Listen "The Gen AI Shift: Data Engineering Redefined"
Episode Synopsis
In this episode of Data Analytics Chat, host Ben Parker talks with Shashi Kumar, Head of Data Engineering & Analytics at Hearst, to explore how the rise of generative AI is reshaping the role of data engineering. Whether you’re an aspiring data leader or a hands-on engineer, this episode is packed with practical insights, career advice, and how top organisations adapt to the new AI landscape. You’ll learn: How Shashi transitioned from DBA to senior data leader and what helped him stand outThe key skills, tools, and certifications that are shaping the modern data engineerHow generative AI is changing data architecture, pipeline design, and collaborationWhy governance, unstructured data, and real-time pipelines are now mission-criticalWhat strategic investments should companies make to scale Gen AI effectively 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:41 Shashi Kumar's Career Journey03:42 Transition to Leadership05:44 Key Career Moments08:57 Facing Career Setbacks11:31 Skills for Success in Data Engineering16:50 Impact of Generative AI on Data Engineering20:52 Modern Data Engineering Tools and Skills24:21 Collaboration Between Data Engineering and Data Science28:42 Modern Data Architectures and Gen AI33:57 Strategic Investments for Gen AI Adoption34:46 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Thank you for listening!
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