Measuring the ROI on AI: Extracting Value for Humans & Businesses with Weatherford’s Sarah Karthigan

Human-centered AI is transforming the energy sector at a scale we never imagined possible. Sarah Karthigan, Vice President of AI at Weatherford, is a driving force behind launching AI at scale across oil field services, making measurable impacts in productivity and financial returns. Formally, she created AI and enterprise data strategies that revolutionized the work of Exxon Mobil and Chevron. In this episode, Sarah explains how the human element of her work transforms AI from just a technology tool into a solution that truly empowers people.   Key Insights & Timestamps  [00:00] Podcast begins  [01:18] Huge Problems, Massive Scale: Sarah’s inspiration for AI & the energy sector  [07:24] Extracting Value from AI: Return on employees vs return on investment  [15:48] Garbage In, Garbage Out: Laying a strong data foundation for your AI systems  [28:46] AI Fluency in Today’s Leaders: Non-technical people will shape the intelligence future  [33:05] To Weatherford & Beyond: Energy sector innovations & autonomous solutions  [40:36] The View from 3000 Feet: High-level discussions of experimentation vs implementation  Guest Spotlight Sarah Karthigan ● LinkedIn  Sarah Karthigan is a reputed leader with over 20 years of global experience as a senior executive leading major enterprise scale strategic, transformational initiatives in the Energy sector. Sarah was recognized as a Top 25 influential women in Energy by Oil & Gas Investor for her innovative work using AI in the O&G value chain. Sarah has a unique blend of executive and technical competencies. Sarah serves on a variety of advisory boards for Data & AI. She is currently the VP of Artificial Intelligence at Weatherford.  Resources Mentioned: Weatherford | weatherford.com  🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST  Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/bdyaewtm  Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/mu6p44yw  🎬 WATCH THE PODCAST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVfDxhLXhk8  💡ABOUT US  Prompting Potential  is your front-row seat to the future of innovation from the inside out. This series dives into the world of intrapreneurs—bold innovators inside organizations—who are challenging norms, integrating AI, and driving transformation.  Each episode, host Roger Rohatgi, Chief AI Officer at Chai, (LinkedIn) sits down with Fortune 500 execs, creative technologists, and influential leaders turning internal challenges into breakthrough impact. From rethinking leadership to reshaping the future of work, these conversations show how creativity, courage, and smart strategy—paired with AI—can unlock extraordinary progress.  Whether you're navigating AI adoption or championing change inside your company, Prompting Potential is your guide to unlocking the impact within: https://www.heychai.ai/podcast