Upgrade 2026: Research to Reality
Panel: AI and Enterprise Innovation with Kevin Hague, The Coca-Cola Company
Moderator:
Fay Hazaveh Costa, Partner, NTTVC
Kevin Hague, Senior Vice President, Emerging Technologies, The Coca-Cola Company
Summary
This session explores how a massive, iconic global brand navigates the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence to get closer to consumers, connect with bottling partners, and drive top-line revenue growth.
Vertical Agent Orchestration: Rather than using traditional horizontal agent chaining, Coca-Cola is building a vertical “pyramid” of AI agents. These agents sit directly on top of databases to bubble up raw data into strategic intelligence briefings for decision-makers.
The Importance of Change Management: Hague emphasizes that 80% of AI transformation work involves change management. The organization aims to transition employees from manually building pivot tables in Excel to directing digital AI “coworkers”.
Strict ROI and Cost Tracking: As AI use cases grow in complexity and token hosting costs run into the millions, Coca-Cola now mandates strict return-on-investment (ROI) projections for new AI projects submitted through their centralized intake portal.
Capturing Tribal Knowledge: By utilizing “Coke GPT” and vector databases to store long-term memory and user interactions, the company is preserving valuable institutional knowledge and decision-making context even if employees leave.
Quantum Computing in Beverage R&D: Hague highlights the future potential of pairing quantum computing with machine learning to optimize complex molecular folding for developing new flavors and sweeteners.
Structuring Successful AI Pods: To prevent failed AI proofs-of-concept, Hague recommends forming highly focused project pods consisting of three essential roles: a project manager, a technical expert, and a business stakeholder who will actively use the technology.