Beyond the Hype: Preparing Your Organization for AI Success
John Gough, Assistant Vice President, University of Texas at Austin
Advancement professionals can feel both excited and overwhelmed by AI’s potential. This keynote demystifies the AI hype cycle by showcasing real-world examples of what AI can — and cannot — deliver. Attendees will gain strategies for setting realistic expectations, choosing meaningful use cases and building internal buy-in. The session also highlights how to prepare the right data and technical foundations, including best practices for data governance, infrastructure readiness and cross-departmental collaboration. Participants will leave with frameworks for prioritizing AI projects, fostering a culture of innovation and ensuring their AI initiatives are both scalable and sustainable.
Learning Objectives
- Identify Key Technical and Cultural Preparedness Factors: Participants will be able to assess their current infrastructure, data governance practices and organizational readiness, ensuring any AI initiative has a solid foundation.
- Foster Cross-Functional Collaboration: Attendees will learn strategies to engage stakeholders — from frontline fundraisers to IT specialists — to champion AI initiatives and maintain collective buy-in for sustained growth.
About John Gough
John Gough is an accomplished executive leader, lecturer and mentor with extensive experience in higher education, data analytics and philanthropy. In his role as assistant vice president at The University of Texas at Austin, he oversees multiple verticals in advancement data operations — including gift processing, data management, application development, IT operations, digital engagement and business analytics — driving digital modernization and strategic transformation.
John is also an active educator, having taught graduate seminars on data management and visualization at The University of Texas at Austin, and previously serving as a lecturer in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His background includes spearheading data curation initiatives, designing metadata frameworks and leading analytics teams to provide actionable insights for fundraising and engagement. John is also a founder and chair of the Texas Advancement Analytics Symposium and editor of the Journal of Advancement Analytics.
John holds an Master of Science in library and information science (data curation) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an Master of Arts in French literature from New York University, and a Bachelor of Arts in French from the University of Utah. Drawing on his blend of technical acumen and academic expertise, he is dedicated to guiding organizations through strategic innovation, fostering collaborative cultures, and championing data-driven decision-making in the advancement sector.