

249 - AI’s First Cuts Are SaaS Tools: Jenny Molyneaux (VP People, Vercel)
Jenny Molyneaux, VP of People at Vercel, joined us on The Modern People Leader.
We talked about why AI is replacing HR tech spend before headcount, how Vercel’s people team is building custom AI tools to replace expensive SaaS products, and what HR leaders can do to start building with AI today.
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(07:36) Jenny’s Career Journey: From Google to Startups & VP of People at Vercel
(16:17) Lessons Learned as a People Team of One
(21:37) What Vercel Does Explained Simply
(28:15) How AI Will Cut Spend Before Headcount in HR
(33:13) Cost Savings from Building Internal AI Tools Instead of Buying SaaS
(37:22) Creating a Company Culture of AI Adoption
(40:17) The Future of B2B Tech: Customization, Forking, and AI Marketplaces
(44:23) Customizing Engagement Surveys for Better Insights
(49:44) Jenny’s “Manager Stack” Vision for AI-Driven Performance Management
(53:40) How to Start Building Internal Tools with AI
(56:50) Advice for HR Leaders: Just Start Building
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