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Building Autonomous Innovation Engines

By Scott Kirsner |  July 13, 2025
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As part of our recent AI Build Day Event, on June 12th in Cambridge, Mass., we invited speakers to kick off the day with lightning talks about where AI is delivering value today — and how it will evolve from here.

This talk by Matt Stewart of Disruptive Edge and Vincent Atallah of Aucctus explores how artificial intelligence can transform innovation within large organizations. They identify common challenges — such as redundant efforts, misaligned funding, and isolated innovation — that often hinder progress in complex corporate environments.

The speakers introduce the concept of an “autonomous innovation engine,” a system designed to integrate AI deeply into organizational workflows. This engine evolves through distinct stages on an AI innovation intelligence curve. Initially, companies rely on AI as a passive tool—simply aiding individual tasks. The next phase involves AI acting as a structured partner, embedding itself into daily workflows, before finally maturing into a proactive coordinator that is portfolio-aware. At this stage, AI not only tracks real-time project data and trends but also initiates and manages new ideas, ensuring a continuous flow of actionable insights.

Stewart illustrates how such an AI-driven platform, exemplified by their collaboration with Aucctus, can provide leadership with unprecedented visibility. By monitoring progress, prompting updates, and even managing stage-gated investments, AI can help organizations swiftly pivot and allocate resources where they will generate the highest return. Atallah emphasizes the importance of establishing common evaluation criteria across the entire portfolio to de-risk investments and accelerate execution once an idea is funded.

Watch the full talk above, or download their slides in PDF form below.


Video shot and edited by Pablo Minier, Longwood Media.

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