In this interactive panel, we’ll challenge the status quo of AI adoption by diving into the business case for private models. 

Marcus Blair, Omega Business Solutions, will kick off an open discussion on overlooked challenges and opportunities of AI. Joining Marcus, is Amir Sadovnik, ORNL , John Derrick, Authentrics.ai, and Ozlem Kilic, Dean of College of Emerging and Emerging Sciences at UTK.

Explore where AI is headed in the next 18 months—how smaller, specialized models and evolving chip technology will make LLMs more accessible than ever. The panel will also tackle the workforce implications: What new job opportunities will emerge? What skills will be in demand? 

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation on how businesses can gain a competitive edge in the AI revolution.

Meet Our Speakers

Marcus Blair • Omega Business Solutions, Founder 

Marcus Blair is the founder of Omega Business Solutions. Omega works with organizations to help them choose and implement the right technology to meet their goals. He started his career as a 3rd shift production line associate and worked his way up to executive leadership where he successfully led digital transformation efforts for several international manufacturers. He has worked with clients around the world, but his real passion is working with start-ups right here in Knoxville.

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Amir Sadovnik • ORNL Research Lead, Center for AI Security Research (CAISER)

Dr. Sadovnik is the Research Lead for the newly established Center for AI Security Research (CAISER) at Oak Ridge National Lab. As part of this role, Dr. Sadovnik leads multiple research projects related to AI risk, adversarial AI, and large language model vulnerabilities. As one of the founders of CAISER, he’s helping to shape its strategy and operations through partnership development, workshop organization, teaching, and outreach.

In addition to his work and publications in AI and AI security, Dr. Sadovnik has a deep interest in workforce development and computer science education. Prior to joining the lab, he served as an assistant professor in the department of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and as an assistant professor in the department of computer science at Lafayette College. He received his PhD from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell University, advised by Prof. Tsuhan Chen as member of the Advanced Multimedia Processing Lab. Prior to arriving at Cornell he received his bachelor’s in electrical and computer engineering from The Cooper Union.

He continues to teach graduate courses related to machine leaning and artificial intelligence at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

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John Derrick • Authentrics.ai, Founder

Proper and controlled use of AI is one of the biggest challenges we face today. We all have a responsibility to make the lives of our families, communities, and the world we can reach a better place. As such, proper use and understanding of content, especially within automated AI/ML systems, are vital. At Authentrics.ai I am focused on providing proper and reliable capabilities to Measure, Control, and Explain AI. 

More broadly, I I have focused through my career on companies and projects that provide real value for our customers and society at large by truly understanding the underlying problem and providing creative and advantaged solutions.

Information, data sciences, and communications have powered massive advances in medicine, knowledge, education, and general quality of life, however as the complexity and amount of content expands exponentially, we need tools that can assist us to do this responsibility and provide value across the market. Information technologies that work for tech and non-tech people alike.

I have served in public companies - President / COO at MIPS, GM at Intel, VP/GM at Parthus Technologies and I have led six companies as CEO and assisted a couple dozen more as an interim CXX, board member, or advisor. I have led three to successful acquisition as CEO and assisted six additional companies that have been acquired. Companies were acquired by Parthus Technologies, Intel Corporation, ARM, Grid Dynamics, Kemet, NetApp, Qualcomm, VMWare, and Ampere Computing.

Additionally, I currently mentor and advise with Innovation Crossroads (ORNL), multiple university entrepreneurship groups including California system, Iowa State, and the Yale Entrepreneurship Initiative.

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Ozlem Kilic • Vice Provost and Founding Dean of the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies, UTK

Prior to joining the Provost’s office, Ozlem served as the Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs at the Tickle College of Engineering. As part of her associate dean responsibilities, she also co-supervised the Heath Integrated Business and Engineering program in partnership with the Haslam College of Business. She has led multiple initiatives designed to enhance student recruitment and retention, such as the establishment of Student Success and Women in Engineering offices in engineering.

She led the administrative operations across all colleges for the launch of the intercollegiate data science minor — the first intercollegiate undergraduate program at UT, with collaboration among the Tickle College of Engineering; College of Arts and Sciences; Haslam College of Business; College of Communication and Information; Herbert College of Agriculture; College of Education, Health and Human Sciences; College of Architecture and Design; College of Nursing; and the College of Social Work — and served as its executive director until the program transferred to CECS. It is this work that led to the discussions on how to improve intercollegiate education on campus ultimately leading to the launch of CECS.

Prior to coming to UT, Ozlem served in various leadership roles such as the department chair of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and as the associate dean of engineering at the Catholic University of America. . She has also worked as an electronics engineer at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory where she managed Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Programs, and as a program manager at Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications.