(The following transcript has been revised and polished for clarity and conciseness without losing the essence of the conversation in this episode.)
VO: Welcome to Women Wisdom Worth, the podcast series from Uplevyl, where we learn from women around the world about what they’re doing to find success and joy in this digital age. For show notes and free bonus resources, visit Uplevyl.com/podcast. We’d love it if you subscribe, like, leave a nice review, and share the show with your friends and colleagues. And remember to check out Uplevyl.
Uplevyl is the global leader of women-trained generative AI transforming society and business featuring women-centric data inputs, insight, and advice. You’ll find all the answers you need in a way that works for you as you navigate the complexities of modern life. Check it out on Uplevyl.com. Let’s get started with your host, Sara Bhonsale. Over to you, Sara.
Sara Bhonsale: Please welcome from Harvard Business Publishing, Angela Cheng-Cimini. She is a global executive and a leader in human resources with over 30 years of comprehensive experience in multiple industries, including consumer products, technology, manufacturing, professional services, and the nonprofit sector. She has partnered with C-Suite leaders throughout her career, helping them identify and build organizational capabilities that align with business strategy.
Angela brings deep expertise in change management, organizational development, talent acquisition, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her unique ability to bridge human resources and business strategy makes her a wonderful guest to discuss the intersection of AI, workforce development, and how we can close the gender gap in this rapidly evolving field. We are thrilled to have Angela on the show to share insights into how AI is reshaping industries and what it means, especially for women in business leadership.
Angela Cheng-Cimini: Thank you for having me.
Sara Bhonsale: I want to talk about how businesses and leaders can work to close the gender gap in AI. Are there any initiatives or frameworks you find particularly effective?
Angela Cheng-Cimini: Research shows that women are lagging behind men in adoption, so that’s something women need to be aware of. We talk a lot about our career ambitions and the ways we’re disadvantaged because of systemic bias against women. This is one area we can take control over by getting the tool in our hands and using it. One tremendous opportunity that GenAI offers is the ability to overtake lower-value activities. Tasks that may have been consciously or unconsciously assigned to women can now be equally outsourced to GenAI — building meeting agendas or making travel plans. Those are things GenAI can do so that we can lift ourselves up and do higher-order, more strategic work. The more we use the tool in that way, the better positioned we’ll be.
Sara Bhonsale: I love that answer. When I think about AI helping us be more equitable in decision-making processes, I think about the backend. But when you take it from the front end and assign historically gendered tasks to AI, it opens time for us to do the work we’re qualified to do. How have you seen this personally?
Angela Cheng-Cimini: One powerful thing about GenAI is that it creates space for innovative thinking. Women who may have felt they didn’t have that skillset now have access to a tool that helps them think differently. You can type a prompt like, “I’m preparing a speech; here are the key takeaways; what’s an inspiring title?” and it can jumpstart creativity. You don’t need to have the muscle built already. If you know how to ask the right question, it can return illuminating answers. Activities done repeatedly build confidence. Often it’s not our competency that fails us; it’s our confidence.
Sara Bhonsale: You’ve had extensive experience across industries. Can you share how you landed at the intersection of HR and technology?
Angela Cheng-Cimini: I’d love to say I planned it exactly as it unfolded, but much of it was serendipity. Coming out of college, human resources was my calling. I loved the variety and the desire to help people. Technology can’t be avoided. Forty years ago, no one imagined carrying a supercomputer in the palm of their hand. Today, even if a company isn’t producing technology, every organization is a technology organization. Employees need to be equipped to develop tools or use them to further the organization’s goals.
Sara Bhonsale: Where do you see the most significant opportunities for business leaders and job seekers as AI reshapes industries?
Angela Cheng-Cimini: The biggest opportunity is simply taking the first step to understand AI. When human-grade AI first came out, some rushed to it. I stepped back. I wasn’t sure I wanted to implement AI in recruiting practices. The biggest opportunity now is to get over that first hump. The longer you delay, the further behind you become. But it’s not too late for anyone.
Next week, we’re taking everyone through a two-hour workshop to immerse them in using Co-pilot. We’ll run a simulation where they create a company — develop the product, packaging, market data, and launch plan — all using Co-pilot. Doesn’t matter what department you’re in. We want people comfortable with the tool. The biggest opportunity is unlocking what seems mysterious and scary to discover it’s actually fun.
Sara Bhonsale: Are organizations open to creating that time and space?
Angela Cheng-Cimini: Our leadership is absolutely committed. This is the first of three workshops. The second will focus on bringing practices into daily work. The third will be a hackathon applying AI to process improvement or product development. All organizations should be that committed because it aligns actions with words.
Sara Bhonsale: Let’s talk about the gender gap. What do you believe are core reasons behind the gap in AI development and usage?
Angela Cheng-Cimini: It’s important to recognize that bias doesn’t mean malintent. Coders bring their lived experience. If ChatGPT returns an image of a white male when prompted for an important professional, it’s reflecting patterns not intent. We need more women studying AI, coding, software development, to balance perspectives. It’s hard to undo existing biases afterwards. The other approach is simply more usage. If we engage more, we teach large language models a broader view of the world.
Sara Bhonsale: How can women in leadership harness AI for innovation and growth?
Angela Cheng-Cimini: It’s early for promotion impact, but I’ve already seen AI save time and increase efficiency. It cures blank-sheet syndrome. It helps with written communication — tone, clarity, confidence. Activities that once took an hour now take seconds. That allows us to address more challenges and develop curriculum faster.
Sara Bhonsale: What key developments in AI will impact HR and talent management?
Angela Cheng-Cimini: Lower-value work will move to AI. People analytics is a huge opportunity. AI can process massive performance data and find patterns humans can’t. It can identify mobility trends, risk indicators, and turnover drivers. Insight leads to better decisions.
Sara Bhonsale: What excites you most about the future especially for women?
Angela Cheng-Cimini: For underrepresented groups, it’s ensuring we aren’t left behind. Sometimes reluctance is our barrier. At Harvard Business Publishing, the people who know AI best are women in senior roles, spearheading the strategy. It’s inspiring.
Sara Bhonsale: What advice do you have for young women entering the field?
Angela Cheng-Cimini: Get over the first hurdle and experiment. Break your work into small pieces and pressure-test what GenAI can help with. You’ll find time you never had before to focus on higher-value tasks. Continue playing, experimenting, and deriving value. The more we use it, the more bias we eliminate.
Sara Bhonsale: Thank you so much for your insight. How can people get in touch with you?
Angela Cheng-Cimini: I’m the only Angela Cheng-Cimini on LinkedIn. If folks reference our conversation, I’d be happy to connect.
VO: Thanks for joining us on Women Wisdom Worth, the podcast series from Uplevyl, where we learn from women around the world about what they’re doing to find success and joy in this digital age. For show notes and resources, visit Uplevyl.com/podcast. Subscribe, like, leave a review, and share the show with friends and colleagues. And remember to check out Uplevyl. Uplevyl is the global leader of women-trained generative AI transforming society and business featuring women-centric data inputs, insight, and advice. You’ll find all the answers you need in a way that works for you as you navigate modern life. Thanks, and see you soon.