As the Founder & CEO of Data Wise Academy and the Executive Director of the Berkeley Fisher Center for Business Analytics, I’m delighted to present this booklet as a companion to my course. It is for professionals who want to apply AI responsibly—turning ambition into measurable outcomes. My approach is pragmatic: start with a well-framed decision, verify that the data reflects reality, and pick the simplest method that satisfies the goal. Machine learning extends patterns from history; GenAI accelerates drafting and exploration—but neither replaces judgment, governance, or measurement. When you pair sound data practices with small, instrumented pilots, monitoring, and clear success criteria, AI becomes a durable capability instead of a one-off experiment. This booklet distills what matters in practice: scoping problems, preparing representative datasets, validating models, managing drift, and communicating limits so stakeholders act with confidence. Treat these tools as companions to your expertise. With discipline and transparency, you’ll deliver AI that is useful, trusted, and sustainable. Thank you for building wisely. Gauthier Vasseur