This is the third interview from my time at the Cable Tec-Expo Show in Philadelphia. Asaf Matatyaou, the VP of Solutions and Product Management for the Cable Access Business at Harmonic, joins us to discuss AI, data, and innovation culture.

Consumer expectations have considerably shifted due to the impact of COVID-19. As a result, the reliability of network connectivity has become paramount. Power usage is another area brought to the forefront of innovation. The cable industry is heavily focused on reducing power usage while improving speed. Green initiatives and power saving, especially with the rising electricity costs, have become motivating areas for today's innovators.

Network Virtualization

The network is moving from traditional proprietary silicone and hardware stacks into software. As a result, running the network now requires different capabilities. As the cable industry steps into this transition, it is essential to get those with experience comfortable while also allowing them to utilize the newest technologies.

AI Automation and the Value Creation of Data

Finding the role of AI within networks to create reliability tends to be tricky. One group thinks AI is the most significant new thing, while others think it's evil and dangerous. Asaf believes that there is an excellent opportunity for implementing AI in terms of scale. To unlock this opportunity, organizations must be confident and prove they are getting the correct data. Secondly, they need the right actions for that data. Lastly, they need to train that data continuously. Many organizations overlook the quality of the data they are capturing. When Harmonic started, they put money into every bit of data they could. Over time, they realized the importance of filtering out non-valuable data. It is key to figuring out what data you need, what you can do with it, and how frequently you need it. I believe that if organizations are not thinking of applying AI to their innovations, they will be left behind.

Innovation Culture & Collaboration

Harmonic collaborates with its customers to pinpoint their desired focus areas and provide actionable solutions. Internally, Harmonic prioritizes having an innovation culture. The organization's leaders encourage experimentation at every level and don't shy away from failure. Every year, they host a two-day 'Hackathon,' allowing anyone in the organization to develop new ideas. They offer prizes for the top ideas and even implement some ideas into their solutions. To those who have an idea and don't know what to do with it, Asaf has a simple message: Don't waste time talking about it. Just do it, and then learn from it. Fail and then achieve.

Check out Asaf's LinkedIn here.

Check out Harmonic's website here.

About our Guest: Asaf Matatyaou

Asaf Matatyaou is Vice President of Solutions and Product Management for the Cable Access Business at Harmonic. Asaf is responsible for product management, strategy, and solution architectures in this role, including Harmonic's virtual cable access solution, CableOS®. Asaf has 20+ years of experience as an engineer and executive in the cable industry, including roles where he led the development of CMTS products and helped drive industry specifications. Asaf earned his BS degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of California, Davis.