Eightfold AI CEO Ashutosh Garg on managing talent with AI

Eightfold AI is a talent management platform used by hundreds of large organizations like Vodafone and Activision Blizzard. It helps them leverage data to find great people with the skills they need, both internally and externally. Last valued at $2.1 billion, Eightfold was launched in 2016. In this episode, Sandhya Hegde chats with Ashutosh Garg, co-founder and CEO of Eightfold AI. Join us as we discuss: 00:00 Why Ashustosh wanted to build a talent platform 1:47 Ashutosh Garg's early career at Google 5:09 The founding insight for Eightfold AI 7:38 Why Ashustosh decided to focus on HR tech 9:42 Challenges of selling to large enterprises 17:11 Advantages of being an "outsider" in HR tech 19:32 Ashutosh's learnings as a repeat founder 22:58 The impact of recent macro shifts on the labor market 24:50 The impact of GenAI on Eightfold's roadmap 30:16 The future of work 35:11 Advice for first-time founders Sandhya Hegde is a General Partner at Unusual Ventures, leading investments in modern SaaS companies with a focus on AI. Previously an early executive at Amplitude, Sandhya is a product-led growth (PLG) coach and mentor. She can be reached at sandhya@unusual.vc. Ashustosh Garg is the CEO and co-founder of Eightfold AI. Unusual Ventures is a seed-stage venture capital firm designed from the ground up to give a distinct advantage to founders building the next generation of software companies. Unusual has invested in category-defining companies like Webflow, Arctic Wolf Networks, Carta, Robinhood, and Harness. Learn more about us at https://www.unusual.vc/.