Wisdom From The Women Leading The AI Industry, With Debbie Chamkasem
An Interview With Vanessa Morcom
Be Confident: Believe in yourself and others will believe in you.
As a part of our series about the women leading the Artificial Intelligence industry, we had the pleasure of interviewing Debbie Chamkasem.
Debbie Chamkasem has spent more than 19 years at Experian, where she currently serves as the Vice President of Enterprise GenAI Programs, specializing in leading strategic planning and execution of these initiatives across the global enterprise. Her passion and commitment for advancing technology positions her as a key driver of AI advancements across the organization.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you share with us the ‘backstory” of how you decided to pursue this career path in AI?
I spent many years working in Global Technology at Experian and have had the opportunity to work on a variety of innovative programs — from global implementations of customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, application programming interface (API) gateways and technology transformations to cloud migrations to now, Generative AI. I’m passionate about implementing programs that drive successful business outcomes. This has led me to my current role leading a team dedicated to promoting the responsible use of Generative AI across our multi-national enterprise while executing our global technology strategy.
Our technology has the power to change how our employees work, how we support our business customers and how we improve the lives of consumers around the world.
What lessons can others learn from your story?
Don’t give up and find a company that you believe in. I have worked at Experian for 19 years because I appreciate how the organization values its employees. There is an amazing culture built on innovation, inclusivity and personal growth here. While many people change companies to advance their careers, I’ve had the opportunity to grow and evolve within the same organization, consistently delivering high-quality work and achieving successful outcomes.
Can you tell our readers about the most interesting projects you are working on now?
All my Generative AI-related work is very exciting. My team and I focus on enhancing productivity for internal end users and developers and we are working to integrate this technology into our products for our consumers and business customers.
Through grassroots innovation, we solve real-world business problems for our employees and customers, and we are already seeing the benefits. Through Generative AI, it’s so fun to see creativity coming from both technical and non-technical team members. Hundreds of Experian employees have shared how they use Generative AI, giving us a unique perspective as we continue to evolve our products.
It’s important to recognize that using Generative AI is not limited to just the business environment. For example, my kids use the technology to help with their homework and to prepare for AP physics exams, while my 83-year-old father is learning new things from ChatGPT and watching AI TED talks. People of all ages and walks of life can get excited about AI.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Sometimes, work relationships where a leader sees your potential can be especially meaningful and impactful. I once had a manager who I always looked up to. She was a smart, caring and authentic leader whom I wanted to emulate. She believed in me and my work ethic, and she always encouraged me through some difficult situations. Her support and guidance were invaluable, and if it wasn’t for her, my career and my life would be completely different today.
What are the 3 things that most excite you about the AI industry? Why?
As someone who personally embraces change, I find AI incredibly exciting due to its endless possibilities and rapid advancements. Three things that particularly intrigue me about the AI industry are:
Multimodal capabilities: The capability of AI to understand and generate content across different modalities such as text, images, video, AND voice gets me thinking deeply about the virtually limitless applications of the technology. It opens up new ways for AI to help all kinds of people.
Widespread adoption: Generative AI is being embraced by people of all ages and backgrounds. I love that it can help individuals in any industry through natural language processing, making the technology more accessible and useful for everyone.
AI for good: I am excited about the potential of AI to make the world a better place in areas such as healthcare and environmental sustainability. The positive impact that AI can have on society is awesome, and I am personally thrilled to play a small part in this global transformation.
What are the 3 things that concern you about the AI industry? Why?
Even though there are many exciting things about AI, there are some scary unknowns, such as:
Unethical AI: The potential for discrimination, bias, and privacy violations is a major concern for me and corporate organizations. I worry about the possible development of autonomous weapons that can pose significant ethical and safety risks to our world.
Hallucinations: AI isn’t always right, but sometimes the technology presents information in a way that makes it seem as though it is. AI can sometimes be incorrect or can generate misleading information. This can be a problem because it can lead to misunderstandings or the spread of false information, which may cause people to lose trust in this technology.
Security: I believe that hackers, data breaches, deepfakes, and the manipulation of data are significant security concerns. AI can be used to compromise sensitive information; create realistic but false representations of people, identities, businesses, and more; or manipulate public opinion or commit fraud.
As you know, there is an ongoing debate between prominent scientists, (personified as a debate between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg,) about whether advanced AI has the future potential to pose a danger to humanity. What is your position about this?
I have been an eternal optimist all my life — I hope that AI will be used for good and not evil. However, I am also realistic and aware that bad actors exist in our world. I don’t think we have enough information yet about the potential dangers AI might pose to humanity. But, it’s important for us to continue to discuss the implications of AI so we are ready to take immediate action when and if needed.
What can be done to prevent such concerns from materializing? And what can be done to assure the public that there is nothing to be concerned about?
AI is not a new technology; it’s been a part of Experian’s products and services for many years. Protecting consumer data and combating fraud are absolutely central to our business. So, while we are excited about the opportunities this technology provides, we are also cognizant of the potential risks. That’s why we have established an AI Risk Council to anticipate and assess possible threats and concerns to our business, our customers, and consumers at large. At Experian, we’ve developed AI-powered solutions to “fight AI with AI” to mitigate threats and fraud attacks from bad actors.
We need to educate the public. People need to understand that AI can make mistakes, and we shouldn’t blindly believe everything it generates. We need to use our human capacities to review and fact-check information that AI generates. It’s important to promote openness in AI development, implement robust ethical guidelines, and encourage the public to engage in discussions to help address concerns and build trust in AI-driven technologies.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share a story?
Deep down, I have a genuine love for helping people. Whether it is in my daily work life, family life, mentoring at work, becoming a Mental Health First Aider for our employees, volunteering, or joining the board of directors of Families Forward, a non-profit focused on preventing and ending family homelessness, I am passionate about using my background and experience to take action, big or small, that can make a lasting, positive impact on people’s lives.
As you know, there are not that many women in your industry. Can you share 5 things you need to thrive as a woman in the AI industry?
Based on my personal and professional experience, the top five things I believe that can help women thrive in this or any other field are:
- Be Confident: Believe in yourself and others will believe in you.
- Be Authentic: Stay true to yourself and others. Authenticity is appreciated and builds trust.
- Demonstrate Leadership: Be a leader, not a follower. Take initiative and inspire others.
- Be Passionate: Find what you love and give it 100% effort. Your passion will drive you to succeed.
- Show You Care: Put genuine care and effort into what you do. It makes your work more meaningful, impactful and in most cases, a lot more fun.
Can you advise what is needed to engage more women into the AI industry?
We need to start educating girls at a young age to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related paths. Because I grew up in a family of engineers, pursuing a tech career felt natural to me. However, many girls lack this influence or experience. By reaching out to them early and making it “normal” for young women to be in tech, we can inspire and build a future generation of women in the AI industry. Providing mentorship, creating supportive communities, and showcasing female role models in AI can also make a big difference.
What is your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that had relevance to your own life?
My favorite quote is “That’s life…” It is something my dad says often, and it has taught me that — despite all our planning and hard work — unexpected things will happen, and that’s okay. Life has its ups and downs, but we have to continue to live, prosper, and find happiness no matter what comes our way.
Also, my personal motto is “Smile.” Imagine how much better the world would be if everyone smiled more. A genuine smile makes us happier and healthier, makes life more fun. Embracing this simple act has helped me maintain a positive outlook and spread joy to those around me.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I think a movement towards equity for all would bring the most amount of good because I believe that everyone should be treated fairly based on their individual needs and circumstances. This movement would focus on providing support and resources to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to succeed and create a more inclusive society where everyone has the chance to thrive. It would be amazing if technology and AI could contribute to the success of a movement like this.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-chamkasem/
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
About The Interviewer: Vanessa Morcom is a millennial mom of three and founder of Morcom Media, a performance PR shop for thought leaders. She earned her degree in journalism and worked for Canada’s largest social enterprise. She can be reached at vanessa@morcom.media
