As Vice President and CTO, Solutions, for Salesforce ASEAN, Gavin Barfield leads a team of Salesforce engineers across the region to develop and drive integrated technology solutions for Salesforce customers. Gavin works closely with customers in ASEAN on their digital transformations, bringing together the full value of the Salesforce platform to drive positive business outcomes.
A seasoned IT veteran with over 20 years of experience, Gavin has a deep technology background in areas like IT infrastructure, enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, and program management for a variety of industries. Prior to joining Salesforce, he has held C-level positions managing IT and transformation for some of Southeast Asia’s largest companies, such as Ayala Corporation and Meralco. Gavin also brings many years of experience in management consulting into his work for customers.
Gavin has a passion for emerging technologies and he regularly speaks at international conferences and other forums on the future of disruptive technologies and how they affect people and work.
In this interview, Gavin discusses how, to drive AI adoption and reap the benefits of AI, businesses need accurate, complete data and humans in the driver’s seat. He highlights several key points:
- Trust and Value Gaps: Two main barriers to AI adoption are the trust gap and the value gap. Trust in generative AI is essential, as companies need to ensure that AI outputs are accurate, unbiased, and secure.
- Human at the Helm: Gavin emphasizes the importance of having humans oversee AI operations. AI should complement human work by enhancing capabilities while maintaining transparency and trust with customers.
- Quality Data: AI systems need to be grounded in high-quality, trusted data. Many companies struggle with AI outputs due to a lack of trust in the data used to train these models.
- Use Case Awareness: Understanding the appropriate use cases for AI is crucial. Companies need to educate employees and align AI implementations with specific business problems to maximize benefits.
- Governance and Training: Effective governance and training are necessary to build trust in AI. Organizations should focus on data accuracy, transparency, and the role of AI as a supportive tool, not a replacement for humans.
- Security and Privacy: Protecting customer and company data is paramount. Salesforce has implemented a trust layer that masks personal information, uses secure gateways, and ensures data is not retained by large language models (LLMs).
- Future of AI: Gavin anticipates that within a year, the AI landscape will evolve with more specialized LLMs tailored to specific industries and regions. Trust, security, and embedding AI into everyday workflows will remain critical factors for successful AI adoption.
Recorded 8th May 2024, 12noon, Singapore Marina Bay, Salesforce World Tour Essentials 2024 Singapore
