AI Center Impact Talk - Dean Carignan - "The Insider’s Guide to Innovation at Microsoft"

This impact talk is jointly organized by the EPFL Data Science Lab and the EPFL AI Center.

The talk will be followed by a coffee session.
For logistical purposes: please here the following form to register: HERE. 

Abstract
Microsoft turns 50 years old this year and is perhaps the only company in history to continue to reinvent itself time and again for 5 decades. Dean Carignan’s recent book, The Insider’s Guide to Innovation at Microsoft, explores the practices, strategies, and cultural attributes that have kept Microsoft innovative as well as the steps the company is deploying to navigate the GenAI era. In this talk, Dean will describe the key learnings from his research on innovation at Microsoft and present practical tools and skills that anyone can use in any sector or discipline.

Bio
Dean Carignan’s career spans international economic development, startup ventures, and strategic roles in technology. An alumnus of Georgetown University and INSEAD, he was a charter member of McKinsey & Company’s advanced technology practice. During his 20 years at Microsoft, he has guided new businesses—including the early internet division, Xbox, and multiple AI efforts—through the critical growth phases to their first billion dollars in revenue. Most recently, Dean has focused on leading AI innovations within Microsoft Research and the Office of the Chief Scientist. His intrapreneurial spirit, deep institutional knowledge, and expansive internal network made the behind-the-scenes perspective of The Insider’s Guide to Innovation at Microsoft possible.