Exploring Leadership and AI with Anand Tharanathan

Exploring Leadership and AI with Anand Tharanathan

Author: ServiceNow Community December 24, 2025 Duration: 39:45

Exploring Leadership and AI with Anand Tharanathan

In this engaging episode of our podcast, we delve into the world of leadership and Artificial Intelligence with Anand Tharanathan, GVP of Product Research and Insights at ServiceNow. Anand shares his journey from an individual contributor to a leadership role, emphasizing the importance of empathy, mentorship, and learning from failure. He discusses his unique perspective on leadership drawn from his experiences in sports and how this has influenced his professional growth.

Anand also provides insights into the rapidly evolving field of AI, comparing it with human automation and highlighting the importance of keeping the human element in the loop. He addresses the challenges and nuances of designing AI systems that enhance human capabilities rather than replace them. Additionally, Anand discusses how to strike a balance between being product-centric and people-centric, and the crucial role of adaptability in navigating technological advancements.

Towards the end of the conversation, Anand outlines a framework for effectively using AI and advises on avoiding common pitfalls when integrating AI into new products. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in leadership, AI, and the future of technology. Join us and gain valuable insights from industry experts!

Guest - Anand Tharanathan, GVP of Product Research and Insights at ServiceNow
Guest Host - Apurva Korde

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:24 Discussing UX Research and AI
01:18 Leadership Journey and Insights
03:45 The Role of Mentors and Managers
09:59 Design Leadership vs. Conventional Leadership
13:56 Balancing Product and People-Centric Leadership
17:55 Adapting to Rapid Technological Changes
18:56 Navigating the AI Revolution
19:14 Staying Calm and Curious in the AI Era
20:45 Insights from a Tech Leader on AI
21:42 Designing Human-Centric AI Experiences
26:32 The Importance of Human in the Loop
31:24 Frameworks for AI Use and Misuse
34:25 Building AI-Powered Products
36:37 Balancing AI and Business Goals
38:45 Concluding Thoughts on AI

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes of the platform that powers so much of today's enterprise workflow? ServiceNow Insights pulls back the curtain, offering a direct line to the minds building and shaping the technology. This isn't a series of polished press releases; it's a collection of genuine conversations with the engineers, product managers, and innovators from the ServiceNow Community who are doing the actual work. You'll hear the unscripted stories behind the latest features-not just what they do, but the real-world problems they aim to solve and the interesting challenges encountered along the way. Each episode delves into the practical implications of new updates and products, giving you a clearer sense of how these tools evolve and where they might be headed next. Whether you're deeply embedded in the ecosystem as an admin or platform owner, or simply curious about how complex digital services are orchestrated, this podcast provides context and clarity you can't find elsewhere. Tune in for a grounded, technical, and genuinely insightful look at the forces driving innovation in this space, straight from the source.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

ServiceNow Insights 
Podcast Episodes
Episode 65: ESG Management [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:11
In this episode, Product Manager Vaisakh Krishnan tells us how the Now ESG Management product helps companies develop, manage and report on their Environmental, Social, and Governance program. This episode covers: What i…
Episode 64: Bringing your data together with CSDM [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:09
In this episode, Portfolio Manager Mary Vanatta talks about the Common Service Data Model (CSDM), which brings all your data together across the entire platform to help your ServiceNow apps work together better, and enab…
Episode 63: Digital Portfolio Management [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:57
In this episode, product manager Caitlin Morse and development lead Justin Hardin talk about Digital Portfolio Management (DPM), a new way to manage your company’s apps and digital services. This episode covers: Overview…
Episode 62: App Engine Studio [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:07
In this episode, product manager Jina Li and lead engineer Sravani Nuti talk about App Engine Studio, which helps everyone build ServiceNow apps, not just developers. This episode covers: Overview and history of AES Gett…
Episode 61: Process Optimization [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:57
In this episode, product manager Manjeet Singh talks about Process Optimization, a ServiceNow native process-mining application to help process owners and business analysts identify, streamline, and automate workflows fo…
Episode 60: Workforce Optimization for ITSM [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:49
In this episode, product manager Niki Patel talks about the Workforce Optimization application for IT service managers, including some new features for the Rome release to help companies take full advantage of today’s di…
Episode 59: Change Success Score [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:00
In this episode, product owner Greg Morrison talks about a new feature for Change Management. Change Success Score measures the success rate for each change team over time to help improve their performance and refine you…
Episode 58: Predictive Intelligence Workbench [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:39
In this episode, product manager Raghu Vemuri talks about the PI Workbench application, new in the Paris release. PI Workbench helps you add machine learning (ML) to your ServiceNow workflows, and monitor and manage the…
Episode 57: Optimizing concurrent licenses using SAM [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:01
In this episode, product owners Rohan Tyagi and Julian Flores talk about managing and optimizing concurrent software licenses using the ServiceNow Software Asset Management (SAM) application, including the integration of…
Episode 56: Now Community Idea Portal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:01
In this episode, product owners Lawrence Eng and Chaya Kornreich talk about the new Idea Portal in the Now Community. Based on the Now Platform’s Idea Portal feature, the Community portal lets members suggest enhancement…