Root Cause Analysis and Artificial Intelligence: Rob De La Espriella on Solving Complex Problems

In this episode of Emerging Tech Horizons, Dr. Arun Seraphin speaks with Rob De La Espriella, CEO of BlueDragon, about how organizations can move beyond surface-level fixes to understand the deeper technical, organizational, and cultural factors behind failures. Drawing on his experience in the nuclear industry, national laboratories, and defense enterprise, Rob explains how BlueDragon combines Artificial Intelligence (AI), emerging technology, systems thinking, and human expertise to advance root cause analysis and help organizations solve complex problems. The conversation explores how AI-driven approaches to problem-solving can strengthen organizational performance, improve decision-making, and help prevent future failures in complex, high-consequence environments.Key topics include:Why traditional root cause analysis methods can fall short in complex environmentsHow Artificial Intelligence (AI) can accelerate evidence analysis while human expertise remains essentialIdentifying organizational, cultural, and systemic factors behind failuresApplying root cause analysis to the nuclear industry, defense enterprise, and other high-consequence environmentsHow emerging technology can support systems-level analysis and complex problem-solvingUsing lessons learned to improve performance and prevent future failuresBuilding critical thinking and systems-level problem-solving skills across the workforceContinue Learning with NDIA: Take a deeper dive into the concepts discussed in this episode with Rob De La Espriella’s Advanced Root Cause Analysis Fundamentals Course for Lean Six Sigma Practitioners, offered through NDIA on December 9, 2026. Learn practical approaches to critical thinking, systems thinking, and complex problem-solving.Learn more and register: https://www.ndia.org/events/2026/12/9/bluedragonLearn more about the Emerging Technologies Institute: https://www.ndiaeti.orgBe sure to follow us on social media for updates, inside scoops, & more:LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4htROo0Twitter: https://bit.ly/48LHAx3Facebook: https://bit.ly/47vlht8 And for more podcasts, articles, & publications all things emerging tech, check out our website at: https://bit.ly/47oA5K1#RootCauseAnalysis #CriticalThinking #SystemsThinking