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# From Possibility to Production: Why AI Raises the Bar for Engineering


- **Date:** Friday, Sep 25, 2026
- **Time:** 09:40–10:10 (30 min)
- **Room:** Mainstage
- **Event:** World Congress 2026 North America

## Description

AI is increasing the role of engineers to shaping systems, controls, evaluation, and trust in production. Using examples from BNY’s enterprise AI journey, including Eliza and digital employees, Leigh-Ann Russell shows that successful AI adoption depends less on model capability and more on coherence across data, architecture, governance, and human accountability. The central message is that the teams that win with AI will be the ones that build strong foundations, reuse what works, evaluate rigorously, and apply sound engineering judgment to turn possibility into durable production value.

## Speaker

### [Leigh-Ann Russell](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/@leigh-ann-russell)

CIO & Global Head of Engineering at BNY


## Related talks at this congress

- [Acquired Live Interview: Amjad Masad (Co-founder & CEO, Replit)](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-north-america/sessions/1833-acquired-live) — Amjad Masad, Ben Gilbert, David Rosenthal
- [From Boardroom to Build Pipeline: What AI Governance Actually Looks Like in Practice](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-north-america/sessions/1947-from-boardroom-to) — Anita Ganti
- [Moats, Margins & M&A in the AI Era](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-north-america/sessions/1962-moats-margins-m-a-in) — Ravi Belani, Ashish Aggarwal, Becky Flint, Dr. Yvonne Lutsch
- [The New Security Stack](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-north-america/sessions/1890-the-new-security) — Javier Garza, Sagi Rodin, Andrea Muttoni, James Everingham, Kara Sprague

## Watch remotely

[Watch live in the app](https://app.wearedevelopers.com)