Zapier Names First AI Transformation Officer to Lead Human-Centered Modernization

Zapier has taken a significant step in corporate leadership by appointing its first Chief People & AI Transformation Officer, signaling a major commitment to human-centered technological advancement. This newly created executive role underscores the company’s conviction that successful AI integration depends more on organizational culture and employee development than on technical infrastructure alone.

Zapier’s CEO Wade Foster observes that while artificial intelligence dominates business conversations, meaningful transformation remains elusive for many organizations. He emphasizes that genuine change emerges when companies prioritize their workforce, leadership approaches, and cultural dynamics. Foster believes the real power of AI lies not in simple task automation but in completely reimagining operational processes, ultimately enabling teams to deliver greater customer value and scale their impact effectively.

The concept of AI transformation as a business-led movement addresses a common corporate challenge: moving beyond limited pilot programs to organization-wide implementation. Companies that appoint dedicated transformation leadership typically experience accelerated progress, more confident employees, and cultures that treat AI as a collective capability rather than a specialized tool. Zapier’s internal metrics demonstrate this approach in action, with 97% of employees now regularly using AI in their daily responsibilities. The company also evaluates AI proficiency across all job candidates and has documented an 11% boost in developer productivity through strategic tool implementation.

Brandon Sammut, who now occupies this pioneering executive position, describes Zapier’s evolving approach as a potential model for other organizations. He stresses that thoughtful AI integration focuses on enhancing human work rather than replacing it, ultimately improving both operational efficiency and employee experience.

To translate theory into practice, Zapier is hosting a webinar series featuring business leaders who will share actionable strategies for department-level and company-wide AI initiatives. The centerpiece event in November will introduce Zapier’s comprehensive 2026 AI Transformation Strategy and detailed Playbook.

Internal departments at Zapier already report substantial gains from their AI implementations. The Talent Team has leveraged automated workflows to identify fraudulent job applicants earlier in the process while cutting hiring plan development time by 90%, saving approximately five hours per position. The Revenue Operations Team manages 25 distinct AI workflows across their sales funnel, recovering the equivalent of 34 full work weeks monthly through automation. Despite handling 43% more complexity, the Finance Team has reduced month-end closing procedures from eight days to six using automated accounting processes, allowing a compact eight-person team to manage financial operations for a multi-billion dollar enterprise.

Customer organizations report similar transformative outcomes. The Portland Trail Blazers marketing department slashed fan feedback analysis from 50 weekly hours to just three by implementing Zapier’s AI solutions, simultaneously boosting fan engagement and revenue. Vendasta recovered over $1 million in revenue and gave sales representatives back 282 working days annually by automating previously manual processes. JBGoodwin REALTORS achieved a 37% increase in recruitment activity while reducing manual workloads by 25%, enabling recruiters to access automated applicant insights and focus more attention on client relationships.

Zapier continues to position itself as a leader in the automation space, connecting over 8,000 applications to help businesses streamline operations without coding requirements. Since its founding in 2012, the platform has enabled organizations ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies to automate everything from lead management to customer communications, allowing teams to concentrate on strategic priorities while automation handles repetitive tasks.

(Source: ITWire Australia)