Episode 2: Moonshot first, then tools: The way to AI value 

Episode overview

AI value doesn’t start with tools. It starts with a clear ambition for how work should change. In this episode of The GuideLine, recorded at the Microsoft Government BizApps + Copilot Summit, Stuart Brown sits down with Ryan Cunningham, Corporate Vice President of Power Platform at Microsoft, to explore why the biggest blocker to AI impact is often not technical at all. It’s organizational. 

Stu and Ryan unpack what it takes to turn AI ambition into operational value. They discuss why the best starting point is a concrete problem worth solving, rather than the next shiny technology, why culture can often be the biggest barrier to progress, and why AI can be especially powerful in regulated industries as a force for greater consistency and lower risk. Along the way, they make the case that AI can’t sit with one specialized team anymore and why, for most organizations, this is still the beginning of the AI journey. 

About the guest 

Ryan Cunningham, Corporate Vice President, Power Platform, Microsoft

Ryan Cunningham is Corporate Vice President of Power Platform, Microsoft’s market-leading application development platform which includes Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, and a high-scale control plane for deploying and governing thousands of resources. Ryan is a globally recognized subject matter expert in the low-code movement. He frequently speaks about the impact of generative AI on software development and how professional developers and business experts can build solutions that drive agentic transformation. 

About the host 

Stuart Brown, Global Technology Leader, Guidehouse

Stuart Brown is a visionary technology leader with more than 25 years of experience guiding complex transformations across industries. At Guidehouse, he leads the Technology practice, helping organizations shape their digital innovation strategies. Known for connecting big ideas to real outcomes, Stuart brings a pragmatic, people-first approach to solving today’s toughest technology challenges.