Three CTOs Discuss Technology’s Impact on Their Companies

Three chief technology officers recently discussed the impact of technology on their respective companies at TIME's Executives of the Year Impact Dinner in New York City. The panel featured Franziska Bell, CTO and executive vice president of The Home Depot; Fiona Tan, CTO of online marketplace Wayfair; and Sam Dozor, CTO of global e-commerce firm Rokt, which sponsored the event.

Bell emphasized the importance of always keeping the consumer experience in mind when adapting to new technologies. She highlighted The Home Depot's Magic Apron, an AI-powered tool designed to assist customers in locating items, answering product questions, and responding to uploaded images. Magic Apron has been implemented in 2,000 U.S. stores, a result of Bell's efforts to reduce customer experience friction through technology.

However, Bell also stressed the importance of human-AI teams, believing that "that's really where the magic happens."

Tan spoke about Wayfair's approach to helping consumers navigate its extensive product offerings. She explained that people often struggle to describe what they're looking for and that the company aims to provide a personalized journey for each customer. To attract new employees who can integrate AI into their work, Tan emphasized the need for adaptability in young candidates and the value of pairing younger and more experienced team members together.

Dozor echoed the urgency for companies to invest in technology, stating that the time is now for them to do so. At Rokt, this manifests in encouraging employees to leverage AI in various roles, such as engineers writing product specifications and designers coding. This forward-looking approach enables the company to prepare for future developments.

Dozor encouraged people to envision what the future holds and to actively work towards shaping it, rather than dwelling on the past. The TIME Impact Dinner: Executives of the Year: Tech & Data was presented by Rokt.