AI Adoption: Putting Humans at the Center
Deb Cupp, President and Chief Revenue Officer for Microsoft’s Enterprise Business, joins the ManpowerGroup’s Work Intelligence Lab Podcast to discuss why AI adoption varies among employees and clients—and what organizations can do to close the gap.
Deb explains that education, understanding, and ongoing skilling are key to reducing fear and uncertainty around AI, helping people recognize the opportunities it creates. She argues that successful AI transformation is not just about the technology itself, but about effective change management, with people at the center and practitioners closest to business challenges helping shape the solutions.
She also highlights the importance of combining strong leadership direction with bottom-up momentum, guided by clear ROI and KPIs to ensure organizations focus on meaningful outcomes rather than chasing “shiny objects.”
Drawing on real-world examples, Deb shares how Microsoft sales teams use Copilot to prepare for customer conversations and proposals—driving a 9% improvement in outcomes. In healthcare, AI-powered transcription and paperwork automation are reducing administrative fatigue and improving the experience for clinicians by 30–40%.
Speakers:
Deb Cupp
Deb Cupp is Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer of Global Enterprise Sales at Microsoft, where she leads the company’s enterprise sales business and helps organizations worldwide navigate AI and digital transformation. A customer-focused technology executive with deep expertise across commercial and public sector industries, she previously served as President of Microsoft Americas, North America, and U.S. operations. Prior to Microsoft, Cupp held senior leadership roles at SAP and SAP SuccessFactors and currently serves on the board of Ralph Lauren.
Valerie Beaulieu-James
Valerie Beaulieu-James is Chief Growth and Innovation Officer of ManpowerGroup, where she leads the company’s global commercial strategy across Sales, Marketing, and Insights to accelerate growth and innovation across its family of brands. With more than 30 years of global experience spanning technology, workforce solutions, and go-to-market transformation, Valerie brings a proven track record of scaling businesses through strategic and AI-driven innovation. She previously held senior leadership roles at Microsoft across Europe, North America, and APAC, including U.S. Chief Marketing Officer, and serves on the Board of Orange.