception, and multimodal intelligence at scale.

From Models → Platforms
Foundation models and Retrieval-Augmented Generation turned AI into reusable platforms connected to dynamic, real-world knowledge sources.

From Assistants → Agents
AI progressed from answering questions to planning actions, reasoning through problems, and executing complex multi-step workflows autonomously.

Where AI Is Heading (2026+)
Intelligence is moving toward edge computing, embodied AI, persistent memory, and systems embedded seamlessly into everyday environments.

Every generation of AI didn’t replace the previous one, it stacked on top of it.

Many organizations struggle today because they attempt to adopt the newest layer without understanding the foundations underneath. Real advantage comes from recognizing how these layers connect:

Rules → Learning → Reasoning → Agents → Autonomous Systems

We’re not reaching the end of AI evolution.

We’re entering the phase where intelligence stops being a feature and becomes a system layer woven into everything we build.

#AI

If you think an AI agent is just an LLM connected to tools, you’re only seeing the surface.

What actually powers a production-grade AI agent is a layered intelligence architecture - where memory, reasoning, governance, and infrastructure work together to transform responses into reliable autonomous behavior.

Modern AI systems are no longer single models.
They are orchestrated systems designed to think, plan, adapt, and operate safely at scale.

This visual breaks down the internal anatomy of a real-world AI agent across three evolving layers:

From Execution → Coordination
The Basic Layer handles core operations — processing inputs, orchestrating prompts, invoking models, executing tools, managing errors, and delivering structured responses.

From Coordination → Reasoning
The Intermediate Layer introduces structured intelligence. Agents decompose tasks, plan execution strategies, validate outputs, manage context, monitor costs, and maintain observability for reliable performance.

From Reasoning → Autonomy
The Advanced Layer enables true production intelligence through long-term memory, multi-agent collaboration, governance guardrails, adaptive learning, self-reflection, and scalable deployment infrastructure.

Each layer doesn’t replace the previous one — it builds on top of it.

Organizations struggle with AI adoption not because models are weak, but because architecture is incomplete. Real AI capability emerges only when these layers operate as a connected system:

Execution → Reasoning → Governance → Autonomy

We’re moving toward a future where AI isn’t an application feature.

It becomes an operational layer embedded into every digital system we build.

George Firican

💬 Founder of LightsOnData.com and LightsOnData YouTube Channel
Focused on providing informative content such as ONLINE COURSES, templates, guides, best practices, articles, white papers, and other useful resources to help you with your data governance and data management questions and challenges

💬 Creator of online courses that are engaging, new, and thorough. 
Courses: Building an Award-Winning Business Glossary, Data Governance Maturity Models, Data Governance Fundamentals, etc. - check them out here: https://www.lightsondata.com/courses/

💬 Providing LinkedIn content strategy for data-focused companies and products, as well as those with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), business intelligence (BI, data science, data management, and data governance areas.
Connect with me today and ask how I can help you reach the data audience.

💬 Host of Lights on Data Show - a podcast and LinkedIn Live weekly show that provides insights into the data world and showcases people that help to shape it.

💬 Get some fun data merchandise here: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/lightsondata/all

💬 International key note speaker, conference speaker, and panelist (spoken at over 60 different conferences).

💬 I love being on camera, hiking, surfing, filming, and video editing
YouTube: @LightsOnData


🏛 My experience and specialties: 
• Expertise in data governance, information quality, business intelligence & data management
• Extensive background in web and application development with experience of the full life-cycle of a project
• Strong leadership capabilities, organizational and communication skills

Specialties: 
• Enterprise information management: Information quality, data governance and stewardship, master data management, business intelligence, business process improvement
• Development: Web and application development, relational database design and development
• Planning: Budget and resource planning, agile and waterfall project management, team development and leadership
• Tools and Applications: Collibra, Tableau, MS Visio, MS Project, Premiere, Photoshop

Director, Data Governance & Business Intelligence

George Firican 💡

Pst…there’s a raffle coming up for a chance to snag a cool grand prize!

Join me at Data & Analytics After Hours on Monday, March 9th, 5:00–6:30 PM in the Exhibitor Showcase at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit! 

I’ll be there with the wonderful:

💡Kate Strachnyi 
💡SCOTT TAYLOR  
💡Ravit Jain 
💡Aditi Jain  
💡Andreas Welsch 

Let me know if you can join.

Still need to register? Use code DATA2 to save $450 off registration: https://lnkd.in/gZh6rfQC

#GartnerDA #DataCommunity #DataSummit

💡 Award Winning Data Governance Leader | Content Creator & Influencer | Founder of LightsOnData | Podcast Host: Lights On Data Show | LinkedIn Top Voice

What does it mean to love your data?

Not in a sentimental way. In a practical one.

It means caring about its quality. Giving it clear definitions. Knowing where it comes from and who owns it. Making sure it is used responsibly and with respect.

We often say data is an asset. But the organizations that truly get value from it are the ones that treat it like something worth nurturing, protecting, and investing in over time.

Because neglected data does not stay lovable for long.

So this Valentine’s Day, here is a simple question:
“Are you just collecting data, or are you actually caring for it?”

Let’s keep putting the Lights On Data (even On Valentine’s Day)!
-George Firican 

#dataquality #datagovernance #data

No alternative text description for this image

How do you scale AI without increasing risk at the same time?
Well…

Many organizations are still trying to figure this out.

Moving AI into production isn’t just a technology challenge.
It’s an AI and data governance challenge.
A risk challenge.

And often a coordination challenge between data, data science, and risk teams.

If this question is on your mind, this session at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit should be an interesting one to attend.

Join Ali Can Toprak (Enterprise Data Governance Manager at ExxonMobil) and Felix Van de Maele (CEO & Co-Founder of Collibra) as they discuss how data management is evolving into a unified AI governance discipline.

What you’ll learn:
✅ How to bridge the gap between data, data science, and risk teams
✅ The secret to building a shared semantic context to scale AI
✅ How ExxonMobil strengthens accountability across the enterprise

⏱️ 1:15-1:45 PM 
📍 Sun 4, Level 2

See you there!

#data #AI #datagovernance #partnerpost

Collibra Gartner 2026 George Firican Felix Van de Maele

There was a large exodus from ChatGPT lately.
So which is your go-to LLM?

Graphic Source: Amit Rawal  

#llm #AI

Italy is known for many things: culture, incredible food, beautiful landscapes.
But during my visit, I also discovered something else:

Innovation.

At the Italian Pavilion I met Donato De Ieso (Co-Founder and CEO of dillium), who showed me what they are building with spatial computing and the Apple Vision Pro.

One example that stood out: creating interactive 3D models from simple photos.
Imagine being able to:

✅ Take a photo of a product and instantly turn it into a 3D model
✅ Zoom in, rotate it, or even explore inside it
✅ Break it apart piece by piece to understand how it works

This has huge implications for training, maintenance, design, and product visualization. Instead of transporting large equipment or complex machinery, you can interact with it digitally in a shared spatial environment.

It felt a bit like stepping into a "Tony Stark style" interface.

What I find fascinating is how technologies like spatial computing move us from just looking at data and models on a screen to actually interacting with them.

And that opens the door to entirely new ways of learning, collaborating, and making decisions.

Sometimes innovation shows up in the places you least expect it. Even between a cafe latte and a plate of pasta in Italy.

What industries do you think will benefit the most from spatial computing?

#innovation #VR #technology

Would you like one of these modular phones/ gadgets?

Why do you think these aren’t taking off?

Note: video not mine

#technology #tech #gadget

One of the most valuable things you get from the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit is perspective.

Not just from the sessions.
From the people.

At this summit there are hundreds of conversations happening between data leaders, architects, analysts, and governance professionals.

Some will be about AI.
Some about data platforms.
Some about governance and trust.

But many of the most interesting insights is also happening in the hallways, between sessions, and during those spontaneous meetups with people who care about the same challenges you do.

These are the conversations that spark ideas.
The ones that turn into collaborations months later.
The ones that remind you how strong and passionate this data community really is.

Looking forward to reconnecting with friends and meeting new people over the next few days.

If you are here as well, come say hello.

What is one topic you are most excited to discuss or learn about this week?

#Data #AI #GartnerDA

When at Gartner Data & Analytics Summit…

You do many things:

✅ Get data-driven insights
✅ Validate your strategy from their on-site data , analytics, and AI experts
✅ Learn what’s new in the vendor space

And of course NETWORKING!

Hope to see you there. I’ll be on the floor covering the event and conducting some interviews.

Use my discount code: DATA2 to get $450 off your registration.
https://lnkd.in/gZh6rfQC

#data #AI #GartnerDA
Note: Proud to be an official sponsor of the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit

At the Zoho Analytics booth, we had a really interesting discussion about where analytics is heading across industries and…

…what it takes to turn data into decisions that actually shape how organizations operate.

And of course, there was a live demo.
It’s always fascinating to see how it approaches the journey from data → agentic insight → decision.

I also had the chance to sit down with Sailas Sundaram, Head of Product Strategy at Zoho Analytics, for a conversation about the evolving role of analytics and what teams should be thinking about as AI becomes more embedded in how we work with data.

(The full interview will be coming next week so watch out this space.)

I’m curious:
“What do you most want to see when a vendor gives an analytics demo at a conference?”

#data #analytics #AI

How many of you have run into these problems when trying to move AI into production?

⚠️ Governance and access issues
⚠️ Missing business context
⚠️ Data that can’t be trusted

This is where many promising AI initiatives stall.
The model works. The pilot looks great.

But connecting AI to real enterprise production data turns out to be the hard part.

If you’re here at Gartner D & A Summit 2026, this session tackles that exact challenge:
“AI Has a Production Data Problem. Here’s How Teams Are Solving It”

⏱️ Monday, March 9 | 1:40 - 2:00 PM
📍 Theater 1, Exhibit Showcase

The session explores how organizations are moving AI into production with Simba Intelligence, giving AI governed access to enterprise data without copying data, breaking pipelines, or losing control.

If you're curious how teams are solving this, it’s worth attending.

And if you'd like to start or continue the conversation, visit Simba Intelligence from insightsoftware at Booth 329.

#data #artificialintelligence #AI #partnerpost

Did you know the Inca civilization managed one of the largest empires in the Americas without a written language?

Instead, they used quipu. A system of knotted cords that allowed them to record numbers, track resources, and manage logistics across thousands of miles of roads.

All of that… centuries before spreadsheets, databases, or dashboards.

Sipping a cafe latte in an old Inca town made me think about how humans have always tried to bring order to information. Whether through knots in rope or modern data platforms, the goal has not changed much.

Understand what you have.
Organize it well.
Use it to make better decisions.

Different tools. Same mission.

Sometimes data history goes back further than we think.

Let’s keep putting the LightsOnData.
-George Firican 

#data #history

At conferences, I usually ask vendors one question:
“How does this help shape a decision?”

Not a prettier or quicker dashboard. A decision.

This year, I’m curious how analytics platforms are handling the shift toward AI-assisted and agentic experiences.

When a platform talks about AI-assisted or agentic analytics, I’m especially interested in:
✅ How it sits on top of a real data foundation
✅ How the semantic layer holds up
✅ How it helps shape decisions in practice 

That’s the lens I’m bringing to the Gartner floor this year.

Zoho Analytics is at Booth 428 and offering on-site demos, so if you’re evaluating BI or analytics platforms, it’s a chance to explore how they’re approaching this shift.

You can book a demo slot here:
https://lnkd.in/ekEpps8g 
Now I’m genuinely curious:

When you visit analytics booths at Gartner, what do you actually want to see demonstrated?

#data #analytics #partnerpost

Turning retail data into real business results can be a tough problem, but the solution isn’t more tech. It starts with grounding your data strategy in business outcomes and building from there.

In this article, I break down how retail teams can move from disconnected dashboards and siloed analytics to a practical, value-focused data strategy. 

Key lessons include: 
1️⃣ Start with the business problem not the tools + Clarify the goal first (like reducing churn or improving customer experience)
2️⃣ Empower better questions across teams so insights actually lead to action
3️⃣ Put data governance in place early to build trust in your numbers
4️⃣ Balance pace with capacity so you deliver wins without burning out
5️⃣ Build data literacy and ownership so everyone speaks the same language 

I also cover where the retail data push usually starts, how AI fits in practically (not hype), and what future trends are shaping smarter operations. 

If you work in retail or data and want strategies that actually move the needle, I hope this will help you:
https://lnkd.in/gEubetHW

Why does FSA/ MEBS represent a step-change in enterprise modeling?

Checkout this latest article from Robert Vane as he goes over:
✅ Why We Keep Failing at “Enterprise Modeling”
✅ The Insight: Business Behaviour Is Largely Deterministic
✅ A New Foundation for Deterministic Enterprise Modeling
✅ Why This Matters for Today’s Data & EA Community
✅ Why This Work Is Gaining Momentum

and much more:
https://lnkd.in/gyqdgvBW

#datamodel #dataarchitecture #data

taplio

The Battle

Greg Coquillo

George Firican 💡

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreGreg Coquillo's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreGeorge Firican 💡's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Greg Coquillo

George Firican 💡

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Greg Coquillo's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreGeorge Firican 💡's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreGreg Coquillo's LinkedIn Performance