Pete Johnson

About Pete Johnson

I help IT leaders cut through AI hype and build systems that actually work.After 30+ years in enterprise technology—from HP to Cisco to leading AI strategy at CDW—I\'ve seen every kind of technology go through the adoption cycle. AI is different. Most projects fail not because the models aren\'t good enough, but because organizations approach AI like it\'s a product you can buy off a shelf. There\'s no SKU for AI.As Field CTO for AI at MongoDB, I work with enterprise teams navigating the practical challenges of production AI: RAG architectures, embeddings decisions, evaluation frameworks, and the organizational capabilities that separate pilots from production. Increasingly, that work centers on one question: what\'s actually blocking enterprises from moving AI agents beyond employee-facing pilots into customer-facing production? The answer isn\'t better models. It\'s the infrastructure around the models: governance, observability, evaluation, memory, cost controls, and the flexibility to deploy without locking into a single cloud.What I write about:AI application development — RAG patterns, vector search, agentic systems, evaluation frameworks, and the technical decisions that determine whether your AI actually worksEnterprise AI strategy — frameworks for avoiding the 95% failure rate, the 3-box approach to AI ROI, and what separates organizations that ship AI from those stuck in pilot purgatoryIndustry analysis — breaking down major partnerships, infrastructure trends, emerging architectures, and what they mean for enterprise IT (from hyperscaler partnerships to the ongoing agentic payment protocol war)I publish independent analysis at The New Stack, CIO.com, and my own Substack alongside MongoDB perspectives. My goal is the same regardless: give IT leaders the clarity they need to make confident AI decisions.If you\'re an IT decision-maker trying to separate AI signal from noise, let\'s connect.

Experience

1. Field CTO, Artificial Intelligence

   MongoDB

   Jul 2025 — Present · Cincinnati, OH, US

   I serve as MongoDB\'s external voice on enterprise AI, helping IT leaders understand how to build production AI systems, particularly RAG architectures, agentic workflows, and AI application development, using MongoDB and Voyage AI.What that looks like across four lanes:Customer EngagementWork directly with enterprise IT teams evaluating AI initiatives, advising on architectural decisions from embeddings strategy to vector search implementation to production evaluation pipelines.Thought Leadership & Social MediaAuthor independent technical analysis for publications including The New Stack, CIO.com and my own Substack. Topics span AI application development, enterprise AI strategy, and industry trends—from hyperscaler evaluation tooling to the organizational capabilities that determine AI success.Speaking & EventsPresent at MongoDB-sponsored events and industry conferences on AI implementations, RAG patterns, and the practical challenges enterprise teams face moving from pilot to production.Analyst, Press & PodcastsBrief analysts and press on AI market trends, MongoDB\'s AI positioning, and broader industry developments. Frequent podcast guest discussing enterprise AI strategy and emerging architectures.

Education

• UC San Diego

  BS, Computer Science and Engineering

  1988 — 1993

• Etiwanda High School

  Diploma, High School/Secondary Diplomas and Certificates

  1984 — 1988