AI and Automation: Intuit’s Steven Kawasumi On How To Effectively Harness AI Technology In People Operations

With technological advancements, particularly in the AI space, an increasing number of tasks can be either fully or partially automated. In this series, we are talking to People experts about how they’re utilizing new technologies to make their jobs easier and provide greater strategic value. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Steven Kawasumi.

Steven Kawasumi is currently a Product Leader at Intuit, where he drives the use of artificial intelligence to both transform the company and redefine customer experiences. Under his leadership, his team pioneers generative AI solutions that embed durable, scalable, and reusable AI technologies into flagship products like TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, Mailchimp, and more. These innovations have been crucial in establishing Intuit’s Customer Success model. Additionally, Steven has developed and implemented a range of AI platforms, including omnichannel customer intent classifiers, proactive self-help tools, large language models, natural language understanding, and expert augmentation systems.

Before joining Intuit, Steven Kawasumi held executive roles at Motorola and Westmere Capital LLC. At Motorola, he led the Data Science and Machine Learning Group in Customer Success, building AI/ML infrastructure to predict and address consumer issues. At Westmere, he served as Executive Director of Product Management & Business Development, using AI/ML technologies for business evaluation and strategic investments.

Steven’s natural talent for inspiring executives and teams to reach their full potential, combined with his proven ability to turn organizations into AI-driven powerhouses, has enabled him to spearhead the development of innovative AI-powered products and lead key corporate initiatives and strategies.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Before we drive in, 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?

I appreciate the opportunity to contribute! I am a Product Leader at Intuit, where my primary commitment has been harnessing artificial intelligence as a tool to reshape the customer experience while also transforming organizations. For readers who are familiar with Intuit, some of my most significant contributions to date have been advancing the integration of fintech generation AI into products like TurboTax and Mailchimp. Since the beginning, my current role has been heavily focused on redefining Intuit’s customer success through AI/ML innovations, and I am excited to see how I will continue to navigate and advance these transformative technologies throughout my career. As we push the boundaries of AI and machine learning, I look forward to exploring new frontiers, driving further innovation, and enhancing our ability to deliver exceptional customer experiences.

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?

Embarking on an initiative aimed at delivering transformational change in a newly formed AI division, I initially believed that securing funding, assembling an elite team, and envisioning a futuristic solution would be sufficient to win hearts and minds. However, I quickly learned that true transformation requires a cultural shift.

Without cultivating a culture receptive to change, we faced significant resistance. Our game-changing capability, introducing chat and chatbots as an alternative to traditional phone interactions and email, initially met reluctance. It wasn’t until several years later that it exploded in popularity. This experience taught me that successful innovation isn’t just about cutting-edge technology; it necessitates fostering a culture that embraces change for widespread adoption and impact.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I owe a great deal of gratitude to my executive coach, who consistently offered candid feedback and cultivated in me a deep sense of compassionate self-accountability. Everyone has blind spots shaped by their industry, culture, personality, or social connections. Early in my career, these blind spots often manifested as self-limiting beliefs, and I frequently voiced frustration over the obstacles I encountered in reaching my goals.

On one pivotal occasion, I remember my executive coach pointing out that many of the challenges and setbacks I faced were actually self-imposed. She observed that my own perception of constraints was limiting my potential and encouraged me to shift my focus from the immediate obstacles to the broader possibilities and future goals — great advice I will keep with me for life!

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

In the fast-paced and often challenging world of leadership, this quote really underscores the power of personal choice and intentionality in defining one’s path. It highlights that success and growth are not solely determined by external circumstances or inherent traits, but by the conscious decisions and actions one takes. For myself, this perspective fostered in me a mindset of proactive growth and self-determination — it encouraged me to take charge of my development and inspire my team by embodying the qualities they wish to see.

Thinking back on your own career, what would you tell your younger self?

I would tell my younger self to embrace flexibility and stay open to new ideas. It’s easy to become deeply invested in a particular approach or methodology, but the pace of change often renders rigid thinking a liability. Instead of clinging to familiar strategies, I would advise maintaining a mindset of adaptability and continuous learning. This is how you not only stay ahead of industry shifts but also foster a culture of fresh thinking that can lead to unexpected breakthroughs.

Let’s now move to the central part of our interview. How have recent technological advancements such as AI made your job easier?

Recent technological advancements, particularly in AI, have significantly simplified my job by enabling more precise and scalable personalization. Traditionally, tailoring customer experiences often involved either a one-size-fits-all approach or a labor-intensive manual process that could only handle a limited scope — whether that meant addressing 10 or 100 unique cases. However, AI has transformed this landscape by shouldering the burden of fine-grained customization.

With AI, we can now scale personalization to accommodate millions of individual preferences and behaviors, which was previously unimaginable. This capability not only enhances the relevance of interactions and improves customer satisfaction but also allows us to allocate resources more efficiently, focusing on strategic initiatives rather than getting bogged down by manual adjustments. In essence, AI has enabled us to deliver highly personalized experiences at an unprecedented scale, revolutionizing how we engage with our customers.

In which processes do you utilize automation the most?

We utilize automation most extensively in processes involving personalization and tailoring, as well as in managing frequent and repetitive tasks. Automation is particularly valuable in areas where providing a manual experience would be cost-prohibitive. For instance, instead of employing thousands of people to handle customer inquiries and responses, automation allows us to streamline these processes so that a smaller, more focused team can manage complex cases while automated systems address the bulk of routine interactions. This approach not only enhances efficiency and reduces operational costs but also ensures a consistent and scalable customer experience, allowing us to focus human resources on tasks that require more nuanced judgment and creativity.

What should people bear in mind when automating processes?

When automating processes, remember that it’s not just about handling routine tasks but also about dealing with exceptions in a thoughtful way. Automation can take care of common, repetitive tasks efficiently, but you also need to plan for those situations where things don’t go as expected.

Rule-based systems work well for predictable tasks, while AI can detect and surface connections and nuances to provide more personalized recommendations. The key is to blend these tools effectively and ensure a smooth transition when handing off to human support. It’s important that customers don’t have to repeat themselves or feel like they’re talking to a machine; instead, aim for a warm handoff where human agents can pick up where automation leaves off, adding a personal touch to the process.

What are your “Top Five Tips For Harnessing AI Technology to Propel People Operations”? Please share a story or an example for each.

1 . Understand Your People Operations. Before diving into AI solutions, it’s crucial to thoroughly understand your people operations and identify where the pain points and gaps lie from a human perspective. This means taking the time to analyze workflows, gather feedback from your team, and pinpoint areas where processes are cumbersome or inefficient. For example, in a previous role, we noticed that manual onboarding processes were causing delays and frustration for new hires. By mapping out the entire onboarding journey and identifying specific bottlenecks, we were able to tailor an AI-driven onboarding system that addressed these issues directly, automating repetitive tasks while allowing human resources to focus on more personalized aspects of the onboarding experience. This approach not only helped streamline the process but also improved overall satisfaction for new team members.

2 . Allow People to Become Comfortable with AI Solutions. Introducing AI into your people operations should be a gradual process that allows your team to become comfortable with the new technology. Start by implementing AI solutions on a smaller scale and provide ample training and support to help employees adapt. If you are planning on rolling out a new AI-driven performance review tool, for example, begin with a pilot program involving a few teams. Provide hands-on training sessions and create a feedback loop that addresses any concerns or questions. This approach will not only help employees become familiar with the tool but also allow you to gather valuable insights and adjust the system as needed before a full-scale rollout.

3 . Elevate Human Capabilities Through AI. Rather than focusing on replacing humans with AI, consider how to use AI to enhance and amplify human capabilities. The goal should be to leverage AI to make your team more efficient and effective in their roles. When implementing an AI-powered data analytics tool, the primary aim should not be to replace your data analysts but to enable them to work more efficiently. Your goal should be to improve organizational efficiency but you should also want to empower your team to apply their expertise where it truly matters, driving better outcomes for the business. By viewing AI as a complement to human skills rather than a replacement, you can create a more dynamic and capable workforce.

4 . Leverage AI for Unprecedented Value. AI opens up possibilities that were previously unattainable, allowing you to deliver significantly more value in various situations. Embrace AI as a tool that can achieve things beyond traditional methods, transforming your ability to tackle complex challenges. For instance, when we integrated an advanced AI-driven customer insights platform, we gained the ability to analyze vast amounts of data in real-time and uncover patterns that were previously hidden. The result was not only increased engagement and satisfaction but also a substantial boost in overall business performance.

5 . Leverage Your Workforce for Greater Efficiency. AI enables you to make your existing workforce more scalable, amplifying their productivity without necessarily increasing headcount. By integrating AI solutions, you can significantly expand the capabilities of your team, allowing them to accomplish the work typically handled by a much larger group. Say you have a 100-person team — thanks to automation, that same team should be able to handle the tasks and processes that would have traditionally required a team of 1,000. AI can help enhance efficiency and maximize the impact of your workforce, leading to greater overall productivity and success.

What are your favorite “I couldn’t live without these” tools?

One of my absolute favorite “can’t live without” tools is ChatGPT, along with other generative AI platforms. These tools have unlocked a whole new level of potential by making AI accessible and scalable across operations. What I love about them is that they’ve moved AI from being something complex and esoteric to a user-friendly resource that anyone in the organization can leverage. Whether it’s brainstorming ideas, streamlining communication, or even automating certain tasks, these AI tools have truly revolutionized the way we work by putting AI’s power directly at our fingertips.

How do you see technology impacting the HR space in the future?

In the future, technology will profoundly transform the HR space by reshaping how we train people, the skills we prioritize, and the efficiency of our operations. As AI and other technologies advance, they will enable us to train employees more effectively through personalized learning experiences and real-time feedback. Additionally, the types of skills we seek will evolve to include proficiency with emerging technologies and a greater emphasis on adaptability. On a broader scale, technology will enhance our ability to manage and grow our human resources more strategically. We will be able to better identify where to invest our talent, streamline recruitment processes, and optimize employee development. This shift will allow organizations to become more agile and responsive, maximizing the impact of their human resources while technology takes on an increasing role in managing routine and data-intensive tasks.

We are very blessed to have some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have a private lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this.

If I had the opportunity to have a private lunch with anyone, it would be Vinod Khosla. As a key figure in the venture capital world, Khosla has played an instrumental role in shaping the future of industries including fintech, AI, and clean technology, with investments in companies such as OpenAI, Square, Stripe, Instacart, and Doordash. His forward-thinking approach and techno-optimism, especially around the potential of AI and its impact on industries, align with my own passion for the transformative possibilities AI offers across various sectors. I’d love to have a thoughtful conversation with him about where we’re headed and how technology can continue to push boundaries for a better future.

How can our readers further follow your work?

• Website

• LinkedIn

• Forbes

• Fast Company

Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!