A Senior Strategist's Perspective on Navigating the AI Frontier

We caught up with Emily Dardaman who works as a Senior Strategist at BCG BrightHouse and is based in Atlanta, Georgia. She’s especially passionate about preventing an Artificial Intelligence-related catastrophe and is excited to see more people working on this!

What is your current role at BCG Brighthouse?

BCG Brighthouse is part of Boston Consulting Group. BrightHouse focuses on purpose, mission, values, and culture. My job as a Senior Strategist means I conduct a lot of research and I lead on the development of strategic materials for organizations at a pivot point in their journey. This could be anything from an organization preparing for huge growth, to an organization in crisis.

Terrific, and what cause area is taking up most of your brain space these days?

For me, it’s definitely AI safety.

What interests you about AI specifically?

I think a lot about what constitutes meaningful work, and there is an elephant in the room when it comes to human purpose - AI. It’s not talked about very much, but the fact that it’s so neglected makes it more interesting to learn about.

How does your awareness of the issues AI may pose in the future link to the work you do at BCG Brighthouse?

There is a surprising amount of direct overlap. Right now, lots of organisations are having an existential crisis about the role technology plays for them. Many are creating ethical frameworks for how they’re going to deploy AI, and this is creating shifting institutional priorities, which is relevant to the work I do in helping organisations.

You recently attended your first EAGlobal Conference in San Francisco, how did you find it?

It was honestly a highlight of my career. It made me feel like I didn’t have to trade off ambition with my deepest values and priorities. The people I met there and the conversations I had shifted my theory of change and path to impact. It was amazing to meet like-minded, intelligent peers.

What advice do you have for others attending social impact conferences?

The main piece of advice I would give is to plan before you go. Think about who you want to talk to, and focus on getting to know people rather than going to too many of the sessions. It’s also important to balance the one-to-ones you have between those you can help and those who can help you. The final piece of advice I would give is not to forget about friendship, as this can be a real source of energy.

What role has Consultants for Impact played in your life and career journey so far?

BCG has a Consultants for Impact workplace group – shoutout to Simon and Max who do a great job of running it! As I got more involved in my workplace group I found that discussing impact is a great way to meet other ambitious, curious, and open individuals. I have also been on two CFI retreats which have been great.

Speaking of CFI retreats, what do you find most valuable about them?

When I first joined CFI, I was expecting to just attend the occasional lecture on zoom, but the retreats offer so much more than that. They give space for life-changing relationships and decisions. They’re not just a place to learn things, but a platform for open discussions with people who are engaged in trying to do good and have a similar mindset to you. I highly recommend them.

What types of roles and opportunities excite you the most?

What excites me most is the opportunity to make this community a sustainable and rewarding place for human effort, by ensuring that the kind of leadership and culture is best in class.

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