The AI Report Live with Liam Lawson

• The Slack Vision: Everyone Manages an AI Team from Day One | Ryan Gavin

  Building Teams in the Age of AI: How Slack CMO Ryan Gavin is Reshaping the Future of WorkIn this episode, Ryan Gavin, Chief Marketing Officer at Slack, reveals how self-awareness in leadership and the convergence of marketing and product strategy are creating unprecedented opportunities in the agentic era. Learn why employee productivity through AI orchestration is poised to become the fastest accelerator for top line business growth companies have ever seen, and how Slack is positioning itself as the conversational work platform for this transformation.The conversation explores the critical shift from employees as doers to orchestrators, where every team member—from day-one interns to seasoned executives—will manage digital coworkers and AI agents. Discover the product principles driving Slack's approach to agent integration, the social dynamics of working alongside AI teammates, and why the traditional career ladder is being replaced by immediate access to capabilities across development, creative, analytics, and more. The discussion also covers practical frameworks for building exceptional teams, reducing AI adoption anxiety, and why picking the "right" career path matters less than crushing the job you're in.Ryan delivers actionable insights on leadership development through self-awareness, understanding how team members receive feedback and recognition differently, and connecting business opportunities with talent growth. You'll also hear his compelling argument for why marketing must sit between product and sales as a strategic amplifier, not just a message distributor, and what marketers need to do to earn their seat at product strategy and sales planning meetings.Key Topics Covered:Self-awareness as the foundation of effective leadership and team developmentWhy marketing is product and product is marketing in modern B2B organizationsThe shift from doers to orchestrators in the age of AI agents and digital coworkersHow every employee will manage AI teammates from day one across finance, HR, creative, and developmentEmployee productivity as the most underutilized growth lever for businessesSlack's product principles for agent integration: don't make me think and be a great hostReducing AI adoption fear by showcasing capability expansion rather than job displacementSocial dynamics of agent interaction in channels and preserving psychological safetyWhy there is no "right" career path and how to multiply opportunities by crushing your current roleThe changing consumer patterns of information seeking and their impact on business workflowsEpisode Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction and setting the stage02:16 - Knowing thyself: Ryan's journey to leadership self-awareness through family and life experience05:19 - What makes an amazing marketer in 2026 and bridging the marketing-product divide08:43 - From doers to orchestrators: how AI agents give every employee a team from day one11:24 - Designing agents to work like teammates: Slack's approach to intuitive AI integration14:55 - Addressing AI fear: why productivity gains lead to higher expectations rather than job loss18:03 - Advice for the next generation entering an AI-transformed workforce21:49 - Career lesson from delivering papers in 110-degree Chicago heat24:30 - Final question: why Ryan does what he does and the importance of lasting market impact

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• Low Ego, High Grit: How Salesforce Lands MASSIVE AI Partnerships | Nick Johnston

  Nick Johnston is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development at Salesforce, where he leads strategic relationships with major technology companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS, Google, IBM, and Workday. In this conversation recorded during Dreamforce 2025, Nick shares how Salesforce closed 12,500 Agentforce deals and navigated the complexities of announcing major partnerships like the expanded OpenAI integration that brings Salesforce's Agentforce 360 directly into ChatGPT. He reveals his unique approach to building win-win partnerships grounded in customer demand rather than competitive positioning.Key Topics Covered:How Salesforce builds customer-driven partnerships with tech giants like OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS, and GoogleThe three core hiring values that create high-performing partnership teams: low ego, high curiosity, and gritWhy uncomfortable conversations are essential for building trust and creating impactful partnershipsUsing AI tools to position partnership proposals and draft joint press releases with strategic clarityThe Dreamforce partnership strategy and how compelling events drive deal executionCareer lessons from coaching varsity football wide receivers and celebrating team achievement over personal winsLiving in Buenos Aires for six months and the value of full cultural immersion for partnership workWhy getting customer-facing experience early in your career is the best foundation for any roleThe interview question that reveals hero culture versus team players in partnership rolesBalancing partnership work across multiple departments including product, marketing, operations, and salesHow human experience will become the ultimate competitive moat as AI automates routine tasksThe "be great" daily philosophy and applying the same standards to yourself that you set for your teamEpisode Timestamps:03:07 - From college football to coaching varsity wide receivers at Torrey Pines High School in 200605:47 - The vibes and trust mentality: lessons from undersized teams that outperform expectations07:26 - Three core hiring values: low ego, high curiosity, and grit in partnership teams09:15 - Six months in Buenos Aires learning Spanish through full immersion with Spencer Stuart12:49 - Customer-driven partnership strategy: building frameworks from market demand to product integration16:15 - The customer-centric approach at Dreamforce and delivering the Agentforce agenda with partners18:04 - Using AI to write joint press releases, position partnerships, and create mutually beneficial proposals21:27 - Career advice for new graduates: get as close to the customer as possible in sales or customer success roles24:56 - Why human experience and the arts will be the ultimate differentiator as AI automates work28:02 - Parenting lessons and the "be great" daily motto for building confidence and pushing through challenges29:06 - Why do you do what you do: achieving hard things in team settings and making family proudAbout Nick JohnstonNick Johnston is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development at Salesforce, where he has spent over 12 years advancing from Customer Success Director to leading strategic technology partnerships. He holds an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and a BA with honors in International Relations from UC Davis, where he also played college football. Nick has been instrumental in establishing major partnerships with OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS, Google, IBM, Workday, and other leading technology companies to deliver integrated customer experiences through Salesforce's Agentforce 360 platform.ransformation and agentic AI.Partner Links:Book Enterprise Training — **https://www.upscaile.com/**Subscribe to our free newsletter — **https://www.theaireport.ai/subscribe-theaireport-youtube**

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• Building Real AI Humans: The Future is NOW

  Try AI Pals today: http://tavus.io/pals-launch?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=theaireportIn this candid conversation with Quinn Favret, and Hassaan Raza, Co-Founders of Tavus, we dive deep into the future of human computing and how AI is learning to communicate like humans. Quinn walks us through their inspiring San Francisco office—a museum of vintage computing that fuels the company's innovation culture.Topics Covered:0:00 — Introduction & Office Tour2:15 — Building an Inspiring Workspace for Innovation5:45 — The Evolution of Human-Computer Interaction (CLI → GUI → Human Computing)8:30 — What is "Human Computing"? The OS for Human-AI Interaction12:00 — The Waltz of Communication: Understanding Turn-Taking, Tone & Body Language15:20 — Tavus Technology: Perception, Understanding, Reaction & Action20:45 — Introducing Tavus Pals: AI Companions That Reach Out to You25:30 — Real-World Impact: The AI Santa Story & Accessibility30:15 — Ethical AI: Human-First Design & Responsibility35:00 — The Future of Work: Invisible Interface & AI Coworkers (10-20 Year Vision)42:30 — Addressing Job Displacement & Automation47:00 — Building an International, Culturally Diverse Team52:15 — What Makes a Great Tavus Hire: Passion, Craft & Opinions57:45 — Employee Challenges That Changed Company Direction62:00 — The "Why Do You Do This?" Question & Personal Motivations67:30 — Closing Remarks & GratitudeKey Takeaways:Human computing is the next frontier: machines that understand you instead of you learning to understand machinesEffective communication involves far more than words—tone, timing, facial expressions, and body language all matterTavus Pals represent a new category of AI application: emotionally intelligent, proactive, and truly conversationalDiversity of perspective—cultural, generational, educational—is critical to building AI that works for everyoneThe future workplace will have AI coworkers that feel as natural to interact with as human colleaguesTimestamps & Chapters:Vintage Computing Culture & InnovationThe Evolution of Computing InterfacesHuman-Centered AI Design PhilosophyReal-Time AI Perception & UnderstandingTavus Consumer Products & APIEmotional Intelligence in AIEthical Considerations & ResponsibilityFuture of Work & The Invisible InterfaceBuilding an International TeamHiring for Passion Over BackgroundLegacy & ImpactWe explore conversations with founders, technologists, and innovators shaping the future. This episode features Quinn Hassan discussing how Tavus is reimagining human-computer interaction through emotionally intelligent AI.#AI #Tavus #HumanComputing #FutureOfWork #AICompanions #Innovation #TechPodcast #FounderInterview #Startups #EmotionalIntelligence

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• Are AI Agents About to Replace Your Job? | Nancy Xu, Salesforce

  How a Former Startup Founder (Nancy Xu) is Building the Future of AI Agents at Salesforce Agent ForceJoin us for an insightful conversation with a Salesforce Agent Force leader who previously founded Moon Hub and holds a PhD in Computer Science from Stanford. In this episode, Nancy Xu reveals her unconventional hiring strategies, including asking candidates "what tabs are open in your Chrome browser," and shares why relentless curiosity is the top signal she looks for when building AI teams. Discover how she transitioned from startup founder to enterprise AI leader while maintaining a culture of trust and autonomy.Nancy Xu breaks down the future of work with AI agents, explaining how we'll all transition from "producers" to "directors" as agent orchestration becomes central to every role. Learn about Salesforce's trust layer for Agent Force, the importance of humans in the loop for iterative agent improvement, and why the next 100 years of AI development represents humanity's greatest opportunity since mapping the world. This conversation offers tactical hiring advice, leadership insights on managing impatience as a strength and weakness, and a compelling vision for how AI agents will transform customer experience roles.Key Topics Covered:Unconventional interview questions that reveal candidate curiosity and passion beyond traditional resumesThe three intangibles to look for when hiring: relentless curiosity, mastery of craft, and passionWhy future roles will focus on "what and why" rather than "how" as AI agents handle executionAgent orchestration frameworks including MCP and ATA for agents working with other agentsThe critical role of humans in the loop for continuously iterating agent objective functionsHow trust operates as the number one value at both Salesforce and startup environmentsLeadership philosophy of hiring great people and giving them autonomy within clear directionManaging impatience as both a greatest strength and weakness in leadershipThe blending of research, product, and engineering roles in AI-native companiesWhy this moment in history is humanity's chance to positively impact the course of civilization through AIEpisode Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction and unconventional hiring philosophy01:42 - The Chrome browser tabs question and looking beyond traditional resumes03:21 - Hiring for curiosity in a world where jobs will transform in two years05:15 - From producers to directors: The future of work with AI agents07:18 - Comparing culture at Salesforce Agent Force vs Moon Hub startup09:28 - Operating from trust: Lessons from Stanford PhD program on autonomy11:02 - Greatest weakness: Managing impatience as a founder turned enterprise leader13:14 - Advice for 21-year-olds: Pursue passion and blend across departments15:54 - Why now is the perfect moment in human history to work on AI17:10 - Closing thoughts on making positive impact through AI developmentAbout the Guest:This episode features Nancy Xu, a product and engineering leader on the Salesforce AgentForce team who previously founded Moon Hub, an AI-powered talent platform. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from Stanford and brings systems thinking and mathematical rigor to building enterprise AI agents. Her work focuses on agent orchestration, trust layers, and enabling humans to work alongside AI at scale.About Salesforce/Agentforce:Salesforce Agent Force is an enterprise AI agent platform that enables businesses to deploy autonomous agents across customer service, sales, and operations. Built with trust as the number one value, Agent Force includes enterprise-grade governance, security, and a trust layer that handles compliance at scale. The platform focuses on agent orchestration, allowing multiple agents to work together while keeping humans in the loop for strategic direction

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• How Smarsh Used Agentforce 360 Platform to Automate 56% of Customer Support

  #SalesforcePartner Rohit Khanna on AI Agents in Customer Service: How Smarsh Achieved 56% Deflection with Agentforce 360 Platform. Rohit Khanna, Chief Customer Officer at Smarsh, reveals how AI agents are revolutionizing customer service automation in financial services compliance. In this episode, learn how Smarsh implemented Salesforce Agentforce to achieve 56% deflection rates, 20% productivity gains, and transformed their customer support operations without hiring additional level-one support representatives.Discover the complete strategy behind deploying AI agents in regulated industries, from building proprietary compliance models to implementing data governance layers that ensure accuracy and regulatory compliance. Rohit shares insider insights on personalizing AI agents (meet "Archie"), managing the transition from chatbots to intelligent agents, and preparing teams for the future of agentic workflows in customer service.Key Topics Covered:- AI Agent Implementation - How Smarsh deployed Agentforce for customer service automation- Real Results - 56% deflection rate, 20% efficiency gains, 25% faster resolutions- Financial Services Compliance - Building AI models for market manipulation, fraud detection, and surveillance- Data Governance - Critical frameworks for deploying AI agents in regulated industries- Personalization Strategy - Why naming the agent "Archie" dramatically increased adoption- Future of Work - From human-in-the-loop to agent-in-the-loop workflows- GenAI vs Purpose-Built Models - When to use general purpose vs specialized compliance AI models- Customer Experience - Balancing automation with trust in financial servicesEpisode Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction to Rohit Khanna and Smarsh02:44 - What is Smarsh? Compliance technology explained04:13 - Building AI from the inside out: Proprietary vs partnered models07:33 - Agentforce implementation journey and challenges12:26 - Results: 56% deflection rate and productivity gains15:25 - The power of personalization: Why "Archie" matters18:21 - Trust and data governance in regulated industries22:11 - Data governance layers and policy management25:49 - Human-in-the-loop vs agent-in-the-loop29:10 - Upskilling teams for the AI-powered future32:11 - Intelligent agents for financial crime detectionAbout Rohit Khanna:Rohit Khanna is the Chief Customer Officer at Smarsh, overseeing global customer support, consulting, migrations, managed services, and Smarsh University. With nearly six years at Smarsh, Rohit has led the company's transformation into AI-powered compliance solutions, managing teams across the Philippines, India, Belfast, Costa Rica, UK, and US.About Smarsh:Smarsh is the leading compliance technology provider for regulated industries, specializing in electronic communications archiving, surveillance, and AI-powered financial crime detection. For 20 years, Smarsh has been the trusted custodian of communications data for major financial institutions worldwide, using proprietary AI models and GenAI agents to detect misconduct, reduce false positives, and ensure regulatory compliance.Resources Mentioned:- Salesforce Agentforce- Salesforce Agentforce for Service- Digital Reasoning (acquired by Smarsh)---Book Enterprise Training — [https://www.upscaile.com/](https://www.upscaile.com/)Subscribe to our free newsletter — [https://www.theaireport.ai/subscribe-theaireport-youtube](https://www.theaireport.ai/subscribe-theaireport-youtube)---What's your experience with AI agents in customer service? #AIAgents #CustomerService #Agentforce #Salesforce #ComplianceTechnology #FinancialServices #GenAI #CustomerExperience #AIAutomation #AgenticWorkflows #DataGovernance #FinancialCompliance #CustomerSupport #AIinBusiness #Smarsh

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