From Apprehension to Action: A gener8tor Skills Conversation with Pat Masterson
Trying to learn AI can feel intimidating, especially when you have spent decades leading in a highly technical industry without formal classroom learning. But as Pat Masterson discovered, you do not need to be an expert to begin.
In this episode of our gener8tor Skills Impact Series, Anne Nadel sat down with Pat Masterson, Vice President of Global Supplier Quality at Husco. With more than 25 years of experience in global manufacturing, Pat joined the Generative AI Skills Accelerator after spending much of 2024 searching for practical AI use cases in supply chain and quality operations, without finding a clear starting point.
Pat entered the program with real apprehension. He had not taken a formal class in 15 years and was unsure how AI could realistically apply to a global manufacturing business. His goal was not to learn how to code, but to understand what AI could actually do, how leaders should think about it, and how to bring something tangible back to his team.
What he gained was clarity. Through hands-on learning and structured guidance, Pat moved beyond abstract ideas and into practical experimentation. The program helped him develop a framework for asking better questions, identifying real problems, and turning uncertainty into early-stage prototypes that could evolve over time.
A few highlights from the conversation:
Pat embraced learning by doing, working directly with AI tools before asking his team to engage
The virtual format allowed him to stay engaged while traveling internationally for work
The curriculum emphasized leadership guardrails, including shared vocabulary, governance, ethics, and responsible adoption
The capstone project helped him identify a real business pain point and outline a clear solution path
He left with a mindset shift: leaders do not need to have all the answers, they just need to keep trying, learning, and iterating
Pat’s message is refreshingly simple: AI is for everybody, and the hardest step is going from zero to one.
Watch the full conversation here:
