Growthmates: Create and Grow Meaningful Products & Careers The Roots of AI and building a career you truly love | Emily Campbell (VP of Design at HackerRank)
Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I’m building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthmates.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms.
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In this episode, we chat with Emily Campbell, VP of Design at HackerRank. Emily shares her fascinating journey, from starting in economics to leading design at HackerRank, where she focuses on creating design systems that integrate AI while maintaining a human-centered approach. She is also the founder of Women in AI and The Shape of AI, where she explores how AI is reshaping design, creativity, and human interaction. In this conversation, Emily dives deep into how AI can augment human potential, the ethical implications of AI in social media, and why maintaining a human-centered approach is critical as AI evolves.
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Key highlights from this episode 👇
* AI can be your design co-pilot, not your replacement: While AI is becoming more integrated into design workflows, it shouldn’t replace human creativity. Emily emphasizes that AI works best when it augments human decision-making, allowing designers to focus on the more meaningful, creative aspects of their work. AI can automate the mundane, but the heart of design remains human.
* Creativity thrives on curiosity: Emily’s journey highlights the power of relentless curiosity. Whether exploring the history of cybernetics or diving into AI’s role in product design, she underscores that staying curious is essential for innovation. Cultivating curiosity helps you see problems differently, driving fresh solutions and creative breakthroughs.
* The ethics of AI are urgent, not optional: As AI technology evolves, its societal impact grows. Emily stresses that designers and developers have a responsibility to ensure that AI is used ethically. This includes transparency around algorithmic decisions and addressing the biases that can emerge in AI-driven systems. Regulation is critical to ensure AI benefits society rather than exacerbating existing problems.
* AI adoption takes time—but that’s okay: Many companies, including HackerRank, are integrating AI tools, but widespread adoption takes time. Users often need guidance and clear use cases to embrace AI features. Emily discusses the importance of building trust with users by showing how AI can improve their workflows without feeling intrusive or overwhelming.
* Design systems must evolve to accommodate AI: As AI becomes more embedded in products, design systems need to adapt. Emily explains that traditional patterns of interaction may break down in AI-powered experiences, requiring designers to rethink how users engage with digital products. The key is designing flexible systems that evolve with new technologies while keeping the user’s experience intuitive.
* Fostering diverse collaboration sparks innovation: Cross-disciplinary collaboration is critical in today’s fast-evolving tech landscape. Emily emphasizes how diverse teams—comprising engineers, designers, and AI experts—can generate more innovative and inclusive solutions. Diversity in thought and expertise leads to better products and stronger teams.
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Where to find Kate Syuma, Growth Advisor (ex-Miro):
* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaterina-syuma/
* Newsletter: katesyuma.substack.com
Where to find our guest — Emily Campbell (VP of Design):
* LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emily-campbell
* Website: emilycampbell.co
* Substack: https://shapeofai.substack.com
* Women in AI: https://womeninai.xyz
* Shape of AI: https://www.shapeof.ai/
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What we’ve covered in this episode:
[00:00] Cybernetics and AI history[00:28] The importance of AI regulation[02:19] Emily's career journey and inspirations[02:19] Transitioning from Coffee Startup to Tech[06:09] Improvisation and AI-driven design[13:00] The ethical deployment of AI in social spaces[19:54] How AI can unlock creativity and reduce friction[36:33] AI, human patterns, and society
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📕Useful Resources from this episode:
* Cybernetics: Second Edition by Norbert Wienerhttps://www.amazon.com/Cybernetics-Second-Control-Communication-Machine/dp/026273009X
* The Shape of AI: Navigating the Future of Design in Tech by Emily Campbell
* AI Superpowers by Kai-Fu Leehttps://www.amazon.com/AI-Superpowers-China-Silicon-Valley/dp/132854639X
* The Fourth Industrial Revolution by Klaus Schwabhttps://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Industrial-Revolution-Klaus-Schwab/dp/1524758868
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