3542: Samsara on Scaling Human Expertise With AI, Not Replacing It

Jan 4, 2026

Kiren Sekar, Chief Product Officer at Samsara, shares his insights on integrating AI into frontline operations across industries like logistics and construction. He highlights how traditional sectors have lagged in adopting modern software and the significance of Samsara's full-stack approach that leverages hardware and AI for actionable insights. Kiren discusses real-world impacts, like Home Depot's accident reduction and fuel savings, while emphasizing the importance of trust and transparency in technology adoption. He reinforces that AI should amplify human expertise, not replace it.

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INSIGHT

Data Prioritized By Real Business Outcomes

Samsara focuses on data that directly reduces safety risk, improves efficiency, or digitizes frontline workflows.
Turning trillions of signals into actionable insights makes safety and asset utilization measurable and operable for customers.

ANECDOTE

Home Depot Example Of Operational Impact

Home Depot deployed Samsara across fleets and assets and cut accident rates and fuel waste.
They used AI-driven tracking to place assets correctly and reduce unnecessary purchases.

INSIGHT

Timing And Tech Opened Frontline AI

Adoption lagged because sensors, connectivity, and affordable edge compute weren't mature for field operations.
Now cheaper sensors, cellular connectivity, and cloud AI enable scale in previously underserved industries.

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In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I'm joined by Kiren Sekar, Chief Product Officer at Samsara, to unpack how AI is finally showing up where it matters most, in the frontline operations that keep the global economy moving. From logistics and construction to manufacturing and field services, these industries represent a huge share of global GDP, yet for years they have been left behind by modern software. Kiren explains why that gap existed, and why the timing is finally right to close it.

We talk about Samsara's full-stack approach that blends hardware, software, and AI to turn trillions of real-world data points into decisions people can actually act on. Kiren shares how customers are using this intelligence to prevent accidents, cut fuel waste, digitize paper-based workflows, and scale expert judgment across thousands of vehicles and job sites. The conversation goes deep into real examples, including how large enterprises like Home Depot have dramatically reduced accident rates and improved asset utilization by making safety and efficiency part of everyday operations rather than afterthoughts.

A big part of our discussion focuses on trust. When AI enters physical operations, concerns around monitoring and surveillance surface quickly. Kiren walks through how adoption succeeds only when technology is introduced with care, transparency, and a clear focus on protecting workers. From proving driver innocence during incidents to rewarding positive behavior and using AI as a virtual safety coach, we explore why change management matters just as much as the technology itself.

We also look at the limits of automation and why human judgment still plays a central role. Kiren explains how Samsara's AI acts as a force multiplier for experienced frontline experts, capturing their hard-won knowledge and scaling it across an entire workforce rather than trying to replace it. As AI moves from pilots into daily decision-making at scale, this episode offers a grounded view of what responsible, high-impact deployment actually looks like.

As AI continues to reshape frontline work, making jobs safer, easier, and more engaging, how should product leaders balance innovation with responsibility when their systems start influencing real-world safety and productivity every single day?

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