Ep. 148 - Startup Speed vs. Corporate Scale: Navigating AI Transformation
From Women in Data Podcast by womenindata
November 25, 2025 · 34 min · Episode 150
About this episode
Cecilia Oliveira speaks with Saloni Thanki about the challenges and strategies of AI transformation in startups and large enterprises.
Are we getting AI transformation all wrong? Organisations are racing to adopt AI, but the gap between ambition and execution is wider than ever. In this Women in Data episode, host Cecilia Oliveira speaks with technology leader Saloni Thanki about turning strategy into tangible business outcomes. Saloni, who advises both nimble startups and global corporates, cuts through the hype to explore the dual realities of AI adoption: The fast-paced, "defensible moat" challenge for startups. The budget and regulation hurdles for large enterprises. But the real question isn't about tech; it's about people. Saloni argues that the cultural transformation plan must be an equal priority with the technology plan—or your AI initiative could be set up to fail. Learn Saloni's practical leadership strategies, including how to define accountability, why to streamline processes before automating, and why AI transformation can create a fear of loss for employees rather than fear of change.
People in this episode
Guest: Saloni Thanki
Topics covered
- AI transformation
- startup challenges
- corporate hurdles
- cultural transformation
- leadership strategies
Keywords
- AI adoption
- business outcomes
- accountability
- process automation
- employee fear
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