Aerial view of campus with Williamsport, the Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Mountain as a backdrop

Zack Collevechio ’16

Zack Collevechio ’16
Data scientist, WildFig
Actuarial math and mathematics dual major

Briefly describe your role as a data scientist. What does that position entail, and who are your clients?

I work as a consultant across a variety of industries including aging services, healthcare, financial services, consumer packaged goods, automotive, and more. My role has two primary facets:

On the technical side, I utilize statistics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to extract insights from data. This includes evaluating the effectiveness of marketing plans, forecasting product demand, and developing pricing strategies for consumer goods.

My role also has an interpersonal component, where I work with clients to understand their business needs and communicate complex insights to non-technical audiences.

How do you interact with AI in this role? What types of tools do you use, and how are they helpful?

My preferred tool at the moment is ChatGPT (by OpenAI) but I’m always experimenting with others as they evolve, including Claude (Anthropic), Gemini (Google), and Llama (Meta). I personally use AI in a variety of ways, from coding and writing assistance to routine data analysis, creative brainstorming, and more.

You use AI to help clients make strategic decisions. Please explain how this is done, and what information it provides your clients.

When given enough data and proper instructions, AI can be very good at augmenting decision-making at scale. When you can automate parts of the decision-making framework it allows skilled (human) employees to simply execute tasks in a more efficient manner. We’ve implemented artificial intelligence solutions to help clients identify their highest quality leads, provide recommendations on timelines to follow up with customers, and prioritize customer service inquiries. In each of those examples, AI is making hundreds or even thousands of impactful decisions each month.

Has using AI increased your job efficiency and/or accuracy? If so, how?

Very much so. I use an AI coding companion and I can’t imagine not having one now. It allows me to focus more on what needs to be done rather than how to do it. I also find a ton of value in using AI as a soundboard when brainstorming ideas. It’s like having a subject matter expert on speed dial for every subject imaginable.

Are there any drawbacks you’ve encountered when using AI?

The potential for inaccurate output is a risk, especially when using AI for critical business scenarios. Because of that, it’s best to have some prior knowledge of what you’re asking AI to do so you can validate its outputs.

Do you think it is necessary for current Lycoming students to explore AI to better position them for hires and prepare them for successful career paths?

AI is going to impact virtually every job across all fields of study to varying degrees. There are some jobs where AI will only have a minor role, others where AI will play a large part in the day-to-day, and some that will be entirely replaced by AI. It would be prudent to stay up to date on AI developments not only to learn how to use these tools, but also to understand the extent of AI’s influence in your desired field. With generative AI still so nascent, these changes are happening overnight.

On a positive note, there are human skills that AI cannot replace but instead complement AI. Critical thinking, creativity, decision-making ethics, and adaptability - pillars of a liberal arts education - will remain invaluable as AI continues to evolve.

Anything else you’d like to share regarding AI?

There are endless possibilities of how you can benefit from AI, but the biggest hurdle of realizing its fullest potential is adopting an “AI-first” mentality. The professional uses are obvious, but there’s so much more you can do with AI in your everyday life. Need interior design inspiration? Ask AI. Need help identifying a plant in your yard? Ask AI. Planning a vacation itinerary? Ask AI. The list goes on. Like any skill, the more you use it, the better you become at it, so start exploring ways you can add AI to your daily life!