AI Copilot Podcast: CIO Kenny Mullican Details His Manufacturing Industry Copilot Strategy

Welcome to the AI Copilot Podcast, analyzing the latest AI Copilot and agent developments from Microsoft and its partners, delving into customer use cases, and exploring how AI plus the Cloud helps customers reimagine their business. In this episode, Kenny Mullican, CIO at plastics manufacturer Paragon Films, discusses the upcoming AI Copilot Summit with Tom Smith. Mullican is on the event programming committee.  

Highlights

Role in AI and the Microsoft Business Apps Community (01:26)

Mullican’s primary focus is on investigating new technologies to give hiw company a competitive edge and improve efficiency. He’s observed the rapid progress of GenAI and its accessibility for non-experts through copilots and agents. Paragon Films uses Microsoft Office, Power BI, Power Platform, Power Apps, Power Automate, Dynamics 365 Finance, and Supply Chain Management. He’s excited about the potential of copilots and AI in various business applications.

Most Compelling AI Projects (04:31)

Paragon Films has an upcoming proof of value project involving a co-pilot pilot, where 20 to 30 employees from different departments will be trained to use copilots in their workflows. There’s also the potential for using AI in data analytics with Power BI, allowing users to achieve visualizations and insights through natural language queries. Future plans include expanding AI applications to manufacturing quality processes and creating custom copilots for internal data analysis.

AI Agent & Copilot Summit is an AI-first event to define opportunities, impact, and outcomes with Microsoft Copilot and agents. Building on its 2025 success, the 2026 event takes place March 17-19 in San Diego. Get more details.

Excitement, Advice Around AI Copilot Summit (07:10)

Mullican expresses his excitement about learning more about building custom copilots, having already gained some insights at the Community Summit NA Conference in October. He emphasizes the importance of data readiness and the potential for AI to uncover hidden trends and insights within the company’s data. He also highlights the value of in-person connections and networking at the summit.

2025 Copilot/Agent Outlook and Predictions (11:58)

He predicts future developments will include more integrated copilot products from Microsoft, allowing for seamless cross-app functionality. Plus, he anticipates a shift towards more advanced voice interfaces for copilots, making it easier for users to communicate their needs. Finally, he believes that autonomous or semi-autonomous agents will emerge, taking over routine tasks and suggesting actions based on contextual triggers.