CyberArk’s Director of AI: “If you don’t adopt AI today, you'll become irrelevant”
Noga Shachar Schleyer from CyberArk and Nogah Miloslavsky Hendler from Commit warn that the AI gap is widening faster than organizations realize.
"When looking at an AI implementation and measurement strategy, it starts with people. How they think and behave in the world of AI. Then there's the process, how we can take old processes and incorporate AI into them in a smart way. And finally, technology, how we implement AI in our products, which is something CyberArk leads in,” said Noga Shachar Schleyer, Strategy and Acceleration at CyberArk.
Shachar Schleyer was speaking with Nogah Miloslavsky Hendler, Senior Vice President of Product and AI at Commit, as part of Calcalist and Commit’s AI Week.
“If AI is not on management’s priority list, many processes will be much more difficult. We brought the management team to a workshop in New York where they conducted a level-setting session on where the world is going, what the trends are, and where the dangers lie, to gain a broader understanding, because that is how you learn best.
"There is also a great need among employees to learn AI. We combined a strategy driven by managers with employees who want to act and learn in the AI space. We identified our first use cases and evaluated where employees were ready to experiment with AI, which processes had mature enough technology to be integrated into the organization, and ultimately moved into pilot mode, after which everything progressed quickly."
How did you choose where to start?
"According to the three parameters. We assessed employees’ readiness and identified where technology met that readiness. My focus was on the business engine that drives CyberArk forward, where the company can become more profitable and more efficient in ways relevant to AI. We found three initial use cases in internal transformation: 1. Customer service and support, where advanced chatbots and agents already exist. 2. Content creation and marketing. 3. Sales. We found that our salespeople were wasting valuable time preparing for customer meetings, gathering information, and analyzing previous conversations, areas where generative AI could help immediately.
"There's also a lot of uncertainty that comes with it," said Miloslavsky Hendler. "One way to handle that is to attach measurable numbers to each use case we identify. First, how much it will cost to implement the feature, and second, how much we expect it will save. In our experience, this drastically reduces employee apprehension.
"I'm interested in how you engaged with employees directly. Did you handle doubts and objections?" asked Shachar Schleyer.
Miloslavsky Hendler replied, "As soon as employees realize that you know them, understand how they work, and are genuinely there to help them, the uncertainty decreases. They cooperate because they understand it is in their best interest and that these processes exist to streamline their work."
"With us, I also saw a spectrum, between fear and the understanding that they need it," said Shachar Schleyer. "People are afraid it might replace them. On the other hand, they know that if you don’t adopt AI today, you become irrelevant and fall behind. Today, it’s no longer about opposing or accepting AI, but about how deeply you lead the process and how quickly you deliver results."
In terms of product, are there areas you are especially proud of? Have you seen real-world results for customers?
“In streamlining support and response operations, we’re seeing strong growth and significant ROI. That’s also where the key workforce is located, so much of our work is focused there. But we see impact across all areas, collections, finance, healthcare, even payroll.”
Five years from now, what will differentiate those who advance from those who fall behind?
Shachar Schleyer: “In five years, we will clearly see who has opened a gap that cannot be closed. The pace of change in AI is unlike anything humanity has seen. Anyone who wants to remain relevant, at the business or national level, must learn AI and adapt to the speed of change. It requires courage.”
Miloslavsky Hendler agreed, adding, “C-level executives should not be afraid to understand that growth is not only about headcount but also about efficiency. That is where impact is measured, and that is the bottom line for every organization.”
