AI & Sustainability Event – Join our movement!

As AI reshapes how businesses operate and make decisions, the integration of immersive technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) offers a powerful blueprint for creating human-centered, sustainable transformations. In this talk, I will share insights from recent research on how AR smartglasses—powered by AI—have been applied both for enterprise innovation and social good. First, I will explore a case study from the aviation industry, where we investigate how AR and AI together can support maintenance inspections. By augmenting human decision-making with intelligent tools, we demonstrated how AI can enhance operational precision, reduce error rates, and improve employee well-being—key pillars of sustainable business practices. Next, I’ll transition to how AR has been used to address accessibility challenges, enabling individuals with hearing impairments to visualize speech through real-time captions. This initiative not only highlights the role of AI in inclusive design but also showcases how purposeful innovation can empower lives and foster social sustainability. I will highlight the critical role of AI and AR in shaping resilient, future-ready organizations and offer a broader reflection on how intelligent, immersive technologies can drive sustainable business value, from human empowerment to enterprise-wide transformation.

Ting Li is a Professor of Digital Business and the Head of the Information Systems group at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), Erasmus University in the Netherlands. She is a founding member and the Academic Director of Digital Business at the Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics, where she spearheads research and educational initiatives that bridge data science and business strategy. Additionally, she leads the new Immersive Tech and AI Lab, focusing on cutting-edge developments in immersive technologies and artificial intelligence. Ting’s research interests center on understanding the strategic use of information and its economic impacts on consumer behavior and firm strategy. Ting Li has published her interdisciplinary work in leading scientific journals, and her work has earned numerous best paper awards and nominations, and she has been the recipient of substantial research grants from the Dutch National Science Foundation and leading multinational corporations. As an educator, Ting teaches across various MBA, Executive MBA, and executive education programs, where she engages with global leaders on topics of digital transformation, AI, and data analytics. In 2017, she was recognized as one of the Top 40 Professors Under 40 Worldwide by Poets & Quants, a prestigious accolade in the academic community. Before joining academia, Ting held positions at General Electric and IBM. She holds a Ph.D. in Management Science from Erasmus University and an MSc in Computational Science from the University of Amsterdam.

Dr. Andrei Sleptchenko is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management Science and Engineering at Khalifa University, UAE, specializing in the modeling and optimization of production and logistics systems. His research encompasses stochastic modeling, discrete-event simulation, and optimization techniques, with applications in spare parts logistics, workforce planning, and manufacturing. Prior to his academic tenure, Dr. Sleptchenko served as a business consultant and software developer at Ab Ovo and ORTEC, leading providers of supply chain planning and optimization solutions. At Ab Ovo, he contributed to the design and implementation of decision support systems for logistics and workforce planning, leveraging platforms like DELMIA Quintiq to enhance operational efficiency and sustainability for clients in the transportation and logistics sectors. He also held faculty positions in Qatar, the Netherlands, and the United States, in leading engineering and business schools.

He began his career at GYSEV Zrt. on December 31, 2004, as Deputy Head of the CARGO Department, overseeing railway cargo transportation processes. In February 2009, he became Head of the BU Cargo Cabinet, where he managed corporate and transport law, risk management, claims regulation, customs issues, quality and safety (SQMS), and division administration. On December 31, 2010, he was appointed Head of the CEO Cabinet at GYSEV CARGO Zrt., continuing to oversee those same legal, operational, and administrative responsibilities until late 2014. Immediately afterward, he served as Chief Legal Officer for four years, guiding legal strategy, contractual negotiations, and compliance.

Concurrently, since December 31, 2005, he has contributed to the Customs Working Group at the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER). Beginning May 31, 2013, he joined the CIM Committee of the International Rail Transport Committee (CIT), and on April 30, 2015, he also became a member of CIT’s CIM Working Group, helping draft and refine international rail freight manuals and rules.

On February 28, 2019, he was named Director of Operational Support at GYSEV CARGO Zrt., improving operational planning, logistics coordination, and service quality. Most recently, on March 1, 2024, he took on the role of Managing Director at Raaberbahn Cargo GmbH in Wulkaprodersdorf, Austria, directing company strategy, organization, and processes within an integrated management system.