Data Science Philadelphia (DataPhilly)

📢 Join us for an insightful session on building reliable AI systems — from creating trusted data foundations with contracts and data products to designing effective human–AI collaboration through agentic AI. Learn practical frameworks and real-world approaches to move beyond AI hype and deliver real impact.
Our partner is Center for Business Analytics (CBA). The CBA prepares students to become analytics leaders in their organizations. We bring together industry executives and world class faculty to create curricula and experiential programming that positions students to deploy analytics education and techniques to solve increasingly complex business problems.
We’re also proud to be supported by our Gold Sponsor, Liberty Personnel Services, widely recognized as one of the region’s leading direct placement and contract recruiting firms.
Event Schedule:
Doors opens at 6:00 pm ET
6:00 - 6:30: Event start and networking, DataPhilly intro
6:30 - 7:15: Jean-Georges Perrin: The Road to AI Is Paved with (Data) Contracts, followed by Q&A
7:15 - 8:00: Andreas Welsch: Defining Your HUMAN Agentic AI Edge Operating Model, followed by Q&A
After 8:00: Networking time

Jean-Georges Perrin: The Road to AI Is Paved with (Data) Contracts.
Abstract: Everyone wants AI. Nobody wants to deal with the data mess that makes AI unreliable, brittle, and untrustworthy, and Jean-Georges has the real-world evidence to prove it. The fix isn’t a remake of everything you’ve built. It’s a trust layer. It’s a contract. In this session, he introduces data products through the lens of ODCS (Open Data Contract Standard) and ODPS (Open Data Product Standard), the open standards born out of Bitol, a Linux Foundation project.
He then gets hands-on with the Data Product Workbench, built to help you take a raw schema and turn it into a governed, versioned, AI-ready data product without losing your mind. Ben Franklin invented the lightning rod to tame chaos. Data contracts and products do the same for your AI. Attendees get full access to the Workbench.

Key takeaways:
* ODCS and ODPS: the brotherly love story of open standards, one for contracts, one for products, better together.
* Bad data has grit, but grit alone won’t power your AI. Contracts bring the structure that turns raw talent into a champion.
* The Liberty Bell cracked under vendor lock-in. ODCS and ODPS are your declaration of data independence

Bio: Jean-Georges "jgp" Perrin is passionate about data; yes, that's a real thing. As chair of the Linux Foundation's Bitol project, he leads efforts to establish open global standards for modern data engineering, including the Open Data Contract Standard (ODCS) and the Open Data Product Standard (ODPS), helping organizations bring a little more order to the natural chaos of data. Actian's CTO Office is where he pretends to have a normal job.
He is the author of books on data mesh, Apache Spark, and architecture modernization with O'Reilly and Manning, is currently writing Building Data Products (O'Reilly), and also publishes a "for all ages" series that makes complex data concepts accessible to everyone.
With over 25 years of IT experience, Jean-Georges has been recognized as a Lifetime IBM Champion and has spoken at more than 190 international conferences. He regularly shares ideas and experiments on his blog at jgp.ai. Outside his professional life, he enjoys exploring scenic and historic Pennsylvania with his wife, proving that even people who think about data all day occasionally go outside.

Andreas Welsch: Defining Your HUMAN Agentic AI Edge Operating Model
Abstract: Agentic AI is rapidly moving from experimentation to real business impact. Yet many organizations still lack a clear model for how humans and AI agents should collaborate. This session introduces the HUMAN Agentic AI Edge Operating Model, a practical framework for defining roles, workflows, and accountability between people and AI agents. Participants will gain a clear approach to designing human–AI collaboration that delivers reliable outcomes while maintaining quality, trust, and business value.
Bio: Andreas Welsch is an internationally recognized top 10 Agentic AI leader and one of today’s most sought-after thought leaders and keynote speakers for business and technology audiences. With over two decades of global leadership experience, previously as Vice President at SAP, Andreas has helped Fortune 500 companies cut through AI hype to deliver measurable business outcomes. He is the Founder and Chief Human Agentic AI Officer of AI consulting firm Intelligence Briefing, the 2x best-selling author of the AI Leadership Handbook and The HUMAN Agentic AI Edge, and a leading voice on AI strategy, adoption, and transformation.
Please note, by RSVPing this event you agree to our Code of Conduct
Looking forward to seeing you there!

Join DataPhilly for our featured Philly Tech Week 2026 event, hosted at CityCoHo! This exclusive double-panel event explores the high-stakes world of sports analytics, featuring the technical leaders and strategists who are shaping the future of Philadelphia’s championship teams.

📅 Date: Wednesday May 6th, 2026
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM
📍 Location: CityCoHo, 2401 Walnut St, Philadelphia

👀 What to expect:

• The Business of Sport: A look at how front offices leverage data for fan engagement, strategic operations, and venue innovation.
• Performance & Strategy: Exploring the technical models that drive player evaluation, roster building, and on-field decision-making.
• The Modern Tech Stack: A deep dive into the evolving tools of the trade -from the impact of AI and LLMs to the engineering infrastructure of a professional sports organization.
• Networking & Connection: Stay after the panels for dedicated time to connect directly with our speakers, industry peers, and fellow data professionals.

⚠️ ADDITIONAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

• IMPORTANT: This form serves as Pre-Registration to join the priority list for DataPhilly’s featured Philly Tech Week summit.
• Event Access: Please note that pre-registration does not guarantee entry. Final event details, including venue capacity and ticketing requirements, are subject to change. DataPhilly reserves the right to implement a nominal registration fee or contribution requirement to finalize your ticket at a later date. Official ticket links will be issued via email to verified guests on the priority list.
• Conduct & Safety: All guests are expected to maintain a professional environment; organizers reserve the right to remove anyone who is disruptive or violates our community standards.
• Media Release: By attending, you consent to being photographed/recorded for promotional use by DataPhilly, CityCoHo, and event partners without compensation.
• Liability: Attendees participate at their own risk. DataPhilly, the venue, and sponsors are held harmless from any liability. Panelists speak in a personal capacity; views are their own.
• Program: The speaker lineup and schedule are subject to change based on professional availability.