#322 How Data Analytics Powers Your AI Strategy: Christina Stathopoulos, Founder at Dare to Data

The relationship between AI assistants and data professionals is evolving rapidly, creating both opportunities and challenges. These tools can supercharge workflows by generating SQL, assisting with exploratory analysis, and connecting directly to databases—but they're far from perfect. How do you maintain the right balance between leveraging AI capabilities and preserving your fundamental skills? As data teams face mounting pressure to deliver AI-ready data and demonstrate business value, what strategies can ensure your work remains trustworthy? With issues ranging from biased algorithms to poor data quality potentially leading to serious risks, how can organizations implement responsible AI practices while still capitalizing on the positive applications of this technology? Christina Stathopoulos is an international data specialist who regularly serves as an executive advisor, consultant, educator, and public speaker. With expertise in analytics, data strategy, and data visualization, she has built a distinguished career in technology, including roles at Fortune 500 companies. Most recently, she spent over five years at Google and Waze, leading data strategy and driving cross-team projects. Her professional journey has spanned both the United States and Spain, where she has combined her passion for data, technology, and education to make data more accessible and impactful for all. Christina also plays a unique role as a “data translator,” helping to bridge the gap between business and technical teams to unlock the full value of data assets. She is the founder of Dare to Data, a consultancy created to formalize and structure her work with some of the world’s leading companies, supporting and empowering them in their data and AI journeys. Current and past clients include IBM, PepsiCo, PUMA, Shell, Whirlpool, Nitto, and Amazon Web Services. In the episode, Richie and Christina explore the role of AI agents in data analysis, the evolving workflow with AI assistance,