C-Suite Perspectives On AI: Tiffany Dang On Where to Use AI and Where to Rely Only on Humans

An Interview With Kieran Powell.

Asartificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance and integrate into various aspects of business, decision-makers at the highest levels face the complex task of determining where AI can be most effectively utilized and where the human touch remains irreplaceable. This series seeks to explore the nuanced decisions made by C-Suite executives regarding the implementation of AI in their operations. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Tiffany Dang, Head of People and Talent at portal.ai

Tiffany Dang is a leader in HR operations, known for her work in improving operations for fast-growing businesses. With a background in process optimization, design thinking, and HR transformation, Dang focuses on making employee experiences better. She has expertise in setting up HR processes, managing employee data, ensuring compliance, and using analytics across global teams. Dang is also leading the charge in making AI more accessible through her work with the portal.ai team, reflecting her commitment to making technology available to everyone.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

Growing up in a household where resources were scarce, I learned the value of maturity and responsibility early on. My mother, working tirelessly across two jobs every day of the week, was our family’s sole provider, single-handedly supporting me and my brother. With my brother often away, I felt a deep yearning for those rare moments when we could come together as a family, nurturing my role as the unifier from a young age.

My first life passion was sparked by witnessing the impact a lawyer had in championing justice for a member of our community. This initial fascination with law evolved into a broader passion for connecting and helping others, a realization that became clearer during the onset of my career at a law firm. There, my involvement in recruiting a new attorney marked a significant turning point, revealing my passion for finding great talent.

Motivated by the desire to bridge exceptional talent with opportunities, I transitioned into the tech industry in Silicon Valley. This shift was not just a career change but a mission to effect positive change and foster connections.

My professional journey has been influenced by the principles of relationship building, trust, and open communication. These values were instrumental in my contributions towards scaling the workforce at Eightfold, one of my previous ventures, and helping it expand across North America and EMEA. Reflecting on my journey, it is clear that a mix of perseverance, continuous learning, adaptability, along with the unwavering support from my teams and family, has been crucial to my achievements. This journey from a child with humble beginnings to a key player in thriving tech companies underscores the power of resilience and the importance of finding one’s true passion.

My hope is to use my story to inspire others to discover their passions and empower young women worldwide to pursue what they love, for it’s in pursuing our passions that we truly excel.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

In the early days of my career, I once scheduled a team-building event to foster team bonding and collaboration. Envisioning a day filled with community service and team spirit, I accidentally planned the event for a Saturday without checking everyone’s availablity. The miscommunication led to a last-minute scramble to reschedule.

Looking back, this humorous oversight taught me the importance of double-checking even the smallest details and embracing flexibility. It was a gentle reminder that in HR, like in life, it’s essential to laugh at ourselves, learn from our slip-ups, and always keep the lines of communication open.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Six months ago I joined a fascinating AI company, portal.ai, as the Head of People & Talent. This company is set to change the entire paradigm of entrepreneurship. It’s a groundbreaking AI ecosystem designed to empower small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with the advanced tools necessary to compete with larger enterprises.

In today’s business landscape, it is almost impossible to level up the information asymmetry for entrepreneurs without huge teams, millions of dollars, and years of work. Connecting all the data points from various service providers, including ad platforms, e-commerce platforms, logistics platforms, and financial platforms, and making decisions 24/7 for the average entrepreneur is a formidable challenge. As a result, seven out of ten SMBs in the US don’t survive beyond five years, despite SMBs contributing $60 trillion to worldwide GDP annually.

portal.ai’s platform equips SMBs with an easy-to-use app where they will find one-click actionable advice for their business based on best methodologies, starting from operations, marketing, finance, and logistics, traditionally reserved for big corporations, leveling the competitive playing field.

Founded by serial entrepreneur Volodymyr (Vlad) Panchenko and AI expert Mohammad (Hamudi) Naanaa, portal.ai leverages top talent from industry giants like PayPal, Apple, Amazon, Google, and WhatsApp. The team is committed to transforming the operations of 400 million SMBs worldwide and leveling the competition with big corporations.

Thank you for that. Let’s now shift to the central focus of our discussion. In your experience, what have been the most challenging aspects of integrating AI into your business operations, and how have you balanced these with the need to preserve human-centric roles?

In my experience, integrating AI into business operations presents challenges such as ensuring the technology complements rather than replaces human roles, managing data privacy concerns, and addressing the fear of job displacement. As an HR professional, I always strive to use technology to enhance human work, not replace it. This involves deploying AI for tasks that automate repetitive processes, thereby freeing employees to focus on more strategic, creative, and interpersonal aspects of their roles.

To me, it’s important to communicate transparently with employees about AI’s role and benefits, fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation.

Can you share a specific instance where AI initially seemed like the optimal solution but ultimately proved less effective than human intervention? What did this experience teach you about the limitations of AI in your field?

Overall, I believe we shouldn’t pair the terms AI and limitations in the same sentence — this technology is continuously evolving and surprising us every day. At a previous venture, I encountered a situation where our initial launch of succession planning utilized AI to match successors for each employee. However, we quickly realized that, at that time, the process still necessitated significant human intervention. Despite its impressive data processing capabilities, AI couldn’t fully grasp the nuances of decision making, emotional intelligence, and the necessary conversations for implementing these plans effectively. This experience taught me that AI often becomes more powerful when combined with human insights, particularly in areas involving complex human interactions and career development considerations.

How do you navigate the ethical implications of implementing AI in your company, especially concerning potential job displacement and ensuring ethical AI usage?

Navigating AI involves a multifaceted approach focused on preventing job displacement and ensuring ethical usage. I implement AI using strategies including transparent communication about its role, investing in employee upskilling and reskilling to complement AI’s capabilities, and establishing an ethical framework to guide its development and application. It is crucial to involve a diverse group of stakeholders in AI decisions, and continuously monitor AI systems to identify and mitigate biases or adverse effects. This approach ensures that AI enhances, rather than replaces, human capabilities and ethical standards.

Could you describe a successful instance in your company where AI and human skills were synergistically combined to achieve a result that neither could have accomplished alone?

In the challenging aftermath of layoff rounds during the COVID-19 crisis, at one of my ventures we faced the daunting task of navigating through these tumultuous times while ensuring the wellbeing of both departing and remaining staff. The layoffs, while necessary, often left our teams fragmented and the remaining employees burdened with uncertainty and additional responsibilities previously managed by their former colleagues.

At this juncture, we leveraged AI technology through advanced matching capabilities, which played a pivotal role in seamlessly integrating human skills with technological precision. AI was able to consume and analyze vast datasets, including performance reviews, resumes, and historical project involvement. This pinpointed individuals within our company who were best suited to absorb and thrive in roles vacated by their departing teammates.

This process, inherently complex and nuanced for human capabilities alone due to the sheer volume of data, was significantly enhanced by AI’s analytical prowess. However, the real synergy emerged from combining this technological solution with our reorganization. Once potential matches were identified by AI, I facilitated separate discussions with managers and employees to explore the feasibility of taking on new responsibilities, ensuring alignment with personal career goals and team needs.

This blend of AI’s data-driven insights and our thoughtful, conversational approach not only optimized role reallocation but also fostered a smoother transition during a period of significant change. It successfully integrated AI and human intuition to create outcomes that neither could have achieved independently, reinforcing the value of a synergistic approach to problem-solving in our company’s operations.

Based on your experience and success, what are the “5 Things To Keep in Mind When Deciding Where to Use AI and Where to Rely Only on Humans, and Why?” How have these 5 things impacted your work or your career?

Complexity and Nuance: AI excels in processing vast amounts of data quickly, but it struggles with tasks requiring deep nuance and emotional intelligence.

Example: In HR, while AI can screen resumes to identify potential candidates based on keywords, it’s the human touch in interviews that discerns a candidate’s cultural fit and soft skills. Incorporating AI in the initial screening process, while reserving the final judgment for humans, has optimized our recruitment process without compromising the quality of hires.

I was using an AI-powered career site to screen resumes and match candidates to open roles. It led me to a candidate with an impressive 98% match according to the system. She had a stellar background with big tech, but during the interview, it became clear that her expectations didn’t align with the startup environment we offered, particularly concerning work hours and pace.

Instead, the candidate with a 81% match was the real gem and ended up being the candidate I hired for my team. Her interview revealed a quick adaptability and a deep understanding of the startup culture — traits our AI couldn’t quantify.

She’s been a perfect fit and is still with the company, proving that AI, while helpful in narrowing down candidates, can’t fully grasp the nuances of cultural fit and individual preferences. Leveraging AI-powered technology, we significantly streamlined the resume review process, freeing up our recruiters to dedicate their time to more strategic initiatives.

Maintaining Human Connection: It’s essential to preserve the human element in areas where personal touch is irreplaceable.

In managing employee grievances, although AI can help track and sort complaints, the resolution process remains distinctly human. Our approach has been to use AI to organize and prioritize issues, while it’s my task to connect with employees to understand and personally resolve these concerns. This ensures empathy and understanding remain at the forefront.

Ethical and Privacy Concerns: Any application of AI must be vetted for ethical implications and privacy concerns.

In the process of considering AI-powered solutions for managing and advising on employee compensation, the prospect of leveraging technology to generate precise insights, informed by employee demographics and performance, seemed promising. Yet the potential risk of exposing sensitive compensation information to various entities and unauthorized personnel prompted a reconsideration. Consequently, this led to a decision against its adoption, reinforcing our commitment to maintaining trust and honoring the privacy of personal boundaries within the company.

Cost vs. Benefit Analysis: The decision to implement AI should always consider the return on investment.

The arrival of AI has undeniably offered numerous advantages, yet it comes with its own set of costs. Upon evaluating AI for automating HR functions, it became apparent that the substantial investment required did not justify the minimal improvements in efficiency. This realization guided my focus towards exploring other domains where AI could provide additional value, notably in data analysis and forecasting.

Adaptability and Learning Curve: Both AI systems and employees require time to adapt to new processes.

Introducing an AI-driven analytics tool for performance management required significant training for the HR team. The initial resistance and learning curve were overcome by the support of the entire HR team to emphasize the long-term benefits, leading to more informed decision-making processes.

These considerations have profoundly influenced my career and our organizational approach to AI, guiding us to deploy technology thoughtfully and ethically, always with an eye on augmenting human capabilities rather than replacing them. By balancing the strengths of AI with the irreplaceable value of human insight, I’ve fostered a more efficient, empathetic, and adaptable workplace.

Looking towards the future, in which areas of your business do you foresee AI making the most significant impact, and conversely, in which areas do you believe a human touch will remain indispensable?

I anticipate that AI will have a significant impact on areas such as data analysis, customer service automation, marketing, logistics, and operational efficiencies. For example, by utilizing AI for data analysis, we can extract valuable insights from large datasets more quickly and accurately, enabling data-driven decisions at a higher level. Similarly, AI-driven chatbots can offer instant and personalized customer support around the clock for businesses without 24-hour staffing, improving the customer experience while optimizing our support team’s workload.

As we navigate the evolving world of business and marketing, AI is stepping up, taking over the day-to-day tasks, boosting efficiency, and sparking new ideas. It’s giving the big players, like COOs and CMOs, room to get creative, make faster strategic calls, and grow businesses more dynamically than ever before. For example, Portal’s AI agents are designed to change that dynamic, giving SMBs the leverage to not just survive but thrive in competitive markets. You don’t need a dashboard anymore to run the business effectively. We provide actions based on the world’s best methodologies

Conversely, the human touch will remain indispensable in areas requiring empathy, complex decisions, and deep interpersonal relationships. Roles in HR, such as talent acquisition and employee engagement, will continue to necessitate a human-centric approach. For example, while AI can assist in screening candidates, the nuanced understanding of a candidate’s cultural fit, potential for growth, and alignment with team dynamics can only be fully assessed by human recruiters.

In essence, as we move forward, the synergy between AI and human capabilities will define the future landscape of our business. The areas benefiting most from AI will see automation and enhancement of tasks, leading to greater efficiency and scalability. Meanwhile, the essence of human intuition, creativity, and empathy will safeguard the roles where technology cannot replicate the depth of human understanding and connection.

This balanced integration ensures that while we leverage the strengths of AI to address specific challenges and opportunities, we also preserve the irreplaceable value of human insight and interaction in fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and innovative workplace culture. Thus, the future I envision for business is one where AI empowers us to achieve more, while the human touch continues to guide us with wisdom and compassion, ensuring that we remain grounded in our values and committed to our people.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

If I could ignite any movement, it would be centered around the concept of “Empathy in Action.” It would focus on integrating empathy into every aspect of society — education, business, politics, and beyond. It’s about encouraging individuals not only to understand and share the feelings of others but also to be moved to help address their challenges and needs.

In education, this would promote a curriculum that teaches children early on the importance of understanding different perspectives, fostering a culture of kindness and cooperation. In the business world, it would encourage companies to prioritize social responsibility and the wellbeing of their employees as much as their profitability. Politically, it would advocate for policies that ensure the welfare of all citizens, especially the most vulnerable, emphasizing collaboration over division.

The movement would also leverage technology and social media as tools for positive change, creating platforms for sharing stories that highlight the power of empathy in action. These stories could inspire initiatives that address pressing global issues such as poverty, inequality, and crime, encouraging a global community where everyone feels responsible for each other.

“Empathy in Action” would not just be about feeling empathy but about taking tangible steps to make a difference. It’s the belief that small, empathetic actions, when multiplied, can lead to monumental change. This movement has the potential to transform societies, making our world a more compassionate, understanding, and cooperative place. You never know how far-reaching the impact of a kind act can be until you take the first step and act on your compassion.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

For those interested in exploring my work and insights into the evolving AI landscape, I invite them to visit my LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanythaodang/. I look forward to engaging with readers and hearing their perspectives on the transformative world of AI that surrounds us today.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!