CTOs Emphasize Human-AI Collaboration and Adaptability in Evolving Tech Landscape

Chief technology officers from major companies convened at TIME’s Executives of the Year Impact Dinner: Tech & Data in New York City to discuss the transformative impact of technology on their operations.

Franziska Bell, CTO of The Home Depot, highlighted the importance of grounding technological advancements in the consumer experience. She described the company's deployment of "Magic Apron," an AI-powered expert designed to assist customers in-store by locating items, answering product questions, and analyzing uploaded images. This tool, now in 2,000 U.S. stores, aims to reduce customer friction. Bell also emphasized the synergy between humans and AI, stating, "I’m a huge believer in human-AI teams. That’s really where the magic happens."

Fiona Tan, CTO of Wayfair, echoed the focus on customer experience, detailing how technology helps consumers navigate the company's extensive product selection. She noted that customers often struggle to articulate their needs, making an innovative, resonant customer journey essential. Tan also stressed "adaptability" as a key trait for new hires entering the rapidly changing tech environment, advocating for pairing younger employees with more experienced colleagues.

Sam Dozor, CTO of Rokt, a global e-commerce company that sponsored the event, asserted that now is the opportune moment for businesses to invest in technology. "The time is here. The time is now, and all of us need to live it," he stated. Rokt is expanding the scope of AI-assisted work for its employees, enabling engineers to build product specifications and designers to write code. Dozor described his company's forward-looking approach, aiming to anticipate future developments. "Times are changing quickly," Dozor said, "We’ve chosen to live six months from now."