At a time when artificial intelligence is transforming industries across the globe, Cornell Engineering alumnus Jason Erdell ’95 returned to campus Oct. 17 to offer students a candid look at how to thrive in a time of rapid technological change.
Erdell, chairman and CEO of MDpanel, delivered his talk as part of the Mei-Mei Wei and Amy Cheng Distinguished Lecture Series, which brings accomplished alumni back to campus to share their insights on leadership, innovation and the future of engineering.
Erdell’s path since graduating from Cornell’s School of Operations Research and Information Engineering has taken him through Silicon Valley, management consulting and the private equity world. Today, he leads MDpanel, a company that uses AI, machine learning and data science to transform the delivery of medical opinions for insurers and healthcare organizations.
“Cornell taught me rigor,” he said. “It may not feel like it at the time, but that grit, that ability to struggle through a hard problem, is one of the greatest advantages you’ll carry forward.”
Before MDpanel, Erdell served as CEO of Aspirion, where he led similar AI-driven innovations in reimbursement services for major health systems. Across three decades of experience at the intersection of health care, technology and finance, he has focused on modernizing a system he calls “one of the most inefficient and complicated in the world.”
Erdell began his talk by reflecting on the extraordinary pace of AI development and the implications for productivity and work. “If you look at what’s happening right now,” he said, “the level of productivity increase that AI is driving is astronomical. The prosperity that’s going to come from it is immense.”
Comparing the current AI boom to the dawn of the internet, he argued that the stakes are even higher today. “When I was leaving Cornell, the web was just emerging. That was a huge wave of innovation, but this one is far bigger.”
Still, Erdell urged caution and reflection. AI, he said, may ultimately force society to rethink the very concept of work.
“There could come a point where the idea of a traditional job doesn’t exist anymore,” he said. “So what differentiates us as humans? Adaptability, creativity and continuous learning.”
Erdell organized his talk around what he called his three “bubbles” of growth: comfort, competency and innovation, with each representing a key to career success in an AI-driven world.
Expanding your comfort bubble
Erdell encouraged students to “embrace the struggle,” citing his own decision to leave consulting for an unexpected role at Gap, Inc.
“I knew nothing about fashion,” he admitted. “But I learned how to influence and/ or lead creative people and make decisions driven by empathy, not just logic.”
Expanding your competency bubble
In a world where entire professions can vanish overnight – “cartographers, for example,” Erdell said – breadth of skill is insurance against obsolescence.
“Don’t just go deep, go wide,” he advised. “The more competencies you have, the more adaptable you’ll be when the world shifts.”
Finding innovation bubbles below the surface
Rather than chasing the biggest, most obvious markets, Erdell argued that innovators can often find success by applying proven ideas in overlooked sectors.
“You don’t have to invent the next AI chip,” he said. “You can take what’s already working and apply it where others aren’t looking. For me, that’s health care administration, an industry that’s lagging, but full of opportunity.”
Throughout the lecture, Erdell emphasized the importance of lifelong learning and resilience.
“My life has been a beautiful collection of failures,” he said. “It’s through failure and discomfort that you grow.”
He urged students to take advantage of Cornell’s breadth, including its liberal arts courses, business law electives and cross-disciplinary environment, as a way to build flexibility of thought.
“You’re building yourself as an asset,” he said. “Don’t stop learning after you leave here.”
As a final takeaway, Erdell shared one of his company’s guiding principles – borrowed, he said, from the Mayo Clinic: “Think big, start small, move fast.”
“Focus on solving big problems,” he explained, “but start with the smallest viable step. Get your idea into the world, see how it behaves and iterate quickly.”
The talk ended with a Q&A that ranged from generative AI applications to the ethical use of technology. Erdell’s message to students was both pragmatic and optimistic: “AI will change everything,” he said. “But the people who succeed will be those who stay curious, keep learning and aren’t afraid to adapt.”
The Mei-Mei Wei and Amy Cheng Distinguished Lecture Series celebrates Cornell Engineering alumni whose work exemplifies leadership, innovation and impact across diverse industries.
Chris Dawson is a communications coordinator for Cornell Engineering.
