DSS MIA 🦩 Meetup: The Evolving Role of Data Scientists & AI Practitioners in the AI Era
Join us in Miami for an evening of thought-provoking conversation and community at the next DSS MIA 🦩 Meetup We’ll explore how generative and agentic AI are redefining what it means to be a data scientist or AI practitioner—from shifting responsibilities to evolving skillsets and leadership opportunities.
Agenda:
🔸 6:00pm - 7:15pm - Networking
🔸 7:15pm - 7:45pm - Featured Session: The Evolving Role of Data Scientists & AI Practitioners in the AI Era, Presented by Rossella Blatt Vital VP of Engineering - AI, Data, and Analytics at
Sprout Social
🔸 7:45pm - 9:00pm - Networking
Topic: The Evolving Role of Data Scientists & AI Practitioners in the AI Era
This talk explores how the role of data scientists and AI practitioners is evolving in the age of generative and agentic AI.
Over the last two decades, our field has shifted dramatically: from lab-centric research to production-ready ML, from handcrafted pipelines to cloud-scale data platforms. Now, with the rise of foundation models and AI agents, the center of gravity seems to be moving again.
What does this mean for us? Will traditional ML remain essential for structured prediction tasks, or will it slowly be absorbed into the capabilities of LLMs and agentic systems? If AI agents can reason, act, and adapt, do practitioners become system designers, orchestrators, and evaluators - responsible not for individual models, but for architecting intelligence ecosystems?
And what about skills? Is the future about full-stack engineering, or about mastering high-level orchestration and “vibe coding”? Will long-standing subfields like multi-agent systems and reinforcement learning take on renewed relevance as we optimize and coordinate agents?
Even the data scientist role may be changing: what happens when “agentic data scientists” can query, analyze, and explain data autonomously? Do we shift from analysis and dashboarding to supervising agents that generate insights dynamically?
Leadership will also be critical. In a rapidly evolving AI landscape, where organizations are scrambling to adapt, it is the practitioners who are best positioned to guide executives and boards through real AI transformation, bridging technical depth with strategic judgment.
The questions are bigger than just tooling. They’re about identity. Are we still builders of models, or are we becoming architects of intelligence systems? And if so, what new responsibilities - and opportunities - come with that?
This session doesn’t promise definitive answers: it invites reflection. I’ll share insights from my own journey and 15+ years of leading Data Science and AI teams across industries. The goal is to help you see how our roles are changing, and how you can position yourself at the heart of your organization’s AI transformation.
About the speaker:
Rossella Blatt Vital is a visionary AI executive who has built her career at the intersection of technology, business impact, and human potential. With over 15 years of experience leading AI and Data Science across Fortune 100 companies and high-growth startups, she brings a rare combination of technical depth, strategic vision, and transformative leadership.
As VP of Engineering - AI, Data & Analytics at Sprout Social, Rossella is spearheading the company’s AI-first transformation, designing agentic platforms, decision intelligence systems, and next-generation experiences that reimagine the future of social media. Her work has fueled nine-figure revenue growth at global brands like Levi’s and Nordstrom and continues to set new benchmarks for innovation at scale.
Looking ahead, Rossella is driven by a belief in a future where AI amplifies human creativity, accelerates progress, and reshapes how organizations grow. She is passionate about cultivating bold, authentic cultures that unlock performance and empower teams to dream big, experiment fearlessly, and turn ambitious ideas into reality.
A native of Italy, Rossella now lives in South Florida with her husband, daughter, and two adorable dogs. Outside of work, she loves painting and horseback riding.
About Data Science Salon
Data Science Salon is head quartered in Miami and is the leading provider of unique content and a diverse, vendor-neutral community for data scientists, machine learning engineers, and other subject matter experts. Since 2016, we have been driving knowledge sharing, best practices, and innovation in data science, machine learning and AI. With our extensive digital platform of content, webinars, training, and podcast, we cater to the evolving needs of our fast-growing and diverse community. Join us to access valuable resources, engage in insightful discussions, and be part of shaping the future of data science, machine learning and AI.