Stefon Kern speaks on how curiosity and creativity fuel AI innovation at tms

Meet Stefon Kern, Senior Data Science Manager at tms. With a background in psychology and applied statistics, Stefon brings both technical expertise and a creative mindset to his work, leading artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning initiatives across the business. 

We sat down with Stefon to learn more about his path into data science, what he looks for in new talent, and how he sees the future of AI unfolding at tms. 

How would you describe your role as Senior Data Science Manager?  

It in a nutshell, my team and I use machine learning (ML), AI, applied statistics, and creativity to solve problems for tms. In practical terms, we build ML and AI powered applications and tools for the business. We also carry out any heavy-duty statistical, ML, and AI projects for teams across tms. 

What advice would you give to someone trying to get into this field of work?  

I think there are certain data science-related skillsets, such as Python programming or statistical/ML modeling techniques, where “intermediate skill level” or “intermediate knowledge” is the norm among candidates nowadays. So, whenever you can go beyond intermediate and toward advanced, which you can usually achieve for free with all the books, videos, and resources that are out there – that’s a great way to set yourself apart and succeed in this field.    

For example, it’s really easy to create a model. You can do it with just a few lines of code. But understanding how that model works, how your data is being used by the model, how to write efficient Python code so that your model can be put into production – all those sorts of ins and outs – that’s what sets someone apart.  

You recently presented your AI-related work at our first ever AI Summit and at the tms leadership conference, Connections. What has it been like to share your work with such a wide audience?  

These events were some of the most exciting, valuable, and positive experiences that I’ve had over the past year.   

The AI Summit was the first large-scale presentation I’ve done, but the enthusiasm from the audience and participants was amazing. It also opened doors in terms of connection building and knowledge sharing. I’d end up grabbing coffee with someone, and we’d talk further about the presentation and opportunities where we could partner and work together.   

It was the same thing after Connections 2025. I’m grateful to tms for providing leadership development opportunities that allow me to share the art of the possible and build relationships where people know that they can reach out, and vice versa, for opportunities to collaborate.  

Speaking of AI, what’s your take on the recent mainstream emergence of generative AI tools, like Copilot?  

Overall, I think we’re in a really exciting time and probably at a turning point in history but we should also be cautiously optimistic.   

Generative AI tools, like Copilot, have definitely changed the landscape in a significant way. I think everyone should be using AI. You can use it to handle mind numbing tasks, as a research assistant, as a coding assistant, or even as a brainstorming partner to evaluate different approaches to something. It’s a powerful productivity tool that people should take advantage of.   

There are obviously important caveats and cautions, especially around data security. It’s important to stay up to speed on what’s out there and maintain a healthy level of caution and skepticism – I think maintaining that balance is a good place to be in this moment.  

What are some of the most exciting opportunities you see for tms in terms of generative AI?  

One thing I would say that’s critical is data. You could have the best, most cutting-edge model, and the data is going to be the thing that makes or breaks it. Just like the saying, “garbage in, garbage out.” Data is going to be what sets tms apart in the AI space. A hugely valuable opportunity for tms is cultivating, collecting, and curating data—especially data that we’re uniquely positioned to utilize through our wide range of work. That’s going to be the game changer that sets us apart.