Medtronic is so bullish on generative artificial intelligence, its executives say, that every department at the medical-device maker has been asked to come up with ways the technology can boost productivity or improve patient outcomes.
In total, the company’s workforce has gathered over 200 ideas thus far, and several of them have received a first round of internal funding, says Ken Washington, Medtronic’s senior vice president and chief technology and innovation officer. Casting a wide net for ideas is also critical to create a culture where generative AI becomes a key part of everyone’s job. It won’t be as successful if a small pocket of AI experts were empowered to build solutions for the company, he says.
