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Code Red: Zapier's Approach to Move from AI Fear to AI Integration w/ Zapier's Brandon Sammut
Your Work Friends | Fresh Insights on the Now and Next of Work
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“With AI you can delegate a bunch of the work, but you cannot delegate the accountability.”
This week on Your Work Friends, we sit down with Zapier’s Chief People & AI Transformation Officer Brandon Sammut to break down how Zapier hit 97% AI adoption without traditional L&D, why they declared an internal “Code Red,” and how culture—not tools—is the real engine of AI transformation.
We get into Zapier’s AI fluency rubric for new hires, their “clear the lane” discipline that freed HR to actually innovate, and the role of AI Automation Engineers reshaping how teams work. If you’re stuck in pilot purgatory, wrestling with tool sprawl, or trying to get your leaders hands-on with AI, this episode gives you the moves.
What you’ll learn:
- Why Zapier called “Code Red” on AI early
- The habits behind their 97% adoption rate
- How transparency + psychological safety supercharge experiments
- The AI fluency bar every new hire must meet
- One golden rule: delegate work, not accountability
If you’re a CHRO, CPO, or operator trying to make AI real inside your org—not just a slide—this one’s your playbook.
About Brandon Sammut
Chief People & AI Transformation Officer at Zapier, leading the organization’s AI adoption, AI fluency standards, and automation strategy. Follow him on LinkedIn for playbooks and real-world experiments: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-sammut-8147b76
#YourWorkFriends #Zapier #AIAtWork #AITransformation #FutureOfWork #HRLeaders #PeopleStrategy #TalentStrategy #Automation #GenerativeAI #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.
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Chapters
1. Opening Banter And Safety PSA (00:00:00)
2. Why Zapier Declared “Code Red” On AI (00:02:45)
3. From Skepticism To Alignment And Clarity (00:07:40)
4. The Playbook For 97% AI Adoption (00:10:20)
5. Default To Transparency As An Advantage (00:16:20)
6. Hiring For AI Fluency: The Four Tiers (00:21:30)
7. Sandboxes, Governance, And Safe Experimentation (00:27:10)
8. Culture, Standards, And What “Great” Looks Like (00:32:30)
9. “Clear The Lane”: Prune To Transform (00:37:40)
10. The AI Automation Engineer Model (00:44:30)
90 episodes
